The brothers in the hip-hop duo Clipse are known for rapping about the luxurious highs and the destructive lows of selling cocaine. Not exactly standard homily material.
Music
Posted inNews
After 800 years of silence, the oldest pipe organ in the Christian world plays again
Researchers believe that the Crusaders brought the organ to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, in the 11th century during their period of rule over Jerusalem. After a century of use, the Crusaders buried it to protect it from invading Muslim armies.
Posted inMusic
Fifty years later, Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born To Run’ still speaks to young people
When Bruce Springsteen wrote ‘Born to Run,’ he was only in his 20s, and at a major crossroads in his life.
Posted inIdeas
The funeral spirituality of New Orleans
The first jazz funeral I saw was in November of 1973. I had never seen such a beautiful event.
Posted inMusic
Listening to the Gospels—in the voice of Johnny Cash
When I encounter the Good News as read by Johnny Cash, I encounter it as a living proclamation—not as a dead letter.
Posted inBooks
John Lennon and Paul McCartney: Friends, competitors, soulmates
John and Paul were friends, yes—competitors, too. John may have even been attracted to Paul. But their connection was more profound than any single word can describe. And as proof, we have their songs.
Posted inCatholic Book Club
Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead’s reluctant spiritual ministry
Jerry Garcia might not strike one as the most likely of priests…but to his fans and generations of listeners, he was indeed an oracle and a prophet.
Posted inArts & Culture, Music
Twenty years on, Sufjan Stevens’ ‘Illinois’ is still telling an American story
“Illinois” describes a state and a nation in motion, full of complicated human beings who do bad things and good things.
Posted inArts & Culture, Music
‘A singing church is a praying church’: The East Brothers’ gifts of faith and music
For Monsignor Ray East and his brother Nathan, their faith feeds their music and their music feeds their faith.
Posted inArts & Culture, Books
Masked man: Al Jolson and the politics of performance
Richard Bernstein tackles difficult topics in his short study of an extraordinary entertainer, Al Jolson (born Asa Yoelson in Lithuania in 1886), and a profoundly important movie—and not just because “The Jazz Singer” is recognized as the “first talkie.”