“Rem acu tetigisti, Sir.” Freaking Lent. – UPDATED
Nothing is more annoying than being correctly judged, even in a small way. A broad or inexact hatchet thrown at one’s defects often just-misses the target, but a tiny arrow of truth, aimed and fired at...
View ArticlePeter and the Sons of Caesar: A World Upside Down
In observance of the “Fortnight for Freedom”, my column at First Things considers that the ever since Peter was crucified upside down, the church has seemed like a screwball, topsy-turvy proposition to...
View ArticleA Wee and Angry Word of Thanks to the Bishops? UPDATED
In my column at First Things today, I recount a bit of personal family history: My mother—let’s call her Alice—was born during the Depression to a couple who could neither hear nor speak, and were...
View ArticleGetting to Know Ramadan
Don’t know much about Ramadan? Well, join the club, but I became more interested in Islam’s holiest month after reading this award-winning essay from ONE Magazine, which is put out by the Catholic Near...
View ArticlePortrait of Saint Francis, Subiaco – UPDATED
When we visited the Benedictine abbey of Subiaco in 2010, my husband — obedient fellow that he is — did not take pictures of the glorious and vivid ancient frescoes that so fully adorn its walls. It...
View ArticleLisa Hendey, making me look good
August and September were unusually busy months — they flew by in a blur — and for that reason I wasn’t able to really clue in to what Brandon Vogt had in mind when he started a generous project meant...
View ArticlePrayer and Penance: Did Twitter Hasten Benedict’s Retirement?
In hindsight, we’re seeing clues, now, and reading words he uttered indicating that Pope Benedict XVI has clearly been thinking of renouncing the papal throne for some time. Forgive me if this sounds...
View ArticleGraces and Grousing and Gladness — UPDATE
Thank you for your prayers after yesterday’s pathetic post. I did go to see Saint Philip Neri and I believe he helped me; I am sure your prayers and good wishes also helped. I ended up having a lovely...
View ArticleSo, where and what is this necropolis Pope Francis visited?
I was surprised to read here that Pope Francis is the first pontiff to tour the “scavi” — the “Tomb of Saint Peter and the Necropolis under the Vatican Basilica”. My husband and I were lucky enough to...
View ArticleDark Joy, Inclusion, Mad Men, Conceit, Accommodation and the American Church
My First Things column this week was more or less (and a little weirdly) inspired by three very disparate things: Pope Francis’ thoughts on “the dark joy of gossip” (and his homily from yesterday...
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