How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization In a recent blog post I wrote about St. Benedict’s Rule (529), a monastic rule that provided order and peace in a world besieged in chaos. Men retired to monasteries to cultivate discipline in the spiritual life. Manual labor was seen to mortify the flesh, as monks took … Read moreWho invented champagne?
One of the most famous relics the Church venerates today is the Shroud of Turin, believed by many to be the burial cloth of Jesus. Imprinted on the 14-foot-long piece of linen is the image of a man beaten, scourged, and crucified. Yet how many people know about another shroud with a mysterious image? It … Read moreIs this the face of Jesus?
Recently, my sister and I have collaborated on a family history book, a labor of love that stirs up memories of childhood. In one conversation we talked about a pivotal point in our lives, crucial in our development as life-time readers. We grew up in a Boston suburb complete with sidewalks lined by elm trees. Atlantic … Read moreTime of Wonder
How Catholic innovations changed western civilization. Strange question you might think. I assure you that this is not a thought experiment. Here we have authentic history. Picture a dismal swamp. Picture murky streams, land submerged in spring-time floods, invasive reeds, and thick peat all devouring forests of fir and oak. Imagine rank soil and dead … Read moreWho turned swamps into farmland?
Watch that woman standing on the farmer’s porch. She pulls on her work jeans that still show patches of garden dirt. She sprays insect repellent on her work boots, arms, and neck. Next comes a mesh insect protection net that loops under her armpits and covers her entire head. With great precision, she dons her … Read moreBattles in the Garden
