The Catholic Thing

By Anthony Esolen The Department of Defense recently made waves over a decision to remove Mormons from the category of "Christian," to distinguish more clearly among the chaplains and the servicemen as to who might best minister to them in matters of faith and morals. The label seems to be intended as a generic marker, as the department went on to separate Catholics, Lutherans, and Pentecostals fr...

By Robert Royal But first a note from Robert Royal: Thanks from the bottom of our hearts to all of you who donated to our mid-year fundraising campaign. From what we've received and what we can anticipate will still arrive, especially monthly donations, we're confident that TCT is good now for the rest of the year. So, let's carry on together! Now for today's column... The proverbial Martian visit...

By Brad Miner A recent, brief exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York City highlighted the life and work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. J.P. Morgan, the famous financier, built his library on Madison Avenue in the 19th century as a place to house, preserve, and make available to scholars Morgan's burgeoning collection of rare books and manuscripts, among them copies of musical scores in Mo...

By David Warren But first a note from Robert Royal: We had a site failure yesterday morning, which our tech people resolved quickly. And many of you somehow connected and donated anyway. If you wanted to, but didn't, today is the last day of our formal mid-year fundraising. So you still have a chance to add your support to The Catholic Thing. I'm prejudiced, but how can you not? Now for today's co...

By Matthew Walz and Fr. Thomas G. Weinandy, OFM, Cap. But first a note from Robert Royal: Two more days should do it - if we make it. So let's end this campaign with a bang and get back to the chief business of The Catholic Thing. What is the "heart"? The Catechism proves helpful here. In a section on the unity of man, the Church teaches that man is "at once corporeal and spiritual" and that "man,...

By Stephen P. White But first a note from Robert Royal: We had a very good campaign day yesterday. (Have I said lately how confident I am in the generosity of our readers?) So all the more reason that we get over the finish line in what I hope will be these last few days of our fundraising. Many thanks to all who have contributed to get us where we are now, and one last appeal to those of you who...

By Casey Chalk But first a note from Robert Royal: We're near the end and near the goal! We're only several thousand short of putting TCT on a solid footing for this year and beyond. Now's not the time to slack off. One last, big push. . . .And then we can all get back to the main, truth-telling purpose of The Catholic Thing. Now for today's column... When the classic French novel Madame Bovary fi...

By David G Bonagura, Jr. But first a note from Robert Royal: Beauty comes to us in many forms, among them, in my (clearly unbiased) view, via TCT. Time grows short, donations still are too. We need a final push this week. It's about the existence of The Catholic Thing. What more can I say? Now for today's column... What do you suppose was the favorite site in Rome for the majority of a group of tw...

By Randall Smith But first a note from Robert Royal: The Christian story is unbelievable to many people today. But as Professor Smith argues below, it makes perfect, literally unavoidable sense. One reason TCT exists is to explain the faith in terms that bring the great mysteries home to us. We're getting near the end of our fundraising campaign and still have several thousand dollars to go to mee...

By Msgr. Jason Gray Catholics around the world are commemorating Corpus Christi today, a feast day celebrating the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. But Corpus Christi is especially significant for American Catholics this year. The Catholic Church has seen "historic" rates of converts at parishes nationwide, while Americans' belief in the Real Presence and reverence for the Eucharist is ste...

By Daniel B. Gallagher But first a note from Robert Royal: I generally don't ask our authors to write on a specific topic because, like you, I'm interested in seeing how the Spirit is moving out there, not just in my own head. But I'm always interested when the Spirit speaks of Dante, whom I discovered all on my own as an undergraduate, and has been with me in ways beyond reckoning ever since. TCT...

By Robert Royal But first a note from Brad Miner: Dear Friends, Dr. Royal has asked me to write to you about why giving to The Catholic Thing is so important. This site, which we know you admire, has been up and running since 2008. Indeed, Tuesday marked our 18th anniversary. Our growth has been steady and remarkable: from scores of daily visits to the site in year one to many thousands today. Las...

By Michael Pakaluk Catholics who sometimes worry that the Church is no longer sufficiently bold in its preaching of the Gospel might at least derive some comfort from its buildings. Sacred buildings stand a long time and carry on the convictions of those bolder folks who came before us – unless they are burned down or, in an interesting case, blocked. Two examples come to mind. The first is St. Pa...

