Vatican Reveals Holy Smoke Recipe

The mystery is over : On Tuesday, the Vatican press office revealed the composition of the colored smoke used during the conclave to signal the results of the voting. Earlier, a Vatican spokesman had said only that the smoke was made “from several different elements.” Both recipes are . . . . Continue Reading »

First Links — 3.13.13

“This Isn’t Politics” Rocco Palmo, Whispers in the Loggia Defining Bullying Down Emily Bazelon, New York Times Is N. T. Wright a Threat to Classical Protestantism? Andrew Fulford, The Calvinist International Predictably Unpredictable: The Free Exercise Clause Marc DeGirolami, . . . . Continue Reading »

Jews on the Jury

A federal judge in New York this week denied a defense attorney’s request  to exclude Jews from a jury  that will hear the case of alleged terrorist Abdel Hameed Shehadeh, on trial for lying to the FBI about plans to kill Americans.  Shehadeh’s lawyer, Frederick Cohn, told . . . . Continue Reading »

Larry the Vatican II Guy

Larry the Vatican II guy  explains the new translation of the Mass, the nature of conscience, and the  Novus Ordo . The instruction (delivered by his guest) is helpful too, though the jokes are sometimes a little harsh. Here, for example, from the second one (though the jokes lose a . . . . Continue Reading »

Is Our Republicans Learning?

I want to like the new Ryan budget, but James Pethokoukis points out several of its problems. The new Ryan budget drops the top marginal income tax rate to twenty-five percent. That is lower than the top marginal tax rate proposed by Mitt Romney. Who outside of a mental institution believes that . . . . Continue Reading »

A Note from a Cardinal Burke Fan

A leading Catholic intellectual: Since you brought it up, my papal endorsement goes to Burke. I would consider myself a fellow traveler with the “narrow and intense” fan base, but there are also practical reasons why I think of all the Americans he has a real shot. One — . . . . Continue Reading »