Need one read a sentence further after reading MSW's confession that he thinks a writer gains consolation by writing a piece that 'ignites controversy'?

"There are very few things in this life more gratifying to a columnist than to pen a sentence that ignites a controversy."

Wow.

Read no further.

A Catholic writer who lets his intellect "attach value" to such an end is in need of long term spiritual coaching, and should out of charity suspend his writing work for the division & heat and disunity it causes or contributes to. 

Rather, I think a well-formed and properly tempered Catholic writer might gain some consolation from seeing people draw closer to Jesus Christ, amending their lives, increasing their self-gift to others, etc by reading one's work.

Yet an even higher disposition than this would be to have a "pure intention", that is, to produce a work for the principal reason of loving God!

MSW is a long way off from such a more Christian approach to the work of writing