Culture & The Arts

"I would like to share how I create music, but more importantly, where my music comes from."

“The state lottery is just about the only financial vehicle that offers certain folks a realistic opportunity to materially impact their economic circumstances.”

“We must teach our children a totally counter-cultural model of nature. We must teach the doctrines of our Faith, not as exceptions to natural law, but as the highest expressions of natural law.”

"We were both smiling from ear to ear, unable to communicate with words, music our only form of communication."

We are thrilled to share with you the winning essay from our first Young Writers Challenge, this one conducted exclusively at Cabrini High School in New Orleans. Our winner, Grace Krzenski, answered the prompt, "Why do you think Arthur Miller decided to call his play 'The Crucible' and which definition of crucible do you think Miller had in mind when he wrote his play?" Grace's essay has also awarded her $100. Congratulations, Grace!

"...words are also just hollowed statements to avoid the truth. It’s far too tempting a cover-up. We love ideals, but we don’t like what they require."

"There comes a time when our souls need more respite than even the traditions of Christmas can offer us."

"There is only one full proof indication that Christmas is coming: the endless performances of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah. Yup, it’s that time of year!

"The argument for the “Happy Holidays” greeting is that because Christians have been imperialistic, and have erased everyone else (including Jews) from American culture, they now need to include us."

They say that a watched pot never boils. That’s a lie. It does boil, but do you know what doesn’t?

Next time someone asks you for your ‘pronouns,’ try telling them, ‘you/you’…see what happens.

The role of the artist is to challenge “common sense,” to point out the unrecognized assumptions that underpin naïve realism and to suggest certain directions we might travel in pursuit of deeper truth.

Pulling that off was more artistic in his opinion than any of the “new age” stuff out there pushing the envelope.

Why ‘milk and honey?’ Why not ‘sour grapes and corn mash?’ Turns out, it’s all about the honey!

“Language Endures. We Don’t” – now that is a bumper sticker!

So, the thousands of people out there in America outside the herd are finding each other.

If football is nothing else, it is a metaphor for life. The values of determination, responsibility, teamwork, flexibility, and focus apply to every aspect of life, not just football. This is a formula for success on a football field, but it is also a formula for success in life.

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Does this formal rigor seem like it would be inhibiting? The reverse is true. It’s liberating!

The story of Mary Poppins is the story of one small boy’s initiation into the teachings of Sufi spirituality and the secrets of Sufi mysticism. When the initiation of Michael Banks is complete, Michael has come, at least in some measure, to know the mind of God. Not bad for seven-years-old!