Even though I have been a Catholic for most of my life, I was raised by wolves

converts. My parents brought a deeper understanding of theology to our everyday life than I’ve seen in the homes of many cradle Catholics. But the details and niceties of Catholic etiquette? A little shaky. Combine this handicap with a genetic inability to Catch Onto Stuff, and all I have in common with my fellow Catholics is a love for the Eucharist and a habit of waking up early on Sundays.

I don’t have the classic convert’s discomfort with the sign of peace—at that point in the liturgy, I’m usually either safely on the floor, trying to pry some small person out from where he should not be; or else I’m so...READ MORE

Speaking of marriage and expectations, this 2008 post from The Art of Manliness (I don’t have anything against these folks, honest! They just keep popping up) gives some pretty decent advice about how to tell if you’ve found the right woman to marry. I agree wholeheartedly with two of the signs of a good choice: “there’s nothing major you want to change about her” and “She’s your best friend.” You have no business marrying someone you hope to alter dramatically, and you ought to prefer spending time with her above all others.

But I’d like to challenge the other three criteria: “She gets along well with your family and friends” and “The thought of marrying her doesn’t scare you in the...READ MORE

Afraid the world is getting smarter?  Set your fears to rest with this story from my increasingly schizophrenic home state of New Hampshire, where we just can’t decide if we’re all about rugged individualism, progressive environmentalism, or just good old fashioned booze chugging:

Hybrids Trump Handicapped At Liquor Store

In order to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, Nashua’s new 20,000-square foot liquor store, which is owned and operated by the state, was “built with solar panels, geo-thermal heating and cooling systems, local building materials and recycled products.”

The problem?  It was also designed with reserved parking spaces right in front of...READ MORE

In Tuesday’s post about tattoos, a reader said,

n my little corner of the world, it’s a somewhat popular practice among Christians to have a wedding ring tattoo stamped on the ring finger when they get married. I’m not sure how to analyze that. It’s wonderful that they’re saying, “I’m in this for life.” But didn’t that used to be what the vows were for?

I’m grateful to my husband for many things, but the incident that left an indelible mark on my psyche is the time that he giggled at the heraldic lion I was considering as a tattoo design fifteen years ago.  I had chosen a spot which was REALLY UNUSUAL for a tattoo, and which, I reasoned, would only get distorted if I got REALLY FAT.

The spot?  My lower back, of course.  That’s me:  always ahead of the curve.  (I was also grungy when grungy wasn’t cool.)  These days, of course, everyone and his mother, and his grandmother, and his grandmother’s Zumba instructor, and the Zumba instructor’s domestic partner’s great great granddaughter’s babysitter has a tattoo on the lower back.  And my own...READ MORE

Recently, North Dakota tried to ban telemed abortions—the practice of administering an abortion pill to a pregnant woman under the long-distance video supervision of a doctor.  But a temporary restraining order was put on the law, and so the practice will continue for the time being.

The Center for Reproductive Rights is delighted with the restraining order, saying,

This law has nothing to do with protecting women’s health—it defies reason, science and medical expertise in a clandestine attempt to limit women’s access to abortion.

They say, “Medication abortion is a safe and common use of FDA-approved drugs to induce first-trimester abortions.”

In charity, I’m going to assume they’re...READ MORE

On Tuesday, I insisted that people learn how to write well.  Today, I’m offering some practical tips that I have found useful.  Most of these apply to less formal pieces, like blog posts, short articles, or even comments—anything where you’re trying to make a point.  If you’re working on a research project, though, you’re on your own.

APPROACHING THE TOPIC

1.  Make sure you know what the heck you’re talking about.  You don’t have to be an expert: often, the things that need to be said are the things that people already know, but have forgotten—or things they don’t realize that other people are thinking.  So it’s okay to be simple, as long as you know exactly what it is you want to say.

Imagine, if you will, opening up a Bible for the first time.  You turn to the gospels, and you read: “ok ther wuz this chick adn she wuz all omgz wut baby???!!! srsly i dont even!!1!!1!!!”

Impressed, aren’t you?  Ready to sell all that you own and go follow the one who could inspire such words?

Or maybe not. 

Just imagine if, like so many today, the Evangelists had been unable to express themselves in the written word.  Yes, they were inspired by the Holy Spirit—but we’re not talking about auto writing here.  They went into the project with some skill, some ability to write complete sentences and coherent paragraphs, and to put across the facts of a story—some with mere competence, some...READ MORE