Today marks the three hundred and thirtieth birthday of the Frenchman François-Marie Arouet, better known by his nom de plume, Voltaire (1694-1778).
Born into a bourgeois family during the reign of Louis XIV, the “Sun King” (r. 1643-1715), Voltaire suffered tragedy at a young age when his mother died. Never close with his father or brother, Voltaire exhibited a rebellious attitude toward authority from his youth. His brilliant mind was fostered in the care of the Society of Jesus, who introduced him to the joys of literature and theater. Despite his later criticisms against the Church, Voltaire, throughout his life, fondly recalled his dedicated Jesuit teachers.
Although he spent time as a civil servant in the French embassy to the Hague, Voltaire’s main love was writing—an endeavor where he excelled in various genres, including poetry, which led to his appointment as the royal court poet for King Louis XV. Widely recognized as one of the greatest French writers, and even hyperbolically referred to by ...
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Good morning, Digital Neighbors, and happy Monday! In the wilds of Cath-o-landia we celebrate the solemn feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul. I pray for our leaders in the Church and in the world every day. It is far too easy to complain about and criticize leadership without ever trying to be one. While no one and no concept is above question or criticism, our culture has made a pastime — and a conceited pleasure — of tearing down leaders. Our envy-riddled culture too easily delights in the failure of the formerly successful and the ruin of the once prosperous. The fall of others provides a strange solace for those who never bothered to try.
No one should be a blind follower (too many were, as the Covid revelations of 2020–2021 showed), nor should one be so obdurate that they do nothing but constantly complain about those making the effort to lead. I recently came across another great quote from Frank Herbert, the author of Dune — a book on my reading list (I don’t know when or where,...
