Dark Patterns. Unethical Subscription Tricks. BBC.
Online subscription services, the BBC documentary says, are like Roach Motels. It’s easy to get in. But how easy is it to cancel and get out? Listen to the documentary, Dark Patterns, here…
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.
The Irish Have Been Bullied Into Making Themselves Extinct — John Waters
The Irish Have Been Bullied Into Making Themselves Extinct: John Waters On The End Of Ireland Fleshing out the deeper meanings of Irish author John Waters’ important book, Give Us Back the Bad Roads, and what has been happening to Western Civilization.
U.S. Media Framing Belief as Pathological
… of Traditional Religious Belief into the Pathological. Observing the not so subtle subtexts in media and their impact in our lives. This Dr. Thomas Hibbs lecture was titled Religious Liberty and Popular Culture Thomas S. Hibbs (November 3, 1960) is an American philosopher and the 9th President of the University of Dallas, a Catholic liberal arts… Read More U.S. Media Framing Belief as Pathological
St. Alphonsus Liguori on Presumption in the Face of Death
“Straights and Anguish of Dying Christians Who Have Been Negligent During Life About the Duties of Religion“. The “narrow gate”. 2 Cor. 7:10: “For the sorrow that is according to God worketh penance, steadfast unto salvation; but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” By Saint Alphonsus Liguori,Doctor of the Church. “Render, therefore, to Cæsar the… Read More St. Alphonsus Liguori on Presumption in the Face of Death
Synod Using Clerical Abuse Crisis as Revolutionary Pretext?
“… Some German Catholics have voiced concern that the abuse crisis is being exploited in order to introduce the Synodal Way’s revolutionary goals. The sex-abuse scandal “is only being used for the radical restructuring of the Church,” said Meuser, himself an abuse survivor. “Because of abuse, we need abuse prosecution, not ‘Church reform,’” he added. … Read More Synod Using Clerical Abuse Crisis as Revolutionary Pretext?
Despotic Economic Dictatorship — Pope Pius XI
Neither Socialism nor Laissez Faire Capitalism Pope Pius XI in 1931 warned of International Finance, the grave dangers of ‘economic domination’ accumulated in the hands of the few He warned in Quadragesimo Anno of the dangers of international finance controlling credit, crushing competition and families. And this message flows directly and seamlessly from the teachings of Christ… Read More Despotic Economic Dictatorship — Pope Pius XI
The Theology of the Priest in Union with Christ.
Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange “The Church is intolerant in principle because she believes; she is tolerant in practice because she loves. The enemies of the Church are tolerant in principle, because they do not believe, and intolerant in practice because they do not love.” —Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange. THE PRIEST IN UNION WITH CHRIST AS VICTIM. Pt.… Read More The Theology of the Priest in Union with Christ.
Where the Radical Left Would Take Us
Foucault’s Child-Sex Allegations Should Shock But Not Surprise us. He elevated common criminality into a virtue. Dr. Matt Treacy. The allegations that the French philosopher Michel Foucault – who has been long admired and oft-quoted by the liberal left in Ireland [and of course everywhere] – repeatedly “raped” pre-pubescent boys in Tunisia during his time as a… Read More Where the Radical Left Would Take Us
1968. The New American Catholic, NBC.
“This documentary covers experimental movements that emerged in the American Catholic Church in the wake of the 2nd Vatican Council…” It is instructive, if not so edifying, to read the Comments that attended this YouTube video. And one must wonder what we have learned, or not, in our American Catholic restlessness.
Spiritual Warfare in A Culture That Weakens Us
No matter the state of our souls, “Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet”. — Diary of Saint Faustina, 699
Archbishop Ganswein: Progressivist Forces Want to Destroy Benedict XVI’s Life and Work
“Vile Attack”. “Erase him from memory of the Church.” Speaking to an Italian newspaper, the pope emeritus’ personal secretary noted that such people ‘never loved him as an individual, his theology, his pontificate.’ Edward Pentin, February 10, 2022, National Catholic Register VATICAN CITY — Archbishop Georg Gänswein has claimed that a movement is not only… Read More Archbishop Ganswein: Progressivist Forces Want to Destroy Benedict XVI’s Life and Work
The Rosary, Hope Even for Great Sinners
By Saint Louis de Montfort, Doctor of The Church, great luminary of St. John Paul II, writes, “If you say the Rosary faithfully until death, I do assure you that, in spite of the gravity of your sins “you shall receive a never-fading crown of glory” (1 Pet. 5:4). Even if you are on the… Read More The Rosary, Hope Even for Great Sinners
Macron Seeks Abortion Right for Europe… and for the World
The President of France, who has no children of his own, doesn’t want us to have any either. Carlos Beltramo, PhD.Population Research Institute.February 7, 2022. The chairmanship of the Council of the European Union rotates among the countries of the European Union every six months, and for the next six months it is President Emmanuel… Read More Macron Seeks Abortion Right for Europe… and for the World
Victor Davis Hanson on the Failure of Globalist Rule
