No one disputes that the world is an imperfect place. Don’t get me wrong: there are so many good and beautiful things in this world. And those good and beautiful things far outweigh anything that’s bad or ugly.
Category: Columns
A talk on the Hill: When were you called?
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This article is the first in a two-part series.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the distinct privilege of addressing an audience of senators, representatives, and Capitol Hill staffers in a beautiful room at the Library of Congress.
This event was made possible by two Congressmen, Rep. Tom Suozzi of New York, a Democrat, and Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, a Republican. Both had seen videos of the speeches I had given at Facebook and Google Headquarters and wanted something similar for those who work in government.
Thanksgiving Day invites us to share our blessings
Thanksgiving is an American feast with religious overtones. In 1620, 102 Pilgrims began sailing to the North America continent to build a new world where they would be free to worship God according to their conscience.
Pushing back against evil
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During a recent speech in Texas, I mentioned that “Drag Queen Story Hours” are being sponsored by local public libraries across the country.
Toddlers and kids are brought in and placed in front of cross-dressing men who read children’s stories to them, stories that encourage them to reject fundamental gender differences between males and females.
It’s lovely to be human
Life can be difficult at times, but all things considered, it’s lovely to be human. Thanks be to God, we were all given such an incredible gift at birth: the gift of life. Dare I say that in many ways we’ve made great progress since then.
The Beatitudes: a path to sainthood
You are called by God to be a saint! And that all important calling from the Lord is not just to be seriously considered on All Saints’ Day — but every day.
It is no coincidence that the Catholic Church proclaims the Gospel passage of the Beatitudes on the Solemnity of All Saints. For in this most wonderful teaching from the Son of God, we are shown the way to holiness, to blessedness, to joyfulness.
Hold onto Christ’s truth in dark days
My son made an announcement at supper the other night.
“So, I told my class that Dad is super good with math and physics and all that, but when somebody asked him to spell ‘cookie,’ he said ‘c-o-o-c-k-y.'”
Daddy’s fork stopped in midair.
“You told your whole class that?” he asked, his eyebrows raised.
AmeriCorps/VISTA makes difference for Catholic Charities
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| Amy Lachuk & Katherine Styler |
For the past year, Rachel Dietzman has gained professional experience by completing one year of full-time service for The Beacon and Catholic Charities.
The 23-year-old recent University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate is a member of the AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service to America) program. AmeriCorps VISTA is a highly professional and rigorous volunteer service program through which members serve in organizations; it is often called a domestic Peace Corps.
Celibacy? What it means in today’s culture
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| Fr. Gregory Ihm |
Celibacy has been the source of much recent conversation both in the Church, and those outside the Church.
With the recent sex abuse scandals and now the Amazon Synod, questions arise: Is celibacy a contributing part of the problem of sexual abuse? Is the shortage of priests due to celibacy? Is it an old practice that ought to be updated to fit the needs of the times?
Imagine having no place to call home
Just imagine for a moment that you have no home. What will you do for meals today? Where will you shower? Where will you sleep? If you have children, how will you provide for them?
And how will you cope with being homeless tomorrow, next week, next month?
Sad crisis
Such imaginations are distressing. Aren’t they? But let’s not allow these distressing imaginations to cause us to ignore the sad crisis facing so many children, women, and men: the crisis of having no place to call home.
Instead, let’s make an effort to better understand why this devastating crisis exists. And what we can do to help end it.