The infamous “mystery clause” penned by Justice Anthony Kennedy in the majority opinion of Planned Parenthood v Casey (1992) succinctly summarizes the modernist precept. “At the heart of liberty is the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life.” Kennedy’s definition of liberty…
A few days after the election, an old college acquaintance wrote me – as “a brother in Christ” – to express his concerns that I was not using my online influence to expose evil, and to “spread the Gospel.” I appreciated the gesture (and still do). But, I was also flummoxed, since I had not…
We knew, over a month ago, that it was coming. It hardly softened the blow to see it. The Vatican Nativity scene for 2020 is…well, it’s horrifyingly ugly. This year’s #Vatican Nativity scene, revealed tonight, comes from a town in the Abruzzi region of Italy famous for its ceramics. Its creators say it’s meant to have…
The other day, as I was scrolling through social media, I saw a headline that caught my eye. “China is harvesting thousands of human organs from its Uighur Muslim minority, UN human-rights body hears.” The first thing I did was look at the source. I know the kind of wicked cruelty China is capable of,…
Increasingly, I have found myself wondering why the world is so ugly. I do not mean the natural world, which always retains its created splendor, but the art and architecture of the modern world. It seems that almost nothing in modern art can achieve the beauty possessed by numerous cultures before our time. From the…
Last month, I wrote a piece highlighting the linguistic signaling going on surrounding the Great Reset. I focused specifically on the emergence of the phrase, “Build(ing) back better” among those who want to let you know that they’re part of a special club of global elites who know what’s better for you, your country, your…
I’m heartbroken. I’m demoralized. I don’t know how else to describe it. Allegations of misconduct have been made against the inimitable American Catholic priest, author, and speaker, Fr. George Rutler. He has denied the accusations. An investigation is ongoing. But no matter what, this feels like a kick in the teeth. I’ll return to his…
“He that walketh with the wise, shall be wise: a friend of fools shall become like to them” (Proverbs 13:20 DRB). There are, I know, exceptions to this “rule,” but let’s stipulate that men who enter the priesthood are good guys: They like people, generally interact well with people, expect good things from other people,…
BETWEEN THE LINES of the report of the secretariat of state on Theodore McCarrick The McCarrick Report published by the Secretariat of State on November 10, 2020, has been the object of numerous comments. Some point out its shortcomings, while others praise it as a proof of Bergoglio’s transparency and the groundlessness of my…
The other night, I had a weird dream. Now, I don’t put a lot of stock in dreams, because in general, I think that’s a bad idea. But I think this one was probably my brain trying to figure out how to process some things. My wife Jamie and I have hoped, for quite some…
A good Orthodox Presbyterian friend of mine and I like to spar back and forth about the faith, to talk about raising our kids rightly in the eyes of God (even in Comrade Northam’s Virginia), and, more recently, to discuss the philosophy and writings of Nassim Nicholas Taleb. His four book “incerto” has been massively…
