Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day: Half a Million to Show Up at Restaurants: Wednesday marks Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day and Christians across the country plan to express solidarity with the restaurant following the fallout over gay marriage.
According to the Support Chick-fil-A Facebook page, more than 570,000 people have committed to visit the fast-food restaurant.
Led by former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day has gained the support of influential Christian leaders including evangelist Billy Graham.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
What does God mean when He says He will provoke us with “a no-people?”...
What does God mean when He says He will provoke us with “a no-people?” | Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: Even a casual reading of the history of Western Culture must reasonably conclude that until the middle of the last century, the Christian faith was what both made and untied European Culture. It was from the life of faith that many pagan and waring tribes began to find unity and settle into nations. As the Roman Empire waned in the West, the Church even provided years of governance in the leadership vacuum that was created. It was largely in the context of faith that the great universities were founded and grew, as did hospitals, monasteries, which preserved and collected learning into libraries. The Church and the faith also inspired great art, architecture, music and culture. Feast days, Holy days and the modern calendar itself, sprang from the life of the Church. In her schools of theology and universities came forth the scientific method, �and many other methodologies and philosophies that have blessed the world.
Wednesday is the feast of St. Alphonsus Liguori, the "revert" saint who struggled against scrupulosity...
The Dawn PatrolEDEN: Today is the feast of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Doctor of the Church, patron of confessors and moral theologians, founder of the Redemptorists, and wounded healer. His life and example inspire me as I spread the message of healing sexual wounds with the help of the saints. The Catholic Encyclopedia's biography of this Doctor of the Church, who is the patron of confessors and moral theologians, gives remarkable detail about the depth of his inner life.
Here's a letter from a very brave woman who has struggled with a secret addiction to pornography...
Let Her Speak: Women and Pornography | I fight Him with loveBYRNE: The following was sent to me by a very brave woman. I thank her immensely for her candor, courage and willingness to share her story to help other women who are struggling with an addiction to pornography. May she be greatly blessed and always know how loved she is.
For the Feast of St. Ignatius: The sacraments and spiritual warfare...
Truth & CharityMURPHY: The Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola is upon us! It seems fitting to commemorate the author of the Spiritual Exercises with something about spiritual warfare. Theologians have tried to relate the sacraments to various things, the most common being life essentials (Baptism as birth, Eucharist as food, etc.). I prefer to relate them to the task of spiritual warfare that surrounds us in our daily lives.
Three romantic films that really aren't romantic...
Man In the Woods: The Top 3 Romantic Films... That Really Aren't.CHAPMAN: In the previous post, I detailed five wonderfully awful romantic-unromantic songs. My focus in this post will be on a similar theme, but this time I will set my sights on film. What are the criteria for the romantic-unromantic movie? First, the movie must be largely described as romantic. Second, it must be regarded by the majority of the viewing public as a "triumph" in this respect. Lastly, despite the former impression, when closely examined, the moral of the story must turn out to be fundamentally immoral. I have narrowed the list down to three, mainly because these examples are so exceptional that placing anything on a list beside them would fail to do them justice.
Beauty is Truth and Truth is Beauty...
Beauty is Truth and Truth BeautyLONGENECKER: Is beauty in the eye of the beholder? The Jesus on the Beach picture prompted a lot of discussion, and I was surprised how many of my readers liked it. Those who did, expressed admiration for the sentiments expressed in the picture, and were clearly inspired by the famous ‘footprints in the sand’ poem.
However, a good number of readers didn’t like the picture. They commented on the clumsy composition, the poor standard of painting, the garish colors, the sentimentality and gauche sexuality of the picture. They also commented on the theological error (Jesus is a ghostly, gnostic figure)
However, a good number of readers didn’t like the picture. They commented on the clumsy composition, the poor standard of painting, the garish colors, the sentimentality and gauche sexuality of the picture. They also commented on the theological error (Jesus is a ghostly, gnostic figure)
Dear pro-choice New Yorker: You got exactly what you asked for...
Dear Pro-Choice NYer, You Got What You Asked For | The American CatholicTRASANCOS: You wanted to do whatever you wanted to do with your body, and then claim you had a right to kill your own children when you conceived them because it was just so unfair for anyone to expect you to let a child ever use you against your will. You said you needed your choices, and you needed them without judgement or criticism. You tossed God’s law aside and said that your rights come from man’s law, and that worked for you as long as you thought you were getting your way. Motherhood be damned.
Hangin' with a hermit...
Hangin' With A Hermit | Kevin Lowry: A Grateful ConvertLOWRY: Now, to be fair, I’ve never met another bona fide, real-deal hermit. But even if I had, I doubt they would measure up to Br. Rex’s fun loving, wacky and constant stream of interactions with everyone he met. There were the Franciscan U. students Br. Rex tormented, usually with a straight face but immediately followed with peals of laughter (on both sides). His insistence on addressing me as “Mr. K.” His ball cap, complete with a button: Hermits Unite.
The one lesson we should all learn from St. Ignatius Of Loyola...
The One Lesson We Should All Learn From Saint Ignatius Of Loyola | Following The TruthZIMAK: Earlier this year, I used my nightly radio show to lead a retreat based upon the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Although it was hard work it produced great benefits in many of our spiritual lives. Even though I’d heard of St. Ignatius and his Spiritual Exercises for many years, I knew very little about him or his teaching. Looking back on the experience, there was one lesson I learned that changed my life forever.
Six former US ambassadors to Holy See announce support for Mitt Romney...
6 former US envoys to Vatican announce support for Romney : News Headlines - Catholic Culture: Six former US ambassadors to the Holy See have joined in a declaration of support for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
The former envoys--Frank Shakespeare, Tom Melady, Ray Flynn, Jim Nicholson, Francis Rooney, and Mary Ann Glendon--released their statement on July 31, as they were announced as co-chairs of a nationwide Catholics for Romney campaign. "Whatever issues might dominate the presidential campaign from now until November," they said, "our concerns lie with fundamental rights, beginning with religious liberty."
Five of the six ex-ambassadors served under Republican presidents: Shakespeare under Ronald Reagan; Melady under George H. W. Bush; Nicholson, Rooney, and Glendon under George W. Bush. Flynn served under the Democratic administration of Bill Clinton.
The former envoys--Frank Shakespeare, Tom Melady, Ray Flynn, Jim Nicholson, Francis Rooney, and Mary Ann Glendon--released their statement on July 31, as they were announced as co-chairs of a nationwide Catholics for Romney campaign. "Whatever issues might dominate the presidential campaign from now until November," they said, "our concerns lie with fundamental rights, beginning with religious liberty."
Five of the six ex-ambassadors served under Republican presidents: Shakespeare under Ronald Reagan; Melady under George H. W. Bush; Nicholson, Rooney, and Glendon under George W. Bush. Flynn served under the Democratic administration of Bill Clinton.
Pope Benedict's prayer intentions for August...
VIS news - Holy See Press Office: BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR AUGUST: Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for August is: "That prisoners may be treated with justice and respect for their human dignity".
His mission intention is: "That young people, called to follow Christ, may be willing to proclaim and bear witness to the Gospel to the ends of the earth".
His mission intention is: "That young people, called to follow Christ, may be willing to proclaim and bear witness to the Gospel to the ends of the earth".
In Caravaggio's painting, "The Calling of St. Matthew", which figure is actually St. Matthew?
Jesus Calls, Matthew RespondsMAGISTER: Elizabeth Lev teaches in Rome, at two American universities: Duquesne University and the University of St. Thomas. Her latest book, published in Boston in 2011, "The Tigress of Forlì," is a fascinating profile of Caterina Riario Sforza de' Medici, one of the protagonists of the Italian Renaissance. She is the daughter of Mary Ann Glendon, a jurist and professor at Harvard, ambassador of the United States to the Holy See from 2007 to 2009 and president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.
