Shows
The Home FrontThe importance of the 3% resistance; conscience; the bishops on immigration; and more!Show Notes: Archbishop Broglio, USCCB president, supports immigrants, rips ICE raidsWhat We Can’t Not Know by J. Budziszewski (affiliate link)The Hell There Is: An Exploration of an Often-Rejected Doctrine of the Church by Msgr. Charles Pope (affiliate link)The Weaponization of Loneliness by Stella Morabito Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C. S. Lewis by Michael Ward (affiliate link)Do you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free, or you can choose to s...2025-06-2152 min
The Home FrontThe LA riots; the FACE Repeal and Protect Children’s Innocence Acts; Planet NarniaPro-Life Coalition Urges GOP to Advance Bill Repealing FACE Act: ‘Congress Must Do Its Part’ - BreitbartProtect Children’s Innocence Act - XPope Leo: What unites Christians is far greater than what divides - Vatican NewsPlanet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C. S. Lewis by Michael Ward (affiliate link)Michael Ward: Frequently Asked QuestionsDo you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out...2025-06-1351 min
The Home FrontWhat Pride Month vs. the Sacred Heart really means; signs of hope in the Church' and more!Show Notes:Beauty will save the neighborhood by Leila M. LawlerWorldwide Catholic population up slightly to 1.4 billion (CWN) French dioceses welcoming surge of conversions (CWN)English dioceses report surge in young adult male converts (CWN)Australian archbishop: jump in adult converts is sign of revival (CWN)Dublin archbishop reports record number of adult baptisms (CWN)Many dioceses in Western world report surge of adult converts (CWN) Germany’s priestly ordinations hit record low (CWN)Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity (af...2025-06-071h 24
The Home FrontHarvard vs. America; Bishop Martin's plan to shut down the faithful's voices; and more!Show Notes:The Home Front can come right to your email so you don’t miss an episode!Harvard Hates America: The Odyssey of a Born-Again American by John LeBoutillier (affiliate link — this book is out of print, but you can probably find it used somewhere!)God and Man at Yale: The Superstitions of 'Academic Freedom' by William F. Buckley (affiliate link)Updated: New chapel being established for the Traditional Latin Mass Catholic News HeraldA North Carolina bishop threatens a full-scale ‘liturgy war’ by Philip L...2025-05-3054 min
The Home FrontInterview with Robert Royal on his new book, "Martyrs of the New Millennium"; Mother on life support to save her baby; Joe Biden's cancer; and more!Show Notes:Robert Royal’s new book, The Martyrs of the New Millennium: The Global Persecution of Christians in the Twenty-First Century The Catholic Martyrs of the Twentieth Century: A Comprehensive World History by Robert Royal (affiliate link)A Hidden Life See how the legacy media serves up the story: Hospital tells family brain-dead Georgia woman must carry fetus due to abortion ban - NPR; Case of brain-dead pregnant woman kept on life support in Georgia raises tricky questions — AP; Adriana Smith’s case is the latest instance in which...2025-05-231h 01
The Home FrontPope Leo; the academic origin of crazy ideas; and more!Show Notes:The first words of the new Pope: Pope Leo XIV @pontifex “Peace be with you all! This is the first greeting spoken by the Risen Christ, the Good Shepherd. I would like this greeting of peace to resound in your hearts, in your families, and among all people, wherever they may be, in every nation and throughout the world.”The simple truth of how Leo XIV was elected by Phil LawlerThe Network That Led to Pope Leo XIV’s Election by Giovanni SadewoThe College of Cardin...2025-05-1653 min
The Home Front"Mental Load" and that old feminist trope; Washington State law aims at Catholics; the abortion pill again; Vatican finances; and much more!Show Notes:The TikTok that encapsulates the argument and experience of Mental Load“Mental Load is a psy-op” by Leila Marie LawlerNew state law in Washington will attack confessional seal Catholic CultureThe Justice Department announces First Amendment investigation into Washington State’s new anti-Catholic law, Senate Bill 5375Catholics are uneasy… Leila Marie Lawler on XThe Vatican Financial Mess Pope Francis Couldn’t Fix WSJProPublica awarded Pulitzer for falsely framing abortion pill death as result of pro-life law Catholic VoteWhy the Le...2025-05-1054 min
The Home FrontPhil and Leila delve into details of the conclave and the Cardinals; a new study on the abortion pill's dangersShow Notes:Today we have a lively, wide-ranging conversation about the goings on in Rome, including the background on Cardinal Parolin and the amazing Cardinal Joseph Zen — and much more! Phil’s long experience with such matters shines through this discussion! New study reveals an adverse event rate 22 times higher than the FDA-approved drug label reports. EPPCKaty Faust on X Katy Faust: As of 2025, 11 states and D.C. let minors get abortions without parental consent or notification: AK, CA, CT, IL, ME, MN, NV, NJ, NM, NY, OR, and D.C. N...2025-05-0241 min
