The Church can seem slow when responding to the culture. We have 2000 years of wisdom to draw upon, but so often it’s like we’re learning to crawl when the rest of the culture is already running. Which brings me to the fund drive InsideCatholic is doing this week… Here at IC, we’re not only … Read more
The first Norbertine convent has just been established in the United States, and 9 of their 20 sisters made their solemn profession on January 29 in Fresno, California. More than 50 priests and hundreds of guests were present. The Norbertines, also called the Premonstratenisan Order, was founded by St. Norbert in 1121 in the Valley … Read more
Last week, Sughar Daily reported that the U.S. government and numerous international Christian organizations are working to free two Christians in Afghanistan who have been jailed for converting from Islam. If convicted on apostasy charges, both of them could face the death penalty: The U.S. has called on Afghan authorities to respect the Universal Declaration … Read more
Last Thursday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) had approved the unrestricted planting of genetically modified alfalfa sold by Monsanto Co. and Forge Genetics. Nevermind the protests from organic food groups and public health advocates, as well as about 250,000 citizens. The Atlantic reports: With this announcement, the Obama … Read more
Hands down, the best coverage of the crisis in Egypt is coming from Al Jazeera English (AJE). I was originally introduced to the news source by an American friend — a conservative Republican and military veteran who has lived and worked in the Middle East for years. “It’s the best news channel in the world,” … Read more
Here’s a video of the March for Life making its way around the blogosphere today. Lots of shiny, happy faces — especially young sisters and priests. The pro-life movement is young, and that makes the future a little brighter. [video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_0UIxsMdQ4&feature=player_embedded 635×355]
This Wall Street Journal article points to another casualty in the economic slump: churches. Many are having to close their doors because they can’t make their mortgage payments: Since 2008, nearly 200 religious facilities have been foreclosed on by banks, up from eight during the previous two years and virtually none in the decade before … Read more
From the Magnificat‘s Meditation of the Day, by Caryll Houselander, on the feast of Saints Timothy and Titus: Christ is that good seed with which our humanity is sown… We are the soil of the divine seed; there is no other. The flowering of Christ in us does not depend upon pious exercises, on good … Read more
Pope Benedict recently praised new media and social networking, while also warning people of its dangers: He said the possibilities of new media and social networks offered “a great opportunity,” but warned of the risks of depersonalization, alienation, self-indulgence, and the dangers of having more virtual friends than real ones. “It is important always to remember … Read more
In his annual speech to the Roman Rota, the tribunal that handles annulments, Pope Benedict told priests they must do a better job preparing couples for marriage. The Associated Press reports that the pope said no one has the right to a church wedding and that every Catholic bride and groom should intend to live … Read more
Politico columnist Michael Kinsley has a piece about the recent miracle attributed to Pope John Paul II. He questions whether the French nun, Sister Marie Simon-Pierre, really had Parkinson’s at all, and criticizes the Church’s position on embryonic stem cell research, which he believes has denied him his own miracle via science: Congratulations to Simon-Pierre. … Read more
Nicole Kidman and her country music star husband, Keith Urban, welcomed a second child into their family last month. If you didn’t know she was pregnant, don’t worry — she wasn’t. Nor did she and her husband adopt. Here’s the statement they released to TMZ: Our family is truly blessed, and just so thankful, to … Read more
Last week, New American reported on a recent study by the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) that shows there are now over two million children being home-schooled in the United States. Michael Smith, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association, points out that thirty years ago, there were only about 20,000. Since there … Read more
I don’t know if you’ve seen this story out of Queensland, Australia, but it’s about a 13-year-old hero named Jordan Rice. With flood waters about to wash them away, Jordan was stuck in a car with his mother and 10-year-old brother: Warren McErlean, a passerby who tried desperately to save the family when their white … Read more
The miracle of a French nun’s recovery from Parkinsons through the intercession of Pope John Paul II has been confirmed by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Now it must be approved by a commission of bishops and cardinals before a date is set for beatification. But Catherine Pepinster at the Guardian wonders … Read more
Halfway through this Wall Street Journal article, I thought the author, Amy Chua, might be writing tongue-in-cheek. But the Yale Law professor and author isn’t joking. Titled “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior,” Chua compares the parenting styles of what she loosely calls “Chinese” mothers with that of “Western” mothers, arguing that the former produces the … Read more
On Sunday, as he baptized 21 infants in the Sistine Chapel, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged parents to give their children Christian names. He said this was “an unequivocal sign that the Holy Spirit gives a rebirth to people in the womb of the Church.” The Italian media then warned parents about not using names from … Read more
A government study shows that fluoride levels in water and common dental hygiene products are too high. Two out of five adolescents have tooth streaking or spottiness due to excessive fluoride, and in some cases teeth can become pitted. One study mentioned in the Los Angeles Times found that prolonged exposure to fluoride “can increase … Read more
CBS reports that almost 40 percent of pregnancies in New York City ended in abortion in 2009, according to the city’s health department. Out of 225,667 recorded pregnancies there were 126,774 live births and 87,273 abortions. Archbishop Timothy Dolan joined with other religious leaders yesterday calling for efforts to make abortions “rare:” “I re-affirm Cardinal … Read more
Should homeschooling families get a federal tax break? The Congress has failed to pass such a measure, and only three states currently allow some tax benefit for home schooling — Illinois, Louisiana, and Minnesota. The New York Times posed the question to a panel of experts, and the responses are here. Some think homeschoolers should … Read more