Columns
Advent: Turning Point Universe – The Catholic Thing
A turning point is an event that inaugurates substantial change, such as the Battles of Saratoga and Gettysburg or the Eagles’ “Philly Special” trick play in Super Bowl LII. The change is decisive – the future takes an unexpected path that would…
Seven Considerations on the Immaculate Conception
Many Catholics misunderstand today’s feast, which is also the patronal feast of our nation (the first country to claim her under this title). They confuse the Immaculate Conception of Mary with the virginal conception of Jesus. But today we…
A Tale of Two Prophets
Isaiah stands as the great prophet of Advent: so powerfully does he foretell Christ’s coming (as well as his Passion and Death) that this book has been called the “fifth Gospel.” Later in Advent, we will hear his most direct prophecy: “the…
Getting to Know Some Modern Monsters
When the American novelist Walker Percy was asked by an interviewer why he had become a Catholic, he famously answered, “What else is there?” He was too intelligent and analytical to be merely flippant. He knew that other religions and…
Christ the Winter Fire – The Catholic Thing
“O God be gracious and bless us and let Your face shed its light upon us.” So begins Psalm 68, often said in the Daily Office, or Breviary, at the start of the day. In St. John’s Gospel, Philip says to Jesus, “show us the Father and that will be…
The Greatest Advent Hymn – The Catholic Thing
Anyone who prays the Divine Office will say the Benedictus each morning, as it is the closing hymn of Lauds (Morning Prayer). It’s also called “The Canticle of Zechariah,” the father of John the Baptist, who sang the Benedictus (“Blessed be…
Advent, A.D. 2025 – The Catholic Thing
The Island of Mozambique is a speck on Google Maps, a tiny patch of land two miles off the East African coast. Today, it’s a sleepy UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s also a magnet for hardcore tourists. One reason is its beauty. The other is…
Leo Amid the Heresies – The Catholic Thing
Pope Leo has been traveling in Turkey and Lebanon, doing what popes do on such occasions: Visiting religious and political leaders, signing agreements about further “dialogue,” calling for peace and respect for human dignity. All good things,…
Advent and Christmas with the Church Fathers
Early in our marriage, my wife and I were determined to establish an atmosphere of faith in the home for our children. We wanted every day to be centered on Jesus Christ, the week would begin with the celebration of the Liturgy, and the year…
Time & Eternity – The Catholic Thing
In the 12th and 13th centuries, monks developed some of the first fully mechanical clocks. Their purpose was simple. The monks would come to chapel seven times a day to chant the praises of God and intercede for the world. Clocks enabled them to…