Matt Smith, writing at Catholic Advocate, takes a look at the two Catholic candidates — Pat Herrity and Keith Fimian — vying for the GOP nomination to the 11th Congressional seat. Both Herrity and Fimian are pro-life, pro-family Catholics, while the Democratic incumbant Gerry Connolly — also a Catholic — is not. Smith is critical … Read more
On this Memorial Day, I find my thoughts turning to memories of my father, Jack W. Hudson. He served during World War II as the captain of a “Liberator,” the B-24 heavy bomber. Here he is with his crew (top right) — all of whom came back to the US alive. He only told me … Read more
On this Memorial Day, I find my thoughts turning to memories of my father, Jack W. Hudson. He served during World War II as the captain of a “Liberator,” the B-24 heavy bomber. Here he is with his crew (top right) — all of whom came back to the US alive. He only told me … Read more
This photo was taken by a photographer friend at the “Flags In” ceremony on Friday at Arlington National Cemetery. More than 250,000 flags were placed in preparation for today by members of the Armed Forces. Each flag is inserted one boot length from (and in the center of) each grave stone. My friend always wanted … Read more
So very, very crazy. Two men dressed as apes are walking around the zoo, with one baby gorilla in tow. Each of them thinks the other one is a real gorilla. Even Uncle Harry is confused. More madness from Frank Borth’s ten-part serial from 1962, lovingly stored in Catholic University’s online archive of Treasure Chest … Read more
Here’s Pat Buchanan on the significance of Rep. Joe Sestak’s claim that he was promised a White House job if he ended his primary race against Arlen Specter. If Sestak was offered a high government post to get out of the Pennsylvania race, it would appear an open-and-shut case that a felony was committed by … Read more
Remember the old saying about imitation, sincerity, and flattery? This clip might be the definitive example of the ol’ saw, while simultaneously underscoring the fact that flattery and subversion are always a bit closer to one another than one realizes. The thing about the clip that I find particularly amusing/instructive is the way Zucker and Co. retained … Read more
As the year for priests draws to a close, hindsight shows that Pope Benedict’s decision to devote this year to prayer for priests was prescient. On the dark side, it has been a year in which the scandal of abuse has dominated media headlines. But what hasn’t gotten media attention is the way the year … Read more
Marshall J. Breger was a special assistant to President Reagan and is now a professor of law at the Catholic University of America. He also served in senior positions at the Bush ’41” White House. His article from Moment Magazine on “A Republican’s Case for Peace” is quite interesting. Here is his introduction: There is … Read more
A few links to get the Friday morning rolling: News: Copernicus’s grave and remains are identified, and he is reburied in Frombork Cathedral with honors. Not news: Media accounts breathlessly declare that the Vatican is “rehabilitating” the “heretical” scientist, in “repentance for its treatment of [him] over his theory that the Earth revolves around the … Read more
Via Danielle Bean at Faith & Family Live comes this story about the flip side of “reproductive choice.” Greg Bruell says he had an agreement with his girlfriend that, if she were to become pregnant, she would abort the child — an agreement that she reneged on when she ultimately did become pregnant and decided … Read more
Stephan Phelan, communications director for Human Life International, has written a thoughtful article at Catholic Advocate on the recent scandal at the Catholic Health Association and its impact on “the future of Catholic unity.” Phelan’s concern is underscored by the statement of three Cardinals on behalf of the USCCB, referring to CHA’s “rogue” support of … Read more
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is an unpleasant topic, but it’s making headlines right now because the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) just changed their position on it, leaving room for U.S. doctors to do an abbreviated form of the procedure known as “nicking.” There are four main kinds of FGM. “Nicking” is the least severe, … Read more
I am pleased to report that I will be speaking about “Catholics in Political Life Today ” with Ross Douthat and Melinda Henneberger on Wednesday June 2 at the Loyola University Chicago School of Law. The man to thank for organizing the talk is Dr. John Breen of Mirror of Justice fame. I can hear … Read more
We Catholics used to be known for the importance we attached to marriage. But in my 13 years as a professional journalist, I rarely read Catholics discuss in detail why marriages succeed or fail. We talk about gay marriage, cohabitation, divorce and adultery, and out-of-wedlock childbearing. But never do we discuss a greater threat to … Read more
This will be of interest to IC readers: Former television news producer and anchor Bob Bowden has created his first documentary — a feature-length indictment of the education establishment. The Cartel has won both film festival awards and a long list of rave reviews. The trailer will certainly get your heart pumping: [UPDATE: Like a … Read more
Clark Griswold himself would have been proud (and maybe even a trifle envious) of the way I spent the last ten days of my life. My family and I were subjected to privileged to spend 8+ hours on the side of a Wyoming road in 30 degree weather with two fewer tires than is generally considered … Read more
The Jesuit CEO of UCA News says that the Catholic understanding of transbustantiation is no longer tenable in our “post-Newtonian world of quantum physics.” Physicist Stephen Barr begs to differ: [O]ne can explain the doctrine of transubstantiation and distinguish it from other beliefs about the Eucharist without any use of the Aristotelian apparatus. I don’t … Read more
This is interesting: A newly-completed study of fetal death rates in September, from 1996 to 2002, found that 12% more male fetuses died in September 2001 (after the 20th week of pregnancy) than in the other years. According to the BBC News, fewer boys were born in the U.S. three to four months following 9/11. … Read more
A few years ago, we got fleas. It happened exactly one week after we gave the world’s stupidest cat the old heave ho. The flaming injustice of this timing should have taught me something about the way the gods of vermin feel about me. It should have prepared me for what happened to us a few … Read more