City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style. It’s —and the purple candles intrude, to the somber tune of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” Not quite Christmastime in the city. Advent is about waiting, we are told. Waiting to bake gingerbread cookies and trim the tree . . . . Continue Reading »
A friend of mine sent along a charming medieval Christmas carol , the first one I’ve encountered about the flight into Egypt. Orientis partibus adventavit asinus pulcher et fortissimus sarcinis aptissimus In eastern lands the ass arrived handsome and strong, fit for burden Hey, sir asne, hey! . . . . Continue Reading »
The New York Times has noticed the crass utilitarianism that permeates the UK’s NHS—run by the Orwellian-named bioethics board National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)—and seems to be softening the ground for our accepting similar utilitarian overlords here. . . . . Continue Reading »
Christopher Ruddy at Commonweal provides us with the latest on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ management of Notre Dame’s Charlie Weis Controversy . . . . . Continue Reading »
That’s what a new government report has found this week: The number of abortions carried out in Spain has more than doubled in the ten years to 2007, the government said Tuesday. In 1998, a total of 53,847 abortions were performed, compared with 112,138 last year, the health ministry said. It . . . . Continue Reading »
The devoutly Catholic Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg blocked the passage of a law permitting euthanasia and is now paying the price: Legislators have decided to strip him of his veto power by altering the constitution. Thus the last non-ceremonial political act by the last Grand Duke of Europe was . . . . Continue Reading »
Among the New York Times ’ Ten Best Books of 2008 appears Nothing to Be Frightened Of by Julian Barnes—a book which FT features editor R.R. Reno has reviewed in an excellent article to appear in the forthcoming January 2009 issue of First Things . Don’t want to keep your nose to . . . . Continue Reading »
Yesterday, I mentioned how rising tuition costs are making it more and more difficult for lower- and middle-class families to afford college. Today, the Wall Street Journal points out that increased tuition won’t be the only thing keeping students from higher education. The current economic . . . . Continue Reading »
In today’s Daily Article , Michael Foley thoughtfully reports on a recent conference on the trial of St. Thomas More. For more reading on this great man and his lasting legacy, check out the fine review by Amanda Shaw and Nathaniel Peters on Broadway’s Man for All Seasons . . . . . Continue Reading »
Dick Sosey is an American professor who teaches at the University of Alberta, Canada, and is an expert on issue of discrimination against people with disabilities. In response to a story published in the Denver Post about the murder of a boy with autism by his father, which Sobsey perceived to be . . . . Continue Reading »
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