I'm Back!

Senior year of high school has been much more difficult than I imagined-not because of work or even the college search but rather just the continuous chore of balancing my time. As such, I apologize for taking a rather lengthy holiday from blogging, but I am making it my goal to, from now on, ensure that I post something new once a week, at the very least. Once again, I remind you that it's my intent to balance out the harsher edge of my "critical" commentaries with a positive or encouraging story every other post.

This morning, in particular, I was delighted by the news that numerous Catholic institutions have finally banded together to bring legal complaint against the absurd Department of Health and Human Services mandate that would force them to cover numerous treatments and services that violate Catholic social and moral teachings. As of now, the magic number of institutions or diocesan bodies of Catholic faithful that have filed lawsuits against the government is 43, and I hope and pray that number continues to rise. I've personally bashed Notre Dame University in particular for its occasional violation of a wholesome, Christian identity, yet I give them a pat on the back for joining in this great movement. I encourage anyone reading this to send support, written or otherwise, to Notre Dame's administration for boldly breaking from their somewhat inconsistent reputation.

On the other end of the spectrum is, of course, the infamous Georgetown University, which went forward with plans to have HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius speak at their commencement ceremony despite widespread outcry from Catholics nationwide, including their home diocese of Washington, D.C. Despite the rather gloomy course our friends at Georgetown seem to have set themselves on, I am nonetheless spirited to hear that William Peter Blatty, the author of none other than The Exorcist, has come out against his alumni, Georgetown, and is suing them under Catholic Canon Law on the question of their status as a "Catholic" college. May this wave of pressure continue to rattle the school whose proud past is done shame by their current missteps.

Yet whatever denomination or creed you profess, even if you profess none at all, the very right of religious freedom so sacred in this country has been attacked and the Obama administration has refused to back down from this assault. Whatever Georgetown and other Catholic schools decided to do, it is up to the Catholics, Christians, and others who make up them and this country to never waver in their efforts to change the course of this country and our academic institutions therein.

The spark is alight, my friends. Keep it roaring through Election Day and beyond.