A letter from Aquinas & More detailing a Catholic summer reading program is sure to appeal to most bibliophiles and bookworms:

[We at Aquinas & More] recently read Todd Aglialoro’s April 25, 2008, Inside Catholic article, “Whatever Happened to Popular Catholic Fiction?”, with interest. … It’s an issue that we, as a Catholic retailer, have been grappling with for some time. Last year we started a program called Catholic Summer Reading to address this very issue. Our Catholic fiction offerings are quite significant.

We are now the nation’s largest online Catholic retailer (tiny by comparison to secular retailers, of course) and we are based in Colorado Springs. The first week of June we are officially launching Catholic Summer Reading 2008, our second year sponsoring this ambitious program.

Here is a complete title listing of this year’s 64 featured titles.

There is literally “something for everyone” in the title offerings - both fiction and non-fiction and books for young readers. Last year we were featured on EWTN/Ave Maria Radio and the program was mentioned in a number of Catholic publications. The purpose of the program is to keep Catholics reading and engaged with their faith during the summer vacation season and to expose them to new titles and to the Catholic novel - something that is becoming a rare and exotic species.

The program will feature downloadable discussion guides for reading groups, flyers that Catholic retailers across the country can download and use in their stores so they can sponsor reading groups in their local markets, and much more. We are also encouraging parishes around the country to start up summer reading groups.

The program has it’s own website where the guides and much more information can be found. That site is currently displaying last year’s information.

In the 1960s, the famed funk-n-soul singer James Brown bellowed,

This is a man’s world, this is a man’s world
But it wouldn’t be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl

You see, man made the cars to take us over the road
Man made the trains to carry heavy loads
Man made electric light to take us out of the dark
Man made the boat for the water, like Noah made the ark

This is a man’s, a man’s — a man’s world
But it wouldn’t be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl

In this song, Brown poetically delineates the myriad ways in which women have transformed the house into a home, added love and laughter, and generally made life worth living. Without a woman, Brown says, man is “lost in the wilderness… He’s lost in bitterness.”

Recently, in his March 2008 letter, Fr. John Fullerton called to mind the qualities of women that have been forgotten or undervalued by modern society:

A

s the system of Christian dogma is ever more abandoned by the “civilized” world, it should not surprise us that morals have also rapidly disintegrated. Truth is the life of the mind, and when it is abandoned, the mind becomes diseased and decays. The modern mind, by throwing aside Christian principles, has opened itself to the disease of false principles and therefore is unable to think clearly or coherently in the metaphysical or spiritual spheres. With the decay of thought, values there soon follows the decay of moral values.

It is, however, surprising to see that many, who strive to cling to the Christian faith and its practice, are also affected by this dissolution of faith and morals. Christian principles, which alone can give stability to all elements of society, are put aside or at least watered down to avoid the conflict caused by going against the modern trend of “political correctness”. This causes a dulling of minds with the result that things which ought to shock peoples’ tastes and feelings no longer do so.

The change produced in society would be bad enough if man alone was affected, but the effect is much more disastrous when woman comes under the influence of false principles, for she remains the fountain of life, not only in a physical, but more importantly in a moral and spiritual sense. Because of her sensibility and adaptability, the danger of being swayed by fashions of thought or thoughtlessness is greater for her.

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The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit. …

Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation’s gratitude, the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan.

General John A. Logan
National Commander of the Grand Army of the Republic
5 May 1868

The Art of Manliness blog recently completed its series on living the virtuous life, according to the 13 virtues delineated by Benjamin Franklin, as he endured his own spiritual combat and struggled to cultivate an interior life.

