A Flight into Reality
The study of literature makes you free of the solipsism of the present, to see more clearly what Russell Kirk called “the permanent things.”
The Failure of Interreligious Dialogue with Islam
Last week, on the morning of August 7th, Pope Francis, just before his regular Wednesday general audience, received a group of representatives from the Afghan Muslim community in Italy. He touched upon the “complicated and dramatic history [in Afghanistan], marked by a succession of wars and blood-stained conflicts, which have made it very difficult for … Read more
Parishes Preparing Their People for…What Exactly?
The typical Catholic parish today asks almost nothing from its parishioners, and provides very little in return.
The Trump Precursor
Pat Buchanan’s nationalistic campaigns for President in the 1990’s had the Republican establishment orchestrating everything against him. Sound familiar?
Remembering a Forgotten Poet
Francis Thompson was eulogized memorably by G.K. Chesterton, who described him as “the greatest poetic energy since Robert Browning.”
Pontifical Alchemy Doesn’t Work
The desire to transform or otherwise unnaturally change aspects of the Church into something supposedly more valuable, or at least more appropriate for our times, is doomed to failure.
The Christian Approach to Sports
For some, the state of modern sports is enough to write off the whole enterprise of sports as a waste of time or a conciliation with decadent modern culture. But I believe this is shortsighted.
Praying with Protestants
Does the Church teach that Catholics cannot pray in common with non-Catholic Christians? A look at the history of this teaching.
This Just In: Absurdities Around the Globe
From Paris to Wall Street to Milwaukee, the world is full of absurdities that defy common sense and reason.
What’s Really Causing England’s Riots?
The race riots in England are not caused by a neo-Nazi “far right,” but instead originate with deeply unpopular and unfair immigration policies.
Paris Is No Stranger to Sacrilege
The Neo-paganism evident in the expensive show put on for the opening of the Olympics was just another example in a long history of official French ultra-secularist de-Christianization.
Against Catholic Zionism
For orthodox Christians, in no way can the establishment of a modern State of Israel be confused with the fulfillment of the promises given to Abraham because Jesus is the true fulfillment of those promises.
Turning on Children
The nations of the West have turned against children. They are committing suicide.
Keeping Catholicism Weird
Being a faithful Catholic in the modern world seems weird to those who have embraced the modernist radical materialism that permeates so much of the culture.
The Limits of Power
Today, from the Covid lockdowns to Traditionis Custodes to the Chinese population policies, the entire planet is enmeshed in varieties of tyranny which all may be traced to errors regarding legitimacy, authority, and power.
Seek His Face Evermore: St. Augustine and the Quest for God
Who among us is erudite enough to set about measuring the immensity of the achievement wrought by Augustine, whose depths clearly defy one’s best efforts to plumb?
Fun with Wodehouse
The works of P.G. Wodehouse contain a seemingly unlimited supply of fun quotes to help break the doom and gloom of today’s news.
They Hated the Eucharistic Congress and Loved the Olympic Blasphemy
To lefty Catholics, the great evil is “conservatism,” so they will support anything that opposes it, and criticize anything that advances it.
The Paris Olympics: Caligula Redux
The tragedy was not the outrageous blasphemy. It was the absence of howling outrage.
Vatican II: For Better or For Worse
When Pope John XXIII should have been calling Catholics to repentance, prayer, and sacrifice, he decided to call a Council to do the impossible.