Pontifications.
The Talk
At the request of several TGC followers on social media, my own outline of "The Talk" is published below. This outline is specifically designed for a young teenage boy with anxiety, already generally familiar with puberty and oriented toward facts and details, in such...
TGC Endorses Peter Sonski
If the Geekdom may be considered a town of its 8000 or so fans across social media, I suppose I would be its mayor. As for my mayoral politics, I am an ardent fan of the American Solidarity Party. I’ve made no secret of my take on the brand of conservatism I embrace —...
The Puddles of Mars: Marooned
“From that first proud moment I set forth upon our sacred Martian soil my native Earthborn foot, I foresaw that man’s future was sown among those innumerable stars so long ago pointed out to Abraham, our father in faith, and I prayed that my own pursuit of his noble...
Why My Kids are in the Front Rows at Mass
Screams. Giggles. Delighted shouts and whispered questions. Yes, the 8am Mass my family normally attends often sounds as much a petting zoo as a place of contemplation. (Fittingly, not without a Lamb … and more than a few goats.) Yet every Sunday, countless...
2021 TGC Family Christmas Letter
Dear TGC Family, With another Christmastide very nearly upon us and the New Year following swiftly along with promises of continuing the joys of the last few years, it seems appropriate to send tidings of peace and goodwill. The Murphy children and Goose the cat....
The Dark Night of the Church
Our progress along the spiritual path to God is essentially one of purification, illumination, and union. The purification of our souls should be thought of as the refinement of precious metal, trial by fire and the expurgation of impurities under the blows of the...
Two Catholic Wolves and Gospel
Inside of you are two wolves. Catholic wolves. And they’re fighting a battle for your soul. Everywhere you go in the Church today, there seems to be schism, division, and civil war. And what’s the dividing line? It’s not what you think. What politician is the most...
Set Pieces: St. John of the Cross School
Set Pieces: St. John of the Cross Parish
The Puddle’s home parish is St. John of the Cross Catholic Church, so named because St. John famously doodled Christ on the Cross, later inspiring Dali’s famous adaptation. The cartoon of Christ by St. John of the Cross. Despite its name, it is modeled closely after...
Butts in the Pews: The Sacraments as Marketing
Last week, I made the case for why Confirmation should never involve required service hours. (TL;DR: it’s the sin of simony.) This week, I will explain a broader problem common to sacramental prep in parish catechesis. It is an open secret among clergy and lay...