21 Things That Caught My Eye Today

1. Father Matt Malone, S.J.: How Queen Elizabeth put forgiveness into action

At precisely noon on May 17, 2011, the 85-year-old daughter of the last king of Ireland touched down at Casement Aerodrome, a military airfield southwest of Dublin. For the first time in a century, a reigning British monarch set foot in what is now the Republic of Ireland but for centuries had been the impoverished vassal of its English overlords. The royal visit marked the full realization of the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, the international agreement between the British and Irish governments that restored home rule to Northern Ireland and brought an end to decades of bloody conflict.

For Queen Elizabeth II, the visit marked another milestone. After nearly 60 years on the throne and millions of miles traveled, she had never visited the Republic of Ireland. Yet she was determined to make the trip, motivated in large part by her sense of Christian duty to reconcile the estranged, to be a healer of the breach. “God sent into the world a unique person—neither a philosopher nor a general (important though they are)—but a Saviour, with the power to forgive,” she said in her Christmas broadcast that year. “Forgiveness lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It can heal broken families, it can restore friendships and it can reconcile divided communities. It is in forgiveness that we feel the power of God’s love.”

Forgiveness, of course, is much more than a feeling. It is a series of small, often painful acts that culminate in a conversion of hearts that creates the very possibility of peace. Queen Elizabeth II put forgiveness into action. “With the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we would wish had been done differently or not at all,” she said at the state dinner hosted by the Irish president, Mary McAleese. “To all those who have suffered as a consequence of our troubled past I extend my sincere thoughts and deep sympathy.”

That sympathy runs deep, for the queen’s visit to the republic was not just a moment of reconciliation between two long-estranged peoples, but her personal act of forgiveness. When Lord Louis Mountbatten was killed by agents of the Irish Republican Army in the summer of 1979, the queen suffered the loss of one of the most beloved members of her family, the uncle of her husband and the godfather of her first son. It was a truly extraordinary moment, therefore, when she laid a wreath at a memorial garden in Dublin dedicated to the memory of “all those who gave their lives in the cause of Irish Freedom.” She had somehow found the courage within her to forgive, to rebuild, to begin anew.

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3. Christianity Today: Queen Elizabeth II, British Monarch Who Put Her Trust in God

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5. New York Times: Egypt Files Criminal Charges Against New York Times: Four Journalists Over One Article

CAIRO — Four journalists from one of Egypt’s last independent news outlets were charged with criminal offenses on Wednesday, in the government’s latest attempt to intimidate and punish the publication for its reporting.

The charges — publishing fake news, misusing social media and insulting members of Parliament — stemmed from an article that the outlet, Mada Masr, published last week on a corruption inquiry and impending leadership shake-up in the political party that dominates Parliament, the Nation’s Future Party. The party is closely associated with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

Under Mr. el-Sisi, who came to power after a military takeover in 2013, Egypt has stamped out even minor forms of dissent and has muzzled the news media, jailing dozens of journalists, using the security services to buy up outlets and blocking uncooperative news sites.

The sites blocked in Egypt include Mada Masr, an online outlet that is published in English and Arabic and that continued to offer hard-hitting reporting on Egypt when most of the rest of the country’s news media fell prey to government repression.

6. OSV Editorial: Why religious freedom in China should matter to Catholic Americans

7. Gerard O’Connell: The world has forgotten about the war in Syria.

Responding to another question from America, [Cardinal Mario Zenari, the Italian who is papal nuncio to Syria] said, “Christians count for about 2 percent of the population in Syria, but the number is decreasing,” and “the youth, too, are decreasing; they see no future, no jobs, they have nothing. We are losing the young people, qualified young people, too, and that is another bomb in the country: the departure of young people.”

8. Via Rome reports, interviewing Father David E. Nazar, S.J., the rector of the Pontifical Oriental Institute: “The spirituality of the Ukrainian people has grown during the war”

Fr. Nazar describes this spirit of religious respect reaching beyond churches and moving into the political sphere. He recalls how the mayor of Kyiv responded to the Greek Catholic archbishop’s offer to help.

