What’s in a Name? “I am weird” vs. “Defining Issues”
By Dr. Jeff Mirus ( bio - articles - email ) | Nov 12, 2012
At the end of last week we tried an experiment. In early October we had released a collection of essays by Peter Mirus in an eBook entitled “You are weird. God is odd”, featuring the CatholicCulture.org pencil drawing of Peter on the cover. The title for the collection was taken from an essay Peter had written back in July of 2005, which had elicited an enthusiastic response.
But almost nobody purchased this ebook during its first month on sale and we wondered whether that was because of its unusual title and cover. Perhaps potential readers never got past this unusual bit of quirkiness to read the description, which emphasizes the wide range of topics covered in the collection. Hence the experiment.
We have now repackaged this book as Defining Issues: Social, Familial and Personal Perspectives on a Catholic Life, complete with cover art drawn from Murillo’s wonderful 17th century portrayal of the Holy Family on the flight into Egypt. We’ll see if this marketing shift makes a difference.
Here, in order of appearance, is a list of the essays included in this collection:
- Pornography and the Internet: Are Your Children Safe?
- Manifestations of Modernism
- Valentine’s Day: Love It or Hate It?
- We Are All Liars
- Catholic Superheroes
- Half Measures in a Crazy World
- Liberal Diplomacy and the Church
- Building a Catholic Action Plan for Reform
- No, He’s MY Personal Jesus
- Catholicism and Buddhism: Compatible Beliefs?
- I Just…Can’t…Take it Anymore!
- Catholic Environmentalism
- I Just Don’t See It
- Spam, Pornography, Fertility and the American Way
- Was Pope JPII an Effective Governor?
- You are Weird; God is Odd
- Behold the Great Outdoors
- Dual Parenting Action
- Federal Social Programs and Catholic Principles
- The Truth About Catholic Social Teachings
- Principled Catholic Social Action
- Hope and Serenity Among the Thorns
- Do You Love To Argue?
- The Worst We've Ever Had It. Apocalypse Now?
- The Chastisement, Revisited
- Inspirational Saints of the Liturgy
- Tolkien and His Trees
- Prayer: When Asking is . . . Not Asking?
- The Clergy and the Laity: Who's Responsible for Whom?
- Hear No Evil: My Perspective on Rock Music
In editing the collection, I was reminded of how good and helpful these essays are—solid content with a personal touch. Of course, it is true that Peter is my second-oldest son, but he has been involved with CatholicCulture.org from the first, and is responsible for much of the programming, design and marketing strategy. Educated at Christendom College and by nature an entrepreneur, Peter is a member of our Board of Directors, but makes his living from his own technology marketing consulting firm, STA Tech Marketing.
Jeffrey Mirus holds a Ph.D. in intellectual history from Princeton University. A co-founder of Christendom College, he also pioneered Catholic Internet services. He is the founder of Trinity Communications and CatholicCulture.org. See full bio.
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Posted by: timothy.op -
Jul. 27, 2018 12:56 AM ET USA
While unchaste gay clerics clearly have and continue to inflict untold damage on the Church, which must absolutely be stopped, this does not implicate clerics who experience same-sex attraction but are faithful to the vow of celibacy. Though the former group may be all too numerous, I still believe the latter are yet more numerous. Tarring them with the same brush will not help anything at all.
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Posted by: fenton1015153 -
Jul. 26, 2018 8:07 AM ET USA
Some very good advise and all the more surprising that a SJ priest is the source. A few points: I have never seen General Absolution used nor have I ever heard of it used. I do believe the format for confession needs to be improved. I know people who admit they don't know what to confess so do not go to confession. Ordained priests found to be homosexual should be removed from the priesthood. Oh, and did I mention remove homosexual priest from the priesthood?
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Posted by: feedback -
Jul. 25, 2018 3:05 AM ET USA
Sadly, 18 years later the problems of homosexual activism and activities among the Catholic clergy still remain unresolved. The orders to clean up the house would have to come from the Vatican.
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Posted by: leticia.cadiz4543 -
Jul. 25, 2018 2:18 AM ET USA
Just want to say Mr. Phil Lawler is outstanding in his comments on this particular issue. He does not mince words and says it the way it should be. I always look forward to his commentaries.
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Posted by: Montserrat -
Jul. 24, 2018 4:42 PM ET USA
The option of (verifiable) reparative therapy or cessation of ministry for homosexual priests is an excellent one, though I doubt many bishops would comply. As a former seminarian, it was discouraging to see so many obvious homosexual candidates for the priesthood, in good standing with their bishops and accepted by the rector, knowing that there were others who were not so obvious. Church policy on excluding homosexuals from the seminary should be unequivocal,which in practice, it is not.
