For centuries, the Catholic Church was the last bulwark standing against the tidal wave of secularism, atheism, and moral decay that was sweeping the world. As converts like G.K. Chesterton gave witness, the Catholic faith was a fighting faith—fighting against the destructive ideas and moral rot plaguing society. Yet, something happened. The Church suddenly faced […]

As someone who sees perennial bachelorhood as a societal sickness, recommending Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry might seem counterproductive.  Jayber, Berry’s main character in the novel, is a small-town barber that finds himself an “ineligible bachelor,” as he puts it.  He never marries, never has kids, and in that way is “free” of the burdens […]

In the Gospel of Mark, when a scribe questioned Jesus about the most important commandments, Jesus replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all you heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30). Men, this is difficult to truly embrace. When you think about it […]

I have to be honest, there’s something so empty to me in big, grand Catholic evangelical efforts. You know the type – “transforming your family with 3 easy things;” “an evening workshop that will change your marriage forever.”  The more dynamic it claims to be, and the grander the promise of impacting the entire society, the […]

At the northern tip of Via Giulia in Rome, you’ll find the church of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini. The large dome that crowns this church is one of many that accent the Roman skyline. San Giovanni dei Fiorentini If it’s hot, airy churches like San Giovanni provide the weary pilgrim with a spiritual and physical […]