The Narthex
Perplexing Phenomena
Legislators and President Trump must craft immigration regulations that benefit families
By James Hanink | June 24th 2025 8:50 PMHere in Inglewood, and in many areas of greater Los Angeles, we deal with a perplexing urban phenomenon: coyotes, sometimes in packs, prowl about at night and in the early morning. They’re hunting small animals, often rodents and cats. Nobody knows why the coyotes are on the increase, though there’s…
READ FULL BLOG POSTLaw & Order in Los Angeles
Collusion in tolerated anarchy to nullify federal law is much more than 'passive resistance'
By John M. Grondelski | June 10th 2025 11:50 AMPresident Trump is facing an intense and organized opposition PR campaign, attacking him for federalizing the California National Guard to restore law and order in the "City of Angels.” I offer a few thoughts to provide perspective: California governor Newsom, 22 other Democratic governors, and the chorus of Democratic Senators…
READ FULL BLOG POSTRandom Ruminations #22
Get Ready... Confused Catholicity... Permanent Foreigners... Liturgy Research... more
By John M. Grondelski | March 25th 2025 12:15 PMGet Ready Today is the Solemnity of the Annunciation. From today until Christmas is exactly nine months (for those of you who like to get "holiday" preparations underway early!). Today Jesus' Life began. Over the next several months, I'd like to remind readers on the 25th of just how Our…
READ FULL BLOG POSTRandom Ruminations #20
Dressing to the Zeroes... Stealing from the Dead... Polish-American Contributions... more
By John M. Grondelski | February 21st 2025 3:20 PMDressing to the Zeroes Once upon a time, being “dressed to the nines” meant being dressed to perfection, with distinction. It was expected in public, including many places today’s Americans would no longer expect. When I went to college in the late 1970s, my primary way home was by airplane:…
READ FULL BLOG POSTFrancis's Immigration Letter
The Pope's missive to U.S. bishops raises some ecclesiological questions
By John M. Grondelski | February 17th 2025 1:06 PMMuch of Pope Francis’s February 10 letter to the Catholic bishops in the United States centered on its subject: immigration. I focused on that in my first take, which addressed how to define “dignity,” what were the letter’s potential long-term implications, and how ordo amoris could be understood in ways…
READ FULL BLOG POSTCommon-Home Confusion
Do we have a 'moral duty' to accept all refugees and immigrants legal and illegal?
By John M. Grondelski | January 23rd 2025 10:01 PMIf you own a home, how many guests do you have to welcome? Most normal people would say, “As many or as few a I want. There is no obligation to have guests.” If you asked those people, “And how many of those guests should be allowed to move in…
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