We grew up without a television. As an adult looking back, I am grateful. There were seasons of television here and there, depending on where we lived, how much money we had, and various other factors. Overall, television was a minuscule part of my childhood. I...
The past year was a significant one in Church history, marked by the death of Pope Francis and the election of Pope Leo XIV. There were ongoing humanitarian crises around the world, canonizations, and clarification of a Marian issue. The new pope will clearly...
In a world that prizes instant answers and personalized guidance, psychics promise exactly what many people seek: insight into the unknown, clarity about the future, and comfort amid uncertainty. As we grapple with life's challenges —such as uncertain job prospects,...
“The lawless one…the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the manifestation of His presence” (2 Thess 2:8). This verse is full of loaded terms. The Word of God is potent here with a rich array of interrelated...
On November 13th, the Church celebrates the feast of St. Homobonus, patron saint of business leaders, merchants, and tailors. For Legatus members, his life offers an inspiring model of holiness in the business world. In an age that often separates faith from...
This series of four essays addresses as battle domains the four tenets of the prevailing cosmological thinking of our time: Moralistic Therapeutic Deist Universalism. Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 each designate a means that we must employ daily to allow God to stop...
This series of four essays addresses as battle domains our daily fight against the four tenets of the prevailing cosmological thinking of our time: Moralistic Therapeutic Deist Universalism. Part 1, and the subsequent parts each describe a means that we must exploit...
Part 1 of 4: The Liturgy of the Hours In “Our Constrained 21st Century American ‘God’, I picked apart the dominant spiritual and moral belief template of our age: Moralistic Therapeutic Deist Universalism, which was first exposed by Christian Smith and Melinda Denton...
As a user of artificial intelligence technology (AI) for research and some creative tasks, and as an author and observer of the profound changes that AI will cause in our society, I will admit that I am concerned about AI. My apprehension is only partly over the more...
Most people never think about the morality of their money. Our use of dollars, euros, or yen is simply "the way things are"—background elements of economic life, like the weather. But what if I told you that a form of money itself can be profoundly moral or immoral?...
Dear “Part-Time” Catholics, How are you? It’s been a while. You only show up some of the time, like Easter and Christmas (hence, the nickname “Cr-easters”), so we don’t know each other very well. But, I think I like a lot about you. You probably expected me to be all...
As the Presidential Election in the United States approaches, Catholic voters are called to navigate their choices with both faith and discernment. This is more than just a political decision; it's a moral imperative grounded in the teachings of the Church....
Although we knew the day was coming, we could never truly prepare for the pain we felt when it finally arrived. Four months earlier, a neighbor noticed that Scout, our ten-year-old golden retriever, was walking with a slight limp. My wife soon felt a lump on his right...
How can Catholics respond to the apparent display of “The Last Supper” performed by drag queens at the Opening Ceremony for the Olympics? What should we do when our faith is mocked? Bishop Robert Baron Responds To Olympic's Mockery Of The Last Supper Bishop Barron...
Recently, a student showed me the days-long conversation she’d been having with her Snapchat A.I. assistant. She felt ambivalence about how “creepy” it was, but she couldn’t stop engaging with it. No matter what she asked, a reply instantly blinked onscreen. Yet it...
Moral relativism is the belief that there are no moral absolutes and that right and wrong vary from one individual to another. Accordingly, disagreements about morality are nothing more than expressions of opinion. Why Is Moral Relativism Dangerous? This may sound...
You may have wondered, “Should Catholics use pronouns?” It may be near impossible not to. In the English language, we use pronouns all the time to keep sentences from becoming repetitive and clunky. Without possessive pronouns like “their,” we’d have to say...
The greatest philosophers in history say yes In March of 2024, Axios reported that the United States had hit a new low in the annual World Happiness Report. The U.S. dropped eight spots, to Number 23 overall—the first time it’s fallen out of the Top 20. Americans felt...
In my new book, When the Sickle Swings: Stories of Catholics Who Survived Communist Oppression, I document the testimonies of heroic Catholics who kept the faith despite persecution by hostile regimes the world over. I was privileged to interview survivors of...
Padre Pio is one of the most beloved saints in Catholic history. Many know him for having the stigmata or for his ability to bilocate and read hearts in the confessional. The stories of his miracles are inspiring and remind people of the power of God and His Church....
We’ve all been there: you’ve done your research, you’ve waited for the big sale, and you’re all set to buy the accent chair/party dress/outdoor power tool of your dreams. But then, something catches your eye: a rainbow flag has appeared on the background of the...
I have the great blessing of having three adopted siblings. After having six biological children, my parents decided to adopt three more. They are incredibly generous people, and I think are perhaps strongly against the idea of spending any time at all in purgatory,...
An Example of Misguided Therapy The Case of the Pillow-Thrasher At the end of his rope, and feeling entirely frustrated with himself, an ill-tempered man steps into a therapy office in search of hope and healing. A well-meaning but frighteningly misguided therapist...
Alright, I’ve got a crazy list of “what if” questions for you. Ready? What if the characters in Ted Lasso prayed? What if they believed in a loving God who laid down His life for them so that they might spend eternity with Him? What if they engaged in intimate...
As the school year winds down, Catholic school teachers – heroic leaders that they are – are already planning to make next year even better. Novice teachers have realized how much they themselves have yet to learn, and are looking for new tools and techniques....