By Cordelia Fitzgerald … Writing is really such a vulnerable sport! Up until the advent of records, a passing, but regrettable, utterance from an unfortunate individual would probably be forgotten. Alternatively, it could be passed from mouth to mouth, but would probably die out within a generation or two. Enter writing.
Nicetas (also spelled Niketas) was a member of the Gothic people and lived near the Danube River in what is now Romania. We do not know under what circumstances Nicetas was brought to the Christian faith, but we do know he was baptized by Bishop Theophilis of the Goths.
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … Bubba Ebarb, of happy memory, required certain specific performances for his several successful restaurants. One of his rules was that the iced tea would never reach the old age of one hour before it was tossed and replaced with a fresh brewing of the refreshing leaf.
By Amanda Pizzolatto … J. R. R. Tolkien has gone down in history as one of the greatest minds in literature. He single handedly created a brand new language, complete with the grammar and vocabulary rules. He then created a world for this language, followed by some myths and stories. But the one line that will forever be connected to him was “In a hole in the ground, there lived a Hobbit.” And the rest is, of course, history.
This realization spurred these students towards serving the impoverished around them, namely in the establishment of the Conference of Charity, later called the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, after Ozanam’s role model.
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … There is no stillness like a cat / To the laws of physics a stillness unknown / When all is still he is stiller still / Even stiller than a stick or stone
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … Association football, aka soccer, aka football, is said to be “the sweet sport,” though no one seems to know why. Soccer is nominally a healthy youth sport in which teams of young men and women kick a round ball and occasionally each other, but what one observes in the FIFA World Cup is a sour political mess of grownups acting like children without any positive role models.
Also known as St. Simeon the Elder, Simeon was born circa 390 in Sisan, Cilicia (modern Syria) to Sisotian and Martha. Simeon became a monk at the age of eighteen…
Also known as St. Simeon the Elder, Simeon was born circa 390 in Sisan, Cilicia (modern Syria) to Sisotian and Martha. Simeon became a monk at the age of eighteen…
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … In Texas most firefighters are unpaid volunteers, a rare contradiction to the axiom that you get what you pay for. Volunteer firefighters don’t get paid nothin’, but their names are written large on the scroll of Texas heroes.
By Ruth Amsden … A recent disagreement between Dr. Jordan Peterson and Pope Francis left me feeling thoughtful. I was raised in an extremely anti-Catholic fundamentalist Christian sect, but have since come to cherish my Catholic brothers and sisters in Christ. I have also, through long acquaintance with his work, come to cherish Dr. Peterson and his dear wife, Tammy.
While performing a play that satirized the Christian rite of Baptism, Genesius felt the weight of his sins. Claiming to have seen an angel, Genesius demanded to be baptized. The actor playing the priest dumped a basin of water on him, believing this to be part of the show. Genesius, however, was quite serious. He began to preach Christ to the Emperor and all others in attendance, urging them to convert and be baptized.
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … This August is indeed like a yellow flame / Death writhes among brown-burnt withering leaves / The grass is as sere as Macbeth’s acrid soul / And garden hoses drip in futility
Daig of Iniskeen was born to a noble family sometime in the middle of the Fifth Century, in County Meath, Ireland, possibly near the suburbs of Dublin. His father was named Cayrell, and was a descendant of legendary Irish king Naill of the Nine Hostages.
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … She’s fresh and lovely on the television screen / Promoting a recipe for a sugar-free treat / And fashion tips for being In The Scene – / Her face on the fuel pump is ever so sweet…
By Ian Wilson … One of the virtues extolled frequently in Scripture is the fear of the Lord. As Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” Therefore, we cannot even begin to have wisdom without the fear of God.
St. Syncletica was born in Alexandria, Egypt, to wealthy parents around the year 270AD. From an early age she dedicated herself to God, devoting herself to fasting and praying, to the disappointment of her suitors. Upon the death of her parents, who were predeceased by her brothers, she inherited the family wealth. This she distributed to the poor.
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … No one is fully awake in this strange moonlight / The magic won’t work if we think of it / Pirate ships can’t fly if there’s logic about / And lovers would never touch hands
Join us as we explore the issues of Patriotism! Our staff is all American, but we’ve focused largely on international or historical ideas. Don’t forget to check out the photo contest, Scripture Search, book & media recommendations, and Bible trivia!