By Francis X. Maier But first a note from Robert Royal: The editor of The Catholic Thing has many surprises, almost daily. But how about this from today's author: Bob, just in case you'd like to offer those first two grafs in High Elvish (Quenya) for your Middle-earth readers, here you go. No need to thank me: Sín, órelyen loqui neldëa quillië, ar avanyárë enquë-epenquë loilli lúteva vanyë ar hand...

By Brad Miner But first a note from Robert Royal: Today Brad Miner puts his finger on a worrisome development in the current carnival of sexuality. "Minor Attracted persons" may be going away as yet another step toward perdition, but only because we, along with many others, have kept the pressure on across a wide spectrum of cultural issues in many places. It's a slow and challenging battle, but i...

By Alden Abbott But first a note from Robert Royal: So, we're back at our fundraising – and need to be. We're well into the campaign but need to pick up the pace. I know this isn't a great economy at the moment, but we have to ask you to pray and dig deep. It's a good deal. I'm told the reward for generosity will be even greater in Heaven. Now for today's column. Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnific...

By Fr. Raymond J. de Souza A Good Friday death – even for a Catholic giant of the last fifty years – meant that less attention was paid than deserved. On the other hand, it was fitting for the author of Patì sotto Ponzio Pilato? – Did He Suffer under Pontius Pilate? Vittorio Messori, a few days shy of his 85th birthday, died on Good Friday evening last month, drawing to a close one of the most imp...

By Kristen Ziccarelli But first a note from Robert Royal: We've reached the end of another week in our mid-year funding campaign and we're about two-thirds of the way to our goal. We can't slack off now. What we do in these days makes a difference between TCT continuing and – well – let's not think about that. Don't make me beg, please. We need your help, today, to make the coming days all they ca...

By Joseph R. Wood But first a note from Robert Royal: As Professor Wood lucidly explains today, the choice of path - between a desire for comfort and doing what's right - is not new. And in several ways the stakes are even clearer now. Which reminds me that we're well into our finding campaign now. And I need to urge more of you to choose what's right and support our work. There are no guarantees...

By Stephen P. White But first a note from Robert Royal: We're moving along nicely with our mid-year fundraising and we're grateful to all who have already donated. But we still have a way to go, and the time grows short. Please help me to stop annoying you daily. Make your contribution and let's get this done for the sake of The Catholic Thing. Now for today's column... Pope Leo the XIV's first en...

By Matthew Walz But first a note from Robert Royal: Professor Walz reminds us today of a fundamental truth: that underneath all the challenges we face, it all comes down to trusting the One who deserves our trust. This evening, we'll be starting a short course on the Augustinianism of Pope Leo, which will look at some additional home truths that our world ignores at its peril. Please join us by en...

By Randall Smith But first a note from Robert Royal: Pope Leo has issued the first encyclical of his pontificate, Magna humanitas, and we'll be bringing you some carefully considered reflections on it in the days to come. In the meantime, the Prayerful Posse did a quick read and taping on some of the main points, good and neuralgic, for further discussion. To access the discussion, click here. And...

By Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen But first a note from Robert Royal: A happy Memorial Day to all our readers. As we remember the heroes fallen in war, let us all recommit ourselves to the battles that must be fought in our own day – both on real battlefields and in daily life – against the many current threats to human life, liberty, and Godliness. Now for today's column... The great French...

By Fr. Paul D. Scalia Philip Neri had the custom of rising late at night or in the first hours of morning, making his way through the sleeping city of Rome, outside the city walls, to the Basilica of Saint Sebastian. There he would descend beneath the church, to the ancient catacombs, where the first Christians of Rome met for Mass, where so many martyrs slept. In that sacred place he would spend...

By Anthony Esolen But first a note from Robert Royal: Reports out of New York say that the state's Department of Health has issued warnings to the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, whose order has, for over a century, run a hospice for patients dying of incurable cancer. Indeed, the village where their hospice is located was renamed Hawthorne in their honor. The state, however, without giving it muc...