History shows “No one can ‘rule the world’. But what about a tyranny of political, moral and theological relativism? Jeff Morrow at Crisis writes, “…what I’ve noticed is that in so many of the media (social and otherwise) venues emotional appeals, declarations, and diatribes masquerade as reasoned argument. That is, individuals, whether they are scholars,… Read More Victor Davis Hanson on the Failure of Globalist Rule
On Homosexuality
Note: Most of us understand I think that it is important to distinguish homosexual persons (persons with homosexual tendencies ) from the elite ideological movements which, flouting the objective Natural Law, serve as the vehicle of the totalitarian transformation of morals, language, law, history, culture, institutions and nations in the West. — SH
What Concerns Millions
… very reasonably. — America dropped 26,171 bombs in 2016 alone. What a bloody end to Obama’s reign — The Guardian “What does the administration have to show for eight years of fighting on so many fronts? Terrorism has spread, no wars have been “won” and the Middle East is consumed by more chaos and… Read More What Concerns Millions
For African Americans the Most Dangerous Place on Earth is the Womb
MONTCLAIR, N.J. (Black Genocide.org) – Between 1882 and 1968, 3,446 Blacks were lynched in the U.S. That number is surpassed in less than 3 days by abortion. 1,452 African-American children are killed each day by the heinous act of abortion. 3 out of 5 pregnant African-American women will abort their child. Since 1973 there has… Read More For African Americans the Most Dangerous Place on Earth is the Womb
A Most Beautiful Rosary for the Sick. Online.
Fr. Robert Reed [today auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston and the president of the television network CatholicTV] prays the Sorrowful Mysteries for all who are physically or mentally suffering in our time, and for the dying.
Finishing Off a Pope too Traditional?
“…[T]here is no shortage of those who today are railing against him “They are free to do so, but I can affirm that I have never found in him any shadow or attempt to hide or minimize anything. Nor can his sensitivity in dealing with things with a profound moral sense be mistaken for uncertainty… Read More Finishing Off a Pope too Traditional?
The Lords of Easy Money
How the Federal Reserve Enriched Wall Street & Broke the U.S. Economy… — Merger Corporate Capitalism. How a Reagan Administration Trick is Destroying America (A Matt Stoller Video) — And Peter Schiff on the Fed, 2015. What caused the Great Depression? What does history teach about the risks of war? Did BLM unwittingly abet Federal… Read More The Lords of Easy Money
Encyclical on Socialism. Pope Leo XIII.
Quod Apostolici Muneris.On Socialism. Pope Leo XIII – 1878. To the Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, and Bishops of the Catholic World in Grace and Communion with the Apostolic See. At the very beginning of Our pontificate, as the nature of Our apostolic office demanded, we hastened to point out in an encyclical letter addressed to you,… Read More Encyclical on Socialism. Pope Leo XIII.
George Weigel on The Last Laugh of Alfredo Ottaviani
First Things. Despite his humble origins as a baker’s son from Trastevere, Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, longtime curial head of the Holy Office (“successor to the Inquisition,” in journalese) and scourge of the nouvelle théologie of the 1950s, was a formidable figure in pre-conciliar Catholicism. Ottaviani’s approach to theology was neatly summarized in the Latin motto of his… Read More George Weigel on The Last Laugh of Alfredo Ottaviani
Nietzsche’s Parable of the Tarantula
The Christian and Woke understandings of “Equality” could scarcely be more different. But tell that to the naive and sentimental…or to the cynical. Friedrich Nietzsche, we know too well, was hardly a Christian, but the “secret ambitions” in words of “justice” preached by the Woke could hardly be hid from one so brilliant and shrewd… Read More Nietzsche’s Parable of the Tarantula
Jordan Peterson’s Warning
“I’m weary of living the under the increasingly authoritarian dictates of a policy hyperconcerned with one risk and oblivious to all others; and things are shaking around us. Enough!” — Jordan Peterson: Be Happy Because Human History is Simple. — Jordan and Tammy Peterson. Marriage and Conflict Resolution — and let’s not pretend lasting relationships… Read More Jordan Peterson’s Warning
The Unmasking of Oscar Wilde. Joseph Pearce.
“Vilified by fellow Victorians for his sexuality and his dandyism, Oscar Wilde, the great poet, satirist and playwright, is hailed today, in some circles, as a “progressive” sexual liberator. But this is not how Wilde saw himself. His actions and pretensions did not bring him happiness and fulfillment. This study of Wilde’s brilliant and tragic… Read More The Unmasking of Oscar Wilde. Joseph Pearce.
Can A Traditional Catholic Adopt a ‘Consistent Ethic of Life?’
Must it really be viewed as the thin end of the wedge,”Progressivist,” a diminution of our Pro-life convictions? And what of political Parties, Civil Rights and the greater Common Good? The following discussion shows the current state of the issues involved and is posted for educational purposes. Opinion Social Justice, War, and Housing: How many… Read More Can A Traditional Catholic Adopt a ‘Consistent Ethic of Life?’
