In all seriousness, since most people conceive of World War III, almost mythologically, as a cataclysmic, apocalyptic level destruction event, we'll probably never use WWIII, even if technically it's an apt term. (Though I don't think we're at that point yet.)

Just prior to his death in 1939, Pius XI was preparing an encyclical denouncing antisemitism, drafted in large part by Fr John LaFarge, a Jesuit born in Rhode Island (ahem), and known for his 1937 book Interracial Justice: A Study of the Catholic Doctrine of Race Relations.

March 5, 1926: Pope Pius XI issues an encyclical denouncing beliefs in white superiority and insisting the peoples of East Asia and Africa “can easily compete” with Westerners mentally. His encyclical, “On Affairs of the Church,” calls for recruiting more native missionaries.

"A correct interpretation of the sacred texts cannot dispense with the historic environment in which they developed...to renounce the study of the human words that God used risks leading to fundamentalist or spiritualist readings of the Scripture, which betray its meaning." Pope Leo XIV

Me: Do you want me to read you a book tonight before you go to sleep? Ma figghia: No. Me: why now? Ma figghia: I'm tired. I do a lot of work today.

spring break has begun!

the American death cult

I just ordered "Long COVID Transformed My Mommy" for my 5 yo grand daughter. I don't get to see her often because I have long COVID and can't risk her giving it to me again. I worry that she'll think I don't love her. Maybe this will help her understand. (I'll substitute Granny for Mommy.)

I'm in a Paul McCartney concert film.

Join us on March 18 in person and on Zoom for the annual Scholar-in-Residence dialogue. "Whose Bible? Scripture, Tradition and Jewish-Catholic Dialogue" with Andrew Davis and Ethan Schwartz, moderated by Thomas Bolin Register: events.blackthorn.io/en/3iofXW6/w...

I just read that Abraham nearly "scarified" his own son. I suppose that is also a way one can read the story.

seriously, i think this should be the title of the documentary

It's been one of those days. It's not even 8:30 and it feels like 2am.

Susan Collins had concerns

One day and two classes stand between me and spring break.

This is ridiculous on so many levels, including it gives the impression that Iran could strike the US mainland to those who don't know any better.

#ReliefWednesday takes us to the #Arch of #Constantine in #Rome, where a piece of the so-called Great Trajanic #Frieze, probably from the reign of #Hadrian, shows a battle scene from the #Dacian wars which may have influenced the sculptor of the Great #Ludovisi #sarcophagus. #AncientBluesky 🏺

Nominations are open now for this year's Cribiore Award, which recognizes outstanding translations from Ancient Greek or Latin by Society members. Review eligibility requirements: classicalstudies.org/awards-and-f... and apply here: apply.classicalstudies.org

I can't even anymore.

Did you consider this should have been a question thought about beforehand and brought to Congress?

Yes, it's all about the visuals and drama. Did she mention we were in Iraq until 2011?

deadly incompetence

So many “Disability Advocates” so little masking. Obviously there are folks for whom masking is not feasible but I doubt they are in the majority. There is wholesale denial of the ongoing pandemic at every intersection and it’s damaging to everyone.

I hope he refuses it. #SartorialTheology

Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive urgent security updates and be contacted if assistance becomes available. 📞 State Department Consular Assistance From abroad: +1-202-501-4444 From U.S./Canada: +1-888-407-4747

The fathers and grandfathers of our current leadership

He's definitely a New England self-hater

‘Sordid and shameful’: AG report details generations of clergy abuse in RI www.wpri.com/news/local-n...

For years on my old blog I published the names of servicemembers who died in Iraq & Afghanistan. No other outlets were. These are the first 4 Americans to die in the Iran War. Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35 Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42 Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39 Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20

The COVID-19 picture in the U.S. hasn’t changed much over the last month: national disease levels are declining, but very slowly, as some parts of the country remain disease hotspots even as we head into the spring. Flu is similarly still at high levels. bit.ly/4sktidd

Change the regime by going to war and just put someone else in the room who survived in charge. 😡

‘Moses the Black’ set for digital release in U.S., international territories on March 13 orthodoxobserver.org/moses-the-bl...

"Many of their commanders are especially delighted with how graphic this battle will be zeroing in on how bloody all of this must become in order to fulfill and be in 100% accordance with fundamentalist Christian end of the world eschatology"

What, exactly, is "Catholic" in your culture when: - 1 in 5 Catholics in the US are either at risk of deportation or live with someone who is - 61% of immigrants vulnerable to deportation are Catholic - 29% of US Catholics are immigrants - 14% of US Catholics are the children of immigrants (1/2)

"This cult of heroism is strictly linked with the cult of death... The Ur-Fascist hero craves heroic death, advertised as the best reward for a heroic life. The Ur-Fascist hero is impatient to die. In his impatience, he more frequently sends other people to death." - Umberto Eco, "Ur-Fascism"

Good thing some US colleges are closing their Religious Studies departments—definitively not “useful” at all or an area of expertise that might be relevant for understanding our present…

Following Deaths of 6 US Service Members the Apostolic Nuncio for #Kuwait says "The situation is serious and worsens day by day" www.catholicnewsworld.com/2026/03/foll...

4 to 5 weeks is at least a 12 months in Republican years.

Pandora's box. Opened. apnews.com/article/us-j...

A 200-word report on what was HOURS of testimony. Complete with one quote. apnews.com/article/jeff...

"There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don't know we don't know." SoD Donald Rumsfeld defending an invasion of Iraq in 2002

*infinite screaming*

one more oral exam to go

Purim 2026 begins on the evening of 2nd March. Here is the initial-word panel from Esther. #Purim BL Or 2628; The 'Lisbon Bible', vol. 3.; 1483 CE; Portugal, Central (Lisbon); f.152v

SCOTUS has denied cert. in Thaler v. Perlmutter. That means that outputs generated by AI will continue to be ineligible for copyright protection under US law. This is welcome news for musicians!