1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation. “Is there a less sexy idea today than temperance? Yet when Benjamin Franklin began his pursuit of the virtuous life, it was this virtue he chose to concentrate on first.”
2. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself, avoiding trifling conversation. “Clearly, Ben was not referring to monastic solitude when he presented silence as a virtue. Instead, he had in mind the ability of knowing the appropriate time and words to speak. A gentlemen has always been judged by his manner of speech, yet our modern age presents a host of difficulties in this area that Franklin never faced.”
3. Order: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time. “Almost three centuries have passed since old Ben set out to perfectly live the virtue of Order. The lives of Americans today are far busier and distraction-filled than Ben could ever have imagined. People strive to order their lives so that they can have peace and tranquility. An entire industry has sprung up around helping them to do that. Books, blogs, magazines, and consultants offer advice on how you can clean up your clutter. Yet despite the information out there, people still have trouble living up to this virtue. Why?”
4. Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve. “If you are to succeed in life, you must develop the virtue of resolution. Resolution is the firm determination to accomplish what you set out to do. Benjamin Franklin included resolution as his fourth virtue, because attaining it would ensure he would work through the other nine.”
5. Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing. “The Founding Fathers feared … that too much luxury made a nation weak. They would often point to the Greeks and Romans as examples of what happens to a nation when it lets prosperity go unchecked by temperance and frugality. John Adams often preached against effeminate luxuries. And although wealthy, Ben Franklin lived a relatively simple life. He made an effort to eat and dress plainly. Unfortunately, Americans have lost sight of the importance of frugality. For a generation of men who have grown up in a period of unprecedented affluence, living frugally seems down right silly and old fashioned. But if a man wishes to remain economically and emotionally independent, frugality is an essential virtue to develop.”
6. Industry: Lose not ime; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and if you speak, speak accordingly. “At the heart of sincerity is honesty in all your conduct and especially your communications. Honesty and integrity are the marks of true men. Seek sincerity in all your communications by becoming a man who keeps confidences, curbs his sarcasm, and avoids dishonesty.”
8. Justice: Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty. What is justice? For millennia philosophers have debated this question. Justice, like beauty or goodness, is an ethereal and hard to define concept. Catholic theologian and philosopher St. Thomas Aquinas put it quite succinctly when he defined justice as the constant and perpetual will to render to everyone his due.
9. Moderation: Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve. Moderation doesn’t seem to get a lot of play these days. Everything is presented in extremes. We have extreme sports, extreme deodorant, extreme energy drinks, even an Extreme Teen Bible. We seek extremes because we erroneously believe that the more intense an experience is, the more pleasurable it will be.
10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes or habitation.
11. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation. Ahhh, chastity. A word that can make teenagers blush and grown men cringe. A word that conjures up thoughts of medieval belts, “true love waits” pledge cards, and ranting preachers. Many believe the concept of chastity has no place in a modern, enlightened society. Indeed, in many ways the virtue of chastity is the most difficult to write about. Unlike the other virtues, it is hard to define chastity apart from its relationship to religious beliefs. Yet, while the precise definition of chastity will vary from man to man, there are aspects of this virtue that all men, regardless of belief system, should aspire to.
13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates. Our popular image of manliness usually consists of a man with a cocky swagger, a rebel who blazes his own path and stands confident and ready to take on the world. “Humility” doesn’t seem to fit into this image. Humility oftentimes conjures up images of weakness, submissiveness, and fear. But this is a false idea of humility. Real humility is a sign of strength, authentic confidence, and courage. It is the mark of a true man.

The Art of Manliness blog sums up the 13 virtues in this wrap-up.

F

irst, the exclusion of same-sex couples from the designation of marriage clearly is not necessary in order to afford full protection to all of the rights and benefits that currently are enjoyed by married opposite-sex couples; permitting same-sex couples access to the designation of marriage will not deprive opposite-sex couples of any rights and will not alter the legal framework of the institution of marriage, because same-sex couples who choose to marry will be subject to the same obligations and duties that currently are imposed on married opposite-sex couples.

Second, retaining the traditional definition of marriage and affording same-sex couples only a separate and differently named family relationship will, as a realistic matter, impose appreciable harm on same-sex couples and their children, because denying such couples access to the familiar and highly favored designation of marriage is likely to cast doubt on whether the official family relationship of same-sex couples enjoys dignity equal to that of opposite-sex couples.

Third, because of the widespread disparagement that gay individuals historically have faced, it is all the more probable that excluding same-sex couples from the legal institution of marriage is likely to be viewed as reflecting an official view that their committed relationships are of lesser stature than the comparable relationships of opposite-sex couples. Finally, retaining the designation of marriage exclusively for opposite sex couples and providing only a separate and distinct designation for same-sex couples may well have the effect of perpetuating a more general premise — now emphatically rejected by this state — that gay individuals and same-sex couples
are in some respects “second-class citizens” who may, under the law, be treated
differently from, and less favorably than, heterosexual individuals or opposite-sex
couples.

Under these circumstances, we cannot find that retention of the traditional definition of marriage constitutes a compelling state interest. Accordingly, we conclude that to the extent the current California statutory provisions limit marriage to opposite-sex couples, these statutes are unconstitutional.

With these words, California’s Supreme Court declared the state’s Defense of Marriage Act (Proposition 22) unconstitutional, thus allowing same-sex marriages to take place in California.

alifornia’s Bishops and the California Catholic Conference issued the following statement in response:

The California Catholic Conference of Bishops must express its disappointment in the California Supreme Court decision to declare Proposition 22 unconstitutional.

Proposition 22, which states, “Only marriage between one man and one woman is valid and recognized in California,” passed eight years ago by a vote of 61.2 to 38.8 percent. That statute reflected the wisdom of the voters of California in retaining the traditional definition of marriage as a biological reality and a societal good. Unfortunately, today, the Court saw fit to disregard the will of the majority of people of California.

Catholic teaching maintains that marriage is a faithful, exclusive, and lifelong union between one man and one woman joined in an intimate partnership of life and love — a union instituted by God for the mutual fulfillment of the husband and wife, as well as for the procreation and education of children.

Partnerships of committed same-sex individuals are already legal in California. Our state has also granted domestic partners spousal-type rights and responsibilities which facilitate their relationships with each other and any children they bring to the partnership. Every person involved in teh family of domestic partners is a child of God and deserves respect in the eyes of the law and their community. However, those partnerships are not marriage — and can never be marriage — as it has been understood since the founding of the United States. Today’s decision of California’s high court opens the door for policymakers to deconstruct traditional marriage and create another institution under the guise of equal protection.

