One topic inexorably brought up during times like this is the influence of video games on young adults. But why? Video games are but one of many ways human beings entertain themselves. There’s an entire media complex filled with television shows, movies and music that, more than we realize, influence our actions. So why are so many commentators blaming video games for what happened in Newtown, ... More

Welcome to the Lunchtime Reader, where we assemble important stories to keep your eyes on. Kudos to country music star (and recent Catholic convert) Collin Raye, who agreed to be the new spokesman of the Life and Hope Network, founded by the family of Terri Schiavo. “What the Life and Hope network does is provide an already pretty impressive network list of attorneys and doctors that are avai... More

EDITOR’S NOTE: We hope you enjoy this guest article from Santiago Ramos. Responding to my recent article, “In Defense of Kurt Cobain’s Sadness,” Tom Hoopes argues that I am wrong to resist any easy explanation of what made Kurt sad. Instead, he writes: I don’t want to commit the cardinal sin of Catholic commentary and decide right away that “of course Kurt Cobain was unhappy. He ha... More

It’s almost the weekend — time for a post that’s just fun! A reader writes: What happens when six Dominican Novices go to the garage of St. Gertrude Priory in Cincinnati, OH? Jazz music! Notice the statue of St. Dominic keeps vigil as the friars play (it is being restored by one of the novices). Watch for yourself…. There are many young dominicans who are also incredib... More

A local radio station is playing the “End of the World as We Know It” song over and over and it has me thinking of my own personal favorite End of the World material. Here are five End of the World “best-of” items. Add more in the comments if you like. 1. Best End of the World Story: “Tale of the Anti-Christ” by Vladimir Soloviev In the three temptations of Jesus, the Gospels t... More

UPDATE: Well, that didn’t last long. Still, I’m keeping her in my prayers. === The doors to the meeting were no doubt guarded by a group of albino assassin monks: FOR the past 15 years, she has been Kabbalah’s most high profile and dedicated follower. But now Madonna has apparently ditched the controversial faith and taken up with Opus Dei – the secretive Catholic sect made famo... More

A magnificent column over at Patheos crossed my Twitter feed the other day courtesy of Elizabeth Scalia (@TheAnchoress). Magnificent, because just reading the column made my heart swell with the remembrance of beautiful places and sounds. Katrina R. Fernandez wrote of the power and indispensability of beauty for the soul, the heart, the mind. “Beauty makes the soul soar,” she notes, co... More

AmP reader Adrian helps us lighten the mood a bit before the weekend: ... More

There’s been a lot of these flash mob videos going around but this is definitely one of the better ones – it sent shivers down my spine! PS – don’t get mad at me for posting this during Advent! O:-) ... More

Discovering papist techno music is a humorous tradition here at AmP, stretching back to the amusing discovery of the “Habemus Papam Benedictus Mix“, where someone actually layered the announcement of Pope Benedict’s pontificate with a techno soundtrack. So, in that same tongue-in-cheek spirit, I offer to you today “Heart’s Cry“, a song by the UK electro-pop band... More