Beer
A New Option: Monastic NA Beer
As the author of The Beer Option, I have a confession to make. I felt the Lord calling me about two years ago to give up alcohol, making it a sacrifice for both my physical and spiritual health. I am Read more…
Cultural Literacy
An Entry into Catholic Fiction: 10 Novels
What’s the point of reading fiction? Wouldn’t it just be better to read works of theology and the spiritual life? Well, I wouldn’t replace spiritual reading with fiction. Novels and shorts stories, however, do make a contribution to Catholic life Read more…
Literature
Why Read Literature: Pope Francis and Vondel
Yesterday Pope Francis met with participants from a conference on the arts jointly organized by La Civiltà Cattolica and Georgetown University, offering remarks on the importance of the arts and literature: I have loved many poets and writers in my Read more…
Pilgrimage
Another Stop along the Sword of St. Michael?
A few years ago I wrote a popular article for Catholic Exchange, “Understanding the Mysterious Sword of St. Michael.” I proposed that these sites became dedicated to St. Michael to overcome previously established pagan sites at these high places along Read more…
History
How Many Christians Were There in the Year 100?
Rodney Stark’s famous The Rise of Christianity proposed an oft-cited model for Christian growth in the early centuries of the Church: Rather than proposing exact numbers, Stark is simply trying to prove the point that a consistent rate of growth Read more…
Eastern Christianity
The 21 Coptic Martyrs: More Orthodox Saints in the Catholic Church
I have already remarked on the fact that Pope Francis made a non-Catholic a Doctor of the Catholic Church. St. Gregory Narek was a monk in the Armenian Apostolic Church, who died in the early 11th century. Figures like St. Read more…
Education
Join Me at the First Annual Adeodatus Conference on Catholic Education
I’m very excited to join such an incredible line up of speakers highlighting the key sources of Catholic education. See the full list at adeodatus.com I will be speaking of the Bible’s vision of education. This is the first conference Read more…
Music
Stabat Mater für Mariupol: A Beautiful New Composition
Although we are in the Easter season, it is worth looking back to a Lenten theme for this new composition: Lucio Mosè Benaglia‘s Stabat Mater für Mariupol, which just premiered on April 2nd within a Ukrainian Catholic Church in Munich. Read more…
Beer
The Beer Option Continues: Grimbergen’s Norbertines Revive Medieval Brewing
Recently I reflected on the “End of the Beer Option” after the Trappists of Spencer Massachusets decided to close their brewery. Since then, the Guardian has also reflected on the decline of Trappist brewing in Belgium: “Last orders? Belgium’s Trappist Read more…
Prayer
Is There an End to Laxity?
Laxism is a moral position that in a position of doubt tends to the easiest or least demanding alternative. Christians certainly suffer from this position, but I want to focus rather an the general laxity of the practice of penance, Read more…