India’s epic blackout: 600 million, a number double the population of the entire United States, left without power...
India’s Blackout: 600 Million Left Without Power | World | TIME.com: India’s energy crisis spread over half the country Tuesday when both its eastern and northern electricity grids collapsed, leaving 600 million people without power in one of the world’s biggest-ever blackouts.
The power failure has raised serious concerns about India’s outdated infrastructure and the government’s inability to meet an insatiable appetite for energy as the country aspires to become a regional economic superpower.
The outage in the eastern grid came just a day after India’s northern power grid collapsed for several hours. Indian officials managed to restore power several hours later, but at 1:05 p.m. Tuesday the northern grid collapsed again, said Shailendre Dubey, an official at the Uttar Pradesh Power Corp. in India’s largest state. About the same time, the eastern grid failed as well, said S.K. Mohanty, a power official in the eastern state of Orissa. The two grids serve about half India’s population.
The power failure has raised serious concerns about India’s outdated infrastructure and the government’s inability to meet an insatiable appetite for energy as the country aspires to become a regional economic superpower.
The outage in the eastern grid came just a day after India’s northern power grid collapsed for several hours. Indian officials managed to restore power several hours later, but at 1:05 p.m. Tuesday the northern grid collapsed again, said Shailendre Dubey, an official at the Uttar Pradesh Power Corp. in India’s largest state. About the same time, the eastern grid failed as well, said S.K. Mohanty, a power official in the eastern state of Orissa. The two grids serve about half India’s population.
When you're dating, "I'm discerning a vocation" is the Catholic equivalent of "It's not you, it's me..."
Dating the “discerning” man…FERNANDEZ: Women like -- no, we love -- men who know exactly what it is they want. A man who doesn’t know and dates while he is “discerning” is a man who simply has not made a firm decision and cannot commit to whether he wants a wife or he wants the collar. Very few woman, myself included, find the trait of indecisiveness attractive. Granted there are women who enjoy a challenge but I’m not one of them. I’m too old for challenges, games, and indecisiveness. And for that reason I label this post under the “Why I’m Still Single” category.
After Tuesday's funeral for pro-life activist Andrew Moore, an uncle will take his place to complete the Crossroads Walk Across America...
Pro-life walk across America continues after death :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): An uncle of a young pro-life advocate killed by a car during his pro-life walk across America is flying to the U.S. to take his nephew’s place and complete the remainder of the journey.
U.K. resident Paul Brilliant will attend his nephew Andrew Kentigern Moore’s July 31 funeral in Concord, Calif. and then meet the pro-life group Crossroads in Steubenville, Ohio to help complete their walk from San Francisco to Washington, D.C.
Brilliant “really wants to represent Andrew's family and be with the group as they make it to Washington, D.C.,” Crossroads president James Nolan said July 25.
U.K. resident Paul Brilliant will attend his nephew Andrew Kentigern Moore’s July 31 funeral in Concord, Calif. and then meet the pro-life group Crossroads in Steubenville, Ohio to help complete their walk from San Francisco to Washington, D.C.
Brilliant “really wants to represent Andrew's family and be with the group as they make it to Washington, D.C.,” Crossroads president James Nolan said July 25.
How to calculate your Chaos Index...
Faith & Family Live! : A Different Chaos TheoryMOSHER: Have you ever seen the hilarious post at Conversion Diary with the formula for parents to calculate their “sleep index” - how much sleep it feels like they’ve gotten in a night?
See it here. It takes into account all sorts of factors, and comes up with a surprisingly accurate number. After a particularly bad night I like to plug in all my own variables, and I’m always like, “Huh. Yup, feels about right.”
So my engineer husband, who loves all things math-y and geeky, recently came up with a similar formula of his own. It’s not as complicated as Jen’s, but I think it holds up just as well, so I’m sharing it here to see what you think.
See it here. It takes into account all sorts of factors, and comes up with a surprisingly accurate number. After a particularly bad night I like to plug in all my own variables, and I’m always like, “Huh. Yup, feels about right.”
So my engineer husband, who loves all things math-y and geeky, recently came up with a similar formula of his own. It’s not as complicated as Jen’s, but I think it holds up just as well, so I’m sharing it here to see what you think.
Celebrating St. Ignatius of Loyola
Celebrating St. Ignatius of Loyola | First ThingsEMERSON: As the Jesuit high school where I work began to wind down for the year, I reached a point where I needed clarity, something to bring calm to the chaos of the closing weeks and to center me in a reality more timeless than the NBA playoffs. So I decided to return, as I do often, to the life and thought of the man whose feast day we celebrate today, and every July 31: St. Ignatius of Loyola.
How an American can bypass NBC and stream the BBC's official Olympics coverage...
How an American Can Stream the BBC's Official Olympics Coverage and Overcome #NBCFail: If you're outside of the United Kingdom then getting a good live feed of the Olympics isn't easy. NBC is streaming some video, but it's ugly, slow, and requires a cable subscription. Worse, what they're showing on their over-the-air broadcast is tape delayed. In short, NBC is failing to deliver suitable coverage in a connected age. If you don't want the internet (or the morning newspaper, in some cases) to spoil everything, here's how to get access to the official (and excellent) BBC live streams.
The sorrows of self-conscious sexiness...
The Sorrows of Young Sexpot |Blogs | NCRegister.comFISHER: Were you ever made to read Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther? I tossed out my copy long ago, but I vividly remember the scene where the appalling young hero almost wets himself as he ogles sweet Lotte, a pure and virginal young maiden who has a knack for nurturing children.� For him, she thrillingly combines the best of both worlds:� a pristine and blushing virgin maidenhood and a full-throated, full-blooming, rosy maternity; and he finds her all the more desirable because she's engaged to someone else.
Pennsylvania priest appointed to succeed Bishop Donald Trautman as tenth bishop of Erie...
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, Pa.: Pope Benedict XVI today named the Rev. Msgr. Lawrence T. Persico as the tenth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie. He will succeed Bishop Donald W. Trautman, S.T.D., S.S.L., and will be ordained and installed as bishop during a Mass at St. Peter Cathedral in Erie on Monday, Oct. 1, 2012 at 2 pm.
Bishop Trautman will introduce Bishop-elect Persico at a news conference today at 10:30 am at St. Mark Catholic Center, 429 East Grandview Boulevard, Erie.
Bishop Trautman will introduce Bishop-elect Persico at a news conference today at 10:30 am at St. Mark Catholic Center, 429 East Grandview Boulevard, Erie.
Former Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson on being a winner in God's eyes vs. the world's eyes...
Former Olympic Gymnast Shawn Johnson on Being a Winner in God’s Eyes vs. the World’s EyesROSSI: One of the most aggravating aspects of the Olympics to me is when reporters treat silver medalists like losers – as if being the second best athlete in your field in THE ENTIRE WORLD is somehow something to hang your head about. In her engaging and enjoyable new memoir “Winning Balance” (co-written with Nancy Anderson French), former Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson reveals she had a hard time with that attitude herself. In fact, she was shocked by it.
Defining Religious Liberty Down
Defining Religious Liberty Down - NYTimes.comDOUTHAT: The words “freedom of belief” do not appear in the First Amendment. Nor do the words “freedom of worship.” Instead, the Bill of Rights guarantees Americans something that its authors called “the free exercise” of religion. It’s a significant choice of words, because it suggests a recognition that religious faith cannot be reduced to a purely private or individual affair. Most religious communities conceive of themselves as peoples or families, and the requirements of most faiths extend well beyond attendance at a sabbath service — encompassing charity and activism, education and missionary efforts, and other “exercises” that any guarantee of religious freedom must protect.
