Christopher Manion
From Under the Rubble…The August Avalanche
Over the years, August has not been good to us. But Mom always said, “try to find something nice to say about everybody.” So, to paraphrase Richard Nixon, “let me say this about that.” Congress goes on recess in August. That’s good. Thanks, Mom! And now, getting back to Nixon, and August. My southern liberal…
From Under the Rubble…A Plea to America’s Bishops
Addressing the crowd gathered in St Peter’s Square for the traditional Angelus prayer on August 10th, Pope Francis renewed his call for prayer and concrete assistance for the suffering populations of Iraq. The news reports coming from Iraq leave us in dismay and disbelief. Thousands of people, including many Christians, driven from their homes in…
From Under the Rubble…The Unholy Alliance
Let’s get one thing straight. Obama couldn’t care less about those Hispanic kids coming over the border. Here’s how we know: his administration has pushed the most savage pro-abortion policies in our history, both at home and abroad. And at home, Hispanic babies are much more likely to be aborted in America than children of…
From Under the Rubble…Gratitude, Government, and Gall
Voluntary Christian charity results in the natural gratitude of both the benefactor and the beneficiary. “Thank you,” says the man robbed and thrown in the ditch; “No, thank YOU,” says the Good Samaritan — “for giving me the opportunity to serve a brother in Christ.” That’s the way it’s been for centuries in Christendom. But…
From Under the Rubble…Perversion’s Progress
“”La bandera del orgullo #LGTB ondea hoy en la embajada por el Día Internacional contra la Homofobia y la Transfobia”. – El Mundo, Madrid Translation: The flag of LGBT Pride waves today above the US Embassy in Madrid in honor of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. Robert Reilly spent years plowing through thousands…
From Under the Rubble…The GOP’s Liberty Problem
Long ago, Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum won the admiration of conservatives for his unstinting support of human life. His memorable speeches in opposition to partial-birth abortion on the Senate floor flummoxed liberals while they firmly established his reputation as the go-to guy for pro-life issues. While GOP insiders and neocons are famous for betraying pro-lifers…
From Under the Rubble…Catholics, War, and Unintended Consequences
The recent unpleasantness in eastern Ukraine recalls a nagging truth: Wars always bring unintended consequences, and Americans have seen plenty of them, firsthand. In 1916, Woodrow Wilson won reelection on the slogan, “He Kept Us Out Of War!” But Wilson wanted war, and, five months later, he got it. In October 1940, late in the…
From Under the Rubble…The Persecution Complex
In early April, Pope Francis warned Catholics that proclaiming the Gospel comes with a price, the price of persecution. “There will always be persecutions, misunderstandings,” he said. “But Jesus is Lord and this is the challenge and the Cross of our faith. May the Lord give us the grace to go on His path and,…
From Under the Rubble…Old School Friends
In the Rubble’s constant effort to cull unnecessary stuff, a brief student paper saw the light of day for the first time since the pre-Woodstock era. It summarized the much younger Rubbler’s first impressions after reading about friendship in Aristotle’s Ethics almost 50 years ago. An excerpt: The foundation of the best society is one…
