William Doino Jr.

Visually stunning and gripping to the last frame, Baz Luhrmann’s Gatsby is a whirlwind ride into the Roaring Twenties, complete with a pulsating sound track and 3-D imagery. But its greatest strength is also its biggest weakness: Luhrmann is so intent on dazzling viewers with his frenetic, over-the-top directing style that the film constantly threatens to overshadow, if not injure, the delicacy and profundity of Fitzgerald’s exquisite novel… . Continue Reading »

When Timothy Dolan was elected president of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2010, it caught almost everyone by surprise. The custom had been to select the sitting vice president”which Dolan, at that time, was not. He was, however, the recently installed Archbishop of New York, the most influential pulpit in the nation, and a man of unique gifts… . Continue Reading »

On an early summer day, six years ago next month, an event of historic significance took place in Washington, D.C. A diverse group of people”politicians, clergy, and émigrés”gathered to dedicate the Victims of Communism Memorial in honor of “the tens of millions of men, women and children who were ruthlessly and systematically exterminated to advance the cause of the murderous, malevolent ideology that is Communism.” … Continue Reading »

The birth of Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, two hundred years ago this month, has produced many commentaries and events celebrating the great Christian thinker. It’s not difficult to understand why. In works like Either/Or, Fear and Trembling, and The Sickness Unto Death, Kierkegaard speaks to the perennial questions and painful choices we all face … Continue Reading »

Beautifully written and unforgettably told, The Little Way of Ruthie Leming is a memoir about Rod Dreher’s younger sister and the extraordinary impact she had upon her family and community. Subtitled “A Southern Girl, a Small Town, and the Secret of a Good Life,” Dreher’s tour de force delivers on every level… . Continue Reading »

For almost forty years, Tom Konchalski has scoured high school gymnasiums across the East Coast”and sometimes beyond”assessing up-and-coming athletes for his newsletter, High School Basketball Illustrated. Appearing sixteen times a year, it’s read by many of the nation’s top college basketball coaches… . Continue Reading »

She was called a “messenger of the love of Christ,” awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and beatified by the Holy See. But for most people, she is simply Mother Teresa, one of the most admired women of modern times. Born as Agnes Bojaxhiu in Macedonia in 1910, Blessed Teresa came to public attention relatively late in life, but when she did, her impact was profound … Continue Reading »

From the moment he walked out onto the Vatican balcony following the papal election, Jorge Mario Bergoglio forged an image all his own. Having lived a life of simplicity, the new Pope Francis wasn’t about to abandon it, even with the honor and prestige his new office brings. A modest man of carefully chosen words, it was fitting that Francis opened his speech with two simple words: “Buona sera” (good evening)… . Continue Reading »

Few images in recent Catholic history will be remembered like the ones that marked Benedict XVI’s last day as pope: Bidding farewell to well-wishers at the Vatican, the departing pontiff boarded a helicopter, en route to Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence just outside Rome. Upon . . . . Continue Reading »

One of the most striking features of Benedict’s time in office is how frequently he has been assailed and disparaged by certain members of the “Catholic left” (for want of a better term)”often harshly and bitterly. But misery loves company, and the left is constantly on the lookout to see if they can find someone”anyone”on the “Catholic right,” voicing criticism against Benedict, even if for entirely different reasons… . Continue Reading »