What You Didn’t Know About Catholicism: Random Fun Facts 101
What You Didn’t Know About Catholicism: Random Fun Facts 101 � Catholic Sistas: Every now and then, my convert husband will provide me with some obscure fact from our Church’s rich history. When I hear it, I always imagine “The More You Know” rainbow appearing above my head. I’m a historian by trade and a nerd by birth. I love random things. So I give you the first of what I hope to be many little snippets of random Catholic knowledge. We start with the saints!
Monday, July 30, 2012
Hell has to be, because God respects us...
Hell has to be – my response to blog comments disputing the teaching on Hell | Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: There was a lot of very good discussion on the blog yesterday about the topic of hell. I had wanted to be a bigger part of the discussion, but I’m traveling through the Puget Sound by ferry.
Given my travels and my difficulty in posting today, I thought it might be good to republish a post I wrote over two years ago on the topic of hell. The post amounts to how I would answer most of the objections raised to the teaching on hell. Although it is not extremely philosophical or Thomistic, it is more what I would call pastoral.
Given my travels and my difficulty in posting today, I thought it might be good to republish a post I wrote over two years ago on the topic of hell. The post amounts to how I would answer most of the objections raised to the teaching on hell. Although it is not extremely philosophical or Thomistic, it is more what I would call pastoral.
Colorado baker targeted for refusing to bake cake for gay "wedding"...
Creative Minority Report: Baker Targeted For Refusing Gay Wedding Cake: So far, this case is different from Chick-Fil-A as these are protests and choices of consumers to either buy or not to buy from Mr. Phillips and the government is not trying to impose any sanctions. But this is a growing problem. More and more we will see these types of protests and more and more we will see sympathetic pols use the power of government to cajole and sanction those businesses that refuse to bend over for the gay agenda.
For my part, I will be in Lakewood in a few weeks and I will make sure I stop by the shop, order some goodies, and thank him for making a stand.
For my part, I will be in Lakewood in a few weeks and I will make sure I stop by the shop, order some goodies, and thank him for making a stand.
Are you going through trials right now? Then remember the promise of St. John of the Cross: Through your sufferings, "your union with God will be an accomplished fact"...
Beginning to Pray: Reduced to Nothing - A Sign of HopeLILLES: St. John of the Cross admonishes those of us who call ourselves friends of Christ but do not know this suffering. �Those who are pierced by the love of Christ are never daunted by bitter trials and never worry about sacrifices that might need to be made. �They see, instead, in each trial another opportunity to show their love and gratitude for the great gift they have been given by God's love. �We who have avoided suffering a little to carefully could learn from their valor.
The religious roots of the modern Olympics...
Olympics' religious roots – USATODAY.com: When the Summer Olympics opened in London last Friday, there was a version of a religious ritual in the Olympic oath, procession of athletes and lighting of the flame. This was no accident because the modern Olympics have religious roots, though they appear to have largely secular fruits.
Partisanship in politics? There are some good reasons for it...
GEORGE WEIGEL COLUMNWEIGEL: Complaints that Washington-is-broken, which seem to have new intensity in recent years, often go hand-in-hand with laments about “partisanship” in politics. And, to be sure, there are reasons to be concerned about the functionality of our political system and its ability to address and solve some very serious problems. The present, sad condition of much of Europe, where a breakdown of (Christian) democratic culture seems to be leading inexorably to a breakdown of democratic politics and the substitution of government by technocratic elites (currently being previewed in Italy), is a cautionary tale for Americans.
A warning to pro-life Catholics: There's more than one way to become a zombie...
Creative Minority Report: Warning to Pro-Lifers, There Are Many Ways to Become a ZombieMATTARCHBOLD: Pro-lifers are constantly talking about how we'll win in the end because we have more children. And then us idiot pro-lifers send our kids to the wackos to get themselves some book learning.
Note to pro-lifers - stop sending your kids to wacko college liberals who aim to turn your kids against you. That's truly their aim. And especially please stop sending your kids to wacko Catholic colleges.
Note to pro-lifers - stop sending your kids to wacko college liberals who aim to turn your kids against you. That's truly their aim. And especially please stop sending your kids to wacko Catholic colleges.
Wait, what? God designed sex?
Wait What, God Designed Sex? | I fight Him with loveBYRNE: People magazine can put a half-naked woman on the cover of their magazines and claim she wins the most beautiful woman of the year award. Made in His Image says NO, that’s not true beauty. Modesty reveals a woman’s inner beauty for the world to see, while preserving her body for her husband in the holy sacrament of marriage. Our culture has lost this sense of sacredness for the human body and the martial embrace. Yes, you heard right! God Himself designed sex for a husband and wife to bring forth new life into this world, a sacred act reserved for marriage.
Federal court says Arizona's late-term abortion ban is constitutional; law will take effect this week
Judge says Arizona's abortion ban can take effect: Arizona's ban on abortions starting at 20 weeks of pregnancy will take effect this week as scheduled after a federal judge ruled Monday that the new law is constitutional.
U.S. District Judge James Teilborg said the statute may prompt a few pregnant women who are considering abortion to make the decision earlier. But he said the new law is constitutional because it doesn't prohibit any women from making the decision to end their pregnancies.
The judge also wrote that the state provided "substantial and well-documented" evidence that an unborn child has the capacity to feel pain during an abortion by at least 20 weeks.
U.S. District Judge James Teilborg said the statute may prompt a few pregnant women who are considering abortion to make the decision earlier. But he said the new law is constitutional because it doesn't prohibit any women from making the decision to end their pregnancies.
The judge also wrote that the state provided "substantial and well-documented" evidence that an unborn child has the capacity to feel pain during an abortion by at least 20 weeks.
Democratic National Committee to include pro-gay marriage plank in party platform, sources say...
Gay marriage headed to DNC platform - Reid J. Epstein and Byron Tau - POLITICO.com: Democrats are set to include a pro-gay marriage plank in their convention platform for the first time in history, party sources confirm to POLITICO. The language was approved unanimously by a 15-member platform draft committee, and now heads for approval by the full platform committee in August.
The party’s Platform Drafting Committee agreed, unanimously, to approve the language at a meeting this weekend in Minneapolis.
The party’s Platform Drafting Committee agreed, unanimously, to approve the language at a meeting this weekend in Minneapolis.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel claims that "Chick-fil-A's values are not Chicago values". As a native son and cardinal archbishop of this city, let me tell you about real "Chicago values"...
Reflections on “Chicago values” - Cardinal's NetworkFRANCISGEORGE: Recent comments by those who administer our city seem to assume that the city government can decide for everyone what are the “values” that must be held by citizens of Chicago.� I was born and raised here, and my understanding of being a Chicagoan never included submitting my value system to the government for approval.� Must those whose personal values do not conform to those of the government of the day move from the city?� Is the City Council going to set up a “Council Committee on Un-Chicagoan Activities” and call those of us who are suspect to appear before it?� I would have argued a few days ago that I believe such a move is, if I can borrow a phrase, “un-Chicagoan.”
A Catholic Guide to the 2012 Olympics...
A Catholic Guide to the 2012 Olympics | CatholicVote.orgHOOPES: In the quest to find Catholics who are living their Catholic identity in public life, I’m tracking down Catholic Olympians and other Catholics of note participating in London this summer. Let me know who I’m missing and I’ll fill out the picture.
To the surprise of experts, new photos reveal that most of the Apollo moon landing flags are still standing...
Question Answered! - LROC News System: The most common questions to the LROC team before launch concerned what will we see at the Apollo sites? Will we see the Lunar Module descent stage and rovers? What about rover tracks, or the American flags? As we now know, the NAC images clearly show all of the above items (see links to earlier posts at the bottom). Personally I was a bit surprised that the flags survived the harsh ultraviolet light and temperatures of the lunar surface, but they did. What they look like is another question (badly faded?). Much has been written about the Apollo flags, a comprehensive summary is on the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal webpage.
The Jewish converts who changed the Church, and the world, at Vatican II...
Converts Who Changed the Church – Forward.com: Fifty years ago this fall, Catholic bishops gathered in Rome for a council that would bring the church “up to date” by making it speak more directly to the modern world. After three years of deliberation, the bishops voted on and accepted statements that permitted the faithful to attend mass in their own languages, encouraged lay reading of scripture and entreated Catholics to think of other religions as sources of truth and grace. The council referred to the church as “people of God” and suggested a more democratic ordering of relations between bishops and the pope. It also passed a statement on non-Christian religions, known by its Latin title, Nostra Aetate (“In our times”). Part four of this declaration, a statement on the Jews, proved most controversial, several times almost failing because of the opposition of conservative bishops.
The Church is full of Nice Catholic Boys, but what she needs is more Good Catholic Men...
When NCB meets NCG | IgnitumToday: In the last few months since I subscribed to Auntie Seraphic, I have repeatedly seen the acronyms “NCB” and “NCG” plastered all over the single young adult Catholic blogosphere. I was mystified at first until slowly, by examining the context and by repetition, I learned that they stand for “Nice Catholic Boy” and “Nice Catholic Girl” respectively. Once I learned this, it all became so clear, and a whole new social dimension was opened to my wondering eyes. Apparently, all around the Internet there are millions of NCG’s who want to marry an NCB. Alas, NCB’s are in short supply, or are just not that into you, so the NCG’s pine in vain.
The Three Ages of the Interior Life in Relation to the Temple of Jerusalem...
Three Ages of the Interior Life in Relation to the Jewish Temple ~ Canterbury Tales by Dr. Taylor MarshallMARSHALL: The great saints and masters of the mystical life in the Catholic tradition often speak of the three ages of the spiritual life. These stages correspond to the three areas of Solomon's Temple. As Catholics, we should seek to be near to God, and the old Temple gives a simple plan. Begin with years of purification. Prayer. Penance. Daily examination of conscience.
In search of the profound truth behind the bad art depicting the Sacred Heart...
Sacred Mysteries: Despised art of the Sacred Heart - TelegraphHOWSE: To many, the Sacred Heart is a vaguely Irish thing, associated with statuary in appalling taste. Perhaps the Irishry comes partly from the memorable lines in Juno and the Paycock: “Sacred Heart o’ Jesus, take away our hearts o’ stone, and give us hearts o’ flesh!”
The staggering story of a woman who saved the lives of 30 abandoned babies...
Story of Chinese woman who saved 30 abandoned babies dumped in the street with the trash | Mail Online: A woman has been hailed a hero after details of her astonishing work with abandoned children has emerged.
Lou Xiaoying, now 88 and suffering from kidney failure, found and raised more than 30 abandoned Chinese babies from the streets of Jinhua, in the eastern Zhejiang province where she managed to make a living by recycling rubbish.
She and her late husband Li Zin, who died 17 years ago, kept four of the children and passed the others onto friends and family to start new lives.
Lou Xiaoying, now 88 and suffering from kidney failure, found and raised more than 30 abandoned Chinese babies from the streets of Jinhua, in the eastern Zhejiang province where she managed to make a living by recycling rubbish.
She and her late husband Li Zin, who died 17 years ago, kept four of the children and passed the others onto friends and family to start new lives.
Video: What's it really like in the middle of an apocalyptic desert sandstorm?
x: Thanks to an intrepid National Geographic cameraman, you can see for yourself.
Spain angers feminists with plan to tighten abortion law
Spain angers feminists with plan to tighten abortion law - Yahoo! News Canada: Spain's conservative government has provoked a storm among women's groups with plans to tighten abortion laws to make the procedure illegal in cases where the foetus is deformed.
About 100 people took part in a rally in Madrid's central Tirso de Molina square on Sunday to protest against the proposed reform which they argue will take Spain back to the era of the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco.
The crowd, mostly women, chanted "We give birth, we decide" and "Not one step backwards".
About 100 people took part in a rally in Madrid's central Tirso de Molina square on Sunday to protest against the proposed reform which they argue will take Spain back to the era of the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco.
The crowd, mostly women, chanted "We give birth, we decide" and "Not one step backwards".
The strange case of the new prelate of the IOR
Vatican Diary / The strange case of the new prelate of the IORMAGISTER: There is one post, that of prelate of the Institute for Works of Religion, the Vatican "bank," that has been vacant since, in 2010, the occupant at the time, Monsignor Piero Pioppo, former secretary of Cardinal Angelo Sodano, was made archbishop and sent as a nuncio to Africa, in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.
But now we know that on December 1 of 2011, the commission of cardinals that oversees the IOR, headed by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, appointed the new prelate. The appointee, whose name has not been made known, has not yet begun his service.
But now we know that on December 1 of 2011, the commission of cardinals that oversees the IOR, headed by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, appointed the new prelate. The appointee, whose name has not been made known, has not yet begun his service.
A short teaching on Hell...
The Hell of It. A Short Teaching on Hell | Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: I have written here before on the reality of Hell, as revealed in Scripture. And though many dismiss Hell as either non-existent or a very remote possibility, no Biblical figure spoke more of Hell than Jesus, who also taught that “many” go there. It is a sober and straight-forward teaching of Scripture that there is a Hell and that many mysteriously choose to live apart from God and the values of God’s Kingdom.
Archbishop asked to leave Slovenia amid paternity rumors
Prelate asked to leave Slovenia amid paternity rumors : News Headlines - Catholic Culture: A Slovenian prelate who resigned in 2009, citing reasons of health, has been asked by the Vatican to withdraw from public life because of persistent rumors that he has fathered two children, Vatican Insider reports.
Moneyval's verdict on Vatican transparency offers both criticism and praise
Verdict on Vatican transparency offers criticism, praise | National Catholic ReporterALLEN: Given the Vatican's traditional obsession with secrecy and autonomy, the report of the first independent, secular evaluation of the Vatican on financial transparency made news less for how the Vatican scored than the fact that it took the test in the first place.
Results of the highly anticipated evaluation were released July 18 by Moneyval, the Council of Europe's anti-money-laundering agency.
Results of the highly anticipated evaluation were released July 18 by Moneyval, the Council of Europe's anti-money-laundering agency.
Limit your online distractions in four easy steps...
Limit Your Online Distractions in 4 Easy Steps |Blogs | NCRegister.comFULWILER: For years I've been trying to figure out how to reap the benefits of new technology without having texting and internet use become black holes that suck in too much time and attention. I'm far from having it all figured out (and am occasionally reminded of that fact, like when the kids were clamoring to do something last week, and I said "Yeah, yeah, whatever" because I was texting with a friend, and found out a few minutes later that they had been asking if they could open the jumbo box of popsicles in the living room). However, I have tried taking all sorts of steps to find balance in this area of life, and have stumbled across a few that have actually led to lasting, positive changes.
Catholic identity is at the heart of the Peruvian university's clash with the Vatican...
Catholic Identity Is at Heart of Peru University's Clash With Vatican | Daily News | NCRegister.comBERMUDEZ: The Holy See’s denial of a top Peruvian university’s right to call itself “Pontifical” and “Catholic” is the latest battle� — but unlikely the last — in a long conflict over what it means to be a Catholic university.
“The Holy See, with decree of His Eminence, the Secretary of State [Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone], under a specific pontifical mandate, has decided to remove from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru the right to use in its name the titles ‘Pontifical’ and ‘Catholic,’ in accordance with canon la
“The Holy See, with decree of His Eminence, the Secretary of State [Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone], under a specific pontifical mandate, has decided to remove from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru the right to use in its name the titles ‘Pontifical’ and ‘Catholic,’ in accordance with canon la
Echoing Pope's Sunday Angelus remarks, Papal nuncio raises alarm about Syria's "cancer of conflict"
Vatican envoys appeals for Syria peace - World News | IOL News | IOL.co.za: The Vatican's envoy to Damascus on Monday urged religious leaders in Syria to appeal for an end to the violence, warning that the “cancer of conflict” was spreading across the country.
