William F. Buckley, Jr., and Mater Si, Magistra No

Buckley died on Wednesday, Feb. 27. Requiescat in pace.

Since the controversy is, for the obvious reason, of current interest among Catholic bloggers, I will briefly recite some pertinent facts — known, demonstrable facts — which will probably only make sense to those who are already interested in the controversy:

• No issue of Buckley's National Review was covered by "Mater si, Magistra no".
• No issue of Buckley's National Review contained an editorial or article entitled or espousing "Mater si, Magistra no".
• Buckley himself neither proposed nor defended the proposition "Mater si, Magistra no".
• According to Buckley himself, just a few years ago, the following had actually been a quip by Garry Wills: Going the rounds in Catholic conservative circles: "Mater si, Magistra no".
• That sentence is all that appeared about "Mater si, Magistra no" in Buckley's publication, August 12, 1961.
• Buckley himself insisted that his publication neither criticized the substance, nor denied the intrinsic merit, of Mater et magistra.

Any claims contrary to the above are simply false. Having never watched Fireline, and having never read any of Buckley's books, I have no dog in this hunt but merely want to set the record straight.

See "Mater si, Magistra no"? and "Mater si, Magistra no"? Revisited.

See also Mater et magistra.

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Fri. 02/29/08 09:30:18 AM
Categorized as Historical & Literary & Religious.

Happy Bissextile Day

Also known as Intercalary Day.

Or even Leap Day. :-)

Here are a few informative webpages:

• February 29
• Why Leap Years Are Used
• Are You Bissextile?

Lane Core Jr. CIW P — Fri. 02/29/08 09:00:17 AM
Categorized as Other.