(Photo: Unsplash) What would the collapse of civilization look like? We might immediately think of cutoff utilities, disruptions in the supply chain, violence in the streets and the lack of functional government. While it’s true these might serve as external indicators of a functioning modern society, they do not constitute the essence of civilization. A civilized person doesn’t just live in the city (the civitas that gives civilization its name) but conforms to an ideal of c

John Adams by Gilbert Stuart, c. 1800. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain) Having recently lamented in this space that book reading is on life support in these United States, I find myself in the awkward position of recommending a made-for-television series as good preparation for the nation’s 250 th birthday, which will soon be upon us. In fact, though, if you’re going to do just one thing over the next six months to recollect what a marvel the birth of this country

(Photo: Unsplash) Twenty years ago, I published a small book, The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America, and Politics Without God. It enjoyed a fair sale, got translated into French, Spanish, Polish, Italian, Portuguese, and Hungarian, and was named a FOREIGN AFFAIRS  Bestseller. In it, I argued that Europe was experiencing a crisis of “civilizational morale,” evident in sclerotic governmental bureaucracies, an unwillingness to contribute appropriately to the defense of the

A Colorado Catholic artist explains the symbolism behind sacred icons, especially those depicting Mary, and invites us to step into the divine mystery. Our Lady of the Sign from Yaroslavl, Kiev School, c. 1114. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain) So, what is an icon actually? I give talks all around the country on the topic, so if you don’t know what an icon is, please know that you are not alone! I get asked this question often. Simply put, icon means “image.” In the

"No matter how many times the Church seems destined for destruction, or at least precipitous decline, Christ is born anew in the world." St. John Paul II looks out over a massive crowd gathered for World Youth Day Denver 1993. Throughout his papacy, the saintly pontiff signaled a "new springtime," a New Evangelization for the Catholic Church in the twenty-first century, one filled with hope. (Denver Catholic file photo) “Remember that you were at that time separated from Chri

Part One: Rediscovering Jesus’ original vision for discipleship. (Photo: Lightstock) The evangelist, Matthew, concludes his Gospel with the famous “Great Commission” of Jesus: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19). It’s because of this Great Commission that the Catholic Church “exists in order to evangelize…” ( Evangelii Nuntiandi 14). Jesus’ command set the Church on her course until his Second Coming. Ever since he spoke those words to his apos

Adoration of the Shepherds by Gerard van Honthorst, c. 1622. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain) The Roman Missal provides four distinct Mass texts for the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord: the “Vigil Mass,” the “Mass During the Night,” the “Mass at Dawn,” and the “Mass During the Day.” The gospel readings for these Christmas Masses teach important lessons at Christmas 2025. The Vigil Mass gospel, Matthew 1:1-25, includes the evangelist’s “genealogy of Jesus Chr

(Photo: Unsplash)   There is a war being waged for your soul. In fact, you were born onto a battlefield so familiar and so comfortable that you may not even realize you’re in a war at all. We insist that “‘Tis but a scratch!” as though the wounds we carry are minor. We try to push forward on our own strength, intellect and determination, unaware that, spiritually speaking, we are already mortally wounded. Every war has a “good guy” and a “bad guy.” In this battle, it is God a

From Beanie Babies to viral toys, why the rise of adult collectibles may signal a deeper cultural immaturity. (Photo: Unsplash) I am a proud ’90s kid, and when I think about my childhood, there is one trend that stands out above the rest. Beanie Babies. I still remember the thrill of convincing my mom to fork out another seven dollars. A small animal, filled with beans, legitimized by a TY tag, would soon be mine. Not only were they cute, but they came with their own name, po

A powerful meditation on divine overshadowing, the Trinity’s indwelling and Emmanuel at Christmas. Annunciation by Giambattista Pittoni, c. 1757. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain) I’ve always found the Scripture passage in Luke 1 about the Annunciation fascinating and mysterious. After Mary gives her fiat, the Holy Spirit overshadows her, and then voilà! She is pregnant with the Lord. I’m not sure exactly how that works, though I’ve had some insights lately. The idea

