The Honeymoon’s (Almost) Over
So will this be that moment when the media finally turns on Pope Francis? In a rather fortuitous bit of timing following my post yesterday, the Pope may now find himself in a bit of a pickle, when it...
View ArticleHappy Pope-versary, Media
One year ago today, Pope Francis was elected head of the Catholic Church, and a media feeding frenzy surrounding him began. We have now had twelve months of endless storytelling on this Pope, yet...
View ArticleOn Hermits, Friends, and Marmots
I have to say, Brother Rex was terrific on EWTN last night! It was great to see and hear him, not only being thoughtful and serious, but also being very, very funny. I can’t remember the last time I...
View ArticleConjuring the ’90′s: 7 Thoughts on the Vatican’s “New” Website
In the First Book of Samuel, in the very famous scene between King Saul, the (dead) Prophet Samuel, and the Witch of Endor, the lesson to be learned is, poking about with things that are dead and...
View ArticleWhat’s In Your Wardrobe?
This weekend I decided it was time to have a good old closet clear-out. With temperatures approaching summer levels here in Washington later this week, it was only sensible to change the wardrobe over...
View ArticleTonight in Old Town: Colleen Carroll Campbell, “My Sisters the Saints”
When the first chapter of a memoir contains a passage such as the following, the reader is put on immediate notice that they are in for something rather different from the usual self-promotional...
View ArticleYou Voted! Time for a Blog Redesign
Thanks to everyone who participated in the redesign poll! You’ve sent some very helpful feedback, and I’m going to share some of the results with you: TEXT An overwhelming number of you said you’d...
View ArticleHanging with the Hermit on “The Good Catholic Life”
As regular readers know, I’m part of a team working to establish a permanent Franciscan hermitage up in the Diocese of Portland, Maine, through the Friends of Little Portion Hermitage (FLPH). The...
View ArticleAnnouncing the Giveaway Winner (And More of You to Come!)
Thanks to all of you who read my recent post on Scott Hahn’s new book, Angels and Saints from Image publishing as part of the blog tour celebrating the publication of his latest volume, and to the...
View ArticleTechnology and the Church: Why Can’t We Have This in America?
In conversation recently with a few friends, I brought up a wonderful online service which I have mentioned before on these pages. It always surprises me to learn that people are not familiar with it,...
View ArticlePersecution and the Thunder of Social Media
Today is the Feast of St. James the Greater, who among other things is one of the patron saints of Spain. His role in the creation of that country occurred well before the age of social media. Yet a...
View ArticleCrazy in Divorce: Why A Ruined Marriage Is No Fun
Does the following headline disturb you? Single sensation: A breakup with Jay Z could push Beyoncé’s career to even greater heights If it comes down to a split, being a cool, fierce single mom could...
View ArticleWhy Being A Good Editor Matters
I heard on the radio this morning that Ben Bradlee, Executive Editor of the Washington Post during the Watergate era, turns 93 today. If you’ve ever seen “All The President’s Men”, you’ll remember...
View Article3 Big Thank-You’s
Allow me to take a moment, gentle reader, to scribble down three notes of thanks: 1. CatholicMom.com My “New Media Sister” Sarah Reinhard (and “Domer Tailgater Mom” Lisa Hendey), very kindly added me...
View ArticleA Selfie with Jesus: Religious Art or Political Propaganda?
If you could, would you ever take a selfie of you and Jesus? If you did, would you do it for personal reasons? Or would you do it to try to manipulate others into thinking better of you? These are...
View ArticleThe Full-Time Job of Being a Catholic
We had one of those rare moments on social media yesterday, when Catholics and non-Catholics alike came together to collectively roll our eyes at the mainstream media’s continuing efforts to...
View Article“The Cosmopolitans”: Whit’s Still the Man
This weekend I had the chance to check out the pilot episode of “The Cosmopolitans”, the new series by writer and director Whit Stillman released on Amazon Prime. If you’re a regular visitor to these...
View ArticleBefore I Take Off: Super Thankful
I just wanted to take a moment this Thanksgiving to say thank you to all of you who subscribe to or visit the blog, and explain briefly why things have been a bit more sporadic of late. On Monday – God...
View ArticleBack to Earth
I’m writing this from several thousand feet over the State of Georgia, on my way back to DC after the 2015 Catholic New Media Celebration (CNMC). No, I am not sporting a cape and tights as I do so....
View ArticleThe Faithful Traveler – On Your Radio!
I’m extremely pleased to share with you that my dear friend Diana von Glahn – aka The Faithful Traveler – now has her own daily radio show! You can hear Diana on Monday thru Friday at 11am on RealLife...
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