Democracy, if not Western civilization, depends on ...

Note from the Managing Editor: Sometimes it's an edgy cultural insight delivered with biting irony (think David Warren or Rex Murphy).  Sometimes it's a coherent and vitally important philosophical distinction (think Father George Rutler or Father James Schall, S.J.). Sometimes it concerns beauty and the gift to the world of some little known corner of Catholic culture (think Anthony Esolen). But whatever the subject, we try to make sure we are delivering to your inbox every week articles that are both thoughtful and engaging.  We really do need your donation at this time.  Please support CERC with a donation this Advent.  And thank you to those subscribers who have donated so far. - J. Fraser Field Web version of this CERC Weekly Update here Previous CERC Weekly Update here Visit the CERC website at www.catholiceducation.org "Original sin attempts to abolish fatherhood...placing in doubt the truth about God who is Love and leaving man only with a sense of the master-slave relationship." - Saint Pope John Paul II New Resources     Conception and Knowledge - Caryll Houselander - from Wood of the Cradle, Wood of the Cross: The Little Way of the Infant Jesus  If our Lady knew God before she had conceived her Son, how much more intimately she knew him afterwards, when the Holy Spirit had descended on her.     He Has Lifted Up the Lowly - Anthony Esolen - Magnificat  The boys in the loft raised their pure and unearthly voices to the arches above, resounding throughout the vast Cathedral.     The intimate Michelangelo - James Hankins - The New Criterion  Fame often does an artist little good.     About Our Epidemic of Sexual Aggression - Dr. Richard Fitzgibbons, M.D. - The Catholic Thing  The current revelations of an epidemic of sexually aggressive behaviors (SAB) against women, particularly by men in the media over many decades, has led to calls to address this highly prevalent "disease" in our culture.     Spiritual Reading Arms Us for Battle - Vicki Burbach - chapter one ofHow to Read Your Way to Heaven: A Spiritual Reading Program for the Worst of Sinners, the Greatest of Saints, and Everyone in Between  Spiritual reading arms us for all those daily battles with negativity, temptation, and sin, filling our minds, hearts, and souls with truth, building us in Christ, and strengthening us for combat.     The Key to Unhappiness - Dennis Prager - Prager University  How many times have you heard someone say they want to make a better world?     Canada's Slippery Suicide Slope - Charles Lewis - The National Catholic Register  A government-appointed panel is reviewing the country's 17-month-old law on medically assisted death, assessing whether it should be extended to teens and the mentally ill.     Bishop Jean Dubois - Father George W. Rutler - From the Pastor  Saint Catherine of Siena said that all the way to Heaven is already Heaven for those who love the Lord. Editorials of Interest Pope Francis: Think 'being good' is enough? It's not. Go to Mass - Catholic World Report Participating in the Eucharistic communion with Jesus here on earth helps us to anticipate heaven, where it will be "Sunday without sunset": no more tears, grief, or pain, but only "the joy of living fully and forever with the Lord."   Bishop Robert Morlino on controversy: "Only what is true can ultimately be pastoral." - Catholic World Report The Bishop of Madison, Wisconsin, who has been under fire from various homosexual activist groups and media outlets, stresses that anyone with "same-sex attraction is a child of God, that God died for him or her, that such a person has a heavy cross to carry and our job is to help them carry it, not to kick them when they're down."   Should the sixth petition of the Our Father be translated as "Do not let us fall"? - Catholic World Report And is the English rendering "do not lead us into temptation" bad theology? Here's why the answer to both questions is no.   Catholic of the Year: A generous man in a mean world - Catholic Herald The undercover nuns, the new Stabat Mater, the soup kitchen and the heart-wrenching exhibition have one thing in common — or, rather, one person.   Catholic Churches to Men: "You're Not Welcome Here." - Those Catholic Men If we consider the most basic practice of Catholics, going to Mass, we are only "graduating" about 30% of men. I'm no statistician, but I'm pretty sure that is not the model of sustainability.   Father Callam goes to the movies - Catholic World Report A Catholic Goes to the Movies provides readers with an interpretive paradigm that they can use to decode the moral and philosophical assumptions of any movie they happen to watch, whether Catholic or secular, art film or blockbuster, romantic comedy or horror flick.   Late Term Abortion on Healthy Moms and Babies: America's Dirty Little Secret- Human Life Review The evidence continues to pile up that late-term abortions on healthy infants are legal and happening regularly. Yet somehow it seems to escape public notice.   Big toy store will lose a projected $2.7 million to put family first this Christmas Eve - Aleteia A UK retailer says he believes it's more important to honor the real meaning of the holiday.   Russia's population declines once more - Mercatornet There were over 100,000 more deaths than births in the Federation between January and October 2017.   Why Hasn't This Ladder On The Holy Sepulchre Been Moved in 300 Years? The Curious Case of the Immovable Ladder - uCatholic The Status Quo is an agreement among religious communities concerning nine shared religious sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem which states that for any changes to be made at any of the religious sites, all those who lay claim to the site must agree   How Gregorian chant enhances the Mass - The Catholic Herald Gregorian chant is recovering in popularity and soon may once again be heard in every parish.   As an Ex-Gay Cradle Catholic, I Know the Devastation That Awaits Those Who Follow Fr. James Martin - The Stream I grew up in a Catholic milieu that was nothing if not gay-friendly. And I paid quite a price for that.   I'm a Pediatrician. Here's What I Did When a Little Boy Patient Said He Was a Girl. - The Daily Signal Human sexuality is binary. You either have a normal Y chromosome, and develop into a male, or you don't, and you will develop into a female. An identity is not biological, it is psychological.   The morality of having children - Mercatornet For the sake of the planet, should we be having fewer kids?   The Moral Limits of Consent - Catholic.com Valid consent, therefore, is not valid by the mere fact of consent. It requires a preexisting right to authorize a course of action.   The Truth about Men, Women, and Sex - Public Discourse Recent revelations about sexual harassment, assault, and abuse underscore certain blunt realities about men, women, and sex. How can we confront those realities in a way that leads to less sexual violence?   Want to Stop Sexgate 2017? Stop Feminism. - Catholic Vote The alleged actions of these individuals are actually perfectly consistent with feminism — an ideology that degrades women while claiming to support them.   Balancing Humility and Ambition for the Inner Ring - Crisis Magazine It's true community we should be striving for, one where differences are respected and make the whole stronger, not the Inner Ring, where everyone must think and do the same.   An Integrated Humanist - First Things Democracy, if not Western civilization, depends on recovering the old arts or "ways" of learning, the so-called liberal arts.   The answer to the 4 wordless questions we're constantly asking - Aleteia It's the unspoken things that communicate to a friend or loved one that they matter tremendously to us.   Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman and St. Justin Martyr, pray for us