Someone recently told me that “knocking on wood” was not really a superstition because it refers to knocking on the wood of the cross. Is this true? Curious, I decided to do some checking. Here’s what I found out.
Author Archives: Susan Brinkmann
If the Church Christianized Other Pagan Practices, Why Not Yoga?
VV writes: “I’m a catholic school teacher and found out that some of my colleagues experienced yoga, Nia and QiGong. I informed them that this is new age and you can’t call up the demonic in the name of Jesus and make it okay. The truth needs to be told. Your thoughts?”
Does the Advent Wreath Have Pre-Christian Roots?
Although it’s true that the use of a wreath decorated with lit candles dates back to pre-Christian Germanic people, it has been used by Christians since the Middle Ages as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas.
New Bill Seeks to Codify Definition of Male and Female
U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. has introduced the Defining Male and Female Act of 2024 which aims at codifying the legal definitions of male and female to ensure they are based on biology rather than ideology.
Is the Wicked Movie All That Bad?
Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
The cinematography, music, and dancing in the wildly popular new movie, Wicked, are truly spectacular – but don’t let the stunning visuals fool you. This film is riddled with mixed messages about good and evil that should concern parents.
Dear Santa Movie is Overtly Satantic
An online campaign from One Million Moms is calling upon parents to forgo the film, Dear Santa – a movie that was outright banned in the Philippines – and to withdraw their support for streaming giant, Paramount+ until they stop airing Satanic-themed content.
Occult-Fiction in Catholic Schools
The presence of occult-based fiction in Catholic schools has become a very real and pervasive problem across the United States. It all started with Harry Potter, but since then, there has been enormous growth in this genre with more and more titles being made available to children and teens.
The Divine Flim-Flam of Master Sha
Master Sha (Photo courtesy of Wikicommons Images, Firuzan.mistry CC BY-SA 4.0)
CC writes: “I have a friend that is very much into “Divine Healing Hands”. Master Sha is the head of this ‘movement’. I tried to read the book she gave me but was not really inspired so I only read the first few pages. I was wondering what you know of this ‘movement’ and the Catholic church’s viewpoint on it.”
US Bishops Call for Safe but Humane Immigration Policy
Even while recognizing the dangers of an open border, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a statement of pastoral concern calling upon the government to develop a humane immigration system that welcomes those seeking asylum.
Is Bubble Goth Good for Girls?
Kerli Koiv (Photo courtesy of Wikicommons Images, Maria Vahuri, CC BY 3.0)
A concerned mother called into our radio program this week to express her concerns about Bubble Goth – a pop music style and culture popular among teens that is dark, hyper-sexualized and downright creepy.
