Shows / The Catholic Thing
The Catholic Thing
The Catholic Thing is a daily column rooted in the richest cultural tradition in the world, i.e., the concrete historical reality of Catholicism.
Episodes
The Catholic ThingWorth & Worship
By Fr. Paul D. Scalia What is a thing worth? In economics, it's relative. Prices fluctuate. Markets rise and fall. A thing is worth what someone's willing to…
The Catholic ThingThe First, Second, and Third Rome – in Paris
By Fr. Raymond J. de Souza The Cardinals attending the extraordinary consistory in Rome will depart today, just as the customary delegation from the…
- The Catholic Thing
Amateur Impressions of the Odyssey
By Joseph R. Wood A long drive recently allowed me to listen to the unabridged audiobook of Homer's Odyssey. It was worth all 780+ minutes. Hearing the poem…
The Catholic ThingBecoming Relics
By Stephen P. White As you surely know, not least because it has been mentioned repeatedly in these pages, the bishops of the United States, in preparation of…
The Catholic ThingWhat Does Love Look Like?
By Msgr. Charles Fink It's a commonplace observation that most people think more readily in pictures than in abstract concepts, and that stories move and…
The Catholic ThingTwo Views on Just War Just-War Reflections Randall Smith Outdated or Obsolete? Luis Lugo
By Randall Smith and Luis E. Lugo The next synod might or might not deal with the Church's "just war" doctrine. So, let me go on record as saying: I don't like…
The Catholic ThingCan the Catholic Church Save Education?
By Robert Royal There's a strange ferment underway in American education. This week, two promising Catholic initiatives emerged: a gathering at Christendom…
The Catholic ThingA Perfect Model of Fatherhood
By St. Pope John Paul II Excerpted from Address of John Paul II to the members of the Pontifical Council for the Family, June 4, 1999 The theme of fatherhood…
The Catholic ThingOf Jesus and Life at the Bottom
By Auguste Meyrat Among the greatest challenges that Jesus poses to His disciples are His prescriptions on wealth. On the one hand, Jesus extolls poverty. He…
The Catholic ThingWhatever Happened to Natural Law?
By Richard A. Spinello There are many crises in the Catholic Church today, but one of the most serious is the dismal state of moral theology. That crisis has…
The Catholic ThingFaith in Space
By Michael Pakaluk During the high point of investment clubs – back in the dark ages, long ago, in 1998! – mom and pop investors would gather and use a tool…
The Catholic ThingA Brief Note on Consequences
By Francis X. Maier On a cool October evening some years back, a young woman – let's call her Jenny, age 18 – checked into St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica…
The Catholic ThingWho is a Christian?
By Anthony Esolen The Department of Defense recently made waves over a decision to remove Mormons from the category of "Christian," to distinguish more clearly…
The Catholic Thing‘Ars Poetica’
By Robert Royal But first a note from Robert Royal: Thanks from the bottom of our hearts to all of you who donated to our mid-year fundraising campaign. From…
The Catholic ThingMozart, Freemasonry, and the Synodal Way
By Brad Miner A recent, brief exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York City highlighted the life and work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. J.P. Morgan…
The Catholic ThingDefeating Modernism
By David Warren But first a note from Robert Royal: We had a site failure yesterday morning, which our tech people resolved quickly. And many of you somehow…
The Catholic ThingTwo Reflections on the Feast of the Sacred Heart Now for Human Hearts and the Sacred Heart by Matthew D. Walz And Now for A Pilgrimage to the Sacred Heart by Fr. Thomas G. Weinandy, OFM Cap.
By Matthew Walz and Fr. Thomas G. Weinandy, OFM, Cap. But first a note from Robert Royal: Two more days should do it - if we make it. So let's end this…
The Catholic ThingThe Consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart
By Stephen P. White But first a note from Robert Royal: We had a very good campaign day yesterday. (Have I said lately how confident I am in the generosity of…
The Catholic Thing'Madame Bovary' and Us
By Casey Chalk But first a note from Robert Royal: We're near the end and near the goal! We're only several thousand short of putting TCT on a solid footing…
The Catholic ThingBeauty in the Power of the Holders
By David G Bonagura, Jr. But first a note from Robert Royal: Beauty comes to us in many forms, among them, in my (clearly unbiased) view, via TCT. Time grows…
The Catholic ThingThe World as the Womb of Divine Love
By Randall Smith But first a note from Robert Royal: The Christian story is unbelievable to many people today. But as Professor Smith argues below, it makes…
The Catholic ThingSheen Beatification Calls Catholics Back to the Eucharist
By Msgr. Jason Gray Catholics around the world are commemorating Corpus Christi today, a feast day celebrating the True Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. But…
The Catholic ThingGambling with Gambling
By Daniel B. Gallagher But first a note from Robert Royal: I generally don't ask our authors to write on a specific topic because, like you, I'm interested in…
The Catholic ThingA Still Higher Magnificence
By Robert Royal But first a note from Brad Miner: Dear Friends, Dr. Royal has asked me to write to you about why giving to The Catholic Thing is so important…
The Catholic ThingBooks in Stone
By Michael Pakaluk Catholics who sometimes worry that the Church is no longer sufficiently bold in its preaching of the Gospel might at least derive some…
The Catholic ThingOn Recovering the Christian Man
By Francis X. Maier But first a note from Robert Royal: The editor of The Catholic Thing has many surprises, almost daily. But how about this from today's…
The Catholic ThingAgainst 'Minor Attracted Persons'
By Brad Miner But first a note from Robert Royal: Today Brad Miner puts his finger on a worrisome development in the current carnival of sexuality. "Minor…
The Catholic ThingMarkets, Mercy, and True Prudence
By Alden Abbott But first a note from Robert Royal: So, we're back at our fundraising – and need to be. We're well into the campaign but need to pick up the…
The Catholic ThingA Good Friday Death: Vittorio Messori, RIP
By Fr. Raymond J. de Souza A Good Friday death – even for a Catholic giant of the last fifty years – meant that less attention was paid than deserved. On the…
The Catholic ThingA Saintly Patriotism: Lessons from St. Joan of Arc
By Kristen Ziccarelli But first a note from Robert Royal: We've reached the end of another week in our mid-year funding campaign and we're about two-thirds of…
The Catholic ThingNot About AI
By Joseph R. Wood But first a note from Robert Royal: As Professor Wood lucidly explains today, the choice of path - between a desire for comfort and doing…
The Catholic ThingCoherence in Continuity
By Stephen P. White But first a note from Robert Royal: We're moving along nicely with our mid-year fundraising and we're grateful to all who have already…
The Catholic ThingTrusting the One who 'Knows What He's About'
By Matthew Walz But first a note from Robert Royal: Professor Walz reminds us today of a fundamental truth: that underneath all the challenges we face, it all…
The Catholic ThingDante and the Office
By Randall Smith But first a note from Robert Royal: Pope Leo has issued the first encyclical of his pontificate, Magna humanitas, and we'll be bringing you…
The Catholic ThingThoughts About the Vocation of Soldiers
By Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen But first a note from Robert Royal: A happy Memorial Day to all our readers. As we remember the heroes fallen in war…
The Catholic ThingHeartburn and Broken Ribs
By Fr. Paul D. Scalia Philip Neri had the custom of rising late at night or in the first hours of morning, making his way through the sleeping city of Rome…
The Catholic ThingFolly in the Seat of Wisdom
By Anthony Esolen But first a note from Robert Royal: Reports out of New York say that the state's Department of Health has issued warnings to the Dominican…
The Catholic ThingThe Perennial Question: "Who Is Man?"
By John M. Grondelski But first a note from Robert Royal: Probably the deepest challenge of our time, as our columnist demonstrates today, is the defense of…
The Catholic ThingWe Need Centers of Human Fructification
By Michael Pakaluk But first a note from Robert Royal: As Professor Pakaluk explains today, there's all the difference in the world between mere 'flourishing,'…
The Catholic ThingThe Replacements or Coming Soon: Mel Gibson's 'The Resurrection of the Christ'
By Brad Miner But first a note from Robert Royal: So count me impressed with the generosity of our readers these first days of our midyear funding drive. But…
The Catholic ThingA Little Wisdom from Toonces
By Francis X. Maier But first a note from Robert Royal: We've gotten off to a good start in our mid-year fund drive, and I'm grateful to everyone who responded…
The Catholic ThingEver Ancient, Ever New
By Robert Royal St. Augustine famously wrote of having come late to the Beauty that is God: tam antiqua, tam nova ("So ancient, so new"). It's a brilliant and…
The Catholic ThingOn Moderation
By Fr. Benedict Kiely St. John Henry Newman discovered, after much study, prayer. and pain, that the Anglo-Catholic, or Tractarian, concept of the Anglican…
The Catholic ThingLucky Sevens: Caravaggio's 'Works of Mercy'
By Brad Miner By first a note from Robert Royal: There's just over a week until I begin my brief course on Pope Leo and the Augustinian tradition. Don't miss…
The Catholic ThingFor a More Manly Catholicism
By David Warren Edgar Allan Poe mentioned three things, in connection with the Earthly Paradise, or perhaps there were four; I don't pretend to be a Poe…
The Catholic ThingThe Ascension as a Gift of Faith
By Stephen P. White Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Ascension. (Depending on where you are; check your local listings.) It's worth pondering: Why…
The Catholic ThingThe Devil and 'Emerging Issues'
By Robert Royal It's often been said, though perhaps not often enough lately, that the Devil can cite Scripture for his purposes. Whether the Evil One is…
The Catholic ThingWho Gets to Say?
By Randall Smith I read recently that Cardinal Reinhard Marx says he will allow the blessing of same-sex unions, contrary to Vatican directives. Fr. Davide…