German Bishops at Mass in the Papal Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls during their visit in Rome, Nov. 17, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA) When it was first published in 1993, Pope St. John Paul II’s encyclical on the reform of Catholic moral theology, Veritatis Splendor  (The Splendor of Truth), dealt a severe blow to the pride of many German theologians, who had long thought themselves the cutting edge of Catholic intellectual life. Indeed, within a year of the encycl

When plans fell apart, peace entered in, and the season of joy became real for the first time. (Photo: Adobe Stock) By Forest Barnette I expected last Christmas to be really hard. It was the first time my husband, kids and I didn’t travel to see extended family. The estrangement that caused these circumstances was painful enough on its own, not to mention the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), the traditions lost and the grieving for what I’d imagined holidays with kids, cousins and

What repeated Scripture, a preschool coloring page and the wisdom of the saints reveal about desire, especially this Advent. (Photo: Lightstock) By Meg Stout Have you ever had a moment where God was communicating something really clearly to you? He can do so in many different ways: through images, thoughts that arise in prayer, words from other people, homilies or even through nature. For me, he often gets his message across through Scripture, usually at Mass. Because I can m

Why contemplating Christ’s first nine months reveals the dignity of unborn life — and deepens our Advent devotion. (Photo: Lightstock) Advent draws us to contemplate Christ’s first coming, even as we expect his coming again in glory. The season contains an almost incomprehensible reality: God has become man, “infinity dwindled to infancy,” as Gerard Manley Hopkins put it. Israel’s centuries-long yearning for the Messiah blossomed in the first Advent as Our Lady became God’s t

From trust to temptation, Pope St. John Paul II’s Theology of the Body reveals why the fall wasn’t about an apple, but about doubting the Father's love. (Photo: Lightstock) I have a friend who had a very sweet and precocious son. When he was very little, she told me, “Jack has a question for you.” The question: “Why is God so mean? He wouldn’t even let Adam and Eve eat apples!”           Don’t we all kind of feel that way? I know I did. It took my beloved Pope St. John Paul I

USCCB President Archbishop Timothy Broglio speaks at the bishops’ spring meeting, Thursday, June 13, 2024. (Photo: Courtesy of the USCCB) Archbishop Michael J. Curley of Baltimore, who confirmed my father, was a pugnacious Irishman with a taste for shocking people via undiplomatic language. In a conversation with the great historian John Tracy Ellis, Curley, who had had his share of tussles with the Vatican, once blurted out, “Rome will use you, abuse you, and then throw you

In a weary world, his unapologetic joy reveals the bold hope Christmas demands of us. (Photo courtesy of Elf 's Facebook page) Those who know me know that I am obsessed with the movie Elf . Like I can quote the whole thing obsessed. It’s a weird thing to admit in writing, in a Catholic magazine, I know, but stay with me. Beyond how absolutely hilarious I’ve always found the movie to be, and the magic of New York City at Christmastime, there’s something deeper that’s always ca

Tired of warning signs and alarm bells over television content? Korean drama may just provide your family and you with a friendlier alternative. (Photo: Lightstock) I recently viewed the Korean drama, “Lovely Runner,” which took me on an emotional rollercoaster through its tale of a fan traveling through time to save her Korean pop idol's life and change both their destinies. Across 16 episodes, I laughed, raged and bawled my eyes out, and I did so without sitting through a s

Even in life's mess and disappointment, Advent teaches us to hope again — not in what we can control, but in the God who has already come to save us. (Photo: Lightstock) Isn’t it interesting that every year, the weeks between November 28th and December 26th look completely different from the rest of the year? The Christmas season, religious or not, transforms everything: the décor in our homes, the parties on our calendars, the outfits we wear and the media we consume. On one

(Photo: Unsplash) Surveys indicate that reading books is dropping precipitously across all age groups. This is a tragedy in itself; it’s also a social disaster, as a post-literate society risks becoming a post-rational society. All the more reason, then, to consider giving books for Christmas: books that entertain, inform, and open new horizons of understanding. Here are eleven suggestions, including recent publications and what the Sixties radio DJs used to call “oldies but