Through fear of pain, struggle, and of being ridiculed by others, most do not achieve the greatness that lies within their reach. If we turn to Christ and ask him for his magnanimity, he will grant us this crowning virtue and his own great strength to achieve it. Meditating on the Passion of Christ is [...]
The first Christians were urged to pray constantly, and this prayer became known later as the “prayer without ceasing”, “Pray constantly; and for all things give thanks to God, because this is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:17–18). The Morning Off ering and its implementation is the place where [...]
Both instructive and persuasive, Pope Leo XIII"s encyclicals are valuable reminders that the triumph of secularism, materialism, relativism, is by no means inevitable. Pope Leo XIII was a vibrant and courageous intellectual with a dedication to strengthening the Church in its relationships with the outside world. As his predecessor, Pope Pius IX, had hoped, Leo’s [...]
President Trump’s protection of the American economy through the implementation of protectionist principles with regard to trade is nothing less than an extension of his desire to protect America’s sovereignty. "Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength." —Donald Trump (First Inaugural Address) The world is full of ironies... and the world of politics especially. [...]
Saint Therese’s spirituality is grounded firmly in the truth that God’s love comes before anything else in our lives. She understood that any relationship with God must begin from the acknowledgment of our complete dependence on him. This is part of a series entitled, “The Reason for Our Hope.” Read the series introduction here. To see [...]
The Christian who is furthest along the journey repeats a constant prayer which is simply, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy on Me a Sinner.” He has developed a metanoia mentality. He is constantly turning around; constantly checking his instinct to be right and acknowledging that he is wrong. Isn’t it curious how [...]
Taken together, Louis Markos' "Passing the Torch" and Michael Ortner and Kimberly Begg's "The Catholic School Playbook" provide invaluable assistance in navigating the turbulent educational waters of our troubled times. They are also a sign of hope and a source of encouragement, and so are the hundreds of newly founded classical academies that are springing [...]
Who among us is erudite enough to set about measuring the immensity of the achievement wrought by Augustine, whose depths clearly defy one’s best efforts to plumb? It was during the pontificate of Paul VI, who has since been raised to the altar, that a gathering of scholars arrived in Rome for a conference on [...]
More and more Americans, all of them convinced that their side is losing, try to rig the game in their favor. No longer willing to play fair, they want only to win. Born on October 4, 1809 and orphaned at the age of twelve, Robert Cumming Schenck overcame his early difficulties to earn a bachelor’s [...]
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). These words of unbelief may strike us, coming from a man who followed Jesus for three years. But while it’s easy for us [...]
It is Beethoven—not Bach or Mozart—who is the most universally popular composer in the classical canon. Why is this? Some authors have posited his democratic social beliefs or his personal story of victory over deafness. These are all certainly factors, but I prefer to look first at the aesthetic qualities of the music itself. Johann [...]
Prologue Each night I say the same prayer. Three prayers really. I thank my Lord for all the good things He has given me. Despite my tiredness I am the luckiest of men, with the sweetest of wives and a young son who is the true light of my life. Then I ask my Lord [...]
Many classical music purists today consider Sergei Rachmaninoff’s music to be excessively sentimental, admittedly lush but too similar-sounding once you’ve heard one concerto. But is this a fair assessment? Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Op 18 is the kind of music that grips you by the collar and draws you into its world instantly, [...]
Hope’s gaze is not a surreal view that distorts and exaggerates reality. Rather, Hope is a God’s-eye view. It is the strength to see all of reality, ignoring none of it, embracing all of it, all through the Father’s own wisdom and love. This is part of a series entitled, “The Reason for Our Hope.” [...]