Of Forgotten Poets and Misunderstood Popes

My apology for a later notice than usual, but it’s a deadline day. Today we have two articles in “On the Square”:

First, David Hart’s regular Friday column, today titled A Forgotten Poet , the story of Aimé Foinpré (1841-1880), who “died a hundred and thirty years ago today (17 December), killed as he leapt from a second story window in Paris’ seventh arrondissement to escape the wrath of a jealous husband.” The article includes some of  his translations of Foinpré’s poetry.

Second, in The Pope, the Church, and the Condom , George Weigel (who writes the second column on Wednesdays) explains (for those who still don’t get it) what Benedict XVI actually said about condoms, and then reviews the media’s misreporting and the Vatican’s botched attempts to clarify the matter, before explaining what needs to be done to restore the public’s understanding of the Church’s teaching and to begin the real and necessary debate on the humanization of sexuality Benedict wants (and the world needs).