Why subscribe?
January 6 is the traditional date of Epiphany. An epiphany is a revelation of God to men. An epiphany is an apocalypse - an unveiling - a revelation of a hidden truth.
January 6, 2021 was an epiphany for me - and for all of us. It showed us the libido dominandi, the lust for power and the contempt for democracy and reason that the mob - composed largely of devout Evangelicals and Catholics - were motivated by. It showed us what they worshipped - which was not (as they claimed) the cross of Christ, but the fist and the cudgel. Though Christ had said, “the truth will make you free”, the most ostentatiously devout Christians I know gave themselves whole hog to Trump’s “Big Lie” and were thrilled at the “rough beast” that slouched forth that horrible and violent day.
As for me, I was an atheist at the age of nine. But largely because of my experiences as an actor on stage, I eventually became a Catholic (a story I tell in my book An Actor Bows - Show Biz, God and the Meaning of Life). After converting, in the year 2000, I was (as my family will tell you) a “Super Catholic” - all the way in … too far in. I was very much involved with the Society of GK Chesterton. I had a very popular blog. I even had my own television series on EWTN, the global Catholic television network. But, beginning just before COVID, and now, two years after the attempted coup of January 6, I have lost almost all of my devout Catholic friends; I have severed my relationship with the Society of GK Chesterton; I have stopped writing my regular column for the St. Austin Review (which I wrote for 14 years); and I have told EWTN that I will no longer appear on their network.
What happened? How did friends I had adored and trusted end up excited by an attack on democracy, end up supporting Putin, Orban and dictators around the world, and end up contemptuous of science and reason, even mocking (as at least one of my friends did) the victims of COVID?
What went wrong? With the Church and with our society? That’s what I’m trying to figure out.
And maybe you can help me.
I’ll post regularly, quoting people I’m reading who are helping me make sense of all this, but this newsletter will be not me pontificating and telling you what I know. It will be me exploring and trying to solve the mystery - along with my readers.
Meanwhile, you’ll find out more about me here - www.kevinobrien.online.
Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and website. Never miss an update.
Stay up-to-date
You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Every new edition of the newsletter goes directly to your inbox.
Join the crew
Be part of a community of people who share your interests.
To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.
