Matthew Schmitz

In a discussion of the classic spiritual “Sit Down, Servant”—-performed above by the Staple Singers—-a friend pointed out the parallel between the song’s chorus and the last stanza of George Herbert’s “Love (III).” Love (III) by George Herbert Love . . . . Continue Reading »

Pro-life groups that spend time outside Planned Parethood clinics have recorded eighteen recent instances where women have had to be transported to nearby hospitals by ambulance. The most recent case occurred the day before Thanksgiving in St. Louis : A St. Louis Planned Parenthood patient was . . . . Continue Reading »

A group calling itself ” Africa for Norway ” has created a brilliant sendup of the way Western efforts to aid the Global South tend to suggest that every solution to Africa’s problem will come from the outside—-specifically, from the largesse and good intentions of . . . . Continue Reading »

Of all the accolades bestowed on Alasdair MacIntyre, perhaps the most interesting and least known is that of “honorary woman.” Annete C. Baier conferred the title on Macintyre in her book  Moral Prejudices  after judging that MacIntyre exhibited moral insights that “for . . . . Continue Reading »

John B. Buescher offers an entertaining history of tobacco use in the Vatican. It turns out that rolled tobacco (cigars and cigarettes) has been especially favored by recent pontiffs: Pius X took snuff and smoked cigars. Benedict XV did not smoke and did not like others’ smoke. Pius XI smoked an . . . . Continue Reading »

From the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Office: The death of Mrs. Savita Halappanavar and her unborn child in University Hospital Galway on the 28 October last was a devastating personal tragedy for her husband and family. It has stunned our country. We share the anguish and sorrow expressed by so . . . . Continue Reading »

Bringing new meaning to “Black Friday,” Planned Parenthood’s south Florida branch offered a “one-day deal”  promising up to $10 in savings to customers who came in the day after Thanksgiving: The Friday after Thanksgiving begins our popular anticipation of . . . . Continue Reading »

Search giant Google has an official “in-house philosopher,” Stanford Philosophy Ph.D Damon Horowitz : To illustrate how ethics are getting short-shrift in the tech world, Horowitz asked attendees whether they prefer the iPhone or Android. (When the majority voted for the iPhone, he . . . . Continue Reading »

John Podhoretz announces that he no longer opposes gay marriage : As it happens, like our president, I was for a long time an opponent of gay marriage.  I am not any longer —indeed, I am relieved that on Tuesday night citizens of four states chose freely to allow gay marriage within their . . . . Continue Reading »

At Christianity Today , Emory University’s John Witte mounts a defense of anti-Sharia legislation : A constitutional battle over Muslim family law has begun. In November 2010, Oklahoma voters approved a state constitutional amendment banning the use of Muslim Shari’ah and other . . . . Continue Reading »