The Pope's White Elephant, Vatican to UN: Parents Have Right to Homeschool, and much more!

The Best in Catholic Blogging

Hanno, the Pope’s “White Elephant” - Kathy Schiffer, Patheos/Seasons of Grace

Vatican to the UN: All Parents have the Right to Homeschool - Ben Johnson, LifeSiteNews

Deconstructing the “Bible Endorses Slavery” Meme - Bonchamps, The American Catholic

Four Kinds of Chant - Bryan Townsend, The Music Salon

Faith and Reason: Why Both are Needed - Fr. Robert Barron, The Thin Veil

Impressed by Catholic Logos Bible Software 4 - Carl Olson, Ignatius Insight Scoop

The Death Penalty, Cowboy Culture & G.K. Chesterton - Julie Rodrigues, Ignitum Today

Bearing Fruit for Christ’s Kingdom (John 15:1-8) - Fr. John Bartunek, Catholic Spiritual Direction

Gothic and Glorious: Pugin at 200 - George Weigel, Crisis Magazine

Anti-Christian ESPN Column - Matthew Archbold, Creative Minority Report

New York Times Obsessed with Catholic Church Sex Abuse - Dave Pierre, The Media Report

The Angry, Lazy Bigotry of Maureen Dowd - Carl E. Olson, Catholic World Report

Upcoming Movie Review: For Greater Glory - Jann FritzHuspen, Catholic Lane

Quæritur: About Negative Judgments for “Annulments” - Fr. Z's Blog

Online Liturgical Resources - Shawn Tribe, New Liturgical Movement

Vatican: Catholic Teaching does Not Espouse World Govt - Catholic Culture/Catholic World News

Who Cares about Religious Apathy? - Anthony S. Layne, Outside the Asylum

A Prophetic Novel of the End Times - Fr. C. J. McCloskey III, Crisis Magazine

How Influential is Patriarch Kirill in Russian Politics - Gianni Valente, La Stampa/Vatican Insider

Video: Gay Activist Group Angry Queers Claims Vandalizing Church - Thomas Peters, Catholic Vote/American Papist

For the latest on the best punditry, analysis, and news in the Catholic blogosphere click on the Pulpit.

Palestinian Christians celebrate Easter Sunday Mass at Holy Family Church in Gaza City on March 31, amid the ongoing battles Israel and the Hamas militant group.

People Explain ‘Why I Go to Mass’

‘Why go to Mass on Sundays? It is not enough to answer that it is a precept of the Church. … We Christians need to participate in Sunday Mass because only with the grace of Jesus, with his living presence in us and among us, can we put into practice his commandment, and thus be his credible witnesses.’ —Pope Francis

Palestinian Christians celebrate Easter Sunday Mass at Holy Family Church in Gaza City on March 31, amid the ongoing battles Israel and the Hamas militant group.

People Explain ‘Why I Go to Mass’

‘Why go to Mass on Sundays? It is not enough to answer that it is a precept of the Church. … We Christians need to participate in Sunday Mass because only with the grace of Jesus, with his living presence in us and among us, can we put into practice his commandment, and thus be his credible witnesses.’ —Pope Francis