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
Category: History
Columbus Believed in and Lived the Doctrine That There Is No Salvation Outside the Church
Although our country celebrates Columbus Day today, Monday October 10, so as to give workers a long weekend, everyone knows that the real holiday is October 12. This is the day, in 1492, when Christopher Columbus first sited land after … Continue reading
Father John P. Chidwick, Heroic Chaplain of the Maine
Catholic Stand, Donald McClarey: Night, February 15, 1898, the American battleship USS Maine lay at anchor in the harbor of Havana. Although tensions were running high between the US government and Spain, the colonial power occupying Cuba, the night was calm. … Continue reading
Frances Allen, Daughter of Ethan Allen, First U.S. Citizen to Become a Nun
She was not the first American to become a nun. That was the convert Lydia Longely of Groton, Massachusetts. Lydia was born in 1674. At the age of twenty, after being ransomed from the Indians who slaughtered her parents some … Continue reading
The Victory Over the Turks 1683 Battle of Vienna
Last Monday was the feast of the Holy Name of Mary, which also commemorates the Christian victory over the invading Moslem army at Vienna. Steve Weidenkoph gives an excellent and concise review of that victory on Catholic Answers website. Today … Continue reading
Cardinal Manning: Honour
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
Mike Church on Foxe and Friends’ anti-Catholic History
Mandeville, LA (Mike Church) – I was researching a guest’s bio, Mary Eberstadt, when I came across a review of her book “It’s Dangerous to Believe” at the New American website, by Steve Byas. Byas’s review is fair and a good … Continue reading
England and Always: Can These Bones Live?
“ENGLAND AND ALWAYS” THE BRITISH, THE EMPIRE, AND THE FAITH Part IX: Can These Bones Live? All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots … Continue reading
The Blessings for Just About Everything, Including Beer, in the Old Roman Rituale
Aleteia: Chapter VIII of the Rituale Romanum, a liturgical manual dated 1614, includes special blessings for almost anything you might use on a daily basis, literally — the chapter is titled “Blessings of things designated for ordinary use.” In it, you … Continue reading
Washington Had ‘Mater Dei Ora Pro Nobis’ Engraved on a Sword He Gave General Kościuszko
National Catholic Register, Carrie Gress: This 4th of July it seems appropriate to look at one of the great contributors to American Independence. Polish-born General Kościuszko is no stranger to history buffs, but to many Americans today his contribution to our … Continue reading
The Fourteen Holy Helpers
During the chastizing period of the Black Death that devastated Europe from 1346-1349 there were many saints that the faithful invoked against the plague and sudden death. Among these were those who a century later would be known as the … Continue reading
Mary I, England’s Catholic Queen of Undeserved Reputation
Review of Mary Tudor, England’s First Queen Regnant – Truth is the Daughter of Time by Gregory Slysz. Gracewing, United Kingdom 2015 by Eleonore Villarrubia Recently I read a review of a book about the 1641 Irish Rebellion. The reviewer … Continue reading
Book Review: Jan Sobieski, the King Who Saved Europe
National Catholic Register, Carrie Gresse: Poland’s kings are a fascinating bunch, ranging from great scoundrels like Boleslaw the Bold, who hacked up St. Stanislaw, to larger than life characters like King Kazimierz, who raised 14th century Poland to greatness. Even … Continue reading
Eucharistic Miracle at Fourth Lateran Council
Aleteia: The patriarch Jeremiah Al Amchiti was born in Amsheet, Lebanon, where he grew up and received education until God called him for his service in the religious life. In fact, he became a monk, and with the help of … Continue reading