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COMMENTARY: The late priest, who was unjustly silenced by his own Jesuit order, was a model of sanity and sanctity. Jesuit Father Paul Mankowski was a legend to those who knew him. There were stories that floated around: He never owned more than he could put into a medium-sized box; he blessed the meal at the arrival of cocktails; he had once been the sparring partner of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. All of those things were true. In an article written for First Things in 2023, Father Jerry Pokorsky described Father Mankowski’s writing as “outbursts of sanity.” That title hits home for me, as I spent many years telling anyone who would listen that my Jesuit friend was “keeping me sane.” Indeed, I have him to thank for the fact that my faith is rock solid in the midst of the mind-n...

In an age that questions, doubts, and undermines first things, there is at least one silver lining. It demands that we look more intently and perhaps even discover some of these ‘first things’ for the first time. Fatherhood stands out among these. It might have seemed that a conceptual analysis of fatherhood is so obvious as to be foregone. But words of Thomas Aquinas indicate otherwise: “It belongs to a father to produce and to govern.” Simply focusing on the second of this couplet, we have opportunity to recognize why fatherhood always has been and will be supremely challenging both in concept and in practice. To govern. No human reality is at once so necessary and so prone to corruption. And it always starts—where else—in the home. Aquinas deftly takes us to the center of the human dram...

Watching your kids grow up is never easy… but what happens when your son becomes your… “Father”?! We sat down with Rick and Mary Machado to talk about what it’s like to be the parents of a newly ordained priest, and to reflect on the gift of fatherhood – especially the spiritual fatherhood of our priests! As we celebrate Father’s Day on Sunday, we’re grateful for the fatherhood of the fathers in our communities: biological, adoptive, foster, spiritual and bereaved. Services Marketplace – Listings, Bookings & Reviews Entertainment blogs & Forums

Competitive sheeting, St. Guy, and +Schnurr Skip to content Pillar subscribers can hear JD read this Pillar Post here: The Pillar TL;DR Hey everybody, Today is the feast of St. Guy of Baume, and you’re reading The Tuesday Pillar Post.  Not much is known about old St. Guy — he was a 10th century abbot at Baume Abbey, which, by some accounts, was founded in the 600s, destroyed by raiders in the 700s, refounded in the 800s, and then had a pretty good run of nearly 1,000 years, before the French Revolution expelled all the monks. Anywho, Guy was abbot in the early 900s. He got the job when Baume’s abbot, St. Berno, became responsible for founding the eventually powerful monastery at Cluny. Guy, for his part, eventually retired from Baume, and fled the monastery to become a hermit. Try as ...

Readings:Job 38:1, 8-11Psalm 107:23-26, 28-312 Corinthians 5:14-17Mark 4:35-41 “Do you not yet have faith?” Our Lord’s question in today’s Gospel frames the Sunday liturgies for the remainder of the year, which the Church calls “Ordinary Time.” In the weeks ahead, the Church’s liturgy will have us journeying with Jesus and His disciples, reliving their experience of His words and deeds, coming to know and believe in Him as they did. Notice that today’s Psalm almost provides an outline for the Gospel. We sing of sailors caught in a storm; in their desperation, they call to the Lord and He rescues them. Mark’s Gospel today also intends us to hear a strong echo of the story of the prophet Jonah. He, too, was found asleep on a boat when a life-threatening storm broke out that caused his fellow...

12 hours ago 12 hours ago “Every child is a gift from God, no matter how they’re here,” said Sarah Stula, an attorney in Kansas City. “The point is where do we go from here to protect unborn life?” Stula recently authored an article in First Things called “Evangelical America and IVF” in response to the February decision by the Alabama Supreme Court that ruled that human embryos stored in an IVF clinic are unborn children for the purposes of the state’s wrongful death statute. Stula writes the article from the perspective of a woman who, together with her husband, suffered from infertility for almost seven years before they were able to adopt their baby girl in early 2024. As she writes, “To those experiencing infertility, my plea is th...

In 2009, Justin Koelbl was in the midst of an outstanding cycling career. Despite being only 15 at the time, the Virginia native’s accomplishments already included five junior U.S. National Championships in road cycling. Because the U.S. did not have many major cycling teams, Koelbl joined a men’s team in the south of France. The young foreigner’s presence sparked interest among the locals and inspiration for Koelbl himself. The teenager was in the country that annually hosts the best-known race in the sport: the Tour de France. Everything seemed to be lining up perfectly. Then a mysterious illness appeared that threatened Koelbl’s health, career and even salvation. In anticipation of Father’s Day on June 16, Koelbl spoke to the Register of how he hoped and prayed his way out of this grand...

I want to be someone who matters. I want to make a difference, to do something great. “I have my mission.” This is how St. John Henry Newman situates these desires, meditating on the “definite service,” the particular work that God has given to each of us. We might think of this kind of mission as something lofty, but it often entails the daily sacrifice and presence of others within our normal duties. We have our own unique role in God’s plan of salvation, which we do not devise for ourselves but must receive. Our identity is not something we create; it stems from a call to enter into the life of Christ, continuing to unfold his gift of himself in the world. St. John Henry Newman Newman further reflects on how our mission comes from God and is ordered to others: “I am created to do someth...

While most travelers flock to New York and Los Angeles, the most beautiful small towns in America offer an entirely different—and, dare we say, better?—glimpse at what this country has to offer. You’ll find tiny enclaves filled with friendly locals, walkable downtown areas lined with mom-and-pop cafes, quiant boutique hotels, and incredible views of some of the best landscapes in the U.S. Whether you’re looking for some over-the-top American charm (we’re looking at you, Stowe), a taste of the wild west (Deadwood, anyone?), or incredible ocean views (hello, Paia), these idyllic cities are well worth adding to your itineraries. And once you realize that the restaurant-to-people ratios lean way in your favor, you may never want to leave. While wouldn’t dare tell you to avoid big cities altoge...