Capone’s Unsavory Precursors

Back on December 3rd, 2023, the Chicago Tribune’s Commentary section carried a full-page article related to gambling in the city. The article was in response to the on-going controversy of allowing a new casino to open up downtown. A public official griped,...

Jesus, the Italian Factor

Did you know that four Italian cities – Rome, Reggio Calabria, Syracuse, and Pozzuoli – are mentioned in the Bible, or that the first non-Jew that the Apostles converted to Christianity was an Italian? It is safe to say that Christianity itself might well...

What’s Behind Everything?

The Italians have a word for it dietrologia*, literally the study of [what’s] behind.  Nothing is what it appears to be; there’s more to it than meets the eye. *(dee-eh-tro-lo-GEE-ah) I used to roll my eyes at such Italian cynicism, but the ensuing decades have taught...

CABRINI POWER

“Nevertheless, she persisted.”  This modern-day feminist phrase became a national sensation at the 2017 attorney general confirmation hearings for Senator Jeff Session, who found himself the subject of Senator Liz Warren’s wrath. Afterward,...

The Tale of Two Saints

Their celebrations are only two days apart, and St. Patrick and St. Joseph have something in common—one worked for Jesus, the other raised him. We know much about St. Patrick.  He was a Roman by descent, he converted Ireland to Christianity, and he is beloved by...

The Real Father of the Nuclear Age

What was Christopher Nolan thinking? In directing Oppenheimer, which has garnered 13 Academy Award nominations, Nolan relegates Enrico Fermi — the true architect of the nuclear age — to a bit part. J. Robert Oppenheimer served as the director of the Manhattan...