“With the weight of your moral authority, come together and issue in the name of God a unanimous and severe warning to all parties in the conflict to cease violence and repression,” Archbishop Mario Zenari said on Vatican radio.
The conflict “is dragging the country towards destruction, towards unspeakable suffering and towards death,” the papal nuncio said.
“With the weight of your moral authority, come together and issue in the name of God a unanimous and severe warning to all parties in the conflict to cease violence and repression,” Archbishop Mario Zenari said on Vatican radio.
The conflict “is dragging the country towards destruction, towards unspeakable suffering and towards death,” the papal nuncio said.
Vintage newsreel footage shows St. Elizabeth Ann Seton's beatification...
The Dawn PatrolEDEN: Born in New York City, Elizabeth suffered the loss of her mother when she was only a toddler. Soon after, her father remarried and had seven more children by his second wife. By the time Elizabeth was in her mid-teens, her father had separated from her stepmother and moved to England, leaving her with an uncle. Since the stepmother was not interested in maintaining closeness with Elizabeth, the future saint effectively lost a mother for the second time. Depression and even thoughts of suicide plagued her during her mid-teens, making her conscious of the God-shaped vacuum in her heart. That longing would eventually lead her to the Catholic Church and the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
Sit down and serve your spouse
Sit down and serve your spouse | The Catholic WifeKATIESCIBA: In our house, I’m the yard person. I cut the grass, trim the hedges, spruce and primp, and I’m unstoppable with a leaf blower – really, I’ll chase a single leaf just to get it in the pile. I LOVE it. My childhood Saturdays were spent on the lawn in some way and in spite of how arduous it seemed then, tending the outside is my favorite household chore now. I’m no green thumb, but I like it to look sharp and well-kept and I’d spend all day every day out there if I could.
Newly ordained priest killed while traveling to offer his first Mass...
Da Mihi Animas: Prayer Need: A Tragic Accident Takes the Life of A Newly Ordained Salesian PriestLEAKE: Fr. Víctor Martínez, SDB died Sunday in a tragic road accident when the newly ordained priest who was traveling with family and friends to celebrate his first Mass in his hometown of Puerto Plata.
Fr. Victor Martinez, a Salesian of Don Bosco, was ordained yesterday at the Parish of Mary Help of Christians in Jarabacoa at the hands of Bishop Julius Caesar Corniel, Bishop of Puerto Plata. He was heading home today to celebrate his first Mass with his family and friends. The accident also killed an uncle of the priest and injured several other people.
Fr. Victor Martinez, a Salesian of Don Bosco, was ordained yesterday at the Parish of Mary Help of Christians in Jarabacoa at the hands of Bishop Julius Caesar Corniel, Bishop of Puerto Plata. He was heading home today to celebrate his first Mass with his family and friends. The accident also killed an uncle of the priest and injured several other people.
My views on Paganism and Neo-Paganism
My views on Paganism and Neo-PaganismSHEA: My view of paganism (real paganism, I mean, not the synthetic variety called neo-paganism) is actually quite high and much more nuanced. Yes, there are some pagans who are willingly cooperating with devils. But then again, there are Christians who are willingly cooperating with devils. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, including–especially–me. That said, a more complete view of my thoughts on paganism is found here, here, and here.
My actual view of paganism is much closer to Chesterton’s than to Jack Chick: “Paganism was the biggest thing in the world. Christianity was bigger. Everything since then has been comparatively small.”
My actual view of paganism is much closer to Chesterton’s than to Jack Chick: “Paganism was the biggest thing in the world. Christianity was bigger. Everything since then has been comparatively small.”
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Don't miss Jesus' powerful teaching on the Holy Eucharist...
Don’t Miss Jesus’ Powerful Teaching on the Eucharist : The Integrated Catholic LifeBICKERSTAFF: To set the scene, we have to look back to last Sunday’s gospel from Mark. Jesus had previously sent out the apostles, two-by-two to preach the Good News and tend to the sick and possessed. And now they were back, anxious to let Jesus know how they fared. However, Jesus and His apostles were unable to find a quiet place to rest and discuss the news. They were confronted with a large crowd seeking Jesus because of the signs He had performed. Do you remember how Mark, in a sense of keen sadness, described the scene when Jesus looked upon the crowd? “… They were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34).
Being Catholic is the ultimate countercultural lifestyle choice...
Mainstream is Cartesian; Hipster is Catholic | CatholicVote.orgHOOPES: Cigarettes are Cartesian because they take you into yourself and away from your surroundings. You usually smoke them alone, on break outside your building, to end stress not by confronting it but by dodging it.
Cigars, on the other hand, are smoked in company with others. They are not an escape from reality but a deeper immersion in it. Cigarettes suck you into your mind; cigars immerse you in your own corporeality. That’s Catholic.
Cigars, on the other hand, are smoked in company with others. They are not an escape from reality but a deeper immersion in it. Cigarettes suck you into your mind; cigars immerse you in your own corporeality. That’s Catholic.
The Olympic opening "ceremonies" did perform one useful public service: They reminded us that you can't invent liturgy...
The Liturgy of the World State - By George Weigel - The Corner - National Review OnlineWEIGEL: As such things go, London’s secularized Olympic liturgy on the night of July 27 was perhaps slightly less offensive than others in the same genre. Boyle unabashedly anchored the show/liturgy in history, meaning British history, rather than in the Gnostic and pagan fantasies that have become the Olympic norm. But it does tell you something about what Evelyn Waugh would have called “decline and fall” when the British National Health Service is proposed for global worship as a kind of sacrament, when Paul McCartney (sorry, Sir Paul McCartney) replaces Ralph Vaughan Williams as liturgical hymnwriter, and when H.M. the Queen, Supreme Governor of the Church of England, is reduced to a bit player in a knock-off of the Bond movies.�
What are Your Five Loaves and Two Fishes? A Meditation on the Sunday Gospel...
Google Reader (492)POPE: We have today the very familiar miracle of the loaves and fishes. One is tempted to say, “Oh that one…and tune out.” But, if we allow it, the gospel today contains a very personal appeal from the Lord’s lips to your (my) ears: “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”
Immediately all the objections swim through our minds, but be still, and let us allow the Lord to instruct us and apply this Gospel in three stages.
Immediately all the objections swim through our minds, but be still, and let us allow the Lord to instruct us and apply this Gospel in three stages.
With each passing year, the division between home schooling and institutional schooling will continue to dissolve. The bad news is that it doesn't work that way yet. The good news is that we get to build it...
My Education in Home Schooling, by Quinn Cummings - WSJ.com: Imagine that your high-school junior spends half of every day at the brick-and-mortar school up the street. Two afternoons a week, he logs into an art-history seminar being taught by a grad student in Paris. He takes computer animation classes at the local college, sings in the church choir and dives at the community pool. He studies Web design on YouTube. He and three classmates see a tutor at the public library who preps them for AP Chemistry. He practices Spanish on Skype and takes cooking lessons at a nearby restaurant every Saturday morning.
Is this home schooling or regular school? Who cares? He's learning. More important, his curriculum hits the basics but also works for him. Nobody expects all young people to download the same 20 or 30 songs on iTunes. Why should they be limited to the same dozen or so classes for school? And if you think that public education will never change because it's too big, I'd point out that the music business looked like an invincible Goliath before digital technology raised its slingshot.
Is this home schooling or regular school? Who cares? He's learning. More important, his curriculum hits the basics but also works for him. Nobody expects all young people to download the same 20 or 30 songs on iTunes. Why should they be limited to the same dozen or so classes for school? And if you think that public education will never change because it's too big, I'd point out that the music business looked like an invincible Goliath before digital technology raised its slingshot.
