Are there still people out there who listen to the unsolicited lectures we get from “virtuous” celebrities? I could tell you what I think of those celebrities, and I could also tell you what they can do with their inane lectures, but then I’d have to use profanity, and that would upset the polite people.
Yes, in America you have the right to free speech. But you don’t have the right to be listened to. That has to be earned.
If you’re a Catholic, there will be times when you’ll have to be patient with the Pope. That’s always true, no matter who the Pope is. Let’s start with these: First, it’s not the Pope’s job to say things we want to hear. Second, it’s not the Pope’s job to create truncated sound-bites for our convenience. Other people do that, usually people with agendas, so don’t be fooled by sound-bites (context always matters). Third, it’s not the Pope’s job to follow opinion polls, because his job has nothing to do with pleasing people or getting votes.
What we should be doing is praying for the Pope. He’s got a job none of us could do. He’s under a weight of pressure that none of us will ever experience. He’s dealing with issues and relationships and customs that are so complex that none of us could begin to understand them. Yet he’s still just a man—flesh and blood. He’s not Atlas, after all. If you want a Titan for a Pope, you’re in the wrong Church. Even so, this mere man is the lineal successor of St Peter—the living symbol of unity in the One Church established by Jesus Christ. And that’s why we Catholics need to be patient with the Pope.
“Democracy means government by the uneducated, while aristocracy means government by the badly educated.” —GK Chesterton
New video link: Why is Everyone Converting to Catholicism?
You scream, I scream, we all scream for politics. So let’s not kid ourselves. Every religious leader is “political”, and that certainly includes the Pope. We all know this, but it only seems to bother people when the Pope’s politics don’t line up with their own. The Pope can’t seem to please the hard-liners, and he can’t seem to please the woke-aholics either.
Well, if you can’t count on the Pope to say something you want to hear, just remember this: Tomorrow will be another day, and the sun will surely rise in the east, and your challenges will be there to greet you, and God will still be playing the long game even though we rarely do. Those are things you can count on.
“You’ll miss 100% of the shots you never take.” —Wayne Gretzky
A lot of Christians like to think of God as somebody who is domesticated. I think that’s a mistake. It’s probably a lot more accurate to think of God as somebody who is untamed.
“The greatest soldiers are not great because they hate who they’re fighting. They’re great because they love what they’re fighting for.” —Nick Frietas
Okay, okay. I admit it. I like cat videos.
Our political solutions should always be based on a clear-eyed understanding of the world as it actually is. We have to start there. If not, we will just make things worse. The problem is, a lot of politicians can’t (or won’t) see the world as it actually is. And a lot of voters can’t (or won’t) either.
New video link: Debating Russell Brand on Catholicism
Trends in society are always just reactions. Just wait awhile, and the trends will swing in the opposite direction.
“God is always doing something before I know it. So the task is not to get God to do something I think needs to be done, but to become aware of what God is doing so that I can respond to it and participate and take delight in it.” —Eugene Peterson
“A Bible text without a context becomes a proof-text for a pretext.” —Kenny Burchard
I like to think that the influx of large numbers of American Catholic men would help to get this country back on track. Why? Because widespread masculine rationality paired with the moral grounding of the Catholic Faith might just be an antidote for a lot of the absurd stuff that plagues us. Is that just wishful thinking on my part? Probably.
What works wins. So try to figure out what actually works. Then try to do that. As an example of this, check out St John Bosco. I’ve always admired his “figure-it-out” attitude, in addition to his “never-quit” determination.
Way back in the day, I was in a garage band. Bass player and vocalist. We were never any good, but we had a lot of fun. In case you didn’t know, bass players tend to be different. We’re the thoughtful ones.
If you’re any type of Christian, and you don’t feel disgusted when you see how fragmented Christianity has become in our time, then you might want to think about the issue a little more deeply. But really, there’s damn little you and I can do about it, except pray.
Another Japanese cover (link). This time, it’s Rush’s “Tom Sawyer”. And, yes, I’m one of those old-geezer Rush fans. For some reason, I just think these Japanese covers are a lot of fun. That’s probably because I lived near Tokyo for two and a half years in the 1970s. I was there during the bi-centennial. Yes, fifty years ago. I was mesmerized by Japan back then. I would love to go back for a visit. Go there if you get the chance. Anyway, here’s the original song by Rush.
“They say, ‘God told me’, or ‘God replied to me’. And yet most of the time they are talking to themselves.” —St John of the Cross
New video link: Inside the “Religion Business”
Do you think it matters what the ancient Christians actually believed? No? Well, do you even know what the ancient Christians actually believed? We have the receipts, so think before you answer.
“A decision must be made by the spiritual leaders of the Church. How will clergy choose to nourish the souls of this clear-eyed flock of [new] young adults? It seems to be a matter of mystagogy [aka catechizing new Catholics]; will our shepherds give them the tinny Kingdom of Man? Or will they become their handholds, ones who will lead them, with courage and conviction, into something like Ephesus—where the path to the City of God will assuredly be fraught with crosses, where danger lies in every shadow? But isn’t this the only way there?” —Kevin Wells
“Gallup reports a notable uptick [in religious practice] among young men: monthly attendance rising from 33 percent in 2022–2023 to 40 percent in 2024–2025, with a more modest increase among women. At face value, this suggests the beginnings of a religious re-engagement, at least among male youth.” —Zenit News
I’m too old to be annoyed by profanity. But I’m still annoyed by blasphemy.
Do you understand the difference between being nice and being kind?