James Bascom 
Few institutions today inspire more contempt among God-fearing Americans than Hollywood. Just the name of “Hollywood” conjures up images of glitzy, degenerate celebrities in gaudy outfits who use their wealth and influence to wage war on what remains of Christian morality. Much subtler than this sexual immorality, yet ultimately more damaging, is … Read more
Historical eras, like people, have their own defining traits. There is always a particular virtue or vice, hero or villain, war or revolution that indelibly marks a whole year, decade, or even century, making it easy to summarize these eras with a single phrase. The Ancien Régime , the period of French … Read more
Doctrinal and moral confusion reigns more than ever in both the Catholic Church and secular society. Fortunately, 2017 will commemorate four anniversaries of important historical events that are keys to understanding this crisis: the Lutheran revolt of 1517, the founding of Masonry in 1717, the Russian Revolution of 1917, and Our Lady’s … Read more
In the twenty-first century, the virtue of duty is paradoxically both greatly admired and shamefully despised. On the one hand, certain forms of duty, such as military service, are still widely appreciated. A common sight in airports, malls, and other public places is that of perfect strangers approaching soldiers in uniform and … Read more
The political left has always preferred to wage its battles in the terms and the imagery of symbols. Whether they be an image such as a Che Gueverra T-shirt, a slogan such as “the 99%,” an action such as Greenpeace photo-op stunt on a coal power plant, or a flesh and blood … Read more
We Americans are a people who are justifiably proud of our nation’s many heroes and achievements. Our history is full of great explorers, soldiers, statesmen, clergy, and civic leaders—George Washingtonian characters—who accomplished great deeds. Their legacy is a long, unbroken line of service, sacrifice, and honor that gives substance to our Fourth … Read more
If there is one dominating characteristic that backlights American politics—on the right as well as the left—it is a growing sense of desperation. After nearly eight years of President Obama’s disastrous policies, the prospect of another Democratic president is simply unthinkable to most conservatives. For them, especially those activists in the trenches … Read more
Just as the Christ Child was rejected 2,000 years ago, and had nowhere but a cold stable for a birthplace, our world has little to do with Christmas. Articles questioning the existence of Christ, the virginity of Mary, and other Catholic tenets are disseminated by the media, and lawsuits aim to remove … Read more
The parable of the Prodigal Son is one of the most memorable and moving of all Our Lord Jesus Christ’s parables. Many who cannot name all Ten Commandments can nevertheless give a rough outline of the story. It has been widely represented in Christian art since the Middle Ages, and even today … Read more
A revolution is underway that is fundamentally transforming mankind’s relationship with the natural world. Although it began in academia this movement has metastasized and spread, first into the culture, and now into law. This revolution is called Ecology, and its latest phase is the granting of legal personhood to animals, plants, parks, … Read more