Marriage is of divine origin. If a government can threaten Chick-fil-A for saying so plainly, then we're all in big trouble...
Cardinal Roger Mahony Blogs L.A.: The official blog of the Archbishop Emeritus of L.A.: A CHICKEN SANDWICH & RELIGIOUS LIBERTYMAHONY: In the past several months the Catholic Church has been alerting everyone in the nation to the great new dangers affecting religious freedom: The government determining what constitutes a Church, who belongs, and what services they may or may not offer, and to whom.
Pope's Sunday Angelus: Syria, Iraq, Taranto, Rio, and the multiplication of the loaves
VATICAN Pope appeals to international community for peace in Syria - Asia News: Benedict XVI made another heartfelt appeal in response to the "tragic and growing episodes of violence in Syria with their sad trail of deaths and injuries, including civilians, and large number of people displaced internally and refugees in neighbouring countries." At the end of today's Angelus at the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo, the pope said that he was following events in Syria "with apprehension," urging "God to give the wisdom of the heart, particularly to those who have the greatest responsibilities, so that no effort is spared in seeking peace, including the international community, through dialogue and reconciliation, for a proper political settlement of the conflict."
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Can the Church recapture dissident 'Catholic' universities?
On The News : Can the Church recapture dissident 'Catholic' universities? - Catholic CultureLAWLER: At one time all these universities were genuinely Catholic. Built up by the contributions of loyal Catholics, they nourished generations of students in the faith before something went terribly wrong. These schools exist because faithful Catholics wanted a solid Catholic education for young people. The campus, the buildings, the proud traditions: these are all part of a patrimony, handed down by our forefathers in the faith. Are we willing to give them all away now?
Jesus Christ is really present in the small particles of the Host. But how small is too small?
"Fragments" of the Eucharistic Species | The New Theological MovementERLENBUSH: After the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish, by which our Savior fed some five thousand men, the Lord instructed his disciples to gather up all of that which was left over. These “fragments”, as Jesus calls them, fill twelve wicker baskets – a sign of the fullness of time, and that the Savior is come twelve tribes of Israel.
However, recalling that our Lord gave the Bread of Life Discourse shortly after the miracle of the loaves, we may well recognize that this gathering of the “fragments” was an illustration of the presence of Christ under each and every part of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Jesus is teaching his disciples that the Eucharistic particles must be cared for, even after the conclusion of the Mass.
However, recalling that our Lord gave the Bread of Life Discourse shortly after the miracle of the loaves, we may well recognize that this gathering of the “fragments” was an illustration of the presence of Christ under each and every part of the Most Blessed Sacrament. Jesus is teaching his disciples that the Eucharistic particles must be cared for, even after the conclusion of the Mass.
Video: Fashion mistake or original style? What to wear when meeting the pope...
Fashion Mistake or Original Style? What to wear when meeting the Pope - YouTube: When it comes to meeting the pope, men have it much easier than women.
St. Gianna Beretta Molla and her family...
St. Gianna Beretta Molla & FamilyHANLEY: Sometimes I feel Tolstoy got it backwards.� “Happy families are all alike”, he famously wrote; “every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Sure, many people find turbulence and vice more fascinating than harmony and virtue.�
Yet the dysfunction of unhappy or nowadays shattered families tends to yield almost predictably monolithic outcomes – as the news on any given day will attest. In happy families we see true individuality, and therefore true variety, emerge.� Showered with love, its members – with all their gifts, limitations, and idiosyncrasies – blossom as only they can.
Yet the dysfunction of unhappy or nowadays shattered families tends to yield almost predictably monolithic outcomes – as the news on any given day will attest. In happy families we see true individuality, and therefore true variety, emerge.� Showered with love, its members – with all their gifts, limitations, and idiosyncrasies – blossom as only they can.
From Nero to now, governments have often subsidized sin with our tax money. But the HHS mandate is different, and here's why...
The HHS Mandate and Unjust War |Blogs | NCRegister.comSHEA: Our taxpayer dollars have been paying for all sorts immorality, including unjust wars, abortion and contraceptives, and the Church, though it urges a change of policy in such matters, has never mounted the sort of resistance we now see being directed against the HHS Mandate. Why? Because with taxes, the State, though it may mishandle money, nonethless has a legitimate role in providing for the common good that outweighs the inefficiency and corruption that often accompanies government.
Friday, July 27, 2012
What do social radicals really mean by 'tolerance'?
What do Social Radicals really mean by Tolerance? | Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: In another show a tolerance from those who support the “gay” agenda, A Chicago Alderman, will seek to prevent Chick-fil-A from establishing a new franchise in his ward. As has been well reported, the owner of Chick-fil-A, Dan Cathy, a Christian, when asked if he supported the Biblical definition of marriage, indicated that he did.
Mr. Bean's performance at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics...
LiveLeak.com - Rowan Atkinson 2012 Olympics: British comedian Rowan Atkinson performs Chariots of Fire...
A bad day in court for Obama: Federal judge in Colorado issues injunction against HHS mandate
Colo. company secures injunction against HHS mandate :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): In the first legal ruling against the controversial HHS mandate, a federal judge has granted a temporary injunction protecting a Catholic-run business.
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Judge John L. Kane of the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado approved the injunction on the afternoon of July 27.
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He said the harm of preventing the government from enforcing Congress-approved regulations “pales in comparison to the possible infringement upon plaintiffs’ constitutional and statutory rights.”
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The Alliance Defending Freedom legal group sought the injunction as part of its lawsuit on behalf of Hercules Industries, a Colorado-based manufacturer of heating, ventilation and air conditioning units.
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Judge John L. Kane of the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado approved the injunction on the afternoon of July 27.
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He said the harm of preventing the government from enforcing Congress-approved regulations “pales in comparison to the possible infringement upon plaintiffs’ constitutional and statutory rights.”
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The Alliance Defending Freedom legal group sought the injunction as part of its lawsuit on behalf of Hercules Industries, a Colorado-based manufacturer of heating, ventilation and air conditioning units.
Breaking: Federal judge orders halt to HHS Mandate enforcement in Denver case...
BREAKING: Feds Halt HHS Mandate Enforcement on Small Business Owner: The Newland Family employ about 250 people in their small business, and they try to live out their consciences as Catholics, which means they offer a health insurance plan, that does not include coverage of sterilization or contraception. And the Obama administration’s Department of Justice did not like that.
Now, they have a “stay” of sorts, on the ruinous (and I believe unconstitutional) “contraception mandate” ordered by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius as part of Obamacare.
Now, they have a “stay” of sorts, on the ruinous (and I believe unconstitutional) “contraception mandate” ordered by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius as part of Obamacare.
That Chick-fil-A boycott? It's apparently not going too well for the Tolerance Nazis...
Chick-fil-A boycott? You’re doing it wrong: Reports, photos show it is a total fail | Twitchy: Boom!
Even as Chicago, Boston and now other cities are trying to shut out Chick-fil-A for not toeing a leftist line, citizens are supporting free speech and opposing tolerance tyrants.
And it is not just ShePAC co-chair Teri Christoph’s local Chick-fil-A, either. The Twittersphere is weighing in and they love them some Chick-fil-A. Conan O’Brien thinks the entire Chick-fil-A controversy is cuckoo pants.
Even as Chicago, Boston and now other cities are trying to shut out Chick-fil-A for not toeing a leftist line, citizens are supporting free speech and opposing tolerance tyrants.
And it is not just ShePAC co-chair Teri Christoph’s local Chick-fil-A, either. The Twittersphere is weighing in and they love them some Chick-fil-A. Conan O’Brien thinks the entire Chick-fil-A controversy is cuckoo pants.
