David Gibson

This is a wonderful conversation with a wonderful theologian and Catholic. A reminder that the bad old days of inquisitorial Catholicism were not so long ago, and that the Jesuits who today's social media inquisitors continue to criticize are far more grace-filled than their angry delators.

"That the Orpheus tale was not in the novel does not mean it was not part of Shakespeare’s creative genius, as shown by the fact that he used it in one of his later plays, Henry VIII...."

Great insights from @oliviapoust.bsky.social

Read all of Leo's address here:

www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

"To ensure that the voice of the Church, not least through her social doctrine, continues to be heard, is not about the restoration of a past epoch, but of guaranteeing that key resources for future cooperation and integration are not lost."

Good words for the US Christian right as well.

...the duty to fight "poverty, social exclusion, economic deprivation, as well as the ongoing climate crisis, violence and war," Pope Leo said.

In the most pointed remark to pols who crave the restoration of Christendom, Pope Leo said ...

The pope recognized the "intrinsic link between Christianity and European history, a history which should be cherished and celebrated." But he said that means protecting all lives at all times and includes ...

Pope Leo told the conservative MPs that "the mark of any civilized society is that differences are debated with courtesy and respect, for the ability to disagree, listen attentively, and even to enter into dialogue with those whom we may regard as opponents..."

Pope Leo had interesting remarks to center-right European MPs that could be apt for the US right.

Highlights:

Leo stressed the common good and especially "to never to lose sight of the forgotten ones, those on the margins, 'the least' among us..."
www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

Many religions are heavily concentrated in a few countries Half of the world’s population lives in just seven countries. But some of the world’s religious groups are even more concentrated than that.

MY LATEST: Many religions are heavily concentrated in a few countries.

Happy Feast of Saint Nicholas!

Opinion | A Serious Journalism Scandal Hiding Inside a Frivolous Sexual One

"An odd thing about the book—one that gives it an aloof, affectless quality—is that Nuzzi doesn’t seem to recognize that her collaboration with Kennedy was a grave professional betrayal." The story here is the sociopathic ethical violations. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/02/o...

Lectures on Tap-"Inventing Christmas: How the Most Popular Holiday Began" Professors, experts, and storytellers giving thought-provoking lectures in NYC bars.

Perfect wintry NYC evening to grab a drink in a midtown bar and join me for a talk about how Christmas came to be--are the Gospel stories real? Are they true? Why did the church take so long to make Christmas a holy day?

My latest for @lecturesontap.bsky.social

www.eventbrite.com/e/lectures-o...

Pete Hegseth, Moral Failure, and the Erosion of Military Legitimacy Congress needs to find out if any laws were broken and who is responsible.

"Ethical failure...is rarely sudden. It is cumulative. It grows when leaders miss early warning signs, when exhaustion dulls judgment, when a small number of individuals lack a moral grounding—and when institutions become distracted or unmoored."

A screenshot of a tweet by Ken Dilanian quoting concerns that an order to kill boat occupants who are no longer able to fight would constitute a war crime. Below is a collage of nine infrared or night-vision aerial images showing small boats in the water. At the bottom is a caption referencing “Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike.”

During WWII a German vessel fired upon sailors floating in the sea after the Greek vessel Peleus was sunk. The officers were tried and convicted in the Peleus War Crimes trial.

It's not Thanksgiving until your racist Uncle says something racist.

One Kennedy, a narcissistic moral disaster by any reckoning, posing with a rosary, and another Kennedy praying the rosary in the face of unimaginable suffering, perfectly and sadly encapsulates the trajectory of American Catholicism(s):

This guy gets it.

Beloved Italian singer Ornella Vanoni, whose iconic career spanned 70 years, dies at 91 Ornella Vanoni, a beloved Italian singer with a career spanning seven decades, has died at 91. Known for hits like "Senza Fine" and "L’appuntamento," she left a lasting impact on Italian culture.

Chiuso per lutto:

Beloved Italian singer Ornella Vanoni, whose iconic career spanned 70 years, dies at 91

Pontifical secret revealed: Pope Leo XIV changes his Wordle start word each day Pope Leo XIV has revealed a closely held secret: He uses a different Wordle start word each day. Leo divulged his strategy playing the popular New York Times online game during an online encounter wit...

Gnosticism!

"Pontifical secret revealed: Pope Leo XIV changes his Wordle start word each day"

I agree — so simply and beautifully put.

Also - an excellent interview.

Growing up Catholic, i know I need to recite 10 Hail Marys for laughing at this.

Oh wait! Figured out how to get rid of the garbage Gemini button in Chrome:

- Right-click
- Unpin

Gone!

"The first man from Queens to be elected president and the first Queens resident to be elected mayor of New York City met for the first time in the Oval Office on Friday."

Now that is a first sentence for the ages.

U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify swastikas, nooses as hate symbols The military service, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has drafted a new policy that classifies such items “potentially divisive.”

Exclusive: The U.S. Coast Guard will no longer classify the swastika, nooses and the Confederate flag as hate symbols.

The military service drafted a new policy that classifies them as “potentially divisive.”

The only silver lining is that *vote for me to string up veterans who are now House Democrats* is not a winning issue. But nonetheless, the president calling for the trial and execution of members of Congress is deeply alarming stuff even from Trump.

@samsteindc.bsky.social and @eggerdc.bsky.social

The President of the United States just called for my arrest and execution.

In these moments, fear is contagious, but so is courage:

“Your pet frog isn’t dead, son. He’s just resting.”

1961:
Writing in 'National Review', William F. Buckley (quoting Garry Wills) dismissed Pope John XXIII's encyclical 'Mater et magistra' with a sarcastic 'Mater sí, magistra no".

This was PRE-Vatican II, PRE-changes to liturgy, etc.
The agenda behind this kind of stuff was NEVER just theological!

“Housing shortage – Jews to blame," letter sticker, German Reich, 1938

zwangsraeume.berlin/en/context

This was before "he knew about the girls" news.

Epstein is an off ramp for Trump voters who don't want to admit they were wrong but hate being immiserated by his policies.