Nineteen pro-life Democrats on the Hill have signed a letter addressed
to Speaker Pelosi indicating that they would only support comprehensive
healthcare legislation that “explicitly excludes” federal funding of
abortions.  The nineteen House members are: Dan Boren (D-OK); Bart
Stupak (D-MI); Colin Peterson (D-MN); Tim Holden (D-PA); Travis
Childers (D-MS); Lincoln Davis (D-TN); Heath Shuler (D-NC) Solomon
Ortiz (D-TX); Mike McIntyre (D-NC); Jerry Costello (D-IL); Gene Taylor
(D-MS); James Oberstar (D-MN); Bobby Bright (D-AL); Steve Driehaus

Release of Benedict XVI’s newest encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, is anticipated within the next few weeks, perhaps to appear on June 29th, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul. Already some hints about what to expect are coming to light.

My friend, Lee Edwards, over at the Heritage Foundation, did a nice little book a few years ago. Entitled Reading the Right Books: A Guide for the Intelligent Conservative, the book lists and introduces 101 books, all but one written after 1900, that are thought best to celebrate conservative ideals and to educate awakening political minds.

The salon crowd among Catholic GOP theocons has been in a pretend snit for weeks about the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano. One can only imagine what comes next. Thrown volumes of Chesterton or, worse, lapel pins?

I wish to take issue with two arguments making the rounds in Catholic circles at the moment. One comes from U. S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and a related one is from Professor Robby George of Princeton. I’m hampered by lack of the full context in Justice Scalia’s case and by lack of the text in Professor George’s case (although I attended his lecture). So, my remarks are tentative and I would be very pleased to receive documents or other materials elaborating the matters. The two remarks betray a curious consistency.

With two degrees from Our Lady's university (termed a "double-domer" in alumni circles) I took offense at Kathleen Parker's op-ed in yesterday’s Washington Post. Contrary to Ms. Parker's last paragraph assertion, Notre Dame does not belong to the right wing of the pro-life movement; it is not "their beloved institution." Likewise, as the front page of L'Osservatore Romano reminds us today, the Roman Catholic Church also does not belong to any wing.

“The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.” (Acts 4:32-35)

I argue in this Cleveland Plain Dealer op-ed that the time is ripe to end the abortion stalemate. But this will require a new perspective from both the far left and far right, who often seem more interested in defending turf and demonizing opponents than seizing a unique historical moment.

Season after season, year after year, the Church’s cycle of liturgy revolves through the mysteries of Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. As I write, we have now reached the point of the culmination of Lent in the Triduum of Holy Week. So, perhaps I can be forgiven for putting aside my academic and political interests for a time to reflect on what it is all about.

A recent op-ed I co-authored about the need for conservatives and liberals to find common ground on abortion reduction has attracted some interesting buzz. Mark Silk, an astute observer of religion and politics who runs the blog Spiritual Politics, wants us “commongroundknicks” (as he endearingly?