Get ready for this Sunday's readings: The Prophet Who Feeds the New Israel...
The Sacred Page: The Prophet Who Feeds the New Israel: The 17th Sunday of Ordinary TimeBERGSMA: God could have made us with solar cells in our skin, so all we would have to do is lie in the sun to get the energy we need for life.
But he didn't.� In his divine plan, God created us as creature that need to eat.� The first command he ever gave us concerned food: what to eat and what not to eat.� We turned away from him by an act of eating.� And now, since the coming of Christ, we can turn back to him by an act of eating.
Our need to eat reminds us that we are dependent on something or someone outside ourselves—ultimately God—to stay alive.
But he didn't.� In his divine plan, God created us as creature that need to eat.� The first command he ever gave us concerned food: what to eat and what not to eat.� We turned away from him by an act of eating.� And now, since the coming of Christ, we can turn back to him by an act of eating.
Our need to eat reminds us that we are dependent on something or someone outside ourselves—ultimately God—to stay alive.
How Pope St. Pius X helped save the Olympics...
The Dawn PatrolEDEN: Did you know that Pope St. Pius X helped save the Olympics? I didn't, until�L'Osservatore Romano published an article on it today:
It was 1908 when, in the wake of a serious economic crisis, Rome renounced hosting the Olympic Games which were eventually celebrated in London, England. In the same year Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, sought help from the Vatican to support the Games, and Pope St. Pius X in person offered him his support. ...
It was 1908 when, in the wake of a serious economic crisis, Rome renounced hosting the Olympic Games which were eventually celebrated in London, England. In the same year Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics, sought help from the Vatican to support the Games, and Pope St. Pius X in person offered him his support. ...
“Until two years ago, I was a really committed atheist and I really hated the Catholic Church...”
Former atheist poet reveals details of her Catholic conversion :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): A 41-year-old Englishwoman, Sally Read is regarded as a rising star within the world of poetry. Her publisher describes the former psychiatric nurse as “one of a new generation of younger poets shaping the future of British poetry.”
She now lives in the Italian seaside town of Santa Marinella with her husband and their daughter. It was there that her conversion story began two years ago while she was writing an anthology based on her experiences with psychiatric patients.
“As I was writing this book, I became very aware that I didn’t know where the soul was and I didn’t know if the soul existed. And it was really driving me crazy.” Her frustration led her into discussion, and often heated debate, with a Canadian priest who was based in the coastal resort town.
She now lives in the Italian seaside town of Santa Marinella with her husband and their daughter. It was there that her conversion story began two years ago while she was writing an anthology based on her experiences with psychiatric patients.
“As I was writing this book, I became very aware that I didn’t know where the soul was and I didn’t know if the soul existed. And it was really driving me crazy.” Her frustration led her into discussion, and often heated debate, with a Canadian priest who was based in the coastal resort town.
Here's an idea: Feed Chick-Fil-A to the homeless...
Feed Chick-Fil-A To The Homeless | The American Conservative: Go thee and do likewise, if you can. Then blog, tweet, or Facebook about it, to let people know and to encourage others.
Meanwhile, Get Religion continues to do first-rate work calling out the ignorance of and hostility towards religion in some mainstream media reporting on the Chick-fil-A hysteria. I love this catch, from Mollie Hemingway
Meanwhile, Get Religion continues to do first-rate work calling out the ignorance of and hostility towards religion in some mainstream media reporting on the Chick-fil-A hysteria. I love this catch, from Mollie Hemingway
Is our decline inevitable? Let me describe the nation we were and the nation we’re becoming. Then you can judge for yourself...
Building a Culture of Religious Freedom | Daily News | NCRegister.comCHAPUT: A friend of mine, a political scientist, recently posed two very good questions. They go right to the heart of our discussion today. He wondered, first, if the religious freedom debate had “crossed a Rubicon” in our country’s political life. And, second, he asked if Catholic bishops now found themselves opposed — in a new and fundamental way — to the spirit of American society.
I’ll deal with his first question in a moment. I’ll come back to his second question at the end of my remarks. But we should probably begin our time together today by recalling that even at the height of anti-Catholic bigotry, Catholics have always served our country with distinction. More than 80 Catholic chaplains died in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. All four chaplains who won the Medal of Honor in those wars were Catholic priests.�
I’ll deal with his first question in a moment. I’ll come back to his second question at the end of my remarks. But we should probably begin our time together today by recalling that even at the height of anti-Catholic bigotry, Catholics have always served our country with distinction. More than 80 Catholic chaplains died in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. All four chaplains who won the Medal of Honor in those wars were Catholic priests.�
Who will be awarded the "Nobel in Theology"? Rémi Brague and Brian Daley...
Vatican Diary / Who will get the Nobel in theologyMAGISTER: There is great anticipation over the awarding of the second edition of the "Ratzinger Prize," sponsored by the Joseph Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) Vatican Foundation.
The prize will be conferred by Benedict XVI next October 20, during the synod of bishops on the "new evangelization."
The names of the winners – which we anticipate below – were selected by a scholarly committee headed by Cardinal Camillo Ruini (vicar general emeritus of Rome and former president of the Italian episcopal conference), whose members include the Italian cardinals Tarcisio Bertone (Salesian, secretary of state) and Angelo Amato (Salesian, prefect of the congregation of the causes of saints), as well as the archbishops Jean-Louis Bruguès (French Dominican, archivist and librarian of Santa Romana Chiesa) and Francisco Ladaria Ferrer (Spanish Jesuit, secretary of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith).
The prize will be conferred by Benedict XVI next October 20, during the synod of bishops on the "new evangelization."
The names of the winners – which we anticipate below – were selected by a scholarly committee headed by Cardinal Camillo Ruini (vicar general emeritus of Rome and former president of the Italian episcopal conference), whose members include the Italian cardinals Tarcisio Bertone (Salesian, secretary of state) and Angelo Amato (Salesian, prefect of the congregation of the causes of saints), as well as the archbishops Jean-Louis Bruguès (French Dominican, archivist and librarian of Santa Romana Chiesa) and Francisco Ladaria Ferrer (Spanish Jesuit, secretary of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith).
If you're an archvillain, here's a step-by-step guide to destroying the Internet. If you're a normal person, it's just a great refresher on how the whole thing works...
How to Destroy the Internet: The first step on this trip is mental. We need to begin by no longer treating the Internet like a ghost. It's made of more metal, plastic, and fiber than you can fathom—and it's spread across the whole world, a monster machine that hugs the entire globe. So we hunted down the web's physical foundation, across land and sea, to pinpoint exactly what you'd need to take out. Hypothetically. It turns out, Anonymous' threat isn't insane—just the way they talked about doing it. You can't destroy a signal while using it; the Internet's destruction requires analog violence, not some beefed up DDoS strike.
The story of Eli, and what it tells us about bad parents and unfaithful priests...
xPOPE: Let me ask you, how could it be that Samuel, a young boy living in the temple of the Lord and under the foster parentage of the High Priest was “not familiar” with the Lord? Some may argue he is but a young boy. Still, he is old enough to speak with Eli, to hear and heed Eli’s instructions. Has Eli told him nothing of the Lord? It would seem so. Ah, but you say, the text has indicated that Samuel knew nothing because the Lord had not yet revealed anything to him. The text seems to root the cause of his unfamiliarity in the Lord rather than Eli. But Eli is still without excuse for it remains true that God reveals himself to us not usually as a voice in the night, or some unusual Theophany. Rather, God reveals himself to us through parents, priests, religious and other elders. For a young and already talking Samuel to be unfamiliar with the Lord while living under the care of the High Priest supposedly ministering in the very House of The Lord is unconscionable. It is a dereliction of duty. Eli has failed thus far as a parent and a priest. Children should be taught of God from their first interactive moments. Among the first things they learn should be Bible stories and prayers. They should be made aware of and become familiar with the “still small voice” of God as he whispers his presence to them.
