Have you checked out my new blog yet? I've taken the opportunity to create a blog free from ads and flashing lights and the distractions of Patheos. It focusses on monastic spirituality, book reviews, prayer, work and reading. Today at Suburban Hermit is the biography of St Benedict from my book St Benedict and St Therese-The Little [...]
Damian Thompson aka "the blood crazed ferret" launches a scathing attack on Pope Francis here at the UK's Spectator. After the latest disastrous interview with ninety one Italian journalist Antonio Scalfari, Thompson argues that the Pope is unpredictable, out of his depth and a dangerous loose cannon. Last Sunday, the Italian newspaper La Repubblica carried an article by Eugenio [...]
For some time now I have been feeling the need to have another outlet for more personal stuff. So today I launch my new blog: The Suburban Hermit. This blog will be notes on reading, prayer and work. As a Benedictine oblate I try to follow the threefold vows of obedience, stability and conversion of life within [...]
WaPo reports here on a new survey that informs us that the largest religious grouping among registered Democrats is "None" Yes, that's "None" not "Nun". In other words, the Democrats are the party of the godless. People who do not identify with any organized religion (aka the "nones") comprise the largest chunk of self-identified Democrats and [...]
My latest blog post for National Catholic Register is here. It analyzes why we're sometimes a bit leery of spirituality. Why is it that among ‘conservative Catholics’ there seems to be so little interest in spirituality? We’re big on apologetics. We’re big on dogma. We’re big on the moral teaching of the Church. We’re big on [...]
Robert Cardinal Sarah - Papabile? In the wake of the liberal defeat in the Synod of the Family a narrative is emerging that goes like this: Pope Francis, the great reformer, has been stymied in his attempts to allow divorced and remarried Catholics to come to communion. The harsh, old judgmental conservatives, who were [...]
Two people have been arrested at the Vatican for leaking information about alleged corruption in the Vatican. This report recounts the sensational news that is about to be published in two new books, one by Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi. Nuzzi's 2012 best-seller, "His Holiness," based on leaked papal correspondence detailing corruption, infighting and intrigue in the [...]
Anyone who saw the "exorcism" TV show last night will probably agree with Deacon Kandra's report here in which he quotes the review from Variety. Frankly, the producers seemed to squander an opportunity with their taped packages, which relied heavily on over-the-top dramatic recreations, which looked pretty pallid compared to clips from the movie. Given that most people are familiar with [...]
My latest blog post over at National Catholic Register analyzes a phenomenon I call "sugar bullies" Sugar bullies are everywhere in our society. They push for progressive causes in schools, in politics, in business and in the Church. The sugar bullies appeal is one of total sentimentality. The sugar bully manipulates you by trying to touch [...]
Exorcism? It's real. It's ugly. You don't want to go there. I witnessed a person being delivered from the bondage of Satan once. She had been involved with a witch's coven. It was the only brush I've had with real exorcism, and believe me. If you had seen what I have seen you would believe [...]