The Home FrontThe death of the pope: What to expect this week; the Eye of Sauron turns on homeschooling; and more!Show Notes:The death of Pope Francis:Facts—and fictions—about the papal interregnum; What to do when the conclave comes; The curious background of the Pope’s ‘fixer’ — all by Phil LawlerThe Church After Francis by Arcbishop Charles ChaputCollege of Cardinals Report (with profiles and background information on papabili)The new Pope's #1 priority (Before he can get to all the other disasters) by Leila M. LawlerThe Illinois homeschooling bill, the bishops, and implications for the political battle ahead:What the Illinois Home Schooli...2025-04-2554 min
The Home FrontThe propaganda of eugenics; the Eucharist as a historical event; books we're reading, and more!Show Notes:Whatever your worst fever dreams/nightmares about in vitro fertilization are, know that it’s already happening. We came for the infertility; we stayed for the brave new world?IVF must be made illegal. It should be absolutely illegal to conceive a child outside the mother’s womb. Eugenics:“This baby was carefully selected as an embryo.” — New York Times“This vial is made to hold human embryos.” — New York TimesMarkets and Uses:The Future of IVF: The New Normal in Human Reproduction NIH...2025-04-1850 min
The Home FrontThe two swords of a peaceful and just society; Reps. Petterson and Luna embarrass women everywhere; Andrew Jackson, and more!Show Notes:* The Catholic Role in the American Founding by Phil Lawler; for a fuller picture of the argument, see also an earlier piece on a closely related topic: Has the American Experiment Failed?* Representatives Luna and Petterson on Proxy Voting in the House. They are as embarrassing to womanhood as they are ignorant of how things are done in Congress.“Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), both new mothers, spoke against a House rules package provision to block Rep. Luna's discharge petition to bring to the floor a...2025-04-1155 min
The Home FrontEntertainment pushes destructive ideology; Catholic Charities vs. Wisconsin; The best way to handle a Black Mass according to experts (us); and more!Show Notes:Part OneDurango mother accuses [trans] couple of illegally housing her transgender [sic] childA Man Called Otto Jon Root on Twitter: The Chosen’s wet dream And in general, just say no to The Chosen. Christology matters. Reject the false "Jesus” of the Chosen by Leila MillerHow sitcoms helped shape “queer history” — from the perspective of a fan. Note that the “fairness” — i.e. promotion of positive characterizations — is rationalized by “negative” ones. Part TwoTrump Admin To Defend Catholic Charities In...2025-04-0459 min
The Home FrontThe Supreme Court needs to settle the judicial activism crisis; We were duped by "quality time"; Delightful: Prayers from the Ark & The Creature's’ ChoirShow Notes:* President Trump: Boasberg should be impeached!* Wall Street Journal: The Judicial Impeachment Distraction by William McGurnIt isn’t a new problem. In Trump v. Hawaii—the 2018 travel ban case—Justice Clarence Thomas said the court had a constitutional obligation to take on the federal judiciaries’ increasing resort to nationwide injunctions.“These injunctions did not emerge until a century and a half after the founding,” Justice Thomas wrote. “And they appear to be inconsistent with longstanding limits on equitable relief and the power of Article III courts. If their popul...2025-03-2847 min
The Home FrontIs measles panic using the same playbook as the coronavirus? How much synodality can we take? And various doings at our houseShow Notes:Vaccine resources — a compilation by Leila — please read before arguing with us!The Forgotten Triumph: How Public Health, Not Vaccines, Ended the Measles Mortality Crisis — many charts and graphs with explanations about how manipulations can fool you A must-listen/watch: Parents Of Child In Texas Measles Outbreak DeathThe doctor whose treatment should have been used — and is helping other children in West Texas: “Exclusive: ‘Just Normal Doctoring’ — a Texas Doctor’s Eyewitness Report on Measles Outbreak”The Brownstone Institute’s series on how the Covid panic was perpetrated...2025-03-2149 min
The Home FrontJust War Theory; NIH Nominee Dr. Jay Bhattacharya promises a huge pro-life win; A book from our shelves: The Core CurriculumShow Notes:Just War Theory and Our Military Strategy by Phil LawlerProf. Daniel Mahoney’s forthcoming book: The Persistence of the Ideological Lie: The Totalitarian Impulse Then and Now; Encounter BooksTrump nominee pledges to prohibit use of aborted fetal tissue in National Institutes of Health-funded researchA bitter taste of what aborted fetal tissue research involves: The Most Evil Man in Evangelicalism, and Those Who Platformed HimA Student’s Guide to the Core Curriculum by Mark C. Henrie Than...2025-03-1443 min
The Home FrontEuthanasia and IVF share death-dealing control issues; why embryo "adoption" is not a good idea; the shocking truth about bishops, money, and Church demographics -- and more!Show Notes:To secure the talents of our tech support guru, the who takes our ramblings and makes a podcast out of them, Patrick McCaffrey, go to his LinkedIn or find him on Instagram.Four Problems with Assisted SuicideThe states where “medical aid in dying” is legalJennifer A. Frey on X: No guardrails for euthanasia possibleRight to Life UK on X: Doctors would have to offer death with every interaction, under proposed billA Comprehensive Report on the Risks of ART (IVF)The...2025-03-0755 min
