Slain from the foundation. Ephesians 4. The Pleiades and Orion.
The Pleiades and Orion
Author: SDH
Email for this website: sthand@email.com
Stephen Hand, editor. Reporter, Assistant News Director and News Director for several radio stations in New York and Connecticut. Paralegal. PCA in Retirement. Contributor for various Catholic newspapers and publications.
Existence and the Word
Existentialist philosophy and analysis, to the extent that it measures “the predicament of man and his world in the state of estrangement” (Paul Tillich) corroborates what Christian theology has always referred to as Original Sin. As a school of philosophy it seems pretty well dead now, but important insights of the original existentialists remain valid,… Read More Existence and the Word
Pornography
Perhaps the greatest spiritual crime in our day is that Pornography is made available FREE on the Internet. The near occasion of sin is put in people’s hands on a device that is very hard to live without because it is the only game in town for practically everything necessary to living in today’s world.… Read More Pornography
Time Out. Sinatra’s Wondrous “Watertown”
“Where words fail, music speaks” — Hans Christian Andersen Sinatra’s Watertown (subtitled A Love Story) is a studio album by American singer Frank Sinatra, released in March 1970 through Reprise Records. It is a concept album centered on a man from Watertown, New York. In a series of soliloquies, the nameless narrator tells his heartbreaking story of personal loss: his wife has… Read More Time Out. Sinatra’s Wondrous “Watertown”
Bound to Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Liberal International Order
John J. Mearsheimer, Author.International Security (2019) 43 (4): 7–50. Abstract. The liberal international order, erected after the Cold War, was crumbling by 2019. It was flawed from the start and thus destined to fail. The spread of liberal democracy around the globe—essential for building that order—faced strong resistance because of nationalism, which emphasizes self-determination. Some targeted… Read More Bound to Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Liberal International Order
Farewell, Francis. Hello, Leo XIV
NEW OXFORD NOTEBOOK By Pieter Vree, Editor | June 2025 | New Oxford Review Notebook. Well, that’s finally over. Pope Francis died on April 21, bringing to a close a chaotic pontificate characterized by chronic confusion and polarizing polemics. The late Pope, an imprecise thinker, writer, and speaker, was known to engage in studied ambiguity and to issue pointed barbs.… Read More Farewell, Francis. Hello, Leo XIV
September 1963. JFK on Tax Cuts, Tariffs, So. Vietnam Advisors, and Civil Rights
Two Takes. President John F. Kennedy’s interview with NBC anchors Chet Huntley and David Brinkley. They sat down with the President in the White House for an exclusive interview for their program, The Huntley-Brinkley Report. In the interview the President discusses various topics including the nuclear test ban treaty, South Vietnam advisors, tax cuts, and… Read More September 1963. JFK on Tax Cuts, Tariffs, So. Vietnam Advisors, and Civil Rights
Why Does Tudor History Matter— (& not Just for Britain)?
Suzannah Lipscomb “The decision to exercise the rights of his royal supremacy to decide theological doctrine and practice, despite Anne Boleyn’s fall and Henry’s remarriage to Jane Seymour (who was rumoured to be conservative in religion) came as a surprise to some European commentators, who had hoped for Henry’s return to the Catholic fold once… Read More Why Does Tudor History Matter— (& not Just for Britain)?
Benedict XVI: “Evil Wishes to Dominate the World”
Words of His Holiness Benedict XVI At the Luncheon With Cardinals.Hall of Dukes, Apostolic Palace.Monday, 21 May 2012. Your Eminence,Dear Brothers, At this moment my words can only be of gratitude. A “thank you” first of all to the Lord for the many years he has given me; years filled with many days of joy,… Read More Benedict XVI: “Evil Wishes to Dominate the World”
Laity, Obedience, and the Pope
Note: Canon Law 209- 212; emphasis added. Can. 209 §1. The Christian faithful, even in their own manner of acting, are always obliged to maintain communion with the Church 212 §2 “The Christian faithful are free to make known to the pastors of the Church their needs, especially spiritual ones, and their desires. §3. According… Read More Laity, Obedience, and the Pope
Honor Thy Father and Mother
Foundational Command: Honoring Parents These verses establish the commandment as a lifelong principle of faith and blessing. Exodus 20:12 > “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” Deuteronomy 5:16 > “Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy… Read More Honor Thy Father and Mother
Catholic Teaching on Proportionality in War
Justice and War. The Catholic Church distinguishes between two types of justice concerning war: jus ad bellum and jus in bello. Most of the time, when people discuss just-war theory, they mean jus ad bellum (justice before the war). Jus ad bellum refers to those four conditions described by Saint Augustine through which we determine whether a war is just before we… Read More Catholic Teaching on Proportionality in War
Leo XIV: “the hope of the Church and the world”.
Dear Readers, for your consideration, I offer this translation of an Italian article that reflects my present thoughts and sentiments regarding the election of Pope Leo XIV, despite initially being worried when I heard his name. Paolo DeottoNuovo Arengario via Rorate Caeli, 10th May 2025 The Philosophy of Leo XIII ? “Allow me today to speak only… Read More Leo XIV: “the hope of the Church and the world”.
