The Home Front

Show Notes:Statement of Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, on the Keep Hope Alive AwardPope Leo’s comments on Cardinal Cupich’s intention to award Sen. Dick DurbinThe Pope’s statement on the Durbin award: wrong, and irrelevant; if Pope Leo is quoted here accurately (and I have no reason to think otherwise), it’s a terribly disappointing statement for several reasons; Durbin’s decision to decline the Chicago award has the ‘look and feel’ of a negotiated solution; Pope Leo describes American immigration policy as “inhuman.” Well…Dick Durbin says he was ‘overwhelmed’ by pope’s support (Politico)Phil Lawler on the Durbin award: The Cupich assault on episcopal unity Cupich needs fraternal correction by Phil LawlerMaybe it’s a coincidence that the Archdiocese of Chicago was forced to cancel a meeting of the board of the Catholic Conference of Illinois (CCI), right after a board member indicated that he would raise an objection to the plan to honor Senator Richard DurbinThe Faithful Departed by Phil Lawler (affiliate link)How the Government Built the American Dream House by Joseph Lawler, New Atlantis, Number 81, Summer 2025“Across the United States, it is functionally illegal to build housing like what you find on Elfreth’s Alley, Philadelphia, one of the most photographed residential areas in the country, famous for its gorgeous row houses in the middle of the city. At the same time, the federal government subsidizes the construction of McMansions in greenfield locations miles from the nearest town center.” “This system is a deliberate creation of the government, going back many decades. It is not a product simply of demand meeting supply at agreed-upon prices. Ostensibly, it is meant to promote homeownership. But in reality, it does not. Instead, it encourages mass financial speculation on housing, urban sprawl, and widespread resistance to new construction.”Do you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free! Or you can choose to support us financially if you are able— either way, we appreciate you!Your paid subscription means a lot to us and helps us continue our work.Want to tell a friend? Please do!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this, if you enjoyed this episode: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:JD Vance’s Sharp-Elbowed Theology by Tony Badran, The Tablet — I don’t know what he’s saying, and neither do youCharlie Kirk DM’d me before he was murdered. Here’s what he said by Van Jones, CNN — what’s missing in this statement is any call to the Left to stand down.Paprocki ‘shocked’ by Durbin’s Chicago award (The Pillar)Archbishop Cordileone supports PaprockiStatement of Cardinal Blase J. CupichThe Scandalous Case of Cardinal Cupich and Senator Durbin, by Jayd Hendricks - Catholic World Report. Hendricks, who studied in a seminary where Cupich was the rector, and later worked on the staff of the US bishops’ conference, has some interesting background on the cardinal’s rise through the ecclesiastical ranks.John Henry Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons (affiliate link). Sermon 22, The Gospel a Trust Committed to Us Barnaby Rudge by Charles DickensThe Cypresses Believe in God (affiliate link), by José Maria Gironella (A novel about the onset of the Spanish Civil War.) Do you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free! Or you can choose to support us financially if you are able— either way, we appreciate you!Your paid subscription means a lot to us and helps us continue our work.Want to tell a friend? Please do!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this, if you enjoyed this episode: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Leila on Pam Bondi’s errorActually, Tim Walz [and Pam Bondi! —Ed.], the First Amendment Does Protect Misinformation and “Hate Speech,” by David Inserra and Jennifer HuddlestonLaw & Liberty: Freedom of expression in the university: excellent essay by John O. McGinnis Do you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free! Or you can choose to support us financially if you are able— either way, we appreciate you!Your paid subscription means a lot to us and helps us continue our work.Want to tell a friend? Please do!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this, if you enjoyed this episode:Ida Friederike Görres: A Forgotten Catholic Rediscovered by Jennifer S. Bryson Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Part One:* President Trump on Truth Social, about the Covid shots: “…I hope OPERATION WARP SPEED was as “BRILLIANT” as many say it was. If not, we all want to know about it, and why??? Thank you for your attention to this very important matter! President DJT” * Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. invokes compulsory vaccination as a principle to justify the verdict regarding sterilization laws in the landmark case, Buck v. Bell, 1926, quoted in this excellent article analyzing vaccine mandates by Roman Bystrianyk. He also looks into the Jacobson case that forms the basis of today’s mandates.* The full announcement of Dr. Joseph Ladapo, Surgeon General of Florida, announcing his department’s determination to eliminate vaccine mandates in that state entirely.* My post with resources on the questions about vaccine safety and resources including about moral issues:Part Two:Perspectives on organ donation— all from the New York Times:• The Times reports on the federal investigation that uncovered abuses in organ procurement. Doctors Were Preparing to Remove Their Organs. Then They Woke Up (New York Times, June 2025)• Then the Times adds its own report, underlining the problem. A Push for More Organ Transplants Is Putting Donors at Risk (New York Times, July 2025) • No doubt in response, three cardiologists write an op-ed in the Times, arguing that the solution is to accept an even broader definition of “death” so that more organs can be harvested! Donor Organs Are Too Rare. We Need a New Definition of Death (New York Times, July 2025)• Actually doctors have advanced a new definition of “death”— to be used alongside the spurious diagnosis of “brain death.” Removing organs after a proclamation of “circulatory death” was recognized quickly as “kind of a creepy thing to be doing.” But it’s still being done. When Does Life Stop? A New Way of Harvesting Organs Divides Doctors (New York Times, November 2023)Do you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free! Or you can choose to support us financially if you are able— either way, we appreciate you!Your paid subscription means a lot to us and helps us continue our work.Want to tell a friend? Please do!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this, if you enjoyed this episode: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Fr. James Martin SJ puts his spin on the meeting with Pope Leo: Notable quotes:The message I received from him, loud and clear, was that he wanted to continue with the same approach that Pope Francis had advanced, which was one of openness and welcome. So, it was very much a hopeful message of continuity.So while LGBTQ issues are on his radar, other things may be more pressing for the time being. And even when addressing LGBTQ issues, he may not move as fast as some might like.