Alcohol sales are on the rise, and have been for a while. No surprise when liquor stores are identified as essential institutions, even though our churches aren’t. People who haven’t been able get to Mass, or to their libraries, or to their workplaces haven’t yet been forbidden from going out and buying a bottle of booze.
And why not? When so many of life’s basic goods have been suddenly banned (by those in charge of the common good, no less), why not celebrate those that still remain? Many Catholics may be on the fence about marijuana, but they don’t tend to be suspicious of booze. Jesus Himself made good wine, the Psalms tell us that wine “rejoices the heart” (Psalm 104:15), and Saint Paul encourages Timothy to drink wine. So alcoholic drinks should be something we can still enjoy. …
