Some time ago I wrote a blog post about the Commandant of Auschwitz--Rudoph Hoss--baptized and brought up as a Catholic, went to the devil, but before his execution went to confession, made a complete statement of remorse and apology and received the sacraments. I was more active on social media at the time and I remember [...]
One of the ponderings I've had in viewing the accession of King Charles III is the importance of patriarchy and kingship to the civilization of the West. Patriarchy and monarchy are ancient concepts which are always linked with the idea of the man as the head of the home, the chief of the tribe, the Father [...]
On Monday I returned from a very short visit to England to celebrate my mother-in-law's 85th birthday. While I was there Queen Elizabeth died. (It was not my fault) The brief visit, and the subsequent glut of England in the news made me feel nostalgic for the country where I lived for 25 years. When we [...]
In my own faltering way I have attempted to follow the Lord Jesus in the path of St Benedict, and one of the aspects of the Benedictine life from which I have profited most has been the Benedictine vows of Stability, Obedience and Conversion of Life. These vows differ from the Franciscan vows of obedience, poverty [...]
As providence would have it I have been in England at the time of the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of King Charles III. In fact I was on a cross channel ferry at the time of her death and my friend Gavin Ashenden told me the news on my arrival at Caen. [...]
During my pilgrimage tour to France in 2019 I was sorry not to have the time to find the shrine to St Jean de Brebeuf that I had learned was hidden in the Normandy countryside, so on this visit to Normandy I asked my marvelous host, Gavin Ashenden if we could go there. So on a [...]
Yesterday I took up my friend Gavin Ashenden's invitation to visit his delightful property in Normandy. He and his wife Helen live part of the time in a restored and renovated 18th century mill. It is a perfect little riverside retreat just a half hour from Mont St Michel. As I traveled across Southern England, then [...]
Thomas Williams reports here on newly appointed Brazilian cardinal Leonardo Steiner who believes gay sex between non-Catholics isn't wrong. He thinks non-Catholics are not bound to Catholic moral teaching. This is certainly true when it comes to adherence to Catholic doctrine and discipline--for example belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary or obligations [...]
When I was in England in June I had to return early due to being hit with COVID. This meant a visit to my Mother in Law in Sussex had to be missed. Therefore when Alison said she was coming to England for her mom's eighty fifth birthday I said I'd tag along. So I have [...]
When you analyze them closely you soon come to realize that all of the seven deadly sins are called such because they are well, deadly. They bring violence and murder. Not just spiritual and eternal death in the next world, but they bring about death in this realm as well. If you want to think this through further [...]