In the 2016 presidential election cycle, no single group, not even President Obama, has been the object of more contempt than “the establishment.” Nearly every candidate of both parties has attacked his or her rivals for supposedly belonging to the “establishment” while vehemently denying ever having belonged to it themselves. Large numbers … Read more
On campuses nationwide, students have whined about what they call “micro-aggressions.” People suffering from “micro-aggressions” are offended by tiny acts that might in some slight way, point to politically incorrect behavior. The offended student then feels free to demand changes from college administrators in a very macro-aggressive way. Such an attitude is … Read more
Listening to the rhetoric in the present political cycle, there seems to be a missing word. It is not “angst” or “frustration,” neither “equality” nor “jobs” or even the latest buzzword, “establishment.” All these words are thrown around in the present debate. Being true politicians, candidates pepper their speeches with them, while … Read more
There is a tendency among older people to write off youth as enthusiastic supporters of all that is modern in today’s culture. If something is traditional, it is assumed that young people are against it. This is especially true in the field of the technology. Young people and children are supposedly obsessed … Read more
Is the Pope always infallible in everything he says or does? What are the conditions and limits provided by the First Vatican Council for the Pope to exercise the charisma of infallibility? Can Catholic faithful with sufficient doctrinal formation resist documents that clearly contradict Catholic tradition? These are some of the urgent … Read more
Perhaps it is best to start by saying there is no ideal presidential candidate now running in the race in either party. None of them has all the qualities that are presently needed, although some candidates may have a few of them. No candidate is proportional to the crisis that is coming. … Read more
It is no secret that middle-class Americans are angry at the government and the general state of things. The so-called anti-establishment candidates appear to be channeling that rage to their camps. It is a raw undefined rage that is based more on frustrations and emotions than on concrete facts or convictions. People … Read more
In this age of complete relativism, some uphold the “right” to practice any aberration not only in the moral order but also in the spiritual sphere. Thus, they advocate the supposed “right” of atheists and unbelievers—and even Satan worshipers!—to ostensibly display their hatred of Christianity. To many, such hateful displays are harmless … Read more
Many are attempting to make sense out of the present election cycle and especially the appearance of unconventional political outsiders that are dominating the headlines and in some cases the polls. Everyone seems to agree that the system doesn’t work anymore. It’s broken and no one knows how to fix it. However, … Read more
Symbolic acts and gestures often have a greater persuasive power than words and reasoning, though one completes the other. This is why the Divine Savior constantly used both symbolic gestures and employed metaphors and parables. This is also why the Church has always surrounded herself with symbols to make visible the beauty … Read more