The Home FrontWho is running Catholic dioceses? What the IVF Executive Order on IVF actually says; What we're reading!Show Notes:Who’s Really Calling the Shots at U.S. Diocesan Chanceries?Vatican condemns publication of ‘credibly accused’ clergy lists — againThe Executive Order on IVFMore Human Embryos Destroyed Through IVF Than Abortion Every YearAn Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent by John Henry Newman (affiliate link)Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story) by Daniel Nayeri (affiliate link)We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us!...2025-02-2850 min
The Home FrontMail-order abortion under pressure from RFK Jr.; J. D. Vance in Europe; Trump's IVF betrayalShow Notes:J. D. Vance and Europe’s “internal problem”:CBS is wrong about free speech, Germany, and the NazisGerman candidates, including AfD’s Alice Weidel, debate their policies ahead of upcoming electionChemical AKA mail-order abortion: Thanks to Chemical Abortion Pills, You Should Be Worried About What’s in the WaterIVF and Surrogacy:New York Times: Botched Care and Tired Staff: Planned Parenthood in CrisisWe are so grateful when you s...2025-02-2149 min
The Home FrontPope Francis's letter to the US bishops; What's the thinking behind Leila's School for Housewives; Laura Ingalls Wilder, bloggerShow Notes:The Pope’s disastrous letter on immigration by Phil Lawler (must read!)Pope Francis’s Apocalyptic Dream by R. R. Reno (Opens with the provocative line: “Pope Francis published his suicide note.”)Pope Francis’s immigration letter was seriously imprudent by Samuel Gregg (“In itself, the content of the Pope’s letter was unremarkable, if you read it in light of the Church’s established teaching on immigration — and if you interpret some of the letter’s more equivocal passages in ways consistent with Catholic moral teaching.”)Archbishop Broglio’s r...2025-02-1451 min
The Home FrontA round-up of current events: Gaza, USAID, Tariffs, RFK Jr.; Feminism's awful roots; Ordo AmorisShow notes:{In case it isn't clear in our remarks, we are not backing ethnic cleansing. We think, hope, and pray that Trump’s unusual negotiations will bring peace to the Middle East.}President Trump's Excellent Executive Order: Making America Real Again by LeilaIf RFK Jr. is confirmed, his promised policy on the abortion pill is a huge pro-life win by LeilaNavigating the Coming Trade Wars (Robert Reilly of the Westminster Institute talks with former US trade representative Robert Clyde Prestowitz about tariffs)Carrie Gress: The American Sp...2025-02-0754 min
The Home FrontIf the US bishops fight Trump on immigration, they’re bound to lose for this one important reason, and... A reader asks, what was going on before Vatican II?A hearty thank-you to all our new subscribers! We are so happy to have you here!Show Notes:By Phil:Vance vs. the bishops on immigration, Part IVance vs. the bishops on immigration, Part IIVance vs. the bishops on immigration, Part IIIIs It Time to Abolish the USSCB? by Leila Marie LawlerWhat Went Wrong with Vatican II by Ralph McInerny (affiliate link)The Faithful Departed: The Collapse of Boston’s Catholic Culture —by Phil, who examines the larger issue of s...2025-01-3151 min
The Home FrontWhat Should the National Prayer Service Be Like? (Hint: it should involve prayer); Biden, the Equal Rights Amendment, and Phyllis Schlafly, American Hero; and more!Show Notes:Bishop Mariann Budde tells NPR 'I won't apologize' for sermon addressing TrumpWho is Mariann Edgar Budde, the bishop [sic] who angered Trump with inaugural sermon?Biden says the Equal Rights Amendment should be considered ratifiedElites Hate Phyllis Schlafly Because She Defeated Them From Home With Six Kids In TowPhyllis Schlafly, antifeminist, has a bio that ought to make feminists blush with shame and retreat in defeatPhil Lawler on Phyllis SchlaflyThanks for listening to The Home Front! Please...2025-01-2551 min
The Home FrontThe mysteries of Epiphany-tide; Mark Zuckerberg, an enemy of the common good; The sweetness of All Creatures Great and SmallShow Notes:Black Lives Matter Activists Executed A Shocking $83 Billion Shakedown Of American Corporations— or was it $340 billion?CandlemasAll Creatures Great and SmallThanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!We are so grateful when you share our episodes!Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe2025-01-1746 min
The Home FrontJanuary 6th, lots of things to note; Cardinal McElroy; Mark Zuckerberg, and more!Show notes:How Cardinal McElroy came to WashingtonIn facing ‘populist’ tide, Pope risks exposing Church skeletonsSatanic ritual abuse and its cover-up. Why Bishop McElroy should never become a Cardinal by Leila Miller Questions raised about McElroy's response to 2016 McCarrick allegationsCensored by the censorship industrial complex: Contagious Faith: Why the Church Must Spread Hope, Not Fear in a Pandemic by Phil Lawler (affiliate link)Cardinal McElroy’s Conscience Trap by Leila Marie LawlerCardinal McElroy’s “narcissistic and frankly, pagan display” by Leila Marie Lawler...2025-01-1052 min
