Catholicism.org contributor, Mrs. Eleonore Villarrubia, a graduate of Tulane University, left me a very interesting page from the university’s quarterly magazine (Fall, 2011) on the accidental discovery, in the rare book collection of the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, of a moveable-type … Continue reading
Category: History
Archealogists Think They’ve Unearthed Site of Sodom and Gomorrah: Inhabitants Wiped Out in ‘Heat Event’
John Bergsma, The Sacred Page: By far the most interesting session at the recent Society of Biblical Literature Congress in San Francisco was one I wandered into by chance. Read the rest here.
Ukranian Priest and Professor Coauthor New Book on 1932-33 Forced Famine in Ukraine
Catholic Culture: Father Athanasius McVay, a Ukrainian Greek Catholic priest in Canada, and Lubomyr Luciuk, a professor at the Royal Military College of Canada, have coauthored the newly published book The Holy See and the Holodomor: Documents from the Vatican … Continue reading
‘They Never Said a Word About Religion’: One Reason Why Edgar Allen Poe Liked the Jesuits
After reading this short piece by Pat McNamara, I was stunned that the early Jesuit founders of Fordham never once, that we know of, asked the very troubled Edgar Allen Poe to become a Catholic. And this was when the … Continue reading
Tribute to Sister Mary Anastasia Quinn Heroic Nurse of the Civil War
There is a book titled Angels of the Battlefield that relates the incredible stories of the Sisters of Charity in ministering to the wounded of both sides of this devastating war between the states. It is one of the most … Continue reading
What Are the Middle Ages?
The current definition of the Middle Ages implies that they are an intermediary epoch between two civilizations, and, therefore, only a break in the course of civilization. There is no term about whose definition there is more perfect agreement than … Continue reading
RIP Archduke Otto Von Habsburg
As has already been noted on the SBC website, Archduke Otto von Habsburg, who in 1916 became heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, has died. I’d like to offer a couple of additional thoughts. The Archduke passed away … Continue reading
David Goldstein and Martha Moore Avery: from Socialists to ‘Campaigners for Christ’
It is probably safe to say that everyone reading this knows of the famous preacher on Boston Common of the 1950’s, Father Leonard Feeney, and of the religious brothers who accompanied him there each Sunday. Father preached the unvarnished truth … Continue reading
ACLU Founder Was Pro-Abortion, Pro-Soviet, Pro-Communist
Paul Kengor has an informative article on LifeNews website about Roger Baldwin, founder of American Civil Liberties Union. Here is the lede: As someone with the highly unusual task of researching old, declassified Soviet and Communist Party USA archives, I … Continue reading
Casey Jones: Legendary Railroad Engineer and Catholic
Practically every American has heard of the storied railroad engineer of the late 1800’s, Casey Jones, made famous throughout the years in song, story, and film. But it is generally not known that he was baptized a Catholic at the … Continue reading
Who Were the First American Missionaries to China?
I was surprised to read that they were all Franciscans. Pat McNamara’s blog has this fascinating information in his column from a couple of weeks ago. Three of the first American missioners were blood brothers, born in Germany, who, in … Continue reading
St. Pius X Ordered All Parish Priests to Spend 1 Hour Every Sunday Catechizing Children
The Catholic Thing: Pope Pius X is often criticized because in 1910 he demanded that all priests take an anti-modernist oath. It’s hardly known that in 1905 he ordered all priests around the world to do something else, perhaps even … Continue reading
A Presidential Inauguration 150 Years Ago
It was generally ignored, but this past February 18 was an important anniversary in American history. It was on that date 150 years ago that Jefferson Davis, former U.S. Senator and former U.S. Secretary of War, was inaugurated as the … Continue reading
An American Indian Confronts a Protestant Minister, and Other Stories
[Taken from Catholic Gems & Pearls by Rev. J. Phelam, 1897] Speaking of the truth, “out of the church there is no salvation,” I remember a very amusing story related by Father De Smet, the famous American missionary. “Amongst the … Continue reading