“Diogenes” (Fr. Paul Mankowski, SJ, RIP): Just the facts, ma’am — “To speak of a gay Catholic is a contradiction in terms, like calling someone a pro-abortion Catholic.”Pontifex Minimus: Fr. Mankowski’s review of Fr. Martin’s book, Building a Bridge in First ThingsTames in Clerical Life by Fr. MankowskiProfessor Robert George challenges Martin to say he accepts the Church’s teaching.Phil: Charitable take on Professor George’s view: “Still, I think a case can be made that, whatever Fr. Martin is doing, he is not exactly lying.Though George also wrote this glowing report: Fr. James Martin, Friendship and Dialogue, and the Truth about Human Sexuality, which to Leila is “a bridge too far,” to reference Fr. Mankowski’s assessment, especially when he leans on those of us who still have questions (simply by reading Fr. Martin’s statement) with this:If Fr. Martin is lying, which I resolutely do not believe he is, then he, of course, is answerable for that to God. But please note that by the same token, anyone who falsely accuses him of lying is also answerable to God.{We offer these links as an extension of our mild disagreement in the podcast, to recover the discussion as it transpired at the time. As we say, we respect Prof. George’s efforts to reconcile rather than divide, when possible.}Ex-CDC vaccine chief Dr. Demetre Daskalakis: "I only see harm coming... Based on what I'm seeing... they’re really moving in an ideologic [sic] direction where they want to see the undoing of vaccination."Secrets inside the Westman Family: Has Mary Westman Been Wrongly Vilified? by Andrew NgoNo One Is Talking About The Direct Pipeline From Divorced Parents To School Shooters by Beverly WillettGuardian article: Book burning, Latin prayers – and a lot of kids: inside the American ‘trad family’ movement: The movement towards simple, Christian living can be a yearning for order in a chaotic age. It’s also alarmingly retrograde by J. Oliver ConroyDo you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free! Or you can choose to support us financially — either way!Your paid subscription means a lot to us! Thank you!Want to tell a friend? Please do!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this, if you enjoyed this episode: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Prohibition detached our will to protect the common good but it also stole our orchard economy: How the government almost killed the appleRussell Kirk on the Errors of Ideology by Bradley J. BirzerLink fixed: In the First Circle by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (affiliate link)“In 2023, the "Old Country Store" celebrated Pride by unveiling rainbow-colored rocking chairs. Cracker Barrel sponsored the Nashville Pride Parade in 2024.” Do you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free! Or you can choose to support us financially — either way!Your paid subscription means a lot to us! Thank you!Want to tell a friend? Please do!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Exploring Just-War Principles: An in-depth discussion of classical Catholic thought on the morality of warfare, and how it could be applied to contemporary conflicts.Is Phil good at predicting things? A Just-War Perspective on the War in Ukraine: An address given by Phil Lawler three years ago.Do you love our podcast and look forward to it? Don’t miss an episode!Gay man explains embryo selection processLesbian talks about her “embryogate” — I can’t say I understand what’s going on in this account (there’s this and much more but I’ll spare you), but I know it’s a — how shall I put this — scatological meteorologic event and it is to be prevented in the future at all costs, as is Gay Man’s.Meet the man suing to end no-fault divorce — The FederalistPaul Jernberg, composerDo you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free! Or you can choose to support us financially — either way!Your paid subscription means a lot to us! Thank you!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:My Hero, Kim Davis by Leila Marie LawlerWill the Supreme Court revisit its ruling on same-sex marriage? SCOTUSblogKim Davis: Political Prisoner? Culture-War Martyr? Kim Davis: Shipwreck of Religious Liberty by Rod DreherKentucky clerk case driving wedge into conservative Christian camp Daily AmericanFilm: The Well Digger’s Daughter One beautiful aspect of this film is the refined delicacy with which the transgression of the daughter is handled. The theme is how to handle the matter of the out-of-wedlock child; the treatment is anything but vulgar. Parents have to decide for themselves, but I consider it suitable for mature teens’ viewing. A Thought on Teen Pregnancy by Leila Marie LawlerOur civilization’s death wish by Phil Lawler Film: True Confessions Do you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free! Or you can choose to support us financially — either way!Your paid subscription means a lot to us! Thank you!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:The Just-War debate: last call to join Phil Lawler’s Substack SeminarA Critical Review of Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the U.S. Climate Climate Working Group United States Department of Energy July 23, 2025The Ultimate Resource, by Julian Simon- 1983 (affiliate link)The Resourceful Earth, edited by Julian Simon and Herman Kahn— 1984Washington Post: White House has no plan to fund IVF (archived article)California Bill 495, “Family Preparedness Plan Act of 2025”: “Presto, Someone Walks Away with Your Child”: Critics Slam AB 495’s Threat to Parental RightsDo you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free! Or you can choose to support us financially — either way!Your paid subscription means a lot to us! Thank you!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:How and why the American Academy of Pediatrics wants to take away parental rights (Vaccines are only the thin edge of the wedge)The media just don’t report that Big Pharma funds itA convicted pedophile and his “husband” procure a child via surrogacy and no, there are no laws against that: Brandon Keith Mitchell: Sex Offender’s Surrogacy Journey With HusbandArchbishop Weisenburger and the episcopal double standardDetroit archbishop fires seminary professorsDo you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free! Or you can choose to support us financially — either way!Your paid subscription means a lot to us! Thank you!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Israeli forces strike Catholic Parish in Gaza (Vatican News)Pope Leo’s Angelus audienceIsraeli ambassador to Holy See says actions of Hamas reason for war in Gaza (Cruxnow)Gaza: History will not forgive this barbarism and complicity (Caritas International)Jerusalem’s Christian leaders deplore ‘heinous’ Israeli attack on Gaza’s Catholic parish (CWN)Holy See Press Office Press Release: Telephone conversation of the Holy Father with the Prime Minister of Israel, 18.07.2025Pope speaks with Palestinian President, urges respect for Humanitarian Law (Vatican News)HHS Finds Systemic Disregard for Sanctity of Life in Organ Transplant System (US Department of Health and Human Services)Living Organ Donation (Health Resources & Services Administration)Donor DNA is detected in recipient blood for years after kidney transplantation using sensitive forensic medicine methods (PubMed)Do you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free, or you can choose to support us financially.Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show NotesDemographics, fertility: Jesús Fernández-Villaverde on X (thread): 2023 fertility ratesArguing about Slavery: John Quincy Adams and the Great Battle in the United States Congress by William Lee Miller (affiliate link)Supreme Court Clears the Way for Trump’s Cuts to the Education Department (New York Times) Report: NPR is not indispensable for rural Americans and emergency alerts, despite claims (CatholicVote)Bishop Conley the Beekeeper Enjoys Time in the ‘Really Real’ (National Catholic Register)Scottie Scheffler's take on success in golf: 'What's the point?'Do you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free, or you can choose to support us financially.Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:EXCLUSIVE: Official Vatican Report Exposes Major Cracks in Foundation of Traditionis Custodes by Daine MontagnaThose Views of the Bishops on the Old Rite That Francis Forbade to Be Published. Because They Went Against His Will (Diakonos)— includes full text of Overall AssessmentVatican says leaked documents were only part of information Pope Francis used to restrict Latin Mass (AP)RFK Jr.'s vaccine policy sparks a lawsuit from the American Academy of Pediatrics NPRNo More Tears: The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson by Gardiner HarrisDo you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free, or you can choose to support us financially.Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Can bombing Iran satisfy just-war criteria? by Phil LawlerPreventive war and the U.S. attack on Iran by Edward FeserAttacks ‘Effectively Destroyed’ Iran’s Program (Wall Street Journal) — Note: “It will be a long time before Iran comes anywhere near the capability it had before the attack. That being said, there are residuals such as stocks of 60%, 20%, and 3-5% enriched uranium and the centrifuges manufactured but not yet installed at Natanz or Fordow. These non-destroyed parts pose a threat as they can be used in the future to produce weapon-grade uranium.”“In many respects, democratic socialism was and is close to Catholic social doctrine and has, in any case, made a remarkable contribution to the formation of a social consciousness.” --- Pope Benedict XVI Christopher Caldwell: Reflections on the Revolution in Europe: Immigration, Islam, and the West (affiliate link)Do you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free, or you can choose to support us financially.Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes: Archbishop Broglio, USCCB president, supports immigrants, rips ICE raidsWhat We Can’t Not Know by J. Budziszewski (affiliate link)The Hell There Is: An Exploration of an Often-Rejected Doctrine of the Church by Msgr. Charles Pope (affiliate link)The Weaponization of Loneliness by Stella Morabito Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C. S. Lewis by Michael Ward (affiliate link)Do you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! It’s free, or you can choose to support us financially.Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Pro-Life Coalition Urges GOP to Advance Bill Repealing FACE Act: ‘Congress Must Do Its Part’ - BreitbartProtect Children’s Innocence Act - XPope Leo: What unites Christians is far greater than what divides - Vatican NewsPlanet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C. S. Lewis by Michael Ward (affiliate link)Michael Ward: Frequently Asked QuestionsDo you look forward to our podcast? Do not hesitate to subscribe! Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Beauty will save the neighborhood by Leila M. LawlerWorldwide Catholic population up slightly to 1.4 billion (CWN) French dioceses welcoming surge of conversions (CWN)English dioceses report surge in young adult male converts (CWN)Australian archbishop: jump in adult converts is sign of revival (CWN)Dublin archbishop reports record number of adult baptisms (CWN)Many dioceses in Western world report surge of adult converts (CWN) Germany’s priestly ordinations hit record low (CWN)Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity (affiliate link)Some Tame Gazelle by Barbara Pym (affiliate link)Do you look forward to our podcast? Please consider supporting our work! Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:The Home Front can come right to your email so you don’t miss an episode!Harvard Hates America: The Odyssey of a Born-Again American by John LeBoutillier (affiliate link — this book is out of print, but you can probably find it used somewhere!)God and Man at Yale: The Superstitions of 'Academic Freedom' by William F. Buckley (affiliate link)Updated: New chapel being established for the Traditional Latin Mass Catholic News HeraldA North Carolina bishop threatens a full-scale ‘liturgy war’ by Philip LawlerRorate Exclusive: The Anti-Traditional and Anti-Liturgical Pastoral Letter to be Sent by the Bishop of Charlotte on Liturgical Norms in His Diocese The Fathers by Allen Tate (affiliate link) The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O'Connor (affiliate link)Do you look forward to our podcast? Please consider supporting our work! Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Robert Royal’s new book, The Martyrs of the New Millennium: The Global Persecution of Christians in the Twenty-First Century The Catholic Martyrs of the Twentieth Century: A Comprehensive World History by Robert Royal (affiliate link)A Hidden Life See how the legacy media serves up the story: Hospital tells family brain-dead Georgia woman must carry fetus due to abortion ban - NPR; Case of brain-dead pregnant woman kept on life support in Georgia raises tricky questions — AP; Adriana Smith’s case is the latest instance in which Georgia’s six-week abortion ban and its impacts on Black women have raised serious concerns. Louisiana IlluminatorJoe Biden’s “I have cancer” remarkThe Leopard Dramatization Series (definitely R-rated with steamy scenes, not for children)The Demise of the Papal States Was a Gift to the Church by Father Raymond J. de Souza Do you look forward to our podcast? Please consider supporting our work! Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:The first words of the new Pope: Pope Leo XIV @pontifex “Peace be with you all! This is the first greeting spoken by the Risen Christ, the Good Shepherd. I would like this greeting of peace to resound in your hearts, in your families, and among all people, wherever they may be, in every nation and throughout the world.”The simple truth of how Leo XIV was elected by Phil LawlerThe Network That Led to Pope Leo XIV’s Election by Giovanni SadewoThe College of Cardinals ReportIl racconto di Prevost su Bergoglio: "Non andavamo sempre d'accordo" (The future Pope Leo XIV reports on his disagreements with Pope Francis: Google will translate for you.)Part 2:Academic “research” into bonkers topics, funded by tax dollars and coming to a hospital near you (if not already there):Academics Call Pregnancy A Disease by William BriggsMen Can’t Get Pregnant—No Matter What Yale Says: When academic theory turns pregnancy into performance art, women and science are left behind.Federal funding for colleges and universities is way more complicated than you might think: How U.S. colleges are navigating cuts to grants for research after Trump restricts federal funding PBS NewsThe Nuances and Challenges of Federal Funding for Research — Guest Post by An Academic from William Briggs’ Science Is Not the Answer SubstackSt. Hildegard’s Garden: Recipes and Remedies for Healing Body and Soul by Paul Ferris, Foreword by Leila M. LawlerDo you look forward to our podcast? Please consider supporting our work! Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:The TikTok that encapsulates the argument and experience of Mental Load“Mental Load is a psy-op” by Leila Marie LawlerNew state law in Washington will attack confessional seal Catholic CultureThe Justice Department announces First Amendment investigation into Washington State’s new anti-Catholic law, Senate Bill 5375Catholics are uneasy… Leila Marie Lawler on XThe Vatican Financial Mess Pope Francis Couldn’t Fix WSJProPublica awarded Pulitzer for falsely framing abortion pill death as result of pro-life law Catholic VoteWhy the Left Lies about Amber Thurman by Leila Marie LawlerLaurus by Eugene Vodolazkin (affiliate link)Do you look forward to our podcast? Please consider supporting our work! Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Today we have a lively, wide-ranging conversation about the goings on in Rome, including the background on Cardinal Parolin and the amazing Cardinal Joseph Zen — and much more! Phil’s long experience with such matters shines through this discussion! New study reveals an adverse event rate 22 times higher than the FDA-approved drug label reports. EPPCKaty Faust on X Katy Faust: As of 2025, 11 states and D.C. let minors get abortions without parental consent or notification: AK, CA, CT, IL, ME, MN, NV, NJ, NM, NY, OR, and D.C. No parent required. No warning given. The new #AbortionPill report captures minors who experienced severe complications too.Do you look forward to our podcast? Please consider supporting our work! Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:The death of Pope Francis:Facts—and fictions—about the papal interregnum; What to do when the conclave comes; The curious background of the Pope’s ‘fixer’ — all by Phil LawlerThe Church After Francis by Arcbishop Charles ChaputCollege of Cardinals Report (with profiles and background information on papabili)The new Pope's #1 priority (Before he can get to all the other disasters) by Leila M. LawlerThe Illinois homeschooling bill, the bishops, and implications for the political battle ahead:What the Illinois Home Schooling Bill Reveals About Democrats The lack of school choice in the state is fueling the left’s broader assault on educational freedom. By Corey DeAngelis (Wall Street Journal)Illinois bishops drop opposition to controversial homeschool bill Catholic VoteDo you look forward to our podcast? Please consider supporting our work! Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Whatever your worst fever dreams/nightmares about in vitro fertilization are, know that it’s already happening. We came for the infertility; we stayed for the brave new world?IVF must be made illegal. It should be absolutely illegal to conceive a child outside the mother’s womb. Eugenics:“This baby was carefully selected as an embryo.” — New York Times“This vial is made to hold human embryos.” — New York TimesMarkets and Uses:The Future of IVF: The New Normal in Human Reproduction NIHInfertile people, gay and trans couples yearn for progress on lab-made eggs and sperm NPR“Spare” living human bodies might provide us with organs for transplantation MITAn artificial womb could build a bridge to health for premature babies NPRThe EucharistEucharistic Affirmations by Rev. Donald Keefe, SJThe Eucharist: the ultimate reality by Phil LawlerJoe Biden Made More Than 600 Grants to Stop ‘Disinformation.’ Donald Trump Now Has a Plan for Them.Books we’re readingPeace Like a River by Lief Enger (affiliate link)Laurus by Eugene Vodolazkin (affiliate link)Do you look forward to our podcast? Please consider supporting our work! Your paid subscription means a lot to usDon’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:* The Catholic Role in the American Founding by Phil Lawler; for a fuller picture of the argument, see also an earlier piece on a closely related topic: Has the American Experiment Failed?* Representatives Luna and Petterson on Proxy Voting in the House. They are as embarrassing to womanhood as they are ignorant of how things are done in Congress.“Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) and Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), both new mothers, spoke against a House rules package provision to block Rep. Luna's discharge petition to bring to the floor a bill she co-sponsored with Rep. Pettersen that would allow new parents in Congress to vote by proxy.”* Andrew Jackson: His Life and Times by H. W. Brands (affiliate link)* My Favorite Wife with Cary Grant — There’s something else troublesome about this movie Leila forgot to mention — maybe next week! * The Parent Trap with Maureen O’Hara and Hayley Mills* The Parent Trap (remake) with Lindsey Lohan and Denis QuaidFor next week, you might want to read these long pieces in the New York Times about IVF (they are unlocked as of this posting): This baby was carefully selected as an embryo — “Sex is for fun, and embryo screening is for babies,” she said in a video she shared on X.“The testing was meant to look at intellectual disability, not intellectual ability,” Nathan Treff, Genomic Prediction’s chief scientific officer and one of its founders, told me, disputing the idea that parents were looking for supersmart embryos. Intellectual disability, he stressed, is “a medical condition,” and he did not rule out one day offering screening for it again.— and This vial is made to hold human embryosPlease consider supporting our work! Your paid subscription means a lot to us!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Part OneDurango mother accuses [trans] couple of illegally housing her transgender [sic] childA Man Called Otto Jon Root on Twitter: The Chosen’s wet dream And in general, just say no to The Chosen. Christology matters. Reject the false "Jesus” of the Chosen by Leila MillerHow sitcoms helped shape “queer history” — from the perspective of a fan. Note that the “fairness” — i.e. promotion of positive characterizations — is rationalized by “negative” ones. Part TwoTrump Admin To Defend Catholic Charities In Key SCOTUS Case While Fighting Org In Lower Courts (Daily Caller)Supreme Court Case: Is Catholic Charities ‘Secular’? (Wall Street Journal editorial)Wisconsin Denies the Religious Dimensions of Charity (First Things)Supreme Court Leans Toward Catholic Charity in Tax CasePhil discusses the Catholic Charities situation further on The World Over with Raymond Arroyo We Have Ceased to See the Purpose: Essential Speeches of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (The Center for Ethics and Culture Solzhenitsyn Series) (affiliate link)Part ThreeBlack Mass in KansasRemembering a victory at Harvard: Satan defeated, the Eucharist enthronedHas the American Experiment Failed? by Phil Lawler — we will talk more about this next week!Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:* President Trump: Boasberg should be impeached!* Wall Street Journal: The Judicial Impeachment Distraction by William McGurnIt isn’t a new problem. In Trump v. Hawaii—the 2018 travel ban case—Justice Clarence Thomas said the court had a constitutional obligation to take on the federal judiciaries’ increasing resort to nationwide injunctions.“These injunctions did not emerge until a century and a half after the founding,” Justice Thomas wrote. “And they appear to be inconsistent with longstanding limits on equitable relief and the power of Article III courts. If their popularity continues, this court must address their legality.”More recently, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that he was “stunned” by his colleagues’ decision to reject the Trump administration’s request to force the restoration of foreign aid it had canceled.“Does a single district-court judge,” he wrote, “who likely lacks jurisdiction have the unchecked power to compel the Government of the United States to pay out (and probably lose forever) 2 billion taxpayer dollars?” It’s still a good question.* A Supreme Court Remedy for Nationwide Injunctions by Elizabeth Price FoleyThere is something the justices can do to rein in nationwide injunctions: exercise their authority under the Rules Enabling Act of 1934 to amend the federal rule on injunctions.The recent outbreak of nationwide injunctions damages our constitutional system. They were almost unheard of before the 1960s. Only 12 were issued against George W. Bush and 19 against Barack Obama during each of their two terms. Joe Biden faced 28. Mr. Trump faced 86 during his first term, almost all issued by Democrat-appointed judges. Two months into his second term, more than 15 have already been issued.* Newt Gingrich: “The Chief Justice can defend the court by overruling bad judges before the Executive and Legislative branches start acting against them.”* Judge Overreaches Amid Latest Lawfare Against Trump: From the onset, Boasberg failed to recognize his court lacks the jurisdiction to hear this case. Why? The ACLU filed this case in the District of Columbia. The five Venezuelan plaintiffs represented by the ACLU are not detained in D.C., but in New York and Texas. The Supreme Court ruled in Rumsfeld v. Padilla that no court has jurisdiction over a habeas petition unless those filing the petition are detained in the district in which it was filed.* You don’t have to play with your kids! Your presence is what they want. By Leila M. Lawler* Prayers from the Ark & The Creatures’ Choir by Carmen Bernos de Gasztold, translated by Rumer Godden, Penguin Books — this is the copy we have. It is out of print. You can find other editions with other illustrations as well, second hand. You can read it here on the Smithsonian site.Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Vaccine resources — a compilation by Leila — please read before arguing with us!The Forgotten Triumph: How Public Health, Not Vaccines, Ended the Measles Mortality Crisis — many charts and graphs with explanations about how manipulations can fool you A must-listen/watch: Parents Of Child In Texas Measles Outbreak DeathThe doctor whose treatment should have been used — and is helping other children in West Texas: “Exclusive: ‘Just Normal Doctoring’ — a Texas Doctor’s Eyewitness Report on Measles Outbreak”The Brownstone Institute’s series on how the Covid panic was perpetratedThe “name begins with an H” rabidly pro-vaccine name Leila blanked on: Dr. Peter Hotez. Update: go here for a long survey of Hotez’s misrepresentation of vaccines and their saftey.“The Times presents Hotez as a scientist and pediatrician at the Baylor College of Medicine, and in recent years he’s become a leading go-to “expert” for the mainstream media on the topic of vaccines. Undisclosed by the Times is that he’s also a vaccine developer who holds several patents for vaccines against tropical diseases and co-director of the school’s Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development. “In 2017, the center entered a partnership with the German pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA to advance development of vaccines for tropical diseases (not to be confused with Merck & Co., the US vaccine manufacturer).”“The center’s purpose, in his own words, is to “secure funding and advance the development of drugs, vaccines, and other health tools . . . that currently the pharmaceutical companies are unable to invest in due to inabilities to promise shareholder returns.” Since pharmaceutical companies view certain proposed vaccine products as an unprofitable venture, the costs are subsidized through “product development partnerships” like Baylor’s. As Hotez explains, a key source of funds is the government, meaning that the costs of vaccine development are being subsidized by the taxpayers.Another name Leila blanked on: Mark Zuckerberg! Point being, things are still being subjected to the algorithm based on politics. Why should we believe his “admission” about the Biden years? It’s Hard To Take Zuckerberg’s Sudden About-Face On Free Speech SeriouslySt. Patrick, meet the Synod on Synodality, by Phil Lawler The ‘self-referential’ Synod by Phil Lawler Rearranging the Deck Chairs By Francis X. MaierIs the Synod Asking the Wrong Questions? (Part I); Is the Synod Asking the Wrong Questions? (Part II of II) by Phil LawlerThe Last Hurrah — great old movie! The book is one of Phil’s favorites. (affiliate link)Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Just War Theory and Our Military Strategy by Phil LawlerProf. Daniel Mahoney’s forthcoming book: The Persistence of the Ideological Lie: The Totalitarian Impulse Then and Now; Encounter BooksTrump nominee pledges to prohibit use of aborted fetal tissue in National Institutes of Health-funded researchA bitter taste of what aborted fetal tissue research involves: The Most Evil Man in Evangelicalism, and Those Who Platformed HimA Student’s Guide to the Core Curriculum by Mark C. Henrie Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:To secure the talents of our tech support guru, the who takes our ramblings and makes a podcast out of them, Patrick McCaffrey, go to his LinkedIn or find him on Instagram.Four Problems with Assisted SuicideThe states where “medical aid in dying” is legalJennifer A. Frey on X: No guardrails for euthanasia possibleRight to Life UK on X: Doctors would have to offer death with every interaction, under proposed billA Comprehensive Report on the Risks of ART (IVF)The Apostle of a Happy Death by Fr. Jerry PokorskyEric Sammons: Catholics Are Losing Ground: Only 19% of Americans self-identify as Catholic, down from 24% in 2007. This is a 20% decrease. However, “only 29% of self-identifying Catholics attend Mass weekly. So only 29% of the 19% of Americans who identify as Catholic actually fulfill the Sunday obligation.” Perhaps the most stunning finding in the survey is that for every 100 people who join the Catholic Church, 840 leave.Hispanics in US less likely to be Catholics The study finds that between 2007 and 2023, the percentage of Hispanic adults who identify themselves as Catholics dropped from 58% to 42%. Hispanics now account for 36% of the country’s Catholic population. The percentage of adults who identify as Catholics has also decreased—but far more slowly—among white (22% to 17%), black (5% to 4%), and Asian (17% to 14%) Americans.Los Angeles Religious Education CongressThe Bishops Don’t Understand Eucharistic Revival by Leila Marie Lawler: Part One, Part TwoThe Isabella Stuart Gardner MuseumThis is a Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist. Netflix: In 1990, two men dressed as cops con their way into a Boston museum and steal a fortune in art ... Was the heist an inside job? Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this:We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Who’s Really Calling the Shots at U.S. Diocesan Chanceries?Vatican condemns publication of ‘credibly accused’ clergy lists — againThe Executive Order on IVFMore Human Embryos Destroyed Through IVF Than Abortion Every YearAn Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent by John Henry Newman (affiliate link)Everything Sad Is Untrue (a true story) by Daniel Nayeri (affiliate link)We are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us!Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:J. D. Vance and Europe’s “internal problem”:CBS is wrong about free speech, Germany, and the NazisGerman candidates, including AfD’s Alice Weidel, debate their policies ahead of upcoming electionChemical AKA mail-order abortion: Thanks to Chemical Abortion Pills, You Should Be Worried About What’s in the WaterIVF and Surrogacy:New York Times: Botched Care and Tired Staff: Planned Parenthood in CrisisWe are so grateful when you share our episodes! Sharing is a great way to support us!Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand!How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:The Pope’s disastrous letter on immigration by Phil Lawler (must read!)Pope Francis’s Apocalyptic Dream by R. R. Reno (Opens with the provocative line: “Pope Francis published his suicide note.”)Pope Francis’s immigration letter was seriously imprudent by Samuel Gregg (“In itself, the content of the Pope’s letter was unremarkable, if you read it in light of the Church’s established teaching on immigration — and if you interpret some of the letter’s more equivocal passages in ways consistent with Catholic moral teaching.”)Archbishop Broglio’s response to Pope Francis’s letterOnly 52% of funds spent by US bishops’ Catholic Relief Services collection went to CRS, report showsA Question of Charity — Catholic Charities’ government fundingThe School for HousewivesLittle House in the Ozarks: The Rediscovered Writings, edited by Stephn W. Hines (this book is out of print, but used copies are available)We are so grateful when you share our episodes!Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Don’t wish to take out a paid subscription just now? We understand! How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:{In case it isn't clear in our remarks, we are not backing ethnic cleansing. We think, hope, and pray that Trump’s unusual negotiations will bring peace to the Middle East.}President Trump's Excellent Executive Order: Making America Real Again by LeilaIf RFK Jr. is confirmed, his promised policy on the abortion pill is a huge pro-life win by LeilaNavigating the Coming Trade Wars (Robert Reilly of the Westminster Institute talks with former US trade representative Robert Clyde Prestowitz about tariffs)Carrie Gress: The American Spectator: Think the First Wave Is a Model for Women? Think Again.The School for Housewives by Leila (let’s stop wringing our hands and get our homes in order — a lot depends on it!)We are so grateful when you share our episodes!Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this:Tip Auntie Leila! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

A hearty thank-you to all our new subscribers! We are so happy to have you here!Show Notes:By Phil:Vance vs. the bishops on immigration, Part IVance vs. the bishops on immigration, Part IIVance vs. the bishops on immigration, Part IIIIs It Time to Abolish the USSCB? by Leila Marie LawlerWhat Went Wrong with Vatican II by Ralph McInerny (affiliate link)The Faithful Departed: The Collapse of Boston’s Catholic Culture —by Phil, who examines the larger issue of sexual abuse through the lens of what happened in Boston. Review by Jeff Mirus. Some of our discussions and a post about beauty: Glorifying God in stone and woodObjectivity of BeautyImages matterIf we mentioned something but forgot to link it, let us know!Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episodeWe are so grateful when you share our episodes!Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this:Tip Auntie Leila! Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Bishop Mariann Budde tells NPR 'I won't apologize' for sermon addressing TrumpWho is Mariann Edgar Budde, the bishop [sic] who angered Trump with inaugural sermon?Biden says the Equal Rights Amendment should be considered ratifiedElites Hate Phyllis Schlafly Because She Defeated Them From Home With Six Kids In TowPhyllis Schlafly, antifeminist, has a bio that ought to make feminists blush with shame and retreat in defeatPhil Lawler on Phyllis SchlaflyThanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episodeWe are so grateful when you share our episodes!Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Black Lives Matter Activists Executed A Shocking $83 Billion Shakedown Of American Corporations— or was it $340 billion?CandlemasAll Creatures Great and SmallThanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!We are so grateful when you share our episodes!Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:How Cardinal McElroy came to WashingtonIn facing ‘populist’ tide, Pope risks exposing Church skeletonsSatanic ritual abuse and its cover-up. Why Bishop McElroy should never become a Cardinal by Leila Miller Questions raised about McElroy's response to 2016 McCarrick allegationsCensored by the censorship industrial complex: Contagious Faith: Why the Church Must Spread Hope, Not Fear in a Pandemic by Phil Lawler (affiliate link)Cardinal McElroy’s Conscience Trap by Leila Marie LawlerCardinal McElroy’s “narcissistic and frankly, pagan display” by Leila Marie Lawler Cardinal Rey ResignsTranscript: Mark Zuckerberg Announces Major Changes to Meta's Content Moderation Policies and OperationsDickensian (TV Series)Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:Enjoy this episode! (Sorry about my sound quality! I have to address my settings going forward.) If we didn’t get to your question, hang in there. We’ll add this feature to the end of our more “current events” “non-holiday” podcasts as we go forward.And feel free to comment or ask us anything else! Keeping the 12 Days of ChristmasReflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke (affiliate link)For more on family life, check out Auntie Leila’s books, The Summa Domestica and The Little Oratory.Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:We answer listener’s questions about large families, alternatives to college, girls who might not want careers, how to find a spouse, and old house living! But first, Phil addresses this “respectful” story:A Conversation About the Virgin Birth That Maybe Wasn’t — The New York TimesNicholas Kristof: “I want to be respectful of readers who have a deep faith… So, acknowledging that this is uncertainty stacked on uncertainty, if Panthera was involved, was it [the birth of Jesus] probably a case of rape?”Elaine Pagels: “I used to dismiss such stories as ancient slander. Yet while we do not know what happened, there are too many points of circumstantial evidence to simply ignore them… The discovery of the grave of a Roman soldier named Tiberius Panthera, member of a cohort of Syrian archers stationed in Palestine in the first century, might support those ancient rumors.”Elaine Pagels is revealed to be a complete academic fraud here: The Pagels Imposture April 26, 2006, by Father Paul Mankowski, SJWe still have more questions to answer, and welcome yours! Leave a comment here or send an email to [email protected] for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

