Inspired by Truth, Enlightening Minds for the Church in Canada and Throughout the World
Inspired by Truth, Enlightening Minds for the Church in Canada and Throughout the World
Hilaire Belloc warned of Man’s re-descent into a ‘new paganism’ nearly a hundred years ago, in 1931, and thought the process already well advanced back then. But, then, like any insidious disease, it takes time to become fully manifest. As the saying goes, this new version of paganism – a virulent anti-Catholicism’ – is, and[…]
Here in Canada we’ve gone from offering ‘medical assistance in dying’ to those on the point of death – in articulo mortis, as we used to say of the sacrament of extreme unction – to now offering the option of murder-suicide to those who are mentally ill, to minors or to those just tired of[…]
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” (Matthew 26:26) Sadly, we live in a broken world. We can see this brokenness everywhere: In our bodies, our hearts, our relationships, our environment and[…]
Now He is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to Him all of them are alive. (Lk. 20:38) ⧾ As we approach the end of the liturgical year, the Sacred Liturgy invites us to ponder what we call the four last things: death, judgment, Heaven and hell. These are realities that[…]
(I’ve always had this suspicion that traditional martial arts tend more towards ‘arts’ than ‘martial’. Their emphasis on complex katas and techniques, which display an impressive athleticism – good in itself – do not necessarily translate into actual, real-life fighting ability. As one sensei put it to me, moving towards a black-belt is about personal[…]
Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about (G.K. Chesterton)
Sam Kriss has an intriguing take on Bill Gates, and what being that rich – I mean, really, unimaginably rich – does to someone. As Alec Baldwin says in the film The Edge, ‘rich people are different’, which is sort of ironic, coming from him, but it’s an aphorism of which I have my own[…]
Compassion, my dear Brother, is preferable to cleanliness. Reflect that with a little soap I can easily clean my bed covers, but even with a torrent of tears I would never wash from my soul the stain that my harshness toward the unfortunate would create. (Saint Martin de Porres, +1649)
The Liturgy of the hours is a great source of spiritual formation and teaching. Pope Saint John Paul II dedicated entire catecheses on the psalms and canticles of the Office. This he did to encourage and help all to pray with the same words used by Jesus, which have been present for thousands of years[…]
For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he[…]
