Without St. Denis, there would be no Notre Dame de Paris as we knew it (and hope to see it again). Though not as well known, the Basilica of St. Denis is one of the most remarkable churches in Christendom. St. Denis, just north of Paris, initiated the Gothic revolution. Read more…
Neil Postman aptly described our society as a Technopoly, or what we could also refer to as technocracy – a society fundamentally shaped and ruled by technology. Technology has played a central role civilization from the beginning, but a shift has occurred as technology has passed beyond normal human proportions. Read more…
The Beer Option–the use of beer for evangelization and cultural renewal–continues to unfold. In particular, the footprint of Trappist beers, the flagship line of monastic brews, has grown throughout the world in just the last few years. In addition to the seven classics of the Lowlands (Belgium and the Netherlands), Read more…
Art enables us to engage in visio divina, a visual contemplation of the Scripture. Each artist attempts to capture particular details and when we put a few works side by side, we can contrast them to discover the elements of the story they emphasized and illuminated. Raphael draws out the Read more…
May is the month of Mary, a time of new growth and a return to life fitting for the New Eve. Blessed John Henry Newman spoke of how nature itself bears witness to the joy we find in Our Lady: Why is May chosen as the month in which we Read more…
Jesus’ words to the Pharisees often resonate with his own followers as well: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but Read more…
Joseph was a royal figure, descended from David, and, therefore, able to make the claim to be the Messiah: the Lord’s anointed king. David had said that he wanted to build a temple or house for the Lord, but the Lord replied: “You shall not build me a house to Read more…
Statuary serves its role in the church primarily through the Crucifix: prominently displayed in almost every sanctuary and Catholic home. Although there are some statues of the Risen Christ, they do not find nearly as much prominence (and we won’t even speak of the attempts to combine the imagery of Read more…
“God is dead and we have killed him.” Nietzsche is right once a year. The horror of the death of Christ for our sins, marred beyond recognition, and the responsibility we bear for this suffering, should touch us deeply. Although the terror of the death of God gives way to Read more…
Nietzsche, in The Gay Science, after proclaiming the death of God (through the voice of the madman), declared churches to be nothing more than sepulchers of God. Having led a pilgrimage to some of the most beautiful churches in France and Belgium, I think the atheistic prophet is on to Read more…