Holy scripture is replete with challenges. Many times in the Gospels Our Lord lays down commandments that are calling each of us to rise above nature and do the seemingly impossible: “Pray always,” “Be ye perfect,” “Love your enemies,” or … Continue reading
When a 1954 graduate of the West Point Military Academy consented to read and critique an extended monograph I had written on the strategic imperial phenomenon of Private Military Companies and Security Services (also in the clandestine or covert world), … Continue reading
The November/December 2016 Mancipia is now posted (scroll down for PDF). Back issues of this newsletter are linked from our downloads page. If you would like to receive our bi-monthly newsletter via U.S. mail, please sign up to get it … Continue reading
Although these lines won’t reach readers until after the event, in real time they are written prior to the November 8 presidential election. The voting won’t affect what is said because neither of the major-party candidates, not the one who … Continue reading
Children who violate the fourth commandment — honor thy father and mother — think differently than those who are well-behaved. Recalcitrant children believe that the fulfillment of their needs should always come first, even though their demands are not only … Continue reading
The first American-born child of Irish parents who immigrated to this country sometime before 1835, Abraham Joseph Ryan came into the world on February 5, 1838 in Hagerstown, Maryland. Matthew Ryan and Mary Coughlin Ryan, his parents, came to the … Continue reading
Mellow-faced, with eyes of faery, wistful clad in tinted leaves, See the brown October tarry by the golden rows of sheaves; Oak & acorn in his garland, fruit & wineskin in his hands, Mystic pilgrim from a far land down … Continue reading
Nothing can be made again exactly as it once was. That would include the Catholic Christendom which consisted of the peoples of the lands of Europe and their overseas outposts whose laws and customs were rooted in and conformed to … Continue reading
This year’s Conference was a rousing success. We had a full house for the two days of talks and a wonderful time socializing and getting to know the new folks who came; one from California (he was inducted into the … Continue reading
In 1892, near the end of Cardinal Henry Edward Manning’s life, he published an essay entitled “Courage,” which is the last-but-one chapter of his own longer collection of eleven essays modestly entitled Pastime Papers.His Chapter 10 on “Courage” is also … Continue reading
Robert Southwell was born in 1561, the third son of Richard Southwell, a gentlemen and courtier of Horsham St. Faith in Norfolk. His mother was Bridget Southwell, a Copley of Sussex. His paternal grandfather was Sir Richard Southwell of Wodrising … Continue reading
A Commentary On Father Schouppe’s Purgatory Explained Alas! We do not sufficiently remember our dear departed, their memory seems to perish with the sound of the funeral bells. Saint Francis de Sales Have pity on me, have pity on me, … Continue reading
The September/October 2016 Mancipia is now posted (scroll down for PDF). Back issues of this newsletter are linked from our downloads page. If you would like to receive our bi-monthly newsletter via U.S. mail, please sign up to get it regularly. … Continue reading
While attempting to retrieve a memorable 1909 Hilaire Belloc essay (“The Missioner”) for a College student — to be then conveniently found in a 1926 Anthology entitled Representative Catholic Essays — I unexpectedly saw and read for the first time … Continue reading
Affirmation today of the dogma that outside the Church there is no salvation (extra ecclesiam nulla salus) is usually immediately qualified with “but…” The qualification is meant as a sign by whoever affirms the teaching that he does not really … Continue reading
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