Because it’s still Christmas for another two weeks and because I’m still kind of in holiday (aka, not-wanting-to-do-any-serious-writing) mode, I give you nativity cuteness from the good folks at St Paul’s Arts & Media in New Zealand: She was like, “Oh my gosh, I’m gonna have the Son of God.” And then she was like, “I can’t. I’m not married … Read More
TOB Tuesday: Merry Christmas!
Three words: Word. Made. Flesh. “Through the fact that the Word of. God became flesh, the body entered theology through the main door.” -JP II, (TOB April 2, 1980) ‘Today a Savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord!’ Glory to God in the highest! The Christmas season has now begun! I’m savoring every moment of this … Read More
Better Dead Than Dependent?
A new poll in Germany reveals that over half of Germans would rather commit suicide than be dependent on nursing care. The head of the organization that commissioned the poll, Deutsche Hospiz Stiftung, a foundation for the terminally ill, blames this on a failure of German nursing care policy. I’m not so sure that’s exactly the reason. Recall that here … Read More
Worth the Trouble
I following story was in the Magnificat’s Advent Companion book for yesterday: Two years ago I gave birth to my eighth child, Genevieve. She was born three and one-half months early, weighing just over a pound. She had defects of her heart and intestines. She had Down syndrome. But she cried out when she was born — she was alive! … Read More
Reproductive Technologies and Huxley’s Brave New World
Jennifer Lahl is one of my favorite people in the world. With the Center for Bioethics and Culture, she is doing incredible, important work exposing the dark reality behind the fuzzy, fell-good picture that the media and popular entertainment typically paint of third party reproduction. This summer she was interviewed by a film crew from Germany for a documentary on … Read More
Pray for Newton
I think the Center for Morality in Public Life said it perfectly (via Facebook): On days of tragedy, the last thing to discuss is gun control, cultural issues or other sundry reasonings attempting to explain the depth of such a violent tragedy. The meek heart today should seek only compassion for the victims and their families. Conversation for understanding and … Read More
A Tale of Two Births
Genetics is not the be all and end all in determining what the “quality” of someone’s life will be — both for themselves and for those around them. In this video Dr. Jérôme Lejeune tells an incredible – and true! – story that goes well with my article last week and perfectly illustrates the arrogance of deciding who is worthy … Read More
Would You Say That to My Face?
My latest for Catholic Lane is (finally) up. In it I expand on some thoughts I’ve shared here before on the message that eugenic abortions send to those living with disabilities. I begin: In recent decades, America has made many wonderful advances in protecting the rights of people with disabilities and including them in society. Gone are the days of … Read More
TOB Tues: Space Probes and Springsteen
Cool. Here is an excerpt from the first chapter of Christopher West’s forthcoming book Fill These Hearts: God, Sex and the Universal Longing CHAPTER 1: THE UNIVERSAL LONGING Everybody’s got a hungry heart. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN In 1977 NASA launched Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 to explore the galaxy. A golden record called The Sounds of Earth was affixed to each … Read More
I Don’t “Believe” Life Begins at Conception…
I know it does. Rebecca Taylor explains more: I don’t know how many times I have heard it. Well-meaning Catholics who say, “As a Catholic, I believe life begins at conception.” I have decided that my mission in life is to correct this miscommunication because it is that very line that lets everyone who is not Catholic dismiss everything we … Read More