And Klitschko, the mayor of the city said, ‘Preach. We need to hear the word. We need to feel encouragement; we need to somehow feel the consolation of God in this very difficult time.’ But that’s an expression of Ukrainian culture that wants to hear the word. It’s a very strong aspect of spirituality within the culture that has only increased because of the war.

The churches in Ukraine are a prime example of how a faith is still deeply rooted in the people, despite war and violence.

9. Aid to the Church in Need will help 200 schools in Lebanon keep their doors open

HAS JUST LAUNCHED ITS “BACK TO SCHOOL” AID PROGRAM IN LEBANON, which will benefit 30,000 students and more than 6,000 teachers in almost 200 schools, enabling them to resume classes after the summer break.

10. The Pillar: New UK health secretary faces pressure over abortion stance

Thérèse Coffey, a practicing Catholic, was named the U.K.’s deputy prime minister and health secretary on Sept. 6 by incoming prime minister Liz Truss, the successor to Boris Johnson.

Coffey, who has voted against measures to expand abortion, told Sky News on Sept. 7 that she was “a complete democrat.”

“It’s not that I’m seeking to undo any aspects of abortion laws,” she said.

She added that her priorities as health secretary would be “A, B, C, D – ambulances, backlogs, care, doctors, and dentists.”

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), a major abortion provider, criticized Coffey for voting in March against an amendment to make at-home medical abortions permanently available in England.

BPAS chief executive Clare Murphy said: “To have a health secretary who would place their personal beliefs above expert clinical guidance is deeply concerning.”

Pro-life groups have argued that at-home abortions, permitted as a temporary measure during the first nationwide coronavirus lockdown, pose a danger to women as well as unborn children.

The U.K. permits abortion up 24 weeks for all unborn children but with no time limit if there is a “substantial risk” of disability or to the health and life of the mother.

A record number of abortions took place in England and Wales in 2021. The authorities recorded a total of 214,869, the highest figure since the passage of the 1967 Abortion Act.

11. Washington Times: Pregnant at a DC Abortion Clinic

Before Ruby, I’d birthed three children. With each pregnancy, a medical professional asked me questions to screen for domestic violence and mental health issues as a safety protocol. In stark contrast, although I wept intermittently during a multi-hour appointment to abort my healthy 28-week child, not one person screened me for coercion or psychological issues.

No one asked about Ruby’s medical history or health status, either. This uninterest makes sense; after all, the Washington-Surgi clinic performs abortions through the third trimester for any reason. It is legal and readily accepted. In fact, the nurses repeatedly reassured me that there was nothing wrong with or even unusual about me, a healthy woman, seeking an abortion of my healthy child at seven months.

12. Daily Signal: Lawmaker Faults 4 Big Companies for Focus on Abortion Travel Rather Than Family Leave

A Texas congressman has asked four entertainment and social media companies to explain why they emphasize paying travel and other expenses for out-of-state abortions rather than their existing policies of paid family leave for employees.

Women “should not feel coerced into seeking an abortion instead of taking time off to have their child, especially since women are already having fewer children than they want,” Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, wrote Wednesday.

13. New York Times: The Quiet Cost of Family Caregiving

Many employees reduce their hours or stop working to help ailing family members. But it may be years before they fully return to the work force, studies indicate.

14. Our Lady of Fatima statue stolen from Catholic church in NJ found, arrest made

15. Rebecca Samuel Shaw in Christianity Today: How Mother Teresa Changed Missions

According to Father Brian Kolodiejchuk in A Call to Mercy, as Mother Teresa wandered the streets picking up those unwanted by society, she often spoke of “clothing the poor not just with clothes, but also with human dignity.” She offered that dignity to the living, the dying, and the dead.

Father Brian tells the story of a young Hindu man who, during a visit to Kalaghat, watched Mother Teresa and two priests lift the body of a dead Muslim man on a stretcher. Although he was reluctant to help with what was (and still is) regarded by upper-caste Hindus as an “unclean activity,” he felt compelled to abandon his fear and transport the cadaver to the burial site. Upon returning, the young man exclaimed, “Today I have become a man!”