Forgiveness. “I Will Not Remember Their Sins”
By Brian Kelly. It is written (Ezechiel 18:22): “I will not remember all his iniquities that he hath done: in his justice which he hath wrought, he shall live.” Saint Thomas in the third part of his Summa Theologica, Q. 86, art. 1 uses this quote from Ezechiel in his Sed Contra to refute the… Read More Forgiveness. “I Will Not Remember Their Sins”
Perception as Value. Andy Warhol.
Andy Warhol’s self portrait (not the first photo seen here, but the purple thing…) sold some years back for $32.6 million. But that’s mere chump change; the highest price I’d seen fetched for a Warhol painting is $100 million for a 1963 canvas titled Eight Elvises. Imagine. I mean, the pop painter, printmaker and so-called… Read More Perception as Value. Andy Warhol.
The Abuse Crisis 20 Years Later
The World Over | Bill Donohue of The Catholic League with Raymond Arroyo. Ignatius Press: “This work unpacks the history and root causes of the clergy sex abuse scandals in the United States. Building on decades of data and research, author Bill Donohue, who holds a doctorate in sociology, tells the story from a fresh… Read More The Abuse Crisis 20 Years Later
What is Distributism? By Thomas Storck
Note: In The Outline of Sanity, making the case for Distributism, G.K. Chesterton argued, “They say it is Utopian; and they are right. They say it is idealistic; and they are right. They say it is quixotic; and they are right. It deserves every name that will indicate how completely they have driven justice out… Read More What is Distributism? By Thomas Storck
American Slavery in the Global Context
National Review. An ancient evil abolished. “No topic in American history is more enduringly controversial than slavery. It sits at the heart of every indictment of America and our founding principles. It is central to battles over critical race theory, the removal of monuments, and the renaming of places and institutions. It is invoked in… Read More American Slavery in the Global Context
Tucker Carlson Takes On The College Scam
College is nothing like it once was. “Colleges have been scamming people for a long time and have burdened generations with trillions of dollars in debt. Isaac Morehouse is an expert in this field, and has made it his mission to help people escape the shackles of the Ivy League.” View the Discussion @ Tucker… Read More Tucker Carlson Takes On The College Scam
“Confusing Optics”
New Ways Ministry and the Synodal Process. National Catholic Register. “As the Church embarks on a two-year synodal process, the confusing optics of the recent New Ways Ministry controversy have only deepened a sense of unease regarding the Synod on Synodality and its impact.” Read more But is it not a long way from there… Read More “Confusing Optics”
A Most Important Conversation. The Church in Crisis.
Where is history headed? Dr. Ralph Martin received his BA from the University of Notre Dame in Philosophy and did Graduate work on a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship in Philosophy at Princeton University. He received his MA in theology from Sacred Heart Major Seminary and has been on the faculty since 2002. He holds a S.T.L.… Read More A Most Important Conversation. The Church in Crisis.
How Many More Innocents?
Steven Mosher, PRI In the midst of this celebratory sason, we honor and solemnly celebrate the Holy Innocents. One man could feel so insecure in his power that he was willing to kill all male babies under the age of two, just to stop the one, the newborn King, he learned the wise men were… Read More How Many More Innocents?
Testimony to the remarkable legacy of Peter Kreeft
Celebrating the remarkable legacy of the prolific Peter Kreeft “Peter Kreeft is one of the most prolific, respected, and influential Catholic writers of the last fifty years. He is the author of nearly a hundred books (he doesn’t keep count, but says it’s somewhere around there), more than forty of which have been published by… Read More Testimony to the remarkable legacy of Peter Kreeft
7 Reasons Why Henry David Thoreau Still Matters Today
By Laura Dassow Walls | Jul 21, 2017Publishers Weekly Laura Dassow Walls’s definitive biography, Henry David Thoreau: A Life, is an amazing achievement, a merger of comprehensiveness in content with pleasure in reading, following Thoreau’s progress as a writer and also as a reader, as well as his social and political involvements and scientific pursuits.… Read More 7 Reasons Why Henry David Thoreau Still Matters Today
John Paul II on the Most Decisive Confrontation —and History’s ‘Last Lap’
Karol Wojtyla (JPII) wrote, “A non-Catholic philosopher once said to me: ‘You know, I just can’t stop myself reading and rereading and thinking over the first three chapters of Genesis.’ And indeed it seems to me that unless one does so reflect upon that fundamental Ensemble of facts and situations it becomes extremely difficult if… Read More John Paul II on the Most Decisive Confrontation —and History’s ‘Last Lap’
Justice and War
Just and Unjust Wars 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… Read More Justice and War
Ross Douthat’s Horrific, Long Illness and the Limits of Modern Medicine.
A Personal Account Ross Gregory Douthat (born 1979) is an American political analyst, blogger, author and New York Times columnist. He was a senior editor of The Atlantic. He has written on a variety of topics, including the state of Christianity in America and “sustainable decadence” in contemporary society. Ross Douthat and Matt Lewis
