In a fast-paced world, everyone wants everything instantly and effortlessly. This desire is part of a culture in which happiness and pleasure are expected yet not always delivered. When people inevitably fail to obtain all that they want, they suffer from stress and depression. No one should be surprised that they then … Read more
It was a beautiful spring day when I visited the Baaklini family in Harrisburg, Penn. The enthusiastic crowd sang hymns and organized a procession for Our Lady of Fatima on entering the home. After crowning Our Lady, I looked around the living room at several images of saints, some of who were … Read more
The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree. He shall grow like the cedar of Lebanon. (Ps. 91:13) The Biblical cedars of Lebanon have towered on mountaintops for thousands of years. Lebanon, a country mentioned in the Bible more than 70 times, today carries the cedar on its flag. The towering … Read more
Religious persecution is starting up again in Nicaragua and the media do not seem to be interested. The small Central American country suffered a similar persecution from 1979-1990. At that time, the nation was ruled by the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), a Marxist-inspired guerrilla group. The Sandinista victory was made possible … Read more
Forty-four years ago, the Brazilian Catholic thinker Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira took a public stand against the Holy See’s policy of détente with the communist governments of the time. He published a statement titled, “The Vatican Policy of Détente with Communist Governments – Should the TFPs Stand Down? Or Should They Resist?” … Read more
Justice Anthony Kennedy has just announced his retirement from the Supreme Court. Everyone is talking about who will be his replacement. Much is at stake. For the liberals, it could spell the end to the precarious situation in which Kennedy’s swing vote has brought them many major victories and some small defeats. … Read more
“Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,” wrote poet Robert Frost. In the opening line to his famous poem, “Mending Wall,” Frost explores one of the mysteries of fallen human nature. Everyone feels both a need and aversion for order. His questioning of the role of walls tries to explain this … Read more
There was a time when the nation was ruled by a group of people that set the course for the country. Their children usually followed in their footsteps. This group of people tended to consolidate their wealth and pass it along to future generations. They formed what has been called a social … Read more
Aloysius was born in March 1568 into one of the most illustrious families in Christendom—his father (the Marquis of Castiglione) and his mother had served at the court of Philip II of Spain; a cousin was the Duke of Mantua; and a Gonzaga often sat in the College of Cardinals (three in … Read more
Extreme Noise Terror, Pungent Stench and Pestilence are all disagreeable topics of conversation for most people. They should be avoided in polite company. However, these repugnant things enjoy some favor in today’s postmodern society. The three topics are actually the names of death metal bands casually mentioned in a recent newspaper article. … Read more