JD Vance versus the Little Gray Men
From the man who saw fit to correct the Pope on his theology, more pearls of wisdom: Vice President JD Vance has described himself as “obsessed” with UFO files. In March, he said he has been trying to find time...
Author: V. J. Tarantino
Is God Really on our Side?
Woe to those who manipulate religion and the very name of God for their own military, economic and political gain, dragging that which is sacred into darkness and filth. -Pope Leo XIV, April 16, 2026 In Athens, Georgia earlier...
An Open Letter to Vice President Vance
Mr. Vice President: This evening, you were quoted as having said at a Turning Point rally in Atlanta: “I think it’s very, very important for the Pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.” There is a...
Sacred Icons and AI Slop
There is no historical documentation as to the physical appearance of Jesus. He never sat for a portrait; no identification photo is available for reference. Post-resurrection, he was not recognized; to the disciples on the road to Emmaus he was...
Wounds — For the Feast of Divine Mercy
A few quick thoughts on today’s Solemnity, in the context of this historical moment: Everything authentic conforms to this paradigm: being made anew after deep brokenness. If spirit truly is the capacity for self-transcendence, then implosion and expansion are part of...
Pope Leo: Language, Truth and Power
On January 9th, in his Address to Members of the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See, Pope Leo XIV stated that “rediscovering the meaning of words is perhaps one of the primary challenges of our time.” The pope’s concern...
Divine Poverty and a New Musical Setting of the Mass, Part II
For Part I of this article, click here. “In this call to recognize him in the poor and the suffering, we see revealed the very heart of Christ, his deepest feelings and choices, which every saint seeks to imitate.” This...
Divine Poverty and a New Musical Setting of the Mass, Part I
Triduum 2025 was – as always! – a whirlwind, a glorious and sleep-deprived delirium of music and liturgies and long drives everywhere. On the morning of Holy Thursday, I was able to arrive mid-Gospel at the Chrism Mass in Bridgeport....
Pope Leo: Pray the Rosary for Peace
Pope Leo XIV has asked us as Catholics to pray the Rosary daily for peace throughout the month of October. The Holy Father is not alone in singling out the Rosary as our path to peace – yet we should...
A Personal Reminiscence (with an Afterword)
My paternal grandparents owned a home in Rosedale, Queens. Although I was there only a handful of times, I remember their Tudor house in striking detail. I can still feel the fibers of the large, oval braided rug set beneath...
The Vision of Pope Leo XIV
In general, popes are rarely eager to set forth an agenda before the white smoke above the Sistine Chapel clears, as it were – the first six months or so of a papacy tend to be fairly quiet. The impatience...
On the Violence in Minneapolis
Early yesterday morning, a note came into my Substack home page expressing utter scandal that Pope Leo said that before we are believers, we are human. I let it pass. It’s not mine to put out every fire — and...
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