Do You Practice "Joyful Subversion?"

Andrew brings Peter to Jesus.

The priest who witnessed my marriage, Fr. Hugh Monmonier, a wonderful Benedictine who became a good friend, once told my husband and me that Catholics should be on the watch to "make a friend, be a friend, and bring a friend to Christ." I thought of that this morning as I read Mary Eberstadt's article honoring Fr. Arne Padula, former director of the Catholic Information Center who died in July.

One phrase particularly caught my eye. She said Father's legacy was to bring "joyful subversion to new generations."

"Joyful subversion!" What an interesting paradox. Webster defines subversion as a "systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by persons working secretly from within." The word comes from 14th century Old French and the etymology dictionary defines it as "physical destruction, demolition, ruination; overthrow of a system or law."