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A large Celtic cross in a grassy cemetery with gravestones and an old stone tower in the background. The scene is serene, featuring green grass and trees under a cloudy sky.

All Their Wars are Merry, And All Their Songs are Sad

For the great Gaels of Ireland Are the men that God made mad, For all their wars are merry, And all their songs are sad. –G.K. Chesterton There is a strange phenomenon on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is probably the one place in the world where Irishmen have largely been raised on…

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A man wearing white liturgical vestments with a colorful chasuble depicting a pastoral scene, including birds and flowers. He stands in a church with ornate architecture.

Mocking the Church, Modern Style

Political correctness be damned. This is absurd. At some point, you have to tell people, “Go home, girls, you’re drunk!”  Even at the risk of sounding like the old guy yelling “Get off my lawn!” Fantasyland is rife with new players everyday. It doesn’t really need much explanation — for a church that no longer believes…

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Pope Francis smiling and giving a thumbs-up with text "Memento Mori?" and "no worries... 'I GOT THIS!!'" against a background featuring a skull with Catholic text."

A Jesuit to the Core: Pope Francis Manifests Sincere Practice of Exercises

Too traditional to be understood today in American Catholicism, and despite the constant grind against him by the news, and the ill feelings generated by those within the Church, Francis is teaching well, thank God — A Jubilee of Mercy and why his thoughts of death produced it.

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A yellow banner with bold black text reading "Campaign To End The Death Penalty."

Oh, that Death Penalty Thing Again…

It has been a couple years since the last death penalty confusion amassed, so it seems that once again, people are kicking dust up trying to make it seem like the death penalty is immoral. Surely they jest, right? But, the Catholic newspapers, all of them it seems, have rallied around taking a stance against it this…

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A gray SUV with a license plate reading "MANOS" is driving on a snowy road. In the distance, there's a church with a tall steeple and clock tower. Other vehicles are visible in the background, and bare trees line both sides of the road."

He Who Humbles Himself Will Be Exalted

  He wanted to keep it simple, humble, down to the plain pine casket. After all, the Funeral Mass and graveside Commendation carry the last day’s importance, not the shine on the soon-to-be-buried casket. But it wasn’t to be. Hundreds of people showed up on March 2 at St. Joseph’s Church in Mishawaka, Indiana, to…

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A smiling older man in a blue blazer with a striped tie, standing in front of bookshelves. He wears a pin that says "Theology"."

Faith, Family, and Football

I didn’t go to Notre Dame and I didn’t have Charlie Rice in a law class. I was just lucky enough to work with Professor Rice, first when he began giving annual talks at the National Wanderer Forums in the 1970s, and for the last 20 years as secretary of the Wanderer Forum Foundation/Bellarmine Forum,…

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A smiling older man with white hair wearing a blue suit, light blue dress shirt, and red tie. The background features bookshelves filled with books. Text reads: "Dr. Charles E. Rice"."

Charles E. Rice (1931-2015): Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant

Composing an encomium for Charles E. Rice is possibly one of the most difficult things to do. Difficult, not because he is unworthy; rather it is difficult, because words in a brief space cannot capture what the man meant to the thousands who have known him. Indeed, each of us who were privileged to have been…

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A smiling older man with white hair wearing a blue suit, light blue dress shirt, and red tie. The background features bookshelves filled with books. Text reads: "Dr. Charles E. Rice"."

Eternal Rest, Professor Rice

It is with saddened hearts that we learned of the passing last night of our Chairman, Professor Charles E. Rice. May God grant his soul to rest in a place of just repose. For us, Professor Rice has been a blessing to the Forum over the decades. He had a quick wit and always had God’s interests…

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Three black fish forming a circular shape with intricate scales and fins, symbolizing unity or the Holy Trinity in Catholic iconography.

PSA: Ember Days Start Tomorrow, but who cares?

In a day and age where it seems like our own bishops aren’t fans of asking the faithful to fast, and when the purpose of Ember days was specifically to help Mother Church strengthen herself in her clergy, we should look at how we’ve done since abandoning this practice. In 1964, the United States had…

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A smiling older man with white hair wearing a blue suit, light blue dress shirt, and red tie. The background features bookshelves filled with books. Text reads: "Dr. Charles E. Rice"."

Pray for our Chairman, Charlie Rice

Please offer some prayer for our Chairman, Professor Charlie Rice. He was recently admitted to the hospital and although his condition is improving, he and his family could use our support! Update:  see this announcement.

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