I am not on Facebook, which I realize makes me akin to an alien. Yes, I miss out on invitations, fun photos, and connections, but the losses aren’t worth the gains… at least not yet. I’ve been chided and criticized for not joining the club, but it turns out I’m in good — and unexpected … Read more
Here’s part two of Catholics in Action, an exploration of Catholic Social Doctrine from the personal level instead of the political. As always, these pages come from Catholic University’s online archive of Treasure Chest of Fun and Fact. There, a new bit of Catholic sports trivia for you. I do have some misgivings about everyone’s … Read more
Christine O’Donnell’s surprise victory in Delaware has stunned the pundits. It’s called a Tea Party victory, but in fact it was something a bit different. O’Donnell’s message was consistently grounded in the social conservatism of her Catholic faith, with a strong emphasis on the sanctity of life and the defense of marriage. The role of … Read more
No, I’m not a musician doing an accoustic set. Instead I’m a guy who has had to do some serious budget downsizing, which included dropping my cell phone when the contract ended. I’ve been without it for almost two weeks now, and I still have phantom phone syndrome. I’m not just a cell phone user, … Read more
It’s a slow day here on the blog, so I thought I’d raise some hackles. Though a cradle Catholic, my adult conversion to the Faith was intimately tied to the writings of C.S Lewis, and thus I take somewhat of an academic approach to it. Add to this my legal training, and I tend to view … Read more
Last night’s Partnership Dinner was a great success — so successful, in fact, that we’re all going to be a little slow out of the gate this morning. So rather than the usual Friday round-up, I thought I’d share a few shots from the evening: Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of the Susan B. Anthony List, … Read more
As Brian mentioned, all of us here at InsideCatholic are headed to our 15th annual Partnership Dinner tonight, where we’ll honor Bishop Vasa for his service to the Church. It’s a little hectic at IC headquarters today as a result, so in our absence, I’ll leave you with this, which had me totally mesmerized this … Read more
Benedict’s visit to the UK is already underway, and the coverage began on his flight over, with the pope’s customary habit of answering written questions from journalists — a practice that tends to set the tone for the first day of reporting. As with several of Benedict’s recent state visits, one of those questions dealt … Read more
Tonight is InsideCatholic’s 15th annual Partnership Dinner and Dance, so things will be quiet around the blog as we prepare. I did want to call your attention to one timely item. Elizabeth Scalia had a lovely Tuesday column at First Things, anticipating the meeting today between Benedict XVI and Elizabeth II: At the age of fourteen, … Read more
What is it about us that makes us willing to stand in line for an eternity at a coffee shop just to get a cup? Actually, I’m not really sure what to call those establishments, as they’re part Internet cafe, part hang-out joint, and part public restroom. It seems that people do everything there except … Read more
Here’s a story after my own heart: An exemplary organic farm run by a group of nuns. Villa Maria, on the border of Pennsylvania and Ohio is like a small town, with a Post Office, and a 23 acre plot of land housing a convent, an apartment building for seniors, and a retreat center full … Read more
Over at Catholic Culture, Phil Lawler offers five things we can expect from Benedict’s trip to the UK (which begins tomorrow). Among things like the “nasty rhetoric” and criticism of the organizers that we’ve already seen, one item stood out — and gave me hope for the visit: 4. Expect the unexpected Pope Benedict has … Read more
After much deliberation I got Chippy an inexpensive phone from AT&T (20$ after rebate). Since he is now walking home from school a sizable distance, I wanted it for safety. With the AT&T phone I purchased the Smart Limits program (5$ per month) that gives parents the ability to limit texting, downloading, etc. However, I … Read more
Wow, is it the power of mythology or the power of demonization? It’s hard to tell the difference, and perhaps there is no difference, perhaps demonization is the mythology that drives the Catholic Left. Why can’t I stop laughing? Because I just read this in NCR (the Reporter, not the Register) in response to the … Read more
Last week at the National Catholic Reporter, John Allen Jr. took aim at the “religious illiteracy” that still reigns among his fellow journalists (h/t Get Religion): On Tuesday a piece in the U.K.-based Telegraph carried the following headline: “Muslims will become majority in Europe, senior Vatican official warns.” An alarmist subhead added: “European Christians must have more … Read more
If you’ve played action-oriented videogames to any significant degree in the past, this new study will confirm what you already know. Playing shoot-‘em-up, action-packed videogames strengthens a person’s ability to translate sensory information quickly into accurate decisions. This effect applies to both sexes, say psychologist Daphne Bavelier of the University of Rochester in New York … Read more
In response to a certain missive making the rounds in reference to ladies’ fashion — and, more specifically, why dresses and skirts should be the norm for Catholic women — Simcha Fisher has one word: pants. A few selections from her Pantifesto: 1. I live in NH, where winter happens. Pants. 4. Motherhood is a … Read more
This was as predictable as the sunrise: At least 13 protesters died Monday when Indian police clashed with tens of thousands of Kashmiris who took to the streets and torched a Christian missionary school in demonstrations fueled by reports of Quran burnings in the United States…. Agence France-Presse reports that the protests began after video … Read more
Camille Paglia had an article in The Sunday Times yesterday (subscription required) about pop icon Lady Gaga and — to put it mildly — Paglia is not a fan. She calls the singer the first major star of the digital age, but believes she’s a charlatan, a “manufactured personality,” and unsexy. Furthermore, despite showing acres of … Read more
UPDATED 9/13 Rev. David J. Mullen is pastor of Saint Brendan’s Parish in Bellingham, MA, but perhaps not for long. Father Mullen told entire parish on the weekend of September 4-5 that he will very likely be removed as pastor and be named parochial vicar because of his refusal to use the Talking About Touching … Read more