everything else aside, "fiction books" is a red flag
"An honest accounting requires acknowledging that reactionaries are not the only ones who have followed Jesus into the public square." www.theatlantic.com/books/2026/0...
this man should be at the helm of a 19th century steamboat on the Mississippi, not a tourist yacht on the Danube
gambling monk, germany, 15th century
Touching short conversation between a church organist and his childhood organ teacher. storycorps.org/stories/play...
Anglicans in Africa are meeting in Nigeria to elect a rival leader to Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally, whose position on same-sex marriage inspired a coalition of churches in Africa and Asia to announce a split back in October. From @reuters.com: www.reuters.com/world/conser...
Costco Connection magazine just published a full article about why and how to stop your car
I was at a Gen Z-oriented event last night where the host unironically told a story about "the 1900s" :)
This @defector.com story is a good (non-political) example of why it’s not enough to have a bunch of individual reporters with newsletters running around. You need some kind of institution with the resources (and principles) to publish despite legal threats. defector.com/a-complimentar…
"Now the girls are stone cold, not emotional." Fascinating, complicated story about the declining birthrate: www.nytimes.com/2026/02/27/u...
My favorite was a passage in "Death in Venice" annotated "Gay?"
Since July 4, I've been struck by the closeness of Camp Mystic's alumnae, who helped me understand the power of summer camp in Texas. Now, in the midst of so much grief, painful fractures are opening up as some families decide to send their daughters back to camp. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/24/u...
Big update here: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick just released a letter urging the state not to issue a new camp license to Camp Mystic for this summer. "It would be naive to allow Camp Mystic to return to normal operations before all of the facts are known.” x.com/LtGovTX/stat...
I clicked through to find out if there was really a new television character named Alice Munro. Apparently it's "Monroe" but still, huh
New from me: Nine families of girls who died at Camp Mystic just filed suit against the Texas Department of State Health Services, accusing the agency of approving the camp's emergency plan even though it included no provisions for evacuation. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/u...
I wouldn't say 100% of my eating-food experiences have been terribly imbued with dignity, come to think of it
not endorsing any particular theology, but e.g. this from Pope Francis is striking in light of that Altman clip: "it is necessary to reiterate that every human being is endowed with dignity by simply existing, as a spiritual entity, created by God and destined for a filial relationship with Him."
Theology of human dignity taking on new implications every day.
I have no doubt, but that doesn't seem to be his point.
Leo cautions priests against using AI to write homilies. “'To give a true homily is to share faith,' and AI 'will never be able to share faith.'" www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news...
I imagine it was extremely disturbing
Riveting, empathetic, uncomfortable, bonkers -- that is, everything I want from magazine journalism. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
UPDATE: Just spoke with the head of CSPL.
They have *still* not heard from ICE/DHS about granting clergy access to the Broadview ICE facility. A federal court order issued last week required ICE/DHS to work with CSPL to grant clergy access to the site on Ash Wednesday.
Today is Ash Wednesday.
important perspective from this 1969 sports headline
Robert Duvall, oh, I loved him. My tops are "The Apostle," "Tender Mercies," and "Lonesome Dove," and I'm not just saying that because I'm a religion writer in Texas. (Or maybe that's WHY I'm a religion writer in Texas? Much to ponder.)
"We will launch during a dynamic political environment where many civil society groups that we would expect to attack us would have their resources focused on other concerns." www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/t...
“I am not a news source anymore. ... God called me out of that season.” www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Named after an iconic character we all know and love
Why did Van Gogh die in poverty when he owned so many Van Goghs? Real missed opportunity
