In his book Evangelical Catholicism George Weigel says, "There is no future for lukewarm Catholicism." There is not only no future for lukewarm Catholicism, but there was no past or present for it either. Let's face it, the gospel is only good news when it is subversive. It's time for what Weigel calls "Evangelical Catholicism" which [...]
In a nearby convent there was a nun who had taken to levitating during mystical prayer. The people were, of course, stupefied by this astounding miracle and were flocking to see the flying nun. The novices in Thomas' friary were just as excited as the others and dragged the great philosopher off to see the [...]
Guest blogger Caitlin O’Rourke is a member of St Bridget’s, Church, High Dudgeon, New Jersey. Caitlin is ten years old. See what you probably didn't know is that my middle name is Agnes but I don't tell anybody because I don't like it very much because Granny had a friend she used to take me to [...]
St Lucy Not Lucile Ball, but St Lucy is the one I love. It is her feast day today, and here are some reasons why she's important: Firstly, there is the symbolism of her name. "Lucy" comes from the Latin for light--"Lux" or "Lucis". Lucy is the saint of Light in the season of [...]
In the current debate on hell (which is really a debate on universalism) there is some fuzzy thinking going on. Here is an excerpt from my book The Quest for the Creed which comes out next week. This book is a new edition of Adventures in Orthodoxy. Published by Crossroads, it has new material and a new format. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Someone [...]
Whitby Abbey - "bare, ruined quires" Damian Thompson (who is probably one of the world's greatest journalists) write here about the decline of Christianity in Britain. The shrinking of those who identify as Christians is combined with a dramatic surge in the Muslim population. You can't disagree with the statistics: Since the last census [...]
Do you remember that stylish film The Matrix? The hero, Neo Anderson, exists in a dull, conformist, monotone and monochrome world. Then he wakes up and is "born again" and enters the world of adventure and risk which is the real world. What I find curious about modern American Catholicism is that it is similarly monotone and [...]
You know the theory that a frog put in a pan of water will stay there as the temperature rises and the poor thing doesn't sense the increase in temperature and eventually boils to death. The biggest problem with American Catholics is that the majority of them are asleep. Lulled by materialism, the good life and [...]
What I mean is "successful" in the world's terms. Now that I've returned to America after living in the damp lands for twenty five years, one of the things I find most trying is America's love affair with "success". I'm not talking about being excellent or being a fulfilled human being or finding what you want [...]
One of the difficulties about preaching is there is too much to say and too little time to say it. This is especially true of the celebrations that only come around once a year. So for Christ the King on Sunday I spoke about Blessed Miguel Pro and "Viva Christo Rey!" and the need for majestic [...]