Every time I visit my native India (which is often), I hear stories like this of people who were inspired by Mother Teresa’s actions and even traveled long distances to see her mop the brows of the dying and destitute. Just being beside her—and vicariously participating in her tender acts of kindness—was redemptive for them. The “Angel of Mercy,” as she is called, is an object of adoration because of her profound vision: She believed the poor occupied an elevated status as the embodiment of Christ himself, and she drew others into a relationship with Christ through her actions with the poor. For the church and its missionaries, she is the model for true outreach.

Although I never met Mother Teresa in person, I watched her influence emerge in my mother (who, incidentally, is called the “Mother Teresa of Bangalore”), and I continue to see that same influence play out in my own life. I leave in a few days for another research trip to Bangalore, and from where I sit, it would be difficult to find a more perfect example of radical mercy than the “Saint of Calcutta.”

Pope Francis writes in Misericordiae Vultus, “How much I desire that the year to come will be steeped in mercy, so that we can go out to every man and woman, bringing the goodness and tenderness of God!” Mother Teresa’s life was indeed “steeped in mercy.” She extended mercy to the dying, but she also showed the living that by serving the poor, we encounter the Lord, and through this service we ourselves—and our societies—receive mercy as well.

16. Earlier this week I heard a homily from a wise elderly priest about the end of Western Civilization and the tribulations to come. Headlines like this one do make that seem quite plausible:

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17. Daily Signal: New Disney Cartoon Series ‘Little Demon’ Bedevils Christian Parents Groups

Disney-owned FX is releasing a new adult cartoon series, “Little Demon,” about a woman who has a fling with Satan (voiced by popular actor Danny DeVito) and bears his child.

According to the show’s description, “Thirteen years after being impregnated by Satan, a reluctant mother, Laura, and her Antichrist daughter, Chrissy, attempt to live an ordinary life in Delaware but are constantly thwarted by monstrous forces, including Satan, who yearns for custody of his daughter’s soul.” As an TV-MA cartoon in the vein of “South Park” and “Family Guy,” “Little Demon” takes it a step further with Satanic symbols, witchcraft, demonic activity, nudity, and violence.

With the animation coming soon to Disney+, Star+, and Hulu, the parents of Disney’s primary audience are not happy about this release. One Christian parents’ activism group, One Million Moms, has garnered over 20,000 signatures petitioning Disney to cancel the series.

18. Luke Coppen: Australia’s bishops unveil gender and identity guide for schools. The document outlines principles for ‘effective pastoral care for gender variant students.’

Australia’s bishops issued Tuesday a guide on gender and identity for Catholic schools.

The 12-page document, “Created and Loved,” underlined that Catholic schools “naturally wish to provide effective pastoral care for gender variant students.”

But it rejected views that are “inconsistent with a Christian understanding,” such as that “gender is something entirely separate from biological sex.”

The guide made practical recommendations, including that schools “provide a unisex toilet and change room area” and offer “flexibility with uniform expectations.”

The text also said that schools should ensure they record “students’ biological sex at the point of enrolment” and suggested they could exclude students from sports teams “where the strength, stamina or physique of competitors is relevant” and it is lawful to do so.

It added that schools must provide “appropriate bathroom and sleeping arrangements where all students feel safe and supported” at school camps and other events.

18. Brad Wilcox and Sam Richardson: One Jewish group is growing in a secular age. What is its secret?

And what are those lived behaviors among the Orthodox that encourage Jewish-positive values and seem to herald intergenerational strength and continuity? Some items are relatively easy to predict:

Regular observance of Shabbat — 74.7% of Orthodox observe Shabbat regularly, 28.5% of Conservative and 14.2% of Reform adherents do so often, while 66% of the “just Jewish” never do.

Finding meaning and fulfillment in religious faith — 67.2% of Orthodox find meaning and fulfillment in their faith, while 38.4% of Conservative, 14.7% of Reform and 23.1% of “just Jewish” Jews do.

Finding meaning and fulfillment in spending time with their (larger) families — 83% of Orthodox find meaning and fulfillment in family life, compared to 76.2% of Conservative, 74.2% of Reform, and 67.2% of “just Jewish” Jews.

