Crisis . Vol. 24 . No. 4 . May 2006 . www.CrisisMagazine.com Features: Shakedown: How Catholics Are Getting Ripped Off in the Name of Justice Francis X. Maier says that greedy lawyers and anti-Catholic politicians are taking advantage of the sex-abuse crisis to fleece the Church. Benedict Contra Nietzsche: A Reflection on Deus Caritas Est Benjamin D. Wiker says Pope Benedict XVI's first encyclical is considerably more muscular than most readers think. An Idiot's Guide to Square Notes Arlene Oost-Zinner and Jeffrey Tucker offer a crash course in reading and singing Latin chant. The Canons of Friendship Alice von Hildebrand explains the beauty-and demands-of true friendship. Saving Lenin's Children: Russia's First Pro-Life Maternity Ward Tom Murray recounts his efforts to help stem Russia's horrific abortion rate.

Edition's Cover May 2006

Books - Arts - Culture:

Crunchy Cons: How Birkenstocked Burkeans, gun-loving organic gardeners, evangelical free-range farmers, hip homeschooling mamas, right-wing nature lovers, and their diverse tribe of countercultural conservatives plan to save America (or at least the Republican Party)
by Rod Dreher

Phyllis Schlafly and Grassroots Conservatism: A Woman's Crusade
by Donald T. Critchlow

A Woman in Berlin: Eight Weeks in the Conquered City
by Anonymous

An Infinity of Little Hours: Five Young Men and Their Trial of Faith in the Western World's Most Austere Monastic Order
by Nancy Klein Maguire

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Poem

The Living Rule
by J. Bottum

Films

V for Vendetta and the Wachowski Brothers
William Baer says V For Vendetta is a pretentious mess.

Music

Leaving Home
Robert R. Reilly recommends a new DVD series on classical music in the 20th century.

Departments:

Letters

Columns: