June 20, 2007
The Nativity: A Hollywood Disaster
I wonder if the makers of The Nativity are wondering why their movie wasn’t the hit that The Passion was. Maybe. And the answer is so easy. I just sat down and watched the movie for the first time on...
January 15, 2007
BOOK REVIEW: The Catholic Verses by Dave Armstrong
Over the years I’ve read a lot of apologetics books – including Dave Armstrong’s first book, A Biblical Defense of Catholicism - but I haven’t seen an approach quite like The Catholic Verses until now. The subtitle of the book...
December 9, 2005
MOVIE REVIEW: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
In this cinematic version of C.S. Lewis' classic first book of The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, director Andrew Adamson magically captures the essence of this beloved story. The film does deviate somewhat from the...
November 26, 2005
Is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe a Christian Movie?
This is kind of a fascinating question to me. Christians have always known that the Chronicles of Narnia are overtly Christian in the best way. They were written by C.S. Lewis, who is as well known for his non-fiction Christian...
October 15, 2005
"Pope Benedict and Harry Potter": An Article by Michael O'Brien
We recently received a request for an article on the Harry Potter series. The following is an article that was posted on Michael O'Brien's blog, studiObrien, I felt it was worth reading. Enjoy! Pope Benedict and Harry Potter Written by...
August 13, 2005
From On Being Catholic by Thomas Howard
I just finished reading Thomas Howard’s latest book, On Being Catholic, and I must say that I was very impressed. Howard is a convert to Catholicism and because of this he brings a unique view on the Church. This book...
May 6, 2005
Kingdom of Heaven: Is Ridley Scott Right about the Crusades?
Ridley Scott's newest film, Kingdom of Heaven, depicts the Christian Crusades against the Muslims. But is he historically accurate?
January 24, 2005
Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Final Impressions
I must admit right at the beginning that I am a big fan of J.R.R Tolkien and especially of The Lord of the Rings. So this trilogy was near and dear to my heart and I waited with great anticipation...
October 18, 2004
Recommended Reading
I guess we do this every now and then, but I thought it was a good time to do it again. I always recommend that if protestants are interested in understanding what the Catholic Church believes and/or teaches, they should...
September 28, 2004
Great Christian Quotes
“Christianity has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried.” - - G. K. Chesterton I’m a sucker for a great quote. I thought it would be interesting to ask our visitors to...
July 14, 2004
BOOK REVIEW: De-Coding Da Vinci: The Facts behind the Fiction of the Da Vinci Code
Amy Welborn's De-Coding Davinci: The Truth behind the Fiction of The Da Vinci Code is an excellent analysis of the critical errors Dan Brown makes in his work. Welborn tackles The Da Vinci Code's claims one by one and shows clearly that Dan Brown is no student of history (or truth).
July 12, 2004
BOOK REVIEW: The Mystical Rose by Venerable John Henry Cardinal Newman
John Henry Cardinal Newman was one of the great Catholic converts of his day. Born in 1801, Newman was raised Anglican. At the age of 24 he was ordained an Anglican priest. He was of high regard in the Anglican...
June 16, 2004
BOOK REVIEW: An American Conversion by Deal Hudson
The pitch for this book was very compelling to me; Deal Hudson had a different conversion experience from me, but he also came from a Southern Baptist background. His conversion centered around his desire for beauty and his belief in...
June 12, 2004
BOOK REVIEW: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Why did I choose to read The Fountainhead? It’s considered Ayn Rand’s key work detailing her philosophy of Objectivism in a work of fiction. Objectivism, for those who are unaware, is a philosophy espoused by more and more Americans who...
May 30, 2004
Book Reviews
Conceived Without Sin Written by Bud MacFarlane Jr. this novel deals with ordinary people working out the kinks of everyday living. The characters are realistic and will probably remind you of someone you know if not yourself. A great read...
April 24, 2004
REVIEW: The Movie The Gospel of John
I’ll admit that I saw The Passion of the Christ before seeing this movie. So going in, I expected to be disappointed - The Passion raised my expectations for religious movies and I doubted whether The Gospel of John would...
April 18, 2004
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown: Another Cheap Shot at Catholicism
Hello Everyone! I am attempting to return from my rather lengthy sabbatical. I've had a lot going on lately and it was simply a matter of prioritizing. I will admit that it was also, in part, due to my own...
April 17, 2004
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
I had never read an Evelyn Waugh book before, although I’ve heard from others that he was an exceptional Catholic writer, so I picked up Brideshead Revisted, probably his best known work. Waugh was a convert to Catholicism - so...
March 22, 2004
Will Catholics be “Left Behind”?
This book, Will Catholics be “Left Behind”? A Catholic Critique of the Rapture and Today’s Prophecy Preachers, initially attracted me because it dealt with a subject that very few Catholics tackle: premillenial dispensationalism. Basically this is the notion that there...
A Guide to The Passion of the Christ
I just finished reading A Guide to The Passion: 100 Questions about The Passion of the Christ - Mel Gibson's movie. The book is very well done and I would recommend you taking the time to read it. It's perfect...
February 18, 2004
A Cry of Stone
Michael O'Brien delivers again. This is a truly moving story teaching one poverty of spirit through the trusting footsteps of Rose Wabos, a Native Indian artist. Through her humble life and example, I realized how entrenched I am in the...
February 15, 2004
Ignatius Press: A Company Dedicated to Spreading the Catholic Faith
For years I have thoroughly enjoyed many of the books published by Ignatius Press. I first became familiar with them when Jay and I were running a Catholic catalog company about 8 years ago. I always felt confident that whatever...
February 9, 2004
The Truth of Catholicism Book Review
I just finished The Truth of Catholicism by George Weigel subtitled Ten Controversies Explored. Weigel is the author of Witness to Hope, the biography of Pope John Paul II, and is considered a fairly influential Catholic thinker. This was actually...
December 16, 2003
Is the DaVinci Code being Left Behind?
Click here for an excellent article on two books: The DaVinci Code and the Left Behind series. The Cardinal of the Archdiocese of Chicago exposes the two books for what they really are: garbage. It starts off very insightfully: There...
December 6, 2003
Dave Armstrong and 50 Proofs for the Papacy
In an excellent book, “A Biblical Defense of Catholicism,” Dave Armstrong sets out fifty proofs of the pre-eminence of St. Peter, the first pope of the Catholic Church. I was so impressed, I have to list them here. I do...
November 18, 2003
Need a Catholic Gift Idea?
I know I'm always looking for good gift ideas during this time of year, so I thought I'd share two of my favorites with you. As a family, we make a point of giving Christian-related items during the holiday as...
November 14, 2003
House of Gold - a book review
House of Gold written by Bud Macfarlane Jr. is awesome! I am a huge fan of Michael O'Brien's works and he and Bud are good friends. And one can see why these two are friends because they both know how...
I Believe in Love - A book review
I Believe in Love written by Father Jean C. J. d'Elbee is uniquely designed to be a personal retreat based on the teaching of St. Therese of Lisieux as well as incorporating the wisdom of other numerous saints and scripture....
August 19, 2003
Where We Got the Bible
A review of the book "Where we got the Bible" from Henry G. Graham, which covers the origins of the Bible. It's a good read with a solid historical background showing the genesis of our current scripture in an enjoyable (not boring) way. Click here to read the full review.
August 10, 2003
A book for every Catholic parent
The book "A Landscape with Dragons" is a great book for every parent. This review takes a look at why it's such a valuable resource for parents and explains why it's so highly recommended.
August 4, 2003
A Lost Concept: Virtue
The virtues seem a lost art these days, however there are some things we can know: how to tell if someone is virtuous and how to be virtuous yourself. This is quick look at virtue and a book recommendation on how to be virtuous.