Other somewhat surprising, but actually quite logical, practices distinguish more religiously engaged Jews from others. They include:

Eating traditional Jewish foods — 91.1% of Orthodox versus 76.7 % of Conservative and 73% of Reform. One-quarter of Jewish “nones” report never eating traditional Jewish foods.

Reading Jewish newspapers or seeking out Jewish news online — 77.3% of Orthodox versus 52.3% of Conservative and 38.0% of Reform. A full 55% of “nones” never read Jewish news.

Visiting synagogues or historic Jewish sites when traveling — 83.6% of Orthodox versus 67.7% of Conservative and 60.1% of Reform. More than one-third of “nones” never visit historic sites.

Participation in (the very pro-Jewish and pro-Israel) activities of Chabad — 46.0% of Orthodox versus 25.9% of Conservative and 10.7% of Reform. Meanwhile, 79% of “nones” never hang out at the local Chabad house.

Listening to Jewish or Israeli music — 72.2% of Orthodox versus 51.2% of Conservative and 29.4% of Reform. Just over one-half of “nones” never listen to Jewish music.

19. Bishop James Conley: The idea of a pilgrimage

The central idea of a pilgrimage is the fact that a pilgrimage is a metaphor for life. We are all pilgrims on this earth, making our way to heaven. We have no lasting home here on earth. We are always “on the way.” And in the end, we can’t take anything with us.

Walking the Camino reminds one of this reality. Time slows down. You become more aware of the simple things, the simple beauties of God’s creation, the land, the crops, the sky, the sunrises and the sunsets, and of course, the stars — the Compostela. It was the miraculous “field of stars” that allowed the 9th century Spanish bishop of the region to rediscover the lost tomb of St. James the Apostle.

20. Father Daniel Moloney: Vocation in the Second Half of Your Life

The language of contemplative and active vocations is not usually applied to the laity. But I use these terms advisedly. In his Introduction to the Spiritual Life, Fr. Louis Bouyer observes that all of us, whether priests or religious or laity, must arrive at the same point in our spiritual lives. All of us are trying to get to heaven, which has one standard for admission—holiness. Since the religious and the laity both have the same goal, by the end of their lives they must embrace broadly similar spiritual means: They must renounce worldly things and turn more and more to prayer, so as to prepare themselves for their death and the life to come. “Everything that the monk has renounced, the layperson must one day renounce,” Bouyer writes, “and everything the layperson has possessed that the monk has not will be the object of a sacrifice to that extent the greater and more painful.” The religious do much of their renunciation in a compressed form upon entering their religious order; the married take a longer time to learn the same lessons. Sooner or later, we all have to become men and women of faith, hope, love, and prayer, and become detached from even the good things of the world.

This detachment means relinquishing direct control over one’s children. Those called to the religious life take their vows of chastity in order to foster the virtue of holy detachment from their natural families. Chastity is not merely about giving up sexual pleasure, but also about preventing the bonds of family from tying one’s heart to this world, the better to prepare for eternal life in the world to come (as St. Paul explains in 1 Cor. 7:32–4). Those in religious orders acquire holy detachment from their families early in life; but married laypeople acquire the same virtue later. When children become adults, the days when their parents command them are over. Instead, their vocation as parents is to prepare for their own death, and to model for their families how to do the same—the contemplative life, rather than the active.

21. Beth Herman: After 35 Years Of Marriage, We’re Still In It For The Long And Lovely Haul

We are cut from very different cloths, my guy and I. “Artsy New York Girl With Wild Curly Hair Marries Midwestern Intellectual WASP,” the back flap copy of our story would read. Unlike other couples who went to high school or college together, my husband and I only knew one another for a short time before tying the knot.

Yet it also feels like we grew up together, having married early, and having been together for so long. Our different backgrounds enabled us to rub off on one another. From me, an outspoken New Yorker who is fond of exclaiming, “We cannot have kitchen anarchy!” when he leaves dishes on the counter, Arthur learned to be more upfront and direct. From him, I received a warm welcome into the world of ideas; Arthur taught me to fall in love with literature, and most importantly, to trust my own mind.