Focus on the Family’s Glenn Stanton notes that St. Francis never actually said “Preach the Gospel always. If necessary, use words.” and that his own apostolate shows the inadequacy of the quip. You know what it’s supposed to mean, and there is an error to which it’s a corrective, but even so it’s not the best way of putting the point.
Dear Reader,
Can I be direct with you?
War abroad. Socialists on the rise. AI upending human life. Endless uproar online. The modern attention economy doesn’t want readers — it wants users enslaved to the tyranny of the present.
First Things is the antidote: literary excellence, timeless truths, and a fixed point of reference in a culture that has lost its bearings.
But we can’t do it without readers like you.
Our goal: Raise $150,000 by November 1 to sustain First Things in the year ahead.
Your gift anchors readers in the permanent things.
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If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Giovanni Del Piero, Director of the Editor’s Circle, at gdelpiero@firstthings.com or 212-627-1985.
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