Adoption and Foster Care
by Fr. Jim Hewes There are several areas of concern when looking at foster care: the children, the biological parents, the potential foster care, guardianship, custodial relationship with a relative, the adoptive parents, the agencies involved, the court system, and states’ oversight. Foster Care According to a report on foster care by the American Enterprise…
MAID in Despair
An earlier version of this post was published by Patheos on Sept. 7, 2023 by Lois Kerschen In current discussions about programs like Canada’s Medical Assistance In Dying (MAID), I am reminded of an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation: “Half a Life,” which aired on May 6, 1991. (Clips of this episode are…
Looking Beyond Anti-Imperialism: A Response to Some Arguments about the Ukraine War
by John Whitehead A New York Times article caught my eye recently because it seemed to confirm a tendency I had noticed among certain peace activists, particularly those on the political Left. The article comments, “As the war in Ukraine drags on, it is not uncommon to hear peace activists and progressive politicians, including many…
Two Women Pregnant from Rape, Two Outcomes
by Sarah Terzo In 2021, Janet Morana wrote a book for teens on abortion. She tells the story of two women who became pregnant from rape. A Woman Who Aborted a Pregnancy from Rape One rape victim was Nicole from Virginia. She had an abortion at four weeks. Nicole says she came to “deeply…
The Left/Right Divide: A New Approach
by Rachel MacNair I’ve long had a problem in figuring out what the underlying principle is between distinguishing left-wing and right-wing. I was told during the Reagan years that right-wingers want less government. But so many who identified as right-wing, and were understood that way in the media, wanted more and stronger military, police, FBI,…
“Never Again”: Taking Action against the Nuclear Threat
by John Whitehead The following is adapted from remarks given at the Vigil to End the Nuclear Danger, a peace witness outside the White House co-sponsored by the Consistent Life Network. We are here today to call for an end to the nuclear threat that hangs over humanity. We are here to remember the…
Documentary Review: The Movement and the Madman
by Rachel MacNair In the title, “The Movement and the Madman,” the “movement” is the peace movement trying to stop the American war in Vietnam. To be more precise, it was the Moratorium demonstrations in October and November of 1969. The “madman” is Richard Nixon, and it’s not intended as a mere insult. It’s…
Hiroshima’s Children
by Sarah Terzo On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima. Two hundred forty-seven thousand people, over half the city’s population, were killed. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. Contrary to what Americans are often told, the bombings may never have been necessary to…
Movie Review: Oppenheimer
by Rachel MacNair Oppenheimer is a biopic about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb.” According to its director’s custom, it has three different threads of stories that weave throughout. One tells the story of his early years and the development of the atomic bomb with care for historic accuracy, and the…
Movie Review: Sound of Freedom
by Rachel MacNair The movie Sound of Freedom is causing quite a stir. It depicts the real-life Tim Ballard, who’s portrayed doing Hollywood-movie style rescues to get children out of the grips of pedophilic sex trafficking. As a drama, it’s well done. This would be the approach that would be taken by a movie…