From Under the Rubble
From Under the Rubble…The Cost of Being Catholic
Nowadays, “charity” conjures up various images, some of which are quite distant from everyday life. Consider the “nonprofit sector” – or government welfare programs. Others images are more immediate – soup kitchens, or Salvation Army kettles. But charity – caritas – is actually a supernatural virtue. As Saint Paul puts it, “now abideth…
From Under the Rubble…The Old-Time Religion, Revised
The 2008 election season was just getting under way – a lifetime ago, it seems – when Don Devine, a longtime conservative and Reagan Administration official, decided to stir the pot. He emailed some of his conservative friends from the old days – the really old days. They passed it around and soon there were…
From Under the Rubble…Should the Church Abandon Humanae Vitae?
Pope Paul VI promulgated Humanae Vitae on July 25, 1968. It has had a rough ride ever since. Bishops admit that they’ve been reluctant to teach it. Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, Chairman of the bishops’ “Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth,” acknowledges that “the majority of Catholics still do not know about Church…
From Under the Rubble…Should Catholics Join the Military?
Ten years ago, on March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation of Mary, Most Reverend Edwin F. O’Brien, Archbishop for the Military Services, wrote the chaplains under his command. His letter focused on the question, whether Catholics could morally take part in the invasion of Iraq, which had just begun. The Catholic answer was not…
From Under the Rubble…The Return of the Conservative Conscience
In just thirteen hours, Rand Paul’s constitutional marathon established him as one of the best stump speakers in the senate. His easy-going, spontaneous, and cogent extended soliloquy sent a power surge through the somnambulant GOP. The ensuing swell of popular support for Senator Paul set the party – and, en passant, the conservative movement –…
From Under the Rubble…Saint Benedict XVI?
A Jesuit friend remarked recently that, while several modern popes have been canonized, the last cardinal to be so honored – Saint Robert Bellarmine, S.J. – died almost 400 years ago. That observation suggests a rule of thumb for the upcoming conclave: it’s quite probable that some of the cardinals voting in the Sistine Chapel…
From Under the Rubble…Fireside Reading
It Didn’t Have to Be This Way Harry C. Veryser: ISI Books, $28.95 Traveling through the intersection of religion and economics is often a very rough ride, and it features a high collision rate. Countless influential religious folks, both lay and clerical, insist on writing about economics, only to demonstrate their well-intentioned ignorance (or…
From Under the Rubble…The Media Catholic Church
Three days after announcing his retirement, Pope Benedict met with the clergy of Rome, whom he serves as bishop. His unscripted remarks were surprisingly candid. In particular, regarding the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), Benedict observed that there were actually two councils: “there was the Council of the [Church] Fathers, the true Council, but there was…
From Under the Rubble…Benedict’s Long View
“A lifetime is not enough” to see all of Rome, said Pope Gregory XIV. Similarly, the contributions of Pope Benedict XVI will last far beyond our lifetimes – yet their most lasting impact might be barely visible today. Take his “Regensburg Lecture,” delivered in 2006. The media huffed that the address offended Muslims, and wrote…
From Under the Rubble…Disasters, Defiance, and Definitions
Pop Quiz: When is a Neocon Not A Neocon? Answer. When he’s wrong. Which is most of the time. And that irks Charles Krauthammer. Dr. Krauthammer is an interesting character. For some thirty years he’s been a Washington fixture. Trained as a psychiatrist, he became a speechwriter for Vice President Walter Mondale. He then began…
