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I’ve spent decades—starting long before I founded the Vulnerable People Project—working for apostolates that had me talking to anyone who would listen about the vulnerable and their need for the support of Americans like you and me. We who find ourselves in positions of relative privilege and power owe it to our vulnerable brothers and … Read moreThe Selective Morality of the Christian Social Justice Left and Right

There’s an old tale we all know well: The Emperor’s New Clothes. A vain ruler is tricked by clever weavers who promise him a garment so fine, so refined, that only the truly intelligent can see it. Not wanting to appear stupid, his ministers go along with the ruse. So does the crowd. And so … Read moreThe Left’s Fascist Fashion Show (The Emperor Has No Clue)

In a past blog, The Humility of Jesus, I identified great men as being separated from mediocre men by two virtues: Purity and Humility. What is purity? Purity is a word, like the word love, that is vast in its usage but carries immense power. In the Catholic world, purity is too frequently tied to … Read moreBlessed Are The Pure of Heart

Among all the dozens of stigmatists who have been declared saint or blessed, the stigmata of scourging appears to be the rarest of the stigmatic injuries.   St. Colette of Corbie (1381-1447) is principally remembered as one of the most important influences of the Poor Clares, as she established many new convents and reformed existing … Read moreThe Stigmata of Scourging

It would seem so, if some of the higher prelates have anything to do with it. More than a few of them, at the beginning of Lent, urged us to imitate our “Muslim brothers” as they undergo their Ramadan fasts. Us imitate them? The Catholic Church had been exercising the rigorous disciplines of Lent for … Read moreShould Ramadan Replace Lent?

The Lord said to Moses, “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart; you shall teach them diligently to your children” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). And in every generation since, it has challenged adults to involve and inspire their children in the Faith. As kids eat Cheerios in church, skip catechism class, … Read moreTeach the Children: The King of Kings

We live in strange times. Our culture has long been looking to Sodom and Gomorrah not as warnings but as models to emulate. We lived through a worldwide pandemic that we’ve since discovered originated not from nature but from man’s hubris…and there’s reason to suspect another “plandemic” might be coming. Technology threatens to blur the … Read moreChasing the Apocalypse

After two decades of speculation following Mel Gibson’s groundbreaking The Passion of the Christ, it’s finally official: a sequel will begin shooting this summer in Italy. Like the first film, The Resurrection of the Christ will seek to challenge audiences as a wild work of cinema in a world (and a Church) growing devoid of … Read moreReady for Gibson’s “Acid Trip” Resurrection?

The couple stood on the wind-wracked hillside on a blustery October day late in 2019. The valley below was marbled brown, vermillion, and gold, while a gray sky curled overhead and the wild wind sent a spattering of rain into their faces. But ignoring the somewhat inclement weather, the man knelt before the woman and … Read moreCatholic Singles, Pray to This Saint for a Spouse

Many years ago, as a graduate student, I spent a summer with a Christian Palestinian family in Bethlehem. It was my first visit to the Holy Land, and, as it does for many new pilgrims, it rocked my world. One thing struck me immediately. Throughout the Holy Land, you can see the word hic inscribed … Read moreIt Happened Right Here

The praises of Alfred the Great have been sung by hosts of poets and historians even apart from Rudyard Kipling and G.K. Chesterton, the latter of whom wrote an entire book-length epic poem in veneration of the great warrior king of the Anglo-Saxons. As to Anglo-Saxon kings, others might come to mind in addition to … Read moreIn the Shadow of Alfred the Great

In the Italian region of Tuscany stands a mountain called La Verna (or Alverna). It was once owned by an Italian Count named Orlando Cattani, but in 1213, the Count donated the mountain to Francis and his monks as a place to go for silent prayer and contemplation. The Count’s note to Francis read, “I … Read moreSaint Francis Receives the Stigmata

The parable of the prodigal son has to be one of the most touching parables of God’s mercy, love, and forgiveness. It is a parable of hope if we are willing to admit our deficiencies and to reconcile with God. However, there is an unsettling aspect to the homilies that one often hears pertaining to … Read morePsychology and Its Influence on Religion

In looking over the synoptic accounts of Jesus going off to the desert to do battle with Satan and the temptations that await Him, one sees that there is complete agreement among the three Evangelists concerning both the length of His struggle and what exactly He was doing before and after. Forty days is the … Read moreThe Drive into the Desert

There is a pretty constant discussion on social media in general and the Catholic blogosphere in particular about the flight from marriage among young people. A subset of that discussion came up in a recent tweet, where discussants debated whether a woman who has reached 30 and not found her “ideal” will have to “settle” … Read moreThe Prince Charming Problem

The release of the latest wave of the Religious Landscape Study by the Pew Research Center shows that the decades-long decline in practice, belief, and belonging continues. For every one convert the Church has gained, another eight (at least) have left, while fewer of those who remain in the fold meet subpar definitions of what … Read moreBad Theology Is at the Heart of Declining Numbers

Timothy Reckart, nominated multiple times for Academy Awards, has 4 children and has gained exclusive insights into the political agenda in the film industry targeted at children. These insights have led him and other top-tier filmmakers to launch Sycamore Studios to combat this agenda. In this interview, John Heinen and Tim discuss his journey as … Read moreAcademy Nominated Director: The Hidden Agenda and Protecting Our Children

While studying scholastic theology when I was preparing for the priesthood, St. John Henry Newman inspired me to examine early apostolic Catholic spirituality. Then, over 35 years ago now, I sought out a life of semi-solitude to intensify this search and practice contemplation, and I rediscovered the sublime spirituality that we have so recently lost. … Read moreBorn Catholics, Converts, and Contemplation 

