Above: Monte Viso, one of the mountains climed by Frassati. A century ago, on July 4, 1925, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati passed away in Turin. Though only 24 years old, he left behind an enduring legacy of faith, selfless charity, and an abiding love for beauty that continues to inspire Catholic youth worldwide. Born in…

Up until the beginning of the 18th century, the word ‘democracy’ was regarded as some kind of insult which could result in a duel with pistols or swords. Things moved on, however, and with the introduction of universal franchise at the beginning of the 20th century, especially votes for women, we have now arrived at…

Eleven days before making it official, John Fitzgerald Kennedy gave his first speech as president-elect, speaking in Boston where he had spent the first 43 years of his life. It was early January of 1961; and, striking a nostalgic note, he reminded his audience beneath the great Bulfinch building of the State House that “It…

It has now been a month since Egyptian courts have ordered the confiscation of St. Catherine’s Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula, the world’s oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery. If enforced, the ruling will lead to the eviction of the Greek Orthodox monks who have lived there since the sixth century. This is not merely an…