Although we strongly disagree with the ruling, we ask our Catholic people, as well as all the people of California, to continue to uphold the dignity of every person, to acknowledge individual rights and responsibilities, [but at the same time] to maintain support for the unique and irreplaceable role of traditional marriage as an institution which is fundamental to society.

Father George Rutler, of the Church of Our Saviour in New York City, added the following:

The recent 4-3 decision of the California Supreme Court allowing same-sex unions to be defined as marriages was not only a species of judicial activism, like the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, it was an exercise of Gnostic pessimism which rejected the will of 61% of the California electorate and discarded what has been the sense of civilized societies for at least six thousand years. The same contempt for natural law has promoted artificial contraception which, while decreasing populations to dangerous levels, has also helped to double the national divorce rate in just twenty years. A similar Gnosticism separated conjugal union from marriage. Research conducted by Yale and Catholic universities and published in the American Sociological Review indicates that people who live together before marriage are 80% more likely eventually to end up divorced.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of California has said that the decision of California’s high court “opens the door for policymakers to deconstruct traditional marriage and create another institution under the guise of equal protection.” Simultaneously, the White House stated that “President Bush has always believed marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman. It’s unfortunate when activist judges continue to seek to redefine marriage by court order — without regard for the will of the people.” On the feast of Corpus Christi, we should also give thanks to Pope Paul VI, who struggled against his own distaste for confrontation, boldly to warn that the Gnostic fever would lead to the moral absurdities now threatening civilization.

ur friends over at the Art of Manliness have just hosted the latest issue of the Manival, a “blog carnival” dealing with marriage, fatherhood, chivalry and all things manly.

Miserere.org contributed its own essay on “The Case for Mr. Good Enough,” which comments on a recent article in the Atlantic Monthly about women settling down instead of holding-off for Mr. Right. Other favorites include:

• Avoid Cheating, Wandering Eyes (A Good Husband)
• How to Control Your Tongue in a Marriage (The Simple Marriage Project)
• Twenty Kinds of Dads — Which One Are You? (Discovering Dad)
• The Best Part of Putting My Son to Bed (Daddy’s Toolbox)
• How to Read a Book (Illustrated) (Michael Gowin) — which goes along nicely with 100 Must-Read Books: The Essential Man’s Library.
• Satisfy Your Hungry Eyes (I Am Husband)

Check out these and more at Manival, vol. I, no. 4.

ast year, I was made aware of a new free web service called ScrubIT. It functions as an alternate DNS server that blocks pornographic web sites, phishing scams and more. I really think that this is an ideal solution for parents concerned about children’s online activities and can serve as an alternative — or adjunct — to traditional parental blocking software.

According to the ScrubIT web site,

ScrubIT was developed on the premise that everyone should have access to all the good the web has to offer without having to worry about stumbling across those things that many people find objectionable. While the web has been become the number one outside resource for almost everyone in the world, it has also become the marketing method of choice for pornographers and pedophiles. […] Children as young as 10 years old who use the internet are regularly assaulted with graphic images, giving them a distorted view of human sexuality. Other studies show that surfing pornographic sites at work is one of the biggest time-wasters in business today. What’s the solution? Scrub the internet squeaky clean by using ScrubIT as your DNS server.

ScrubIT is perfect for any home or business that is tired of the plague of pornographic and malicious websites. […] [Y]ou’ll never again have to worry about your family and/or employees ever being confronted with this type of material.

Every computer connected to the Internet already uses a DNS server — usually provided by your internet service provider (ISP) — to resolve the addresses you type into a browser window (e.g., www.ewtn.org) and get its IP number (164.109.56.155/). That’s how your computer knows how to reach the web site you’re looking for. It’s analogous to an old-fashioned Rolodex — You look up a contact by name, and the Rolodex gives you his phone number so you can call him.

ScrubIT is a free recursive DNS server that regulates what comes into your home or business. Enabling it is easy, and requires no special software: In Windows (2000/XP/Vista), go to the Control Panel and open Network Connections (Network and Sharing, in Vista). Select your network (typically Local Area Network) and click on ‘Properties’. Select TCP or TCP/IPv4, whichever is listed, and click on ‘Properties’. Under the section that says ‘Use the Following DNS Server Addresses’, specify the ScrubIT DNS servers: 67.138.54.100 as preferred; 207.225.209.66 as alternate. (To DISABLE the service, reset things back to ‘Obtain DNS Server Address Automatically’.)

That’s it! Your computer is now safe from pornography. Test it out: Just type the name of some pornographic web site in the address bar of your computer (e.g., www.playboy.com) and you’ll get a message that it has been blocked:

Recently, the folks at ScrubIt added the ability to create user accounts, whereby you may specify what types of sites to block:

ScrubIT allows users with accounts to customize their DNS to specifically allow or block the websites that THEY choose. Want to block gambling, dating, or shopping sites? We’ve got blocklists for them all (and many more), accessible with the click of your mouse. You may also create your own blocklists.

This could be the ideal solution for parents concerned about children’s online activities. It can also help those suffering with internet addictions. (For help fighting addictions, read more here.) It’s not perfect (e.g., it doesn’t block image searching through Google), but it seems to filter the majority of sites.

Check out the ScrubIT web site for more information.