While St. Thérèse of Lisieux is most well-known for her autobiography, Story of a Soul, she also wrote many poems, songs and plays. She had a very creative mind, one that was informed by her deep love of God. On January 21, 1894, in honor of her sister, Mother Agnes of Jesus, Thérèse wrote her first […]
St. Thérèse wrote this play about St. Joan of Arc, featuring St. Michael the Archangel Read More »
Shazam! is the most Catholic super-hero movie I’ve seen in a long time – if not ever. And it’s not the tortured, brooding, penitential Catholicism of Daredevil or the heavy-handed Super-Jesus imagery of Man of Steel. It’s more subtle (okay, the demonic incarnations of the Seven Deadly Sins aren’t all that subtle, but hear me
‘Shazam!’ might be the most Catholic super-hero movie of all time Read More »
The newest addition to the DC cinematic universe combined humor, action, and family fun in a coming-of-age origin story surrounding the superhero Shazam. Not quite as well known as the iconic Superman or Batman, I came into this film not quite knowing what to expect. The uniqueness of Shazam stems from the juxtaposition that the
‘Shazam!’ is a must-see movie with great humor, action, and family fun Read More »
Recently I had the chance to speak with Julianne Miles for her new Catholic podcast, Mystery through Manners. It is described as, “a storytelling podcast which explores the living expressions of the Catholic faith from the perspective of everyday Catholic Americans.” She asked me about the motivations behind Finnian and the Seven Mountains and how I started
Finnian and the Seven Mountains featured on the “Mystery through Manners” podcast Read More »
*Author’s Note: This is a retrospective post on Guillermo Del Toro’s Hellboy (2004). It is not to be confused with Neil Marshall’s upcoming reboot of the same name. About a year ago, I attended a talk in Cleveland by the famous Canadian clinical psychologist Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, who was there to speak about his
Hellboy, true manhood and the power of the Rosary Read More »
Catholic Social Teaching is the Church’s instruction manual on how to live a Christ-centered life. It guides us in being the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the leaven which helps our society grow toward bringing about the Kingdom of God. In this seven-part series, we’ll examine the Seven Themes of Catholic
What Superman can teach us about loving and caring for the poor Read More »
In superhero comics, the resurrection of major characters after a dramatic death has become such a recurring trope that when a superhero dies, fans openly wonder how and when the character will be brought back. In the DC and Marvel lines, significant characters who have died and been resurrected include Captain America, Superman, Oliver Queen
How superhero deaths and resurrections are echoes of the greatest story of all time Read More »
There is an important aspect of narrative fiction which J.R.R. Tolkien called “eucatastrophe”, which he described as “The sudden happy turn in a story which pierces you with a joy that brings tears,” making the brilliant observation that “the Resurrection was the greatest ‘eucatastrophe’ possible.” Everyone who has encountered a good narrative has probably encountered
How ‘Into the Spider-Verse’ is a perfect example of Tolkien’s “eucatastrophe” Read More »
Audiences were rightly excited for the release of Captain Marvel for several reasons: they would get to see another beloved Marvel character on the big screen, adding to the roster of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Avengers; but also, how could I forget, they would get to see the first female superhero in Marvel
‘Captain Marvel’ aims “higher,” but doesn’t reach its potential Read More »
Over the past several years interest has exploded in the legendary “Sword of St. Michael,” an imaginary line that links seven different monasteries from Ireland to Israel. Each location is dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel and some sources claim it “represents … the blow the Saint inflicted [on] the Devil, sending him to Hell.”
What is the “Sword of St. Michael” and how is it connected to a comic book? Read More »
