A Time for Boldness

The times are fraught with danger. As we await a ruling by the Supreme Court in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, there have already been attacks on pregnancy centers, while pro-abortion domestic terrorists threaten an “open season” on the centers and call for a “summer of rage”. In this atmosphere, it

Two Weddings and the Bride of Christ

Within the last week, I had the privilege of attending two beautiful wedding ceremonies. One was the marriage of two wonderful young people. The other was the profession of final vows by six Sisters of Life. These events have enormous significance for the people involved, everyone who knows them – and especially for the Church

The Politics of Principle

(This is a repeat of a post from this same day the last seven years.  This post was written in memory of Jack Swan, a great warrior of faith and politics, who entered eternal life on February 2, 1998.  God sent Jack into my life to teach me these lessons about politics, and I’m just

Light a Candle for Freedom

The wonderful Jewish holiday of Hanukkah ended the other day, and in honor of the event, I went back and re-read the Books of Maccabees.  They are a fascinating and sobering read — full of heroism and bloodshed, honor and sacrifice.  They also are an important reminder of the need for people of faith to

Dissent and Heroic Witness

I had the honor the other day of attending a luncheon hosted by Alliance Defending Freedom.  They are one of the leading public interest law firms in the nation, dedicated to promoting and protecting life, marriage, and religious liberty.  The purpose of the event was to highlight several people who have been suffering legal attacks, as

Hunger

I’ve just finished reading Fr. Walter Ciszec’s amazing account of his years as a prisoner in the Soviet Union, With God in Russia. For those who are not familiar with the story, Fr. Ciszek was a Jesuit, and was sent into Poland in the late 1930’s, with a dream of someday ministering to Catholics in Russia.

Confidence, Generosity, and Docility

Millions of pixels have been spread throughout the Internet, as bloggers, columnists, advocates, journalists, and cranks have speculated, fretted, and warned about the ongoing Synod of Bishops in Rome. Called to give advice to the Holy Father about the pastoral care of the family, the Synod has become something of a Rorschach test.  Catholic media

We Need to be More Mary, and Less Martha

Over the last few days, as the Holy Father was in Cuba, and now is in the United States, I have been hearing and seeing too much of a very sad thing. People have been highly critical of the Pope for what he has said, what he has not said, what he supposedly has said,

A Holy Warrior for Our Time

Today is the feast day of my favorite saint — she called herself Jeanne the Maid (“Jehanne la Pucelle”), but we know her better as Joan of Arc.  She was a beautiful person, simple, devout and strong.  She rose from utter obscurity to accomplish one of the most remarkable feats in human history.  Just consider it

What We Need Most on Our Moral Bucket List

Several friends contacted me to call to my attention an article in the Times Magazine by the well-known pundit, David Brooks, entitled “The Moral Bucket List”.  It’s an adaptation and summary of a new book by Mr. Brooks called The Road to Character. In it, Mr. Brooks describes his dissatisfaction with his own character, and