Men throwing rocks with the other hand...
Men Throwing Rocks With The Other Hand on Vimeo: The title pretty much says it all.
Pope Benedict's apolitical line on the Middle East, and Christians in Syria...
Pope Benedict's apolitical line on the Middle East, and Christians in Syria | National Catholic ReporterALLEN: Pope Benedict XVI will travel to Lebanon on Sept. 14-16, marking his first visit to the Middle East since the Arab Spring and his fourth overall to the region (after Turkey in 2006, the Holy Land in 2009 and Cyprus in 2010). It's also the closest he's likely to get to the current chaos in Syria.
The official purpose is to present the conclusions from the Vatican's Synod on the Middle East in October 2010. Lebanon is an obvious launching pad, since Christians make up roughly 40 percent of the country's total population of 4 million, the largest Christian footprint in percentage terms in the Middle East. It's also, of course, one of the few places in the region where the pope's safety can be reasonably assured.
The official purpose is to present the conclusions from the Vatican's Synod on the Middle East in October 2010. Lebanon is an obvious launching pad, since Christians make up roughly 40 percent of the country's total population of 4 million, the largest Christian footprint in percentage terms in the Middle East. It's also, of course, one of the few places in the region where the pope's safety can be reasonably assured.
The fog of civil war: What's really going on in Syria is too complicated to fit in a headline...
The Fog of Civil War - By Stephen Starr | Foreign Policy: In Jdaydieh Artouz, a town 11 miles southwest of Damascus that is home to a mix of Sunnis, Christians, and Alawites, protests have been taking place almost daily for well over a year. Yet the security forces, centered at a police station a few hundred yards up the street from where the protesters regularly gather, have largely ignored them. One wet, cold January night while out to pick up some sharwama sandwiches, I watched cars with Bashar al-Assad's face emblazoned across the rear window pass within inches of the indomitable demonstrators. Neither side appeared perturbed. With the exception of isolated incidents in which several protesters were killed, the town remained peaceful throughout the uprising -- that is until Thursday, July 19, when rebel fighters fired RPGs at the police station, killing five officers.
A lesson about being "too busy"...
A Lesson About Being "Too Busy" |Blogs | NCRegister.comFULWILER: Well, my grand plans to do absolutely nothing this summer have not played out like I had hoped. Between swim lessons, birthday parties, playdates, travel plans, and that "small" freelance project I took on (that, of course, ended up being not all that small), my lazy and laid-back summer is shaping up to be anything but lazy and laid-back.
Starting about a week ago, I knew that I was getting too maxed out. I knew that I needed to take steps -- drastic ones, if need be -- to clear off our schedule to give us a little breathing room, but I could never seem to break free from the momentum of our crazy days to think clearly enough to make changes. Then, yesterday, I got a wakeup call that reminded me of the real ramifications of living this way.
Starting about a week ago, I knew that I was getting too maxed out. I knew that I needed to take steps -- drastic ones, if need be -- to clear off our schedule to give us a little breathing room, but I could never seem to break free from the momentum of our crazy days to think clearly enough to make changes. Then, yesterday, I got a wakeup call that reminded me of the real ramifications of living this way.
How to rock at your religion
How to suck at your religionBARNES: Oh dear.�Matthew Inman of the marvelous web-comic, The Oatmeal, seems to have experienced that exquisite twitch all modern�atheists�are doomed to experience — the I-know-what’s-best-for-you-silly-religious-people-come-heed-me spasm. This particular�train of thought requires the thinker ignore the vast majority of Christian belief — which is entrenched in reason — and focus solely on minority caricatures of the creationist or the wailing-out evangelical, caricatures firmly established and grounded in The Holy Internet Worldview. Having thus defined the term “religion”, the moral high ground is taken, the sneers are unleashed, and all religious people fear and tremble, for atheism has demonstrated itself as supremely reasonable, authoritative, scientific, and gosh-darnit it’s a wonder everyone just doesn’t convert on the spot. Check it out.
Will courts support a ban on Chick-fil-A? In theory, the Ninth Circuit already has...
Will Courts Support a Ban on Chick-fil-A? | CatholicVote.orgJACKSMITH: So as you know, politicians in Chicago and Boston threaten to block the establishment of a Chick-fil-A outlet in their environs because the company’s CEO admits, when asked by a religious publication, that he believes in “the biblical definition of the family unit.”
“Those aren’t our values,” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel said.
So the question arises, would the decision to refuse necessary permits for the operation of a business based solely on the owner’s unpopular speech or religious belief survive court scrutiny? The answer is clearly “no,” and there is plenty of precedent to prove it.
“Those aren’t our values,” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel said.
So the question arises, would the decision to refuse necessary permits for the operation of a business based solely on the owner’s unpopular speech or religious belief survive court scrutiny? The answer is clearly “no,” and there is plenty of precedent to prove it.
A Geek and Her God: Eve Tushnet interviews former atheist Leah Libresco...
A Geek and Her God: An Interview with Leah Libresco | Catholic Lane: Leah Libresco was raised in an atheist household on Long Island. She gained notoriety as an atheist blogger who focused on such diverse topics as math and morality. She often wrestled with Catholic ideas: the blog, mischievously titled “Unequally Yoked,” initially started as a place where she could interrogate and consider arguments raised by her then boyfriend, a practicing Catholic. Needless to say, readers were startled when, on June 18, she announced her conversion to Roman Catholicism. “This is my last post for the Patheos Atheist portal,” she wrote. The comboxes exploded.
Five ways to stop worrying TODAY!
Five Ways To Stop Worrying TODAY! | Following The TruthZIMAK: Easy for Him to say, right? If you’re someone who has a tendency to worry, even the words of Jesus aren’t enough to allow you to remain calm in the midst of a crisis. Is it really possible for those of us who are habitual worriers to “let not our hearts be troubled”? After years of torturing myself, I’ve discovered that not only is it possible, but by following 5 simple steps, you can experience peace in your life TODAY!
The 7 most annoying bumper sticker slogans of the past twenty years...
Man In the Woods: The 7 Most Annoying Bumper Sticker Slogans of the Past 20 YearsCHAPMAN: In a world of bumper sticker slogans, one occasionally runs across an amusing, if not thought-provoking, message. That said, it is far more common to see one that simply annoys you. Sure, it may not be the worst message in the world, but after seeing it a hundred or so times it becomes a little like that song that is overplayed on the radio (need I mention Hootie and the Blowfish?). The other problem is that it comes off as a bit of the old "hit and run" mentality. Because I am anonymous, I can yell anything at you I want, and I don't have to bother listening to your response. Hah! I have won an argument that I don't even have to defend, because my opponent has been reduced to silence... sort of.
10 easy tips for beating your stress without breaking the law...
Stress Busters!! |Blogs | NCRegister.comFISHER: Do you wake up with a sore jaw from clenching your teeth all night? �
Are you nervous, jittery, irritable and gloomy? �
Do you roll around on the floor shrieking, "Argh, argh, argh, I just don't know what's WRONG with me" and end up missing the Summer Reading Program party at the library because you refused to acknowledge that any of the pants proffered you are actually your pants?� Even the puppy pants?
Are you nervous, jittery, irritable and gloomy? �
Do you roll around on the floor shrieking, "Argh, argh, argh, I just don't know what's WRONG with me" and end up missing the Summer Reading Program party at the library because you refused to acknowledge that any of the pants proffered you are actually your pants?� Even the puppy pants?
You will never believe what some of the Jesuits are doing these days. Take a look...
RORATE C�LI: You report: Happy news from the... Society of Jesus!: Fr. William V. Blazek, S.J., newly ordained for the Jesuit Chicago-Detroit province, celebrated his first Solemn High Mass (Traