One of the buzzwords that dominates the Catholic Church these days is “listening.” In the synodal church, bishops and clergy are called to pay special attention to what the faithful are saying on all the burning issues of the day. In this way, they will supposedly be better positioned to discern where … Read more
Pope Leo XIV has called the presidents of bishops’ conferences to Rome from Oct. 7—14 for a weeklong gathering on Pope Francis’s apostolic exhortation Amoris laetitia. He says: “In light of the changes that continue to impact families, I have decided to convene the presidents of the Episcopal Conferences from around the … Read more
After twenty-four hours without electricity, Havana resident Frank Lorenzo saw the lights return. An hour later, Cuba’s entire grid collapsed. So much for relief. That brief interval of light offers a fitting image of the socialist promise: Relief arrives just long enough to remind people of what they are missing. Then the … Read more
This article is the fourteenth 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. * * * While not well known today, Saint Catherine de … 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