Traditionis Custodes. New Oxford Review.
Update: July 2025. Did Pope Francis Mislead the Church Regarding Traditional Latin Mass Survey? Traditionis Custodes: Taking a Bulldozer to an Anthill. Traditionalists and Pope Francis by Pieter Vree, editor |New Oxford Review, October 2021. “Nobody comes out clean…” In January 1985 President Ronald Reagan, a Republican, signed the Mexico City Policy, which prohibits federally… Read More Traditionis Custodes. New Oxford Review.
Time Out.
A Gorgeous Concept (one story) Album by Sinatra: ‘Watertown.’ Read more about it in Wikipedia. More importantly, give yourself a break and hear it. (Click the cover image) My feelings about Sinatra are similar to my feelings about The Beatles. James K. Fitzpatrick put it very well, “I think Sinatra was a musical genius…” “But…” … Read More Time Out.
Sexual Abuse Coverup. Not Just Epstein: A Global Phenomenon
We all know about the reported Christian sexual abuse cases which shamefully contradict the heart of our faith. But this phenomenon goes way beyond what the news media so often highlights. This problem is truly a global one involving both religious and secular individuals. Since Christians, Jews and Moslems are derivative of Abrahamic religion, over… Read More Sexual Abuse Coverup. Not Just Epstein: A Global Phenomenon
Francis and Leo.
Pope Francis was a remarkable impactful man. It took me the whole of ten minutes to forget him. It was frankly embarrassing and painful watching him, living in his own digs, chasing the cameras for over a decade to ensure that the peoples of the world understood him to be the only really humble Pope,… Read More Francis and Leo.
What we know about Pope Leo XIV’s political and social views
Washington Post. 5/8/25. Pope Leo XIV spent two decades working in Peru’s poorest enclave and appears to be in the mold of Pope Francis — who carried a legacy as “the people’s pope” for his outreach to those on society’s margins. The Chicago-born pontiff is the first American to lead the Catholic Church, and while… Read More What we know about Pope Leo XIV’s political and social views
The post-Francis Era
I suspect most of his legacy will be allowed to fade away. It will matter only to small aging liberal sects until they pass too. The history of the Church shows this. Who thinks of Hans Küng much anymore? Certainly not Catholics. That there is a so-called ‘Left’ and ‘Right’ in Catholicism is a ridiculous thing. Certainly… Read More The post-Francis Era
Actual Grace. What Is It?
What is actual grace? Actual grace is a supernatural help from God that enlightens the mind and moves the will to shun evil and do good 1 2. It is a transient help given by God for the performance of salutary acts, present only during the action itself 2 3. Here’s a breakdown of actual grace: Nature of Actual… Read More Actual Grace. What Is It?
Artificial World? “End Time Fascism?” Third Temple?
Environmental Socialist Naomi Klein says Elon Musk and some “fascist” Maga friends have “given up on this world” and given in to a secular “Apocalyptic Fever”. In consequence they are using this planet, she says, to extract from this world fossil fuels, critical minerals, water…”anything that can be used for energy and money with a… Read More Artificial World? “End Time Fascism?” Third Temple?
Real ID Enforcement Begins. Where are we headed?
Breaking Points and The Points Guy. “Real ID is a new government-approved identity document, with new security standards for driver’s licenses and state identification cards. It officially goes into effect May 7. Travelers’ identification cards will have to meet new, beefed-up standards in order to be used for federal purposes, including passing through airport security… Read More Real ID Enforcement Begins. Where are we headed?
The Original Catholic Worker’s deliberate Alternative to Communism
“May the first…not be your last”. Catholic Worker 92 years old this month. The Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, International Labor Day, on May 1, marked ninety-two years since Dorothy Day distributed 2,500 copies of The Catholic Worker in Union Square, boldly competing with the Communists’ The Daily Worker, and quickly edging it out in popularity, printing more… Read More The Original Catholic Worker’s deliberate Alternative to Communism
God Is Not Out To ‘Get’ us. He is Out to Heal Us.
“The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners —-of whom I am the worst16 but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him… Read More God Is Not Out To ‘Get’ us. He is Out to Heal Us.
Terror in the Church
New Oxford Review, May 2025 and Fox News. The Face of Evil. Authorities in Kansas are investigating a possible hate crime after St. Patrick Church in Wichita suffered “extensive vandalism,” including the beheading of a statue of St. Patrick, the breaking of candles and windows, the burning of an American flag, and the scrawling of… Read More Terror in the Church
The Post-Francis Era
His Excellency, The Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput, OFMCap, writes at First Things of the Francis Papacy and the near future: “… an interregnum between papacies is a time for candor. The lack of it, given today’s challenges, is too expensive. In many ways, whatever its strengths, the Francis pontificate was inadequate to the real issues… Read More The Post-Francis Era
Vocation Versus Job Hunting. The Catholic Alternative.
When we work we are either building or destroying. Written in 1948, the truths set out here are more timely than ever. By Carol Robinson, Integrity magazine. Nothing could be more unnatural by way of discovering one’s life work than the current, debasing system of “job-hunting.” … Back of today’s perusal of the want-ad columns,… Read More Vocation Versus Job Hunting. The Catholic Alternative.
The Successful, Proud, and Conflicted Traditionalist
You may be a traditional Catholic with ten beautiful home-schooled children who are each proficient in academics and in the arts. You may contribute substantially to both your church’s financial soundness and, to all appearances, to her reputation for spiritual integrity and growth . You may work hard, have a secure financial portfolio of stocks,… Read More The Successful, Proud, and Conflicted Traditionalist
Postmodernism and its ImPaCt
Helen Pluckrose outlines some of the arguments later explored in depth in her bestselling 2020 book, Cynical Theories (co-authored with James Lindsay). The essay charts the pernicious influence of postmodernist thinking on two generations of academics and activists. If you want to understand how we got to a place where microaggressions are denounced as violence… Read More Postmodernism and its ImPaCt
Supreme Court appears open to approving state-funded religious schools
Permitting direct and complete taxpayer funding for a faith-based school for the first time. Washington Post 8/30/25 “A divided Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared open to allowing the creation of the nation’s first public religious charter school in Oklahoma, a blockbuster move that could reshape American education and redraw the boundary between church and state.… Read More Supreme Court appears open to approving state-funded religious schools
Becoming Part of a Bigger Family
April 28, 2025 by Mitch Teemley We’re all a little bit racist. And sexist. And ageist. And a dozen other-things-ist. An ist is simply a bias or leaning, either away from or toward something. We lean toward what we know, and away from what we don’t. And we all know our own race better than anyone else’s, so we’re all a… Read More Becoming Part of a Bigger Family
Camille Paglia, conservatives and classical liberals
Camille Paglia: Pedophile Sex Revolutionary. Why is Camille Paglia being promoted by self-described conservatives and classical liberals? Paglia says “Contemporary gays who try to distance themselves from this issue of boy-love are in effect committing cultural suicide. They’re cutting themselves from all the highest achievements of gay men….. Because I am a woman, and therefore… Read More Camille Paglia, conservatives and classical liberals
“The threat of Totalitarianism isn’t over. It Isn’t even close to over”. Author Rod Dreher discusses his book and new Angel Studios documentary series, Live Not By Lies. What does it mean to refuse to live by lies? Dreher responds by drawing upon the warnings of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and the testimonies of other survivors of… Read More
Cisgender. By James Lindsay
.Social Justice Usage Source: Wikipedia, entry “cisgender” Cisgender (sometimes cissexual, often abbreviated to simply cis) is a term for people whose gender identity matches their sex assigned at birth. For example, someone who identifies as a woman and was assigned female at birth is a cisgender woman. The term cisgender is the opposite of the… Read More Cisgender. By James Lindsay
Time Out. “Where words fail, music speaks.”
– Hans Christian Andersen. To love the gift of music is to love life. This website is not a church. It is, rather, a website that tries to testify, after Christ, to all the gifts God has given us in creation, including poetry and music and all of the other real arts. What a gift… Read More Time Out. “Where words fail, music speaks.”
Is Jimmy Akin Popping All His Buttons?
The question is a painful one but must be asked regarding the Pints With Aquinas mystery and ETs. Daniel O’Connor writes, “One year ago today, Matt Fradd invited me on to Pints with Aquinas. You need to hear the story of my being cancelled. It’s about something much bigger than Mr. Fradd.” The O’Connor book,… Read More Is Jimmy Akin Popping All His Buttons?
A.I. Garbage In, Garbage Out.
Artificial Intelligence: Garbage In, Garbage Out? New Oxford Review. Christopher M. Reilly, Fredericksburg, Virginia, New Oxford Review, Letters. November 2024. I greatly appreciated Bob Weil’s article “Wrestling for Truth with ChatGPT” (Sept.). He describes the inherent flaws of generative artificial intelligence (AI) with a deft hand. He also suggests a crucial element of responsibly managing… Read More A.I. Garbage In, Garbage Out.
Let No One Despair! Forgiveness is risen! St. John Chrysostom. St. Francis de Sales.
“Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again; for forgiveness has risen from the grave.” Are there any who are devout lovers of God? Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival! Are there any who are grateful servants? Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord! Are there any… Read More Let No One Despair! Forgiveness is risen! St. John Chrysostom. St. Francis de Sales.
A Short Way of The Cross
[As used by the Franciscan Fathers on their missions]. See also: Christ’s Victory Over Death and Postmodern Despair. + First Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death 0 Jesus So meek and uncomplaining, teach me resignation + Second Station: Jesus Carries His Cross My Jesus This Cross should be mine, not Thine! My sins crucified thee!… Read More A Short Way of The Cross
Like a Boat taking in water on every side…
Like the Cross of Christ which for three hours appeared like the most terrible defeat, Truth can sometimes sound pessimistic, but Christians know that the terminus of all things lies far beyond pedestrian ideas of optimism / pessimism. The final word in the history of salvation is Optimistim beyond all earthly conceptions and expectations. Cardinal… Read More Like a Boat taking in water on every side…
