While not well known today, Saint Catherine de Ricci participated in the pains of Purgatory during her lifetime by suffering for the liberation of another from that place of penance. A Little Rich Girl Alexandrina de Ricci (1522-1590) was born in a powerful Tuscan banking family. When she lost her mother in … Read more
The expression “family silver” used to mean a household’s most prized physical assets. Such collections consisted of valued heirlooms gathered over generations, with strong historical and sentimental value in addition to their intrinsic worth. Thus, families handed down the family silver for centuries, believing these things meant something. They were not taken … Read more
The age of Artificial Intelligence has changed everything. A generation ago, a difficult problem would result in a consultation with a father, a priest, a teacher, or a friend. The answer brought some suffering, but it required much effort. The effort to find a solution was what matured a person. Problems give … Read more
When China’s Xi Jinping arrives at the White House on September 24, he will seek to gain the greatest possible advantages at the least possible cost to China. That is the way it has always been with Chinese communist dictators. There is no reason to expect any change now. For this reason, … Read more
This article is the thirteenth part of a series about Purgatory, a topic that is rarely discussed today. A knowledge of Purgatory is essential if souls are to avoid the pains of this place of expiation. The previous article can be found here. * * * Modern Christians who accept … Read more
All across the country, data centers are popping up like mushrooms. Likewise, people everywhere are mobilizing against them. People hate the data centers. Nearly three-quarters of Americans oppose them, especially when built in their backyards. The controversy around them has caught politicians off guard. Everyone thought they would be win-win situations. Pro-data … Read more
The Catholic Church’s unflinching teaching on the sanctity of life and the protection of the unborn has not changed. Yet, in one tiny European nation, the Church is offering its diplomatic support to moves which will see abortion decriminalized. The wheels of Vatican diplomacy tend to move slowly and quietly, away from … Read more
The Jesuit Fr. Thomas Reese, former editor of America Magazine, reveals his hatred for the traditional rite of the Mass in an article he wrote for the Religion News Service on August 25. The title says it all: “Why I Hate the Old Latin Mass: A Confession.” In a satirical style, which … Read more
This article is the twelfth part of a series about Purgatory, a topic that is rarely discussed today. A knowledge of Purgatory is essential if souls are to avoid the pains of this place of expiation. The previous article can be found here. * * * There is a common … Read more
Even the most hardened liberals have to admit something is wrong with the liberal order that has long dominated modernity. The social and cultural structures upon which this order is built have broken down—notably the family, community, and church. As the reigning political philosophy, liberalism must take at least some blame for … Read more