I reported on this website last week that I celebrated St. George’s Day, which also happens to be Shakespeare’s birthday, by finishing my new book on Shakespeare, which I duly despatched to my publisher. A respondent to this post, Dena, asked for more details of this new Shakespeare book. It is in some ways a sequel to the already published Quest for Shakespeare. Whereas the first book examined the historical and documentary evidence for the Bard’s Catholicism, this new book examines the evidence for his Catholicism to be found in his plays. I see the two books, metaphorically speaking, as two sides of a gothic arch, each side buttressing the other. Taken together, the combined historical and textual evidence represents insurmountable proof of Shakespeare’s Catholic faith.

Dena also responded to my post about Tony Blair’s non-conversion by lamenting the weak leadership in the Church in England and Europe, adding that it appears to be as bad as, or worse than, in the United States. Yet she shows herself to be a good Catholic by her refusal to become despondent, accentuating the positive: “There are bright lights everywhere, though, shining in the darkness. There always has been, and will be …” Amen and Alleluia!!!