The Costa and Celibacy

Pope Emeritus Benedict and Cardinal Sarah have just released a book in defence of clerical celibacy, just as Pope Francis is pondering relaxing the discipline, one that goes back to the origins of the priesthood, contrary to Protestant and Modernist revisionism (after all, Christ was a celibate). The underlying, central issue is continence, or the use of one’s sexuality, whether within marriage or not. But let us not quibble, for it seems the underlying battle is over the very nature of the Church, the priesthood, the Eucharist, human sexuality and other mysteries, and that war is coming more out in the open; likely a good thing, if not necessarily a pleasant one. May the truth win out, as it will, in the end.

On this day in 2012, in the more moderate climes of the Mediterranean, the cruise ship Costa Concordia, doing a near-shore ‘salute’, ran aground on uncharted rocks, tilted precipitously, filled with water, and eventually sank. It was not quite the disaster of the Titanic, which occurred in April, providentially precisely a century prior in 1912, but the behaviour of those aboard, and especially the captain, could not have been more different. Francesco Schettino – who was on the bridge with his paramour, Domneca Cermortan, both of them married to other people – may have been distracted. Perhaps he would have done better to live celibacy while captaining.  With most of the passengers still aboard the listing ship, Schettino claimed he ‘fell’ into a lifeboat, and refused to return to the ship, all while being urged to do so in the most vigorous of terms by the coastguard, in a tirade that went viral. Thirty-two people died; the captain survived.

A century prior, in another era and culture, Edward John Smith, the captain of the Titanic, went down with his ship, along many of the crew and the men. It was women and children first to the limited number of lifeboats, and whatever else might float in the frigid waters.

Captain Schettino is serving sixteen years for manslaughter; Captain Smith has gone to his eternal reward, having done his duty to the end. We may decide who had the better fate.

The Taal volcano erupting in the Philippines is adding to the apocalyptic atmosphere of late – spewing more carbon into the atmosphere than every Humvee ever made by GM. She could blow, or just let off some, shall we say, steam. Volcanologists are about as good at predicting as seismologists, or climatologists, for that matter. Some systems are just too complex and capricious for the human mind, and there will always be mysteries beyond us.

Carney’s Amoral Majority

After five defections – euphemistically described as ‘crossing the floor’ – and three by-elections, Mark Carney and his Liberals how have their coveted majority. One wonders what bowls of pottage were offered in back-room deals. In the archaic monarchical system that is the Dominion of Canada, this majority allows the newly-minted Prime Minister to rule[…]Continue reading→

Saint Kateri , Canada’s Protectress

This was the title given to Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, by Pope Benedict XVI, when he canonized her on October 28th, 2012, along with six others, in Saint Peter’ Square (she had been beatified by Pope John Paul II back in 1980). With Saint Joseph as our protector, along with the Canadian martyrs, we seem to[…]Continue reading→

A Closed, Unsustainable, Descending Loop

As a follow-up to my thoughts on Payette’s payout, here be a stark image of where are here in Canada. As the graph shows in, well, graphic terms, since 2025, the public sector has contributed to 95.5% of economic growth. The private sector – which funds the public sector, or is supposed to – has[…]Continue reading→

A Tale of Two Benedicts

A grace-filled Holy Week to all our readers! As we await and prepare for the Resurrection about to dawn upon us, we might keep in mind two Benedicts: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, requiescat in pace, elected on this day in 2005; and today’s commemoration of the mystic pilgrim, Benedict Joseph Labre, who died on this[…]Continue reading→

My Name is Bernadette

April 16th is a propitious day, for besides the anniversary of Father de Valk’s death, who founded Catholic Insight in its print form decades ago, and the commemoration of the ‘two Benedicts’, mentioned in accompanying posts, today we also recall Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the young visionary to whom the Virgin Mary appeared numerous times at[…]Continue reading→

Presidential Pardon of Weronika Krawczyk

As a good news, follow-up to our story from Poland, of the persecution of Weronika Krawczyk for her pro-life views, we heard that she has been granted a presidential pardon. One might still wonder why one needs a presidential pardon for simply holding the long-held belief that the child within the womb is a child,[…]Continue reading→

Saint Lydwina of Schiedam and Suffering Joyfully

Saint Lydwina of Schiedam (1380 – 1433) was one of the countless and glorious ‘victim souls’ in the history of the Church, those whose lives are filled with suffering, often of an unimaginable intensity, but who suffer joyfully. She was a fifteen-year old Dutch girl, out skating one day, when she fell and broke one[…]Continue reading→

The Glorious Martyrdoms of Martin and Maximus

As we enter into Eastertide, we recall on this 13th of April Pope Saint Martin I (+655), one of the noblest, if most tragic, of the successors of Saint Peter. Born in Umbria, Italy, he was of noble lineage, with great intelligence combined with charity and love of the poor and the Church. While still[…]Continue reading→

Pope Leo and a Rosary for Peace

Pope Leo XIV has asked Catholics across the world to join him in a Rosary for peace today, at 18:00 Rome time (6 pm), which would be noon from where I write (EST). If you are able, whether at that time or another, and in whatever way you pray, to join in intercession with the[…]Continue reading→

Payette’s Payout

I was glancing through some headlines, and noticed a mention of Julie Payette – engineer and astronaut and sometime the Queen’s representative in Canada – which brought back vague memories. She was appointed Governor-General by Justin Trudeau in 2017. Ms. Payette resigned in 2021, amidst claims that she created a ‘toxic work environment’, with allegations[…]Continue reading→