In the Christmas season we will answer your questions! We’re stockpiling the list… you have a bit more time to add to it!Please share our podcast with your friends! Show notes: Fr Benedict Kiely: Interview with Fr. Kiely on what’s happening in Syria; his organization: Nasarean.orgJeanne Kirkpatrick: Dictatorships and Double Standards — I (Leila) said it was a book but it’s a long essay, well worth reading. Slow Medicine by Victoria Sweet (affiliate links)Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

NOW IS THE TIME! To send us your Q’s for our A’s — we’ll do a holiday episode of Ask Us Anything!We’ve gotten some good questions here and by email! We will answer them during the Christmas season! Show notes:The Way of Beauty: Liturgy, Education, and Inspiration for Family, School, and College by David Clayton (affiliate link)Pattern, Geometry, and Abstract Christian Art by Deacon Lawrence. An explanation of the “eighth day” and why baptismal fonts are most often octaganal.Baptistry of St. John in FlorenceChristmas in Heaven: Stefan Lochner’s ‘Madonna in the Rose Garden’ by Denis McNamara. How symbols in sacred art convey spiritual realities, including the cosmic meaning of nature and femininity.More seeing what you see: Fr. Mankowski Calculates the AngleThanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:The American Republic: Its Constitution, Tendencies, and Destin by Orestes Brownson. Originally published 1865, now in public domain. (Gateway edition, 2003)We Hold These Truths: Catholic Reflections on the American Proposition by John Courtney Murray, SJ. Sheed and Ward, 1960 (affiliate link)America on Trial: A Defense of the Founding by Robert Reilly (affiliate link)Pius XI: On Christian EducationWhy I Don’t Call Myself Gay by Dan Mattson (affiliate link)Thomas Massie on Twitter:This sheriff ordered the arrest of a pastor for holding services during the COVID panic. He was tapped by Trump to head the DEA. Glad to see him withdraw from consideration. Next time politicians lose their ever-lovin minds, he can redeem himself by following the Constitution.During lockdown: “Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister is taking a firm stance to push his deputies to get the shot.”NOW IS THE TIME! To send us your Q’s for our A’s — we’ll do a holiday episode of Ask Us Anything!Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Share with everyone!Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Rep. Nancy Mace says Capitol restroom bill targeted 1st transgender member of CongressWoman beaten by man in women’s prisonRuss Vought ran OMB under Trump the first time, and hopefully will again. Here’s what he learned about how the deep state actually works. (Disclaimer: we don’t necessarily endorse Tucker Carlson’s views. Phil doesn’t listen to his — or anyone else’s — podcasts. Leila agrees with some things Carlson says and disagrees with others, but enjoys hearing the opinions and experiences of those he interviews. This is an interesting episode about how government actually works these days.)We watched Becket (1964)Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Share with everyone!Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:The Unspoken Grief of Never Becoming a Grandparent: A growing number of Americans are choosing not to have children. Their parents are grappling with what that means for them. (Here is an app for reading archived paywalled articles.)Data on birth ratesThe Making of a President: 1960, by Theodore White. (affiliate link) White was actively involved in the Kennedy campaign in 1960, and he gives a lively insider’s perspective (admittedly leaving out some of the details that might mar the Camelot legend) on a successful campaign. His later books on other presidential campaigns are not nearly as lively— in part because he was not directly involved, in part because the 1960 race was an unusually lively contest.The Comeback — the 2004 Red Sox (caution: language)Thanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Share with everyone!Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:P’nut the Squirrel’s grieving owner says he was treated like a ‘terrorist’ in 5-hour raid by NY stateFarmageddon — “The story of a mom whose son was healed from all allergies and asthma after consuming raw milk, and real food from farms. It depicts people all over the country who formed food co-ops and private clubs to get these foods, and how they were raided by state and local governments.“Farmageddon tells the story of family farms that were providing healthy foods to their communities and were forced to stop by agents of misguided government bureaucracies.”Biden DOJ Slams Peaceful Pro-Life Father with FACE Act ConvictionBiden’s DOJ abuses the FACE actThanks for listening to The Home Front! Please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber so you won’t miss an episode!Share with everyone!Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show notes:Father Radcliffe blames the Russians—not the BibleCardinal-designate Radcliffe objects...The Divine Comedy by Dante, translated by Anthony EsolenScience at the Doorstep of God by Robert Spitzer, SJDon’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes:Blessed Charles of Austria: A Holy Emperor and His Legacy by Charles Coulombe* The music of Paul JernbergLeila’s short reflection about Blessed Karl’s manliness and the Empress Zita’s devotion, and the meaning of their marriage for us (voiceover available)Why the Left lies about Amber Thurman (they don’t want you to know how dangerous the abortion pill is, because it’s their business model now) (voiceover available)The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles DickensJoseph Lawler (our son) in The New Atlantis: Mass. Exodus: Massachusetts is one of the richest states in the country — because it’s pricing out its own middle class. Why did the state stop building enough to house them? (Phil and I live in Massachusetts and have experience) To receive new episodes of The Home Front and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber if you want!* From the book summary (don’t you want to read this? We do!):October 3, 2004 saw what appeared to many to be a very strange thing: Emperor-King Charles of Austria-Hungary, last Habsburg to rule in Central Europe and wartime foe of the United States, was raised to the altars of the Church as a Blessed by St. John Paul II. But odd as this appeared, the real story of the “Peace Emperor” and his just as remarkable wife reads like a combination of a suspense thriller, Greek tragedy, and hagiography. The inheritor of a tradition of Catholic monarchy dating back to the Roman Empire, Bl. Charles struggled to update it sufficiently to survive in the modern world. A brave soldier coming to the throne during a war whose start he had no part in, he risked everything to bring the bloody conflict to an end. Betrayed on all sides by allies, enemies, and subjects, his deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, the Sacred Heart, and the Virgin Mary helped him to avoid hating those who wronged him. Devoted to his wife and children, Charles succeeded, with the help of his loving Empress, in leading a good Catholic family life despite everything. In a life filled with signs and miracles before and after his death, Bl. Charles managed to combine a life of deep piety with intense practicality. After his death, his wife and children continued his work—her cause for beatification is now being considered. Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

