It was right out of the 19th century. A Catholic nominee for the federal bench is questioned about her Catholicity by two members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. This is exactly what the nativists did—they argued that Catholics professed allegiance to Rome, and were thus un-American. Welcome to America in 2017. Senator Dick Durbin and Senator [...]
In two instances recently, a statue of Saint Junípero Serra was vandalized. Both crimes were committed in California. In the first offense, "Murder" was written on a statue of Saint Serra near the San Fernando Mission, outside of Los Angeles. His hands were painted red and a swastika was depicted on the statue of the child [...]
William A. Donohue We live in strange times. Never before in American history have there been fewer victims of oppression, yet never before have more Americans laid claim to victim status. This is especially true of young people—the snowflake generation for whom every slight is seen as an unbearable affront—and those of my generation who are [...]
Robert R. Reilly Daniel C. Mattson, Why I Don't Call Myself Gay: How I Reclaimed My Sexual Reality and Found Peace (Ignatius Press) Why would someone with homosexual inclinations not call himself "gay"? After all, our popular culture practically screams for him to do so. The Supreme Court even offers to bless his "union" with another [...]
There is nothing wrong about criticizing the bishops for any position they take on public policy, though when invidious motives are ascribed to them, such conjecture is unacceptable. That is what Steve Bannon did with regard to their statements on immigration, during his September 10 appearance on "60 Minutes." It is certainly true that most of [...]
The Catholic Benefits Association (CBA), which provides health coverage to many Catholic entities, is asking President Trump to repeal and replace the Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate that was sponsored by President Obama. We second that call: Trump's Justice Department continues to inexplicably honor an appeal to the Tenth Circuit that seeks to undo the [...]
The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania has released a new survey on the public's knowledge of basic constitutional rights; it is disturbing on many levels. More than a third of Americans, 37 percent, can't name any of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. Nearly half, 48 percent, list freedom of speech [...]
Given the normalization of hysteria in America, it was predictable that hyperbole would govern much of the discussion—if we can call it that—over the so-called Dreamers, the almost 800,000 young people who were brought to the United States illegally, mostly from Latin America. It's time to see through the Dreamers maze. This is one problem where [...]
One of the most obscene shows ever aired on TV occurred on the August 21 episode of the AMC show "Preacher." It depicted Jesus in a grotesque sex scene. It was clearly meant to offend, and succeeded in assaulting the sensibilities of all Christians, as well as people of good will who are not Christians. Bill [...]
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has empanelled 18 persons to assess which monuments and other markers should be removed from city property. He said the panel "will develop guidelines on how the City should address monuments seen as oppressive and inconsistent with the values of New York City." It is telling that the mayor [...]
