When I first took over managing The Socratic Catholic several months back, I laid out an idea for what I called “The Way of Nehemiah.” For those who don’t recall, Nehemiah was a Jewish leader who returned to Israel from the Babylonian captivity in order to help his people rebuild their city. Nehemiah’s task was … Continue reading Fight and Build
Category: Letters
What you can do to Restore the Church
Everyone knows by now of the latest sex abuse scandals in the Church. The details are appalling, to say the least, and it’s clear that something serious must be done by the hierarchy. The question for us is, what can we, the laity, possibly do to help clean up this mess? There are a number … Continue reading What you can do to Restore the Church
We Can’t Put Our Faith in Human Leaders of the Church
Anyone who follows Catholic news — or even the secular news — should be aware by now of the scandal surrounding Theodore McCarrick, former Cardinal Archbishop of the Catholic Church. McCarrick, one of the most recognized Catholic prelates of our time, is accused of sexually abusing both seminarians and minors. McCarrick, of course, was a … Continue reading We Can’t Put Our Faith in Human Leaders of the Church
Memento Mori
It was already pretty late at night when the text came, along with a link to the story about the accident. One of my former coworkers, a man I’d known for ten years, had just been killed while riding his motorcycle home from work. This isn’t the first time that someone I know has died … Continue reading Memento Mori
My Brother, My Captain, My King
“I would have followed you, my brother . . . my captain . . . my king.” The moving scene of Boromir’s death in the film adaptation of the Fellowship of the Ring—released 17 years ago this December—is perhaps my favorite scene in the entire trilogy. The threefold title by which Boromir addresses Aragorn, while … Continue reading My Brother, My Captain, My King
Lepanto
“Off to the left,” said our guide in a heavy Greek accent, as our tour bus cruised down the road, “is the Gulf of Patras, where the Battle of Lepanto was fought in 1571.” A feeling of excitement rose in me as I looked out over the sparkling blue water in the surprisingly narrow channel. … Continue reading Lepanto
Following in the Footsteps of St. Paul
The air was a bit humid and the sky bright and blue as I gazed over the city of Athens from the place I was standing on Mar’s Hill. Two thousand years before my arrival there, a much more significant individual than myself had stood upon that same hill, preaching the Gospel to the pagan … Continue reading Following in the Footsteps of St. Paul
The Danger of Christian Complacency
Certainly not all Christians in America celebrated the election of Donald Trump to the presidency, but many did, and not without some good reason. While a Clinton Presidency 2.0 would have likely meant federal efforts to force Christian business owners, medical professionals, and educators to violate their consciences, the Trump administration, despite its many faults, … Continue reading The Danger of Christian Complacency
A Meditation on St. Joseph
Today, March 19 is the feast of St. Joseph, the man chosen by God to be the foster father of His Divine Son. As St. Joseph is my favorite saint, as well as the saint whose name I chose at my confirmation, I thought it would be appropriate to offer a few, brief reflections on … Continue reading A Meditation on St. Joseph
“Say your Catholic prayers every day, or you will lose your faith”
It’s no secret that Catholics in the 21st century are often confused and frustrated by the dismal situation in their Church. With the clergy sexual abuse scandal, high-ranking prelates participating in drug-fueled orgies, mortal sin and sacrilege being normalized, and now the apparent selling out of faithful Chinese Catholics to their atheistic, mass-murdering persecutors by … Continue reading “Say your Catholic prayers every day, or you will lose your faith”