Bill Clinton Seemingly Blames Kamala Harris for Laken Riley’s Murder by ImmigrantThis is What Elite Failure Looks Like by Oren Cass The Constitution of the United States is always worth a fresh reading. Pay particular attention to Article I, Section 8, which enumerates the (only) powers of Congress. If something is not listed there, the strong presumption should be that Congress does not have the power to do it. Also take a look at the much-neglected 9th and 10th amendments. Science at the Doorstep to God: Science and Reason in Support of God, the Soul, and Life after Death (affiliate link) by Fr. Robert Spitzer SJ. For a non-scientist (like me — Phil) the technical details are overwhelming. But the force of the arguments is compelling. All the scientific evidence points to the existence of God; it takes a special gift of “faith” to resist that conclusion. How to Cook a Wolf (affiliate link) by M.F.K. FisherMystery of Edwin Drood by Charles DickensJoin us in Washington DC for the Blessed Karl Conference!To receive new Home Front episodes and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Don’t wish to subscribe just now? How about this: Get full access to Happy Despite Them at leilamarielawler.substack.com/subscribe

The Left lies about Amber Thurman’s death on a daily basis because abortion supporters want to create a screen to obscure serious inquiry into the dangers of chemical abortion, not only to the unborn but to the mother.There is something most don’t realize: any claim about abortion and its safety simply cannot be verified. States are not required to submit data about abortion use and consequences to the CDC, and what data are submitted are collected at and provided by the abortion facility — so you can imagine how reliable the data are. When a woman is transported to the hospital (as happens far more than the public suspects), the ER is not required to report the reason for death or injury or trace it back to the clinic. You can read about this subject here, on the Guttmacher Institute site.The Guttmacher Institute supplies information to the public about abortion; it was founded by Planned Parenthood and is funded by the Planned Parenthood Foundation of America. Everyone, including the pro-life movement, depends on their statistics — because there is no alternative and uniquely, no law requiring disinterested oversight of this medical procedure.Abortion facilities claim their services are safe, and now the manufacturer and the FDA claim medical abortion, also known as chemical abortion, RU-486, mail-order abortion, and mifepristone/misoprostol, to be safe.Whenever the topic of abortion comes up, the Left is sure to tell you that because of post-Dobbs legislation in some states, women are dying from lack of treatment of reproductive issues. In particular, they cannot stop lying about what killed Amber Thurman. They claim she was killed because post-Dobbs Georgia’s restrictive laws made it so she couldn’t seek help after the chemical abortion of her twin babies.This is an obvious lie, as has been shown over and over. The law didn’t and wouldn’t have led to her death, because it doesn’t restrict the help she needed. She didn’t get it because the hospital has a bad reputation and seems to have been incredibly negligent (and her family is suing them, suggesting they and their lawyers have a reasonable expectation, under the current law, for recourse).The abortion pill works using mifepristone and/or misoprostol and sometimes methotrexate. These chemicals come with a “black box” warning — words in a black box that inform the user of severe consequences of their use. Mifepristone is labeled with one of these “black boxes,” which are located right at the top of the patient information pamphlet. The January 2023 PIP by GenBioPro, available on the NLM Website, also includes a long list of side effects under Section 5, “Warnings and Precautions” and Sections 6, “Adverse Reactions,” including infection and sepsis (such as fatal septic shock), prolonged heavy bleeding (sometimes requiring a transfusion), missed ectopic pregnancy, anemia, immune system disorders, cardiac and vascular disorders, nausea, weakness, fever/chills, vomiting, headache, diarrhea, dizziness and even uterine rupture.The April 2022 misoprostol PIP also features a “black box” which warns of the possibility of uterine rupture and birth defects if the medical abortion procedure fails. The list of side effects for misoprostol includes many of the same ones listed for mifepristone. At first, this method was restricted to hospital administration and a two-week follow-up visit with the doctor to be sure all tissue had been expelled, lest the woman suffer sepsis and death. The risk is just that high. The chemicals also don’t terminate an ectopic pregnancy, so that ought to be checked at that point. After allowing it to be prescribed for home use, in 2021 the FDA dropped the requirement for the visit. The narrative about Thurman is that she didn’t wait after being given the abortion pill at the clinic she visited. But the product works over the course of several days. Given the way clinics work and the low information women receive, she was probably sent home. In any case, she was left to deliver her twins on her own (that’s how it works!).This Wall Street Journal article by Nicholas Tomaino goes over the reasons the story (as retailed by Tim Walz, Kamala Harris, and every pro-abortion activist or commentator in America) is a lie. What pro-lifers have not quite internalized is that more is required than a defensive posture (“you are lying about Amber Thurman’s death”). The lies are intended to prevent us from going on the offense and exposing the vast amounts of harm and mayhem blithely thrust on the indoctrinated women of our nation.They know they are lying. In our focus on refuting these lies over and over, will we allow the noise to drown out the larger concern, the high probability mail-order abortion will cause great suffering? We already know (thanks in large part to the work of David Daleiden) of the ways surgical abortion exploits women, especially minors. Imagine this exploitation put into pill form. Coerced and forced abortions are already happeni