Reading Church documents written in progressive jargon requires a lot of attention, patience, and analysis. That is because ideas in these documents are not expounded clearly and logically but rather with circumlocutions and contradictions; they are more suggested than affirmed. In addition, one must keep in mind the principles and methods of … Read more
The story of American public education begins with Horace Mann. It was Mann who popularized the idea that American schools should teach all students, be non-sectarian, and tax-supported. A little less than a half-century passed between Mann’s death and the advent of John Dewey. That half-century may well be the most dynamic … Read more
A Catholic soul is filled with sadness when it must criticize a member of the once glorious Society of Jesus founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, a religious order that did so much good for the Church. Alas, corruptio optimi pessima—the corruption of the best is the worst of all. This reflection … Read more
The announcement that the “Silence Breakers” have been named “Person of the Year” by TIME magazine has catapulted the sexual harassment scandals into the national spotlight. Sexual assault in the workplace has taken on crisis proportions. Many are saying that men and women will soon revert to minimizing contact among themselves. They … Read more
There is a certain point when a normal house becomes haunted. It is hard to say exactly when the change occurs, but when it does, things become strange and eerie. From the outside, the house seems to lose its air of respectability, and people sense something foreboding inside. They hear creaking noises. … Read more
Perhaps one of the more sensitive personal issues you can raise with people is that of dress. How you dress has become a purely personal affair. Most are left to their own opinion as to what is appropriate. There are, of course, some limits. Most Catholics will admit in theory that there … Read more
It is astonishing to see how so many people think unbalanced markets can be regulated into order. They think that stopping abuses with straitjacket regulations will solve all problems. In the case of frenzied markets, this usually addresses the effects not the causes of financial instability. Moreover, most regulations, however good-intentioned, are … Read more
In his masterwork, The City of God, Saint Augustine offers a definition of a people that can shed some light on why we are so fragmented today. He states that a people is “a gathered multitude of rational beings united by agreeing to share the things they love.” In the face of … Read more
The recent (January 30) statements by the Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, Robert Barron, that he will not fight for the abolition of the same-sex “marriage” ruling has scandalized even his admirers.
The Super Bowl is the most-watched television show in the country. As the premier sports event viewed by tens of millions of Americans, it should reflect the nation and its values. That is not what is happening this year. In fact, for some years now, the organizers of the event have featured … Read more