On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

William Doino Jr. on the true stardom of Fulton Sheen : The name of Fulton J. Sheen brings to mind many things: “the Golden Age of Catholicism” . . . the stirring sermons . . . the amusing stories and dramatic conversions . . . the black cassock and red cape . . . the glistening pectoral . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Wesley J. Smith on freedom of worship’s assault on freedom of religion : What’s the difference? Under freedom of worship, the Catholic and Orthodox churches both remain perfectly free to teach that the Eucharistic bread and wine transform into the body and blood of Christ. Muslims can . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Leroy Huizenga questions whether “conservative” churches are really growing : The Episcopal Church is in the news again for the usual reasons. First, a few days ago it was reported that the Episcopal Church suffered a 23 percent decline in attendance from 2000 to 2010. Second, on . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

George Weigel reflects on baseball’s All-Star game : For the past two decades I’ve taught in Cracow every July. I’d not trade the experience for anything, but it’s had one drawback: I haven’t seen baseball’s All-Star Game in a long time. The game itself is no big . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Elizabeth Scalia wonders whether anger begins to abate with gratitude : Last week, several friends who believe that “the church hates women” and works to suppress them, sent me a link to a story about historian and  L’Osservatore Romano columnist, Lucetta Scaraffia, who, in an . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

R.R. Reno on Sr. Margaret Farley and dissent : The  New York Times  styled it a “denunciation.” The  National Catholic Reporter  saw it as part of the Vatican’s supposed “war on women.” The ever-reliable Paul Lakeland of Fairfield intoned that it was . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Russell E. Saltzman on trying to understand the universe without reference to God : Scientists started doing science as if God did not exist long ago, at least back to Descartes, and the habit is well established. He thought mathematics and physics could tease out more about God than any jumped-up . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Meghan Grizzle on where we go after Rio+20 : On June 20-22, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The conference, known as Rio+20, signified the end of months of negotiations at the UN in New York and then a hectic week of negotiations in Rio . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

James R. Rogers on collective action and the Declaration : As much as they objected to violations of individual liberty, the colonists objected to the King’s preventing them from exercising a  collective  liberty–to be governed by laws established by their own consent through . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

William Doino Jr. on Pope John XXIII, conservative hero : Blessed John XXII is one of the most beloved popes in all of history—and quite possibly the most misunderstood. Almost from the moment he was elected pope, Angelo Roncalli—or “Good Pope John,” as he came to be . . . . Continue Reading »