I turned 45 this year, just a few days after Ash Wednesday. Here in the Northeast, it had been an especially grueling winter for me: taxing on the mental health front, forlorn feelings of monotony and seemingly never-ending days of cold winds and gray skies. Celebrative holidays had come and gone, and I was perversely … Read moreMid-Lent and Midlife

“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit for forty days in the wilderness, tempted by the devil… The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God…’” (Lk. 4:1-3) “If you are the Son of God…” Those words must have had some real … Read moreDefend Your Garden

Are you a tech optimist or pessimist? Do you think our advancing technology—in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, and space technology—will make our world better or worse? And do you think the new technologies of the last two centuries have more helped or harmed the advancement of mankind? I’ve found that the … Read moreNavigating Our Brave New World

Three years ago, my wife and I received a stamped postcard in our mailbox inviting our children to participate in the newly-founded After School Satan Club at our public elementary school up the street. Thank God our kids were, and continue to be, homeschooled; but I was nonetheless more than mildly uncomfortable with the thought … Read moreA Liturgical Lesson From the Satanists

I didn’t set out to learn about anti-Semitism from Palestinians. But I did. My organization the Vulnerable People Project has worked for years to serve vulnerable communities everywhere, from Afghanistan to Chinese-occupied East Turkestan to Nigeria to Gaza. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the first step to defending the vulnerable is … Read moreMy Palestinian Friends Taught Me How to Combat Anti-Semitism

Something miraculous occurred during the 1970s at a university campus on the plains of Kansas. Scores of young students turned away from the heathenism they’d been raised in and embraced Catholicism. Many even became monks, nuns, or priests; a few were eventually consecrated bishops. Countless others became devout teachers, parents, and writers. What precipitated this … Read moreBorn in Wonder: A Humanities Program Taught Us How to Change the World Through Literature

“Constantine has been a whipping boy for a long time, and still is today. In popular culture (Dan Brown, Da Vinci Code), among bestselling historians (James Carroll, Constantine’s Sword), and among theologians (Stanley Hauerwas, John Howard Yoder, and their followers), his name is identified with tyranny, antisemitism, hypocrisy, apostasy, and heresy. He was a hardened … Read moreOne of the Most Enigmatic Figures in History

It has long been a commonplace among commentators of the Confessions that the first nine books are about Augustine’s ardent search for truth, leaving reflections on its meaning for the remaining four books. In other words, now that he’s determined to cleave to Christ, to commune with Him in the most intimate way in the … Read moreAugustine the Saint

If sitting in front of a machine and pulling a lever or pushing a button like a cocaine rat is your idea of fun, then something called “gaming” is probably for you. The dopamine high is enhanced as you slowly lose all your money. Face it: casinos are tacky and sad. Go into one on … Read morePredatory Gambling Threatens University of Dallas

If you asked the average American why “blue laws” once existed, he’d likely stare at you in confusion. “What are ‘blue laws’”? he might ask. Those of us beyond a certain age remember when certain things could not be sold on a Sunday in America. In the New Jersey of my childhood, there were aisles … Read moreRestoring the Lord’s Day

It’s Opening Day for Major League Baseball, one of my favorite days of the year. Baseball fans around the country, no matter their favorite team—from the lowly Athletics to the mighty Dodgers—today are optimistic about their team’s chances. In spite of football’s greater popularity these days, baseball remains America’s pastime, and more importantly, baseball is … Read moreBaseball Springs Eternal

We live in an apocalyptic age, and we should be grateful. I don’t mean “apocalyptic” in the sense of disaster here and catastrophe there and impending end times with attendant death, mayhem, and destruction. No. I mean apocalyptic in its original meaning, which is revelation. Don’t misunderstand me. There are many bad things occurring and … Read moreThe Silver Linings of the Apocalypse

Marvel’s Captain America, Anthony Mackie, recently spoke out about the “death of the American male”. Which he states we have been living through for the last two decades. He then goes on to answer what makes a man and how to raise sons. However, does he get it right? Today, John Heinen and Devin Schadt … Read moreCaptain America Sparks Debate: The Death of the American Male

When I was a senior in college, one of my professors told me, “If you want to find a good translation of the Bible in English, you can find it in one that contains the word ‘verily.’” Of course, that was back in 1982, when it would have taken a fair bit of legwork on … Read moreNot Even AI Can Save Us Now

When the world gets quarrelsome, many turn to prayer—which is fortunate; but not many turn to poetry—which is unfortunate. Prayer and poetry are mysteriously similar, though: words seeking wisdom, spiritual interaction, and renewal; both springing from man’s desire to live forever. There is an old proverb that says a man who doesn’t love poetry when … Read morePolitics, Prayer, and Poetry

“The Rosary is the weapon for these times.”—St. Padre Pio. I’m a 29-year old Catholic with a wife, an eleven month-old daughter, and a son on the way. If you are like me, you look at the world we live in and are genuinely concerned for the family you are responsible for raising. While we … Read moreThe Rosary Is The Weapon For These Times

When Karol Wojtyła stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in 1978 as John Paul II, he was only 58. Though that seemed unusual at the time, the previous century saw Pius IX elected at 54. Although we aren’t likely to see a pope as young as 20-year-old Benedict IX, elected in 1031, it’s … Read moreHow Young May the Next Pope Be?

How can anyone be against frequent access of the faithful to the Lord of Life, the Panis Angelicus, the medicine of immortality? That’s the very opposite reaction, you say, that one should have to the marvelous availability of Eucharistic Communion with the Risen Lord that the Church in the last century or so has made … Read moreContra Frequent Holy Communion?