The Home FrontKeeping Christmas until Candlemas and more Q & A'sShow notes:Enjoy this episode! (Sorry about my sound quality! I have to address my settings going forward.) If we didn’t get to your question, hang in there. We’ll add this feature to the end of our more “current events” “non-holiday” podcasts as we go forward.And feel free to comment or ask us anything else! Keeping the 12 Days of ChristmasReflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke (affiliate link)For more on family life, check out Auntie Leila’s books, The Summa Domestica and...2025-01-0354 min
The Home FrontYour Questions! Our Answers! And the New York Times cites debunked "expert" on Virgin Birth, Merry ChristmasShow Notes:We answer listener’s questions about large families, alternatives to college, girls who might not want careers, how to find a spouse, and old house living! But first, Phil addresses this “respectful” story:A Conversation About the Virgin Birth That Maybe Wasn’t — The New York TimesNicholas Kristof: “I want to be respectful of readers who have a deep faith… So, acknowledging that this is uncertainty stacked on uncertainty, if Panthera was involved, was it [the birth of Jesus] probably a case of rape?”Elaine Pagels: “I used to dismiss such stori...2024-12-2751 min
The Home FrontSyria, Regime Change, and Christians in Trouble; the real lesson of Daniel Penny, and so much more!In the Christmas season we will answer your questions! We’re stockpiling the list… you have a bit more time to add to it!Please share our podcast with your friends! Show notes: Fr Benedict Kiely: Interview with Fr. Kiely on what’s happening in Syria; his organization: Nasarean.orgJeanne Kirkpatrick: Dictatorships and Double Standards — I (Leila) said it was a book but it’s a long essay, well worth reading. Slow Medicine by Victoria Sweet (affiliate links)Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please con...2024-12-2046 min
The Home FrontCathedral of Notre Dame de Paris: The objectivity of the beautiful and the ugly; and suppression of the feminine by "synodal" ecclesiologyNOW IS THE TIME! To send us your Q’s for our A’s — we’ll do a holiday episode of Ask Us Anything!We’ve gotten some good questions here and by email! We will answer them during the Christmas season! Show notes:The Way of Beauty: Liturgy, Education, and Inspiration for Family, School, and College by David Clayton (affiliate link)Pattern, Geometry, and Abstract Christian Art by Deacon Lawrence. An explanation of the “eighth day” and why baptismal fonts are most often octaganal.Baptistry of St. John in Florence2024-12-1352 min
The Home FrontPhil: What Catholics can do for the American Republic; Leila: Three Leftist mistakes to avoid in daily lifeShow Notes:The American Republic: Its Constitution, Tendencies, and Destin by Orestes Brownson. Originally published 1865, now in public domain. (Gateway edition, 2003)We Hold These Truths: Catholic Reflections on the American Proposition by John Courtney Murray, SJ. Sheed and Ward, 1960 (affiliate link)America on Trial: A Defense of the Founding by Robert Reilly (affiliate link)Pius XI: On Christian EducationWhy I Don’t Call Myself Gay by Dan Mattson (affiliate link)Thomas Massie on Twitter:This sheriff ordered the arrest of a pastor for holding se...2024-12-0651 min
The Home FrontThis pivotal election: immigration, gender ideology, and the freedom to get back to ordinary life; BecketRep. Nancy Mace says Capitol restroom bill targeted 1st transgender member of CongressWoman beaten by man in women’s prisonRuss Vought ran OMB under Trump the first time, and hopefully will again. Here’s what he learned about how the deep state actually works. (Disclaimer: we don’t necessarily endorse Tucker Carlson’s views. Phil doesn’t listen to his — or anyone else’s — podcasts. Leila agrees with some things Carlson says and disagrees with others, but enjoys hearing the opinions and experiences of those he interviews. This is an interesting episode about how government a...2024-11-2254 min
The Home FrontNo grandchildren, says the New York Times? Phil and I wonder why; the election aftermath; the literacy project (books from our shelves); the Red Sox!Show notes:The Unspoken Grief of Never Becoming a Grandparent: A growing number of Americans are choosing not to have children. Their parents are grappling with what that means for them. (Here is an app for reading archived paywalled articles.)Data on birth ratesThe Making of a President: 1960, by Theodore White. (affiliate link) White was actively involved in the Kennedy campaign in 1960, and he gives a lively insider’s perspective (admittedly leaving out some of the details that might mar the Camelot legend) on a successful campaign. His later books on other pr...2024-11-1552 min
