The Illusions of Instant Communication

We are accustomed to think that instant communications serve us well. They can be depended upon for emergencies and even improve relationships. However, a recent incident made me question just how instant and how communicative our modern gadgets are. A friend of mine was traveling down the road one evening, and his car suddenly broke … Read more

Can Twitter Be an Occasion of Sin?

Can Twitter Be an Occasion of Sin?

Everyone talks about the addictive aspect of Twitter but not its moral effects. Can Twitter lead to sin? Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, R.I. evidently thinks so. In a final tweet, he wrote that the social media platform had become a “distraction” to him, an “obstacle” to his spiritual life and an “occasion of sin.” The … Read more

The Advantage of Keeping the Economy Human

The Advantage of Keeping the Economy Human

Some people think of the new automated economy in terrifying and mechanical terms. In such a vision, machines reign supreme as they work tirelessly, silently and efficiently to maximize production and replace humans. Increasing automation will soon put tens of millions out of work and change lives for the worst. Indeed, people matter little in … Read more

Why I Use the Word Catholic to Describe the Ideal Economy

The adjective Catholic is rarely employed to describe the ideal economy we need. Many would see its use as mere window dressing to make the free market appear a bit more compassionate. Everyone knows that the business of creating wealth comes from industry and business. The accountant’s ledger is the only true measure of this … Read more

Why Apps Cannot Replace Temperance in Preventing Suicide

In a fast-paced world,everyone wants everything instantly and effortlessly. This desire is part of a culture in which happiness and pleasure are expected yet not always delivered. When people inevitably fail to obtain all that they want, they suffer from stress and depression. No one should be surprised that they then also want instant relief … Read more

America’s Got Jobs but Not Happiness

There is good news in America today. Unemployment is down as the economy is booming. Jobs are available to all. Happy times should be here again. An economy-centered vision of society holds that plentiful jobs automatically lead to happiness. Give everyone a good job, they claim, and it will increase the person’s self-respect. Everything else … Read more

Problems a Booming Economy Can’t Solve

Problems a Booming Economy Can’t Solve

A booming economy should help people make good financial decisions since more money can be directed to other needs. That is why savings rates normally go up as the economy improves. People naturally tend to take advantage of better days especially after bad or slow times. This is not happening now. Many Americans are spending … Read more

Roe v. Wade: The Beginning, Not the End

With the nomination of a new Supreme Court justice, everyone is talking about overturning Roe v. Wade. A solid conservative majority could pave the way to putting that unpopular decision out of its misery. The funny thing about controversy is that it is not really about Roe v. Wade. Everyone on both sides admits it … Read more

A Case of Double Trouble that Molded a Better Marine

A Case of Double Trouble that Sculpted a Better Marine

History is full of tales of heroes whose lives are marked by the great hardships they have endured. However, rarely does a man face the same great hardship twice. Author Leo Aime LaBrie tells one such tale in his book, A Double Dose of Hard Luck: The Extraordinary True Story of Two-Time Prisoner of War, … Read more