In a brilliantly titled essay my friend Joseph Pearce dismantles the current idiocy that William Shakespeare was gay. Contrary to Friedlander’s own glib acceptance of the myth of Shakespeare’s homosexuality, isn’t it unlikely that Shakespeare would have escaped punishment in a culture in which homosexual practice was punishable by death if the sonnets were so transparently [...]
The Pope's visit has been an astounding success with tens of thousands crowding to get a glimpse of him, the President and his family going out to greet him and the Majority Leader reduced to tears and chucking in his job as a result. What's happening? Are we about to witness a religious revival in America? [...]
For me here is the best moment of the Pope's visit so far. The man has given a speech to thousands at the White House. The next day he gives a historic speech to both houses of Congress with the Supreme Court Justices in the front row. Then he comes out on the balcony of the [...]
Somebody has said there are an equal number of people who are delighted by what the pope has said and an equal number who are distressed by what he didn't say. Here are ten things to remember about a papal visit which should help put things in perspective. 1. In Congress, at the White House and at [...]
This article in National Catholic Register confirms that the Pope's unscheduled visit to the Little Sisters of the Poor was a visual and symbolic shout out to emphasize his point on the White House lawn about religious freedom. Matt Archbold comments on the controversy here. Pope Francis paid a short visit to the Little Sisters of [...]
My article for Aleteia today analyzes the Catholic understanding of poverty. Pope Francis speaks so much about poverty and wealth that you might assume that the Catholic Church thinks wealth is intrinsically evil and poverty intrinsically good. This is to misunderstand what is a subtle and profound understanding of the relationship between the spiritual and the [...]
Reading through the commentary in the press and on social media it amazes me how snarky and nitpicking people are about Pope Francis' visit. I think it was pretty much universally appreciated that he skipped lunch with Pelosi, Biden, Boehner and the other nitwits on Capitol Hill in favor of visiting with the homeless, but other [...]
I admit. I'm somewhat confused. I'm generally enthusiastic about Pope Francis, but I do wonder why does he keep going on and on to his bishops and clergy about the need to be kind and gentle and merciful? In Cuba he told the priests not to be harsh and judgmental in the confessional. To the bishops [...]
A beautiful September morning for Pope Francis to visit Washington. Kudos to Pope Francis for speaking in English at the White House You can read his speech here. It's good, but I wish he had woven in a mention of defending the unborn and the persecuted Christians around the world when speaking about our responsibility for [...]
With Pope Francis coming to America I can't believe how polarized Conservatives and Liberals are. Why can't people be smart enough to realize that both sides want the best and affirm some things that are good and true, and both sides have blind spots where they think they're right, but they're actually off beam. The value [...]