The Home FrontThe Election and Peanut the Squirrel's Real ImportanceShow notes:P’nut the Squirrel’s grieving owner says he was treated like a ‘terrorist’ in 5-hour raid by NY stateFarmageddon — “The story of a mom whose son was healed from all allergies and asthma after consuming raw milk, and real food from farms. It depicts people all over the country who formed food co-ops and private clubs to get these foods, and how they were raided by state and local governments.“Farmageddon tells the story of family farms that were providing healthy foods to their communities and were forced to stop...2024-11-0843 min
The Home FrontMarriage makes a difference to the kind of polity we have; Synodality; Books!Show notes:Father Radcliffe blames the Russians—not the BibleCardinal-designate Radcliffe objects...The Divine Comedy by Dante, translated by Anthony EsolenScience at the Doorstep of God by Robert Spitzer, SJDon’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe2024-11-0147 min
The Home FrontPhil on Blessed Karl; Leila on what they don't want you to know about the abortion pill; and more!Show Notes:Blessed Charles of Austria: A Holy Emperor and His Legacy by Charles Coulombe* The music of Paul JernbergLeila’s short reflection about Blessed Karl’s manliness and the Empress Zita’s devotion, and the meaning of their marriage for us (voiceover available)Why the Left lies about Amber Thurman (they don’t want you to know how dangerous the abortion pill is, because it’s their business model now) (voiceover available)The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles DickensJoseph Lawler (our son) in The New At...2024-10-2551 min
The Home FrontBill Clinton "campaigns" for Kamala; the Constitution; books!Bill Clinton Seemingly Blames Kamala Harris for Laken Riley’s Murder by ImmigrantThis is What Elite Failure Looks Like by Oren Cass The Constitution of the United States is always worth a fresh reading. Pay particular attention to Article I, Section 8, which enumerates the (only) powers of Congress. If something is not listed there, the strong presumption should be that Congress does not have the power to do it. Also take a look at the much-neglected 9th and 10th amendments. Science at the Doorstep to God: Science and Reason in Support of Go...2024-10-1842 min
The Home FrontWant to know why the Left lies about Amber Thurman?The Left lies about Amber Thurman’s death on a daily basis because abortion supporters want to create a screen to obscure serious inquiry into the dangers of chemical abortion, not only to the unborn but to the mother.There is something most don’t realize: any claim about abortion and its safety simply cannot be verified. States are not required to submit data about abortion use and consequences to the CDC, and what data are submitted are collected at and provided by the abortion facility — so you can imagine how reliable the data are. W...2024-10-1707 min
The Home FrontPublic works vs. private charity; the cynicism and societal destruction of legalizing marijuana "for private use"; and more!Vice Politics by Charles Fain Lehman in City JournalAmerican Carnage by Christopher CaldwellLepanto, a poem by G. K. Chesterton — you have a year to memorize it!Master and Commander: The Far Side of the WorldTo receive new Home Front episodes and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe2024-10-1138 min
The Home FrontThe VP Debate, a lens on current events and issues: Helene, Israel, health care, abortion; the Orthodox leaders' statement on marriage; and more!Show notes:An extraordinary statement from the world’s Orthodox leadersA Light for Our Times: BLESSED KARL OF AUSTRIA Conference in Washington, D.C. | Oct. 18-20, 2024 (Phil will be speaking there and I will be attending!)I keep promising to post our music credit! It’s Jazz Suite, Waltz No. 2 (Shostakovich) Mandolin & Manouche Guitar — it’s provided for use on a podcast etc. Not every musical piece is licensed to be used that way. You can find other versions, more orchestral — here’s a lovely one! Or search for the piece with the word man...2024-10-0451 min
The Home FrontNo, your moderate amount of evil is not okayCorey DeAngelis, the man with the most effective voice for school choice and parental control of education, turns out to have been a gay porn actor. (You probably don’t want to know.)What interests me about this story is not whether a cause, in this case, school choice and funding policies, can be right even if its proponents are hypocrites or have a terrible past, and it’s not about whether someone with a sketchy past can repent and work on the side of right (of course they can and should). It’s abou...2024-10-0412 min
The Home FrontSan Diego Cardinal McElroy, against Church Teaching, Harshly Repudiates Catholic Homeschooling Families; Amber Thurman Dies of Legal Abortion, Media and Kamala Harris Lie; Bees; Tomatoes!Show notes:San Diego diocese bans homeschool groups on parish properties, proclaims zero toleration of the choice to homeschool, against Church teachingCardinal McElroy’s statement on Synodality, professing limitless toleration for marginal groupsDid Amber Thurman die as a result of a restrictive abortion law (strong protection for the unborn) or from legal abortion?Mifepristone (“abortion pill/chemical abortion”) is dangerousLeninthink by Gary Saul Morson — lies are a feature of the murderous ideologyThanks for listening! This podcast is public so feel free to share it...2024-09-2746 min
The Home FrontThe Imminent Russia-US War; Free Speech and AI Deepfakes; and more!Show notes:The Imminent Russia-US War by Christopher CaldwellA Just-War Perspective on the War in Ukraine by Phil LawlerGovernor Newsom signs bills to combat deepfake election contentHustler vs. FalwellThe Second Coming, Love in the Ruins, and Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book by Walker Percy (affiliate links)Hillbilly Elegy Thanks for listening! This podcast is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack...2024-09-2046 min
The Home FrontBuild Back Better: But Did We? Freedom of Speech; the Debate; and more!Show notes:Build Back BetterLate-Term Abortion and Infanticide Fact Check by LeilaFrom our bookshelf, in the Literacy Project: Exit, Voice, and Loyalty: Responses to Decline in Firms, Organizations, and States, by Albert O. Hirschman, Professor of Social Science, Emeritus, at the Institute for Advanced Study in PrincetonThe School for Housewives, Leila’s new publication! It’s based very loosely on the Reykjavik School of Housewives — have you ever watched this film? Your subscription brings our posts to your inbox! Your paid subscription enables us to...2024-09-1346 min
The Home FrontThe "two books" of God's revelation; observing the Pope's priorities in Indonesia; chatting about economics and a movie we watched!A book that helped me (Leila) understand how revelatory nature is: Vestige of Eden, Image of Eternity: Common Experience, the Hierarchy of Being, and Modern Science by Daniel Toma, biologist at the University of Minnesota (affiliate link)Harris tax and spending proposals: What we know by Joseph Lawler and Zach Halaschak Movie: ArrivalThanks for listening! Share with your friends, relatives, and enemies! JK we know you love everyone!The Home Front is a reader-supported podcast. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming...2024-09-0647 min
The Home FrontJoy vs. Happiness; Censorship and Zuckerberg; St. Francis de Sales and the icon of the nursing motherShow notes:Please leave feedback wherever you listen — subscribe and “like” our podcast! This helps others find us!From the Archives: The Pursuit of Happiness Rightly Understood by Justin Dyer.It is telling, Conklin notes, that, throughout the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, and despite the numerous changes great and small that were made to the document, no one ever disputed the initial inclusion of “the pursuit of happiness” as an inalienable right alongside the rights of life and liberty. The ‘Tell’ in Zuckerberg’s Letter to Congress by Philip Hambur...2024-08-3047 min
The Home FrontMusings on women covering their heads at Mass, Part IAn interesting article at The Free Press reports on the rising trend of veiling at Mass, especially among young women.Here in Part I is a general observation that I haven’t heard from anyone (though I don’t doubt someone else has noticed); Part II will explain my personal reasons for covering. I haven’t written (or much talked) about why, in 2019, at the age of 59, I began wearing a covering on my head in church. Full disclosure: those reasons are also not the ones I have seen others give!And I’d be int...2024-08-2906 min
The Home FrontPublic health and mothers; Catholic bishops praying at conventions, a contrast; RationalismShow notes:Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health, by Casey Means and Calley Means (affiliate link)The U.S. Marriage Rate Rebounds to Its Pre-Pandemic Level (but is nowhere near its 1960 level)Leading prayers for the culture of death, by Phil Lawler Text of Cardinal Cupich’s invocation at the Democratic National ConventionText of Archbishop Listecki’s Prayer at the Republican National ConventionRationalism in Politics and other essays by Michael Oakeshott (affiliate link)The Home Front is a read...2024-08-2449 min
The Home FrontLeila and Phil respond to Edward Feser re: The Dilemma of Voting for Trump; AI: existential threat, cult, or tool? Books and conversation!Show notesTrump has put social conservatives in a dilemma by Edward FeserTim Sheehy on the issues. As you will see, he is anti-abortion as I said (and very conservative on all the issues), making him an important choice for the Senate. He is correct in identifying his opponent as wildly, extremely pro-abortion. Sadly and inconsistently, Sheehy is also pro-IVF. IVF results in the deaths of many human lives for every live birth that occurs (and would be evil even if somehow, improbably, it could occur without this outcome).“I stand in st...2024-08-1648 min
The Home FrontThe bishops want Illumination, and they want it now.The Eucharistic Revival isn’t, as claimed, a grass-roots initiative, and fails to take into account a penetrating blow to the hearts of the faithful in the US and around the world, a blow inflicted by the very hierarchy that now claims to seek to impart love for the Eucharistic Lord.Attendees of course worshiped and adored Our Eucharistic Lord during the events of the Revival. Their sincerity not in question. There was even some beautiful music! (There was also terrible music.) I don’t even doubt that the organizers of the Eucharistic Cong...2024-08-1409 min
The Home FrontHow journalists get their "accurate information"; Dem VP choice Tim Walz, extreme "folksy" leftist; GOP needs to lean into principled rhetoric and goalsShow notes:The “Fact Sheet” “journalists” are likely to come across if they do a Google search for how to determine whether someone is male or female.Tim Walz, “folksy Midwestern Dad” narrative supercut. His positions (doesn’t include his insistence that born-alive babies be left to die).J.D. Vance supports access to abortion pill mifepristone“I have said repeatedly on the record, that I think that that girl should be able to get an abortion if she and her family soon choose to do so,” Mr Vance said.UPDATE: Wall Str...2024-08-1043 min
The Home FrontOlympic opening ceremonies were blasphemy, and what to do about that, on the Home Front; Remembering Fr. Paul Mankowski with Karen HallShow notes:How NOT to respond to the blasphemy in Paris — Phil Lawler, Catholic CultureLights remain on at the Sacre-Coeur Basilica during city-wide blackoutChariots of Fire The Moral Life of the Child: The Ten Commandments — Leila Marie Lawler, Like Mother, Like DaughterKaren Hall, The Sound of Silence: The Life and Cancelling of a Heroic Jesuit Priest (affiliate link)Leila Marie Lawler: The Summa Domestica: Order and Wonder in Family Life Get full access to Happy Despite Them at l...2024-08-0244 min
The Home FrontWas it a coup; are they conspiracy theories; conversations at home; Willa Cather; two movies!Show notes:Is Kamala Harris the presumptive nominee? How the Bet on an 81-Year-Old Joe Biden Turned into an Epic MiscalculationWilla Cather, One of Ours (affiliate link)We talk about the movies Boys on the Boat and Sully!To receive new posts and podcasts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Thank you for listening to The Home Front! This post is public so feel free to share it. Get full access to...2024-07-2650 min
The Home FrontThe Republican Party ditches Lincoln for Douglas on abortion; Female active agents are not fitting; Phil's connection with Trump's immunity caseIS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY BECOMING PRO-CHOICE?Troublingly, Republicans brush pro-life support aside and removed pro-life planks from the platform, replacing them with support for IVF and birth control — and recent convert to Catholicism J.D. Vance pivots towards unprincipled rhetoric on abortion. J.D. Vance: “I have said, repeatedly, that that girl [10-year-old Ohio girl having to leave the state for an abortion, according to a one-source story] should be able to get an abortion if she and her family so choose.” Phil and I discuss the difference between acknowledging political realities that may re...2024-07-1946 min
The Home Front++Viganò's excommunication; the working document for the synod on synodality; media coverage of Biden's decline; and more!Archbishop Viganò excommunicated; other prelates get a passRhetoric vs. reality in the Synod’s working documentEntirely excluded from the synod!WSJ: How Biden’s Inner Circle Worked to Keep Signs of Aging Under WrapsMarine Corps Band supplies walk-on music for Jill Biden - how fabulousDiversity Was Supposed to Make Us Rich. Not So Much. “Since 2015, the approach has been tested in the fire of the marketplace and failed. Academics have tried to repeat McKinsey’s findings and failed, concluding that there is in fact no l...2024-07-1245 min
The Home FrontVatican defends Rupnik's "art"; Vatican "trial of the century" countersuit; USCCB cuts staff; Louisiana's 10 Commandments law; books, and more!Show notes: Vatican prefect doubles down in defense of use of Rupnik’s artVatican ‘trial of the century’ defendant opens countersuit in London courtUS bishops’ conference cuts justice-and-peace staffIs It Time to Abolish the USCCB? by Leila Marie LawlerNew law requires all Louisiana public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro (affiliate link)The Door in the Wall: (Newbery Medal Winner) by Marguerite De Angeli (affiliate link)The Liturgy, the Family...2024-06-2844 min
The Home FrontScientific American tries to resurrect the ill-fated Harvard Law attack on homeschooling; Prof. Andrea Grillo, papal influencer, exerts raw power; and much more!Show notes:Scientific American: Children Deserve Uniform Standards in HomeschoolingThe Harvard Gazette: A warning on homeschoolingHSLDA: Harvard Summit to Discuss Regulating HomeschoolingHSLDA Responds to the Summit (good info on who the players are)Interview with Andrea Grillo on the Traditional Liturgy: The Church isn’t a “high-society club” or “sect that experiences infidelity as salvation”Phil: A new offensive in the war on traditional liturgyWillie Mays, the Giant’s electrifying ’Say Hey Kid,’ dies at 93Willie Mays will be forever2024-06-2146 min
The Home FrontEuropean elections shake things up; 9th Circuit rules on Covid shot mandates; Elderly peacefully praying woman is sentenced to 2 years in prison -- and more!Show notes:Europe’s Elections: Right, But Not Far — Robert RoyalThe Modern State Will Become Very Religious — Sebastian Morello Justice Alito’s wife vows revenge for flag controversy in secret recordingThis will not be 1968.’ Chicago police prepare for DNC as whole world watches once again.9th Circuit Court Decision in Health Freedom Defense Fund v. Carvalho (thread on Twitter from Julie Hamell)Text of the decisionLocked Up: Meet the Elderly and Infirm Women Now in Prison for Pro-Life ActivismWe would love...2024-06-1436 min
The Home FrontThe implications of the Fauci hearings for politics and culture; what the Founders thought; cloth diapers and the culture wars; and more!Show notes:The Fauci narrative, undermining science and democracy: Phil Lawler on Catholic CultureA Little Mother Prevents Big Brother, by Stella MorabitoThe Genius of America, by Janos Zoltan Csak; Angelico Press, 2024The Everlasting Man, by G.K. Chesterton Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe2024-06-0757 min
The Home FrontA strange week for Pope Francis, a thought about approach Pride Month, and more!Podcast notes:Progressive Catholicism losing hope: A rare candid acknowledgment that this pontificate is a failureThe myth of progressive Catholicism: Not even the will of God can keep the culture wars out of the VaticanSomething is very wrong in an Argentine dioceseDid Pope say seminaries should not admit homosexuals?Pope Francis never intended to offend: 'Room for everyone in the Church'The title of my Substack (Leila’s) — and why we chose it as our family motto (and no, ‘them’ is not the kids!)...2024-05-3146 min
The Home FrontOf babies: Too many? Too few? How to feed them?Notes:U.S. Birth Rate Drops To New Low After Pandemic ‘Baby Bump’ - ForbesSuddenly There Aren’t Enough Babies. The Whole World Is Alarmed - Wall Street JournalAddress of the Holy Father to participants in the General States of Natality, 10.05.2024The Ultimate Resource by Julian Simon (affiliate link)Down the Garden Path by Beverley Nichols (affiliate link)Find more from Phil here: Catholic CultureFind more from Leila here: Like Mother, Like Daughter Get full access to Happy...2024-05-1741 min
The Home Front(repost) Podcast: Is disruption the only kind of political discourse we have left?Show notes:Russell Kirk (His book Decadence and Renewal in Higher Education is out of print — snatch it up if you ever see it!)William F. Buckley, God and Man at Yale (affiliate link)David Clayton, The Way of Beauty: Liturgy, Education, and Inspiration for Family, School, and College (affiliate link)AP: ‘A step back in time': America’s Catholic Church sees an immense shift toward the old waysDavid Mamet: State and Main (film)Connie Marshner, Monastery and High Cross: The Forgotten Eastern Roots of Irish Christ...2024-05-1547 min
The Home FrontLeila and Phil Lawler discuss the growth of the Catholic Church in Africa, the debacle of Title IX in the US, Joseph Lawler's analysis of urban planning in Austin, and more.Here are the show notes for our first episode!Please pray for Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo of Kinshasa, as Phil discusses in the podcast! He’s standing firm against immorality and the corruption of the government in the Democratic Republic of Congo.Title IX: Biden’s new rules on Title IX gut protection for women and girls, but is that regulation good in the first place? George Roche, The Price of IndependenceJoseph Lawler: If You Build It, Will They Come? Austin’s I-35 expansion is a test case for cars v. urbanism: The New Atl...2024-05-0837 min
The Catholic CurrentFollowing the Unfaithful? (Eric Sammons) 4/8/24 We welcome back Eric Sammons of Crisis Magazine to discuss gimmick, pandering, and the utter farce by those in authority who call for us to be a "listening Church". Why write and then pay attention to surveys meant to pander to those who do not believe? Show Notes Following the Unfaithful - Crisis Magazine The False Hope of a “More Apostolic Church” - CatholicCitizens.org The Faithful Departed: The Collapse of Boston's Catholic Culture | Phil Lawler Courage International The Cult of the Imperial Self The False Hope of a “More Apost...2024-04-0852 min
The Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureSteps to Restore the Centrality of God in the Liturgy with Bishop Athanasius SchneiderBishop Athanasius Schneider, auxiliary bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan, and among the most world’s most prominent and articulate defenders of the traditional Latin liturgy.Born under Communism— to parents living in the gulag— Bishop Schneider speaks from experience about how to preserve the faith against hostile forces, and he argues persuasively that in our times, the most dangerous hostile forces are inside the Church.Bishop Schneider has written a new book, The Catholic Mass: Steps to Restore the Centrality of God in the Liturgy, which is coming soon from Sophia Institute Press. During a visit to the...2021-10-1429 min
The Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureGod Has No Grandchildren with Leila LawlerThis month, Phil Lawler interviews Leila Lawler about the second edition of her book God Has No Grandchildren.Learn more about Thomas More CollegeExplore the Center for the Restoration of Christian CultureThomas More College Press2021-07-2833 min