Cardinal Suggestions for Leo XIV
Pope Leo XIV is poised to pack the College of Cardinals. Here’s a strong list of candidates he should choose, and why.
How Catholics Should Approach the Arab Israeli Conflict
Recent events have left many Americans confused or angry at their nation’s Middle Eastern ally. How should Catholics approach Israel? The Bible, papal teachings, and history can all be helpful in formulating a coherent Catholic response.
Leo XIV’s Favorite Films
Can we know someone by the media they consume? Here’s a look at Pope Leo’s favorite films.
Judging Religion by the Actions of its Adherents
Throughout the centuries, one of the biggest sources of crises of faith has been the ignoble, hypocritical behavior of Christians. Józef Tischner, a Polish priest, philosopher, and Solidarity chaplain, once said that he never met anyone who lost his or her faith by reading Marx or Lenin, but he knew many who had lost it … Read more
Vatican Ostpolitik and the Death of Fidel Castro
Upon the passing of Fidel Castro, the mainstream media are presenting the Cuban tyrant, the longest-reigning dictator in human history, in a much more benevolent way than they would the passing of any other strongman. For example, the headline in The New York Times reads: “Fidel Castro, Cuban Leader Who Defied U.S., Dies at 90.” … Read more
What Comes Next After Brexit?
The British have voted to leave the European Union. In all likelihood, other European countries will follow suit, a real nightmare for Brussels bureaucrats. The British vote is another indication that the West’s attempt at reducing man to materialist categories has failed and that the only way to save the EU is a return to … Read more
Giving Preference to Christian Migrants
Since last fall, few political issues have both dominated international newspaper headlines and triggered debate within the Catholic hierarchy as much as the so-called migrant crisis. Recently, many thousands of people, mostly Muslims, have been trying to flee oppressive political regimes, wars, and difficult economies in the Middle East and Africa for the West, especially … Read more
Courageous Leadership Is Needed to Reverse Secular Trends
However unpleasant this might feel, it’s time for American Catholics to acknowledge that over the past decade, a tsunami wave of aggressive secularism has swept across the United States. This is confirmed both by sociological data, and a disturbing secularist trend in politics in this age of Obama and Obergefell v. Hodges. There is, however, … Read more
How the EU Betrayed its Christian Founding Principles
When many conservatives hear of “European integration,” they roll their eyes. The term evokes sclerotic, secularist Brussels bureaucracy out of touch with ordinary Europeans that wants to control every detail of nominally sovereign member-states’ lives. Recently, Pope Francis has vowed to speed up the cause for beatification of one of the European project’s founders Alcide … Read more
Poland’s Presidential Election and the Future of Catholicism
Although Poland remains one of the world’s most Catholic cultures, in recent years its government has pushed an agenda separating Catholicism from decision-making in public life, often at odds with Poland’s Constitution and society itself. However, this is now coming to an abrupt halt with the ascent of President Andrzej Duda: young, charismatic, media savvy, … Read more
Remembering Polish Catholic Heroes of WWII
Although even secularist historians admit that Pope St. John Paul II inspired the rise of Solidarity and dealt a death blow to the Soviet Empire, the pivotal role Polish Catholicism played in anti-Nazi and anti-Soviet resistance is less well-known. The 70th anniversary of the end of World War II this year is a fitting time to … Read more