Crisis, Charles Coulombe: The Church was certainly divided during the American Civil War—Father Abram Ryan was both a Confederate chaplain and the “poet-priest of the South,” while Father John Ireland was a Union chaplain and, later, the key leader of … Continue reading
Category: History
Shakespeare’s Subtle Catholic Genius and the Gunpowder Plot
Crisis, Joseph Pearce: The fact that Shakespeare was a believing Catholic in very anti-Catholic times can be proven beyond any reasonable doubt. The evidence is convincing in terms of what is known about his life and from what can be … Continue reading
Reconquest: ‘Papacy, Divine and Limited,’ with Brother Andre and Charles Coulombe
In April of 2016, when Reconquest was still in its infancy, I interviewed Charles Coulombe on the papacy. Calling the show, “The Papacy, Divine and Limited,” we wanted to set some things straight about this divinely established office, contrary both … Continue reading
Sword Discovered Could Be 5000 Years Old
That’s 1000 years before Abraham. That’s as old as Noe. The National Interest, Peter Suciu: sword that had been on display as part of a group of medieval items at the San Lazzaro degli Armeni Museum is far older than a … Continue reading
The Holy Shroud and Its Authenticity
The Shroud of Turin, Jared Staudt, Ph.D: This Triduum we can take a virtual pilgrimage to Notre Dame in Paris to honor the Crown of Thorns on Good Friday and to Turin on Holy Saturday to venerate the Shroud. As we are confined … Continue reading
The Miracle of Saint Joseph That Rescued the 21 California Missions and Their 100,000 Indians
Catholic Exchange, Patrick M. Laurence: Today the remnants of twenty-one missions, six pueblos, and four presidios bear witness to the former presence of Spain’s missionaries, soldiers, and settlers in California. Whether it be its numerous place names of Spanish origin … Continue reading
Can We Know the Exact Date of Our Lord’s Death?
Yes! National Catholic Register, Jimmy Atkin: We are in the midst of our annual celebrations of Jesus’ death and resurrection. We all know that this happened in Jerusalem in the first century. That separates Jesus from mythical pagan deities, who … Continue reading
April Fools Day Began Over 400 Years Ago Because of Pope Gregory XIII
+uCatholic, Billy Ryan: April Fools Day: the annual day popular around the world full of practical jokes, pranks, and hoaxes culminating in the jokester shouting “April Fools!” at the victim. Did you know that April Fools Day, also known as … Continue reading
Father John Gerard and His Escape From the Tower of London
Catholic Culture, Jeff Mirus: John Gerard was an English Jesuit priest who secretly served the Catholics in England during the period of persecution under Queen Elizabeth. Born in 1564 to a wealthy family, John was sent to the English College … Continue reading
The Religion of America III: Decline and Fall
As we have seen, the American Civic Religion was a disparate and amorphous thing — vaguely “Christian” as the Supreme Court decreed, and buttressed by the three pillars of the republic: the family, the church (of whatever kind), and the … Continue reading
A Delightful Book about Catholic ‘Stuff’
A Review A History of the Church in 100 Objects by Mike Aquilina with Grace Aquilina (Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, Indiana, 2017). IN A History of the Church in 100 Objects, Mike Aquilina presents the bimillennial history of the … Continue reading
New Docudrama on Saint Patrick More Protestant Than Catholic
Where was Saint Patrick from? Brittany! Read my comment at the end. I am sure my friend Thomas A. Szyszkiewicz won’t mind my posting his comments about the new film. Here they are (from Catholic World Report, March 3): I … Continue reading
Will Our Lady Reclaim Her Dowry?
Crisis, Joseph PearceL Something is stirring in England. It’s not much. A still, small voice of calm whispering in the dark. Prayers ascending like incense. A rekindled faith. Article is here.
An ‘Uncompromising Catholic’: Pedro Crisólogo Cardinal Segura y Sáenz
While reading David A. Wemhoff’s John Courtney Murray, Time/Life, and the American Proposition, I recently came across mention of a Spanish prelate whose name was already familiar to me, Pedro Crisólogo Cardinal Segura y Sáenz (1880-1957). Here is the mention: … Continue reading
Lincoln Granted Use of WH Lawn for Fundraiser to Build Black Catholic Church
Catholic World Report: Black Catholic communities have been a part of the Church in the Washington, DC area for centuries. But it wasn’t until the height of the Civil War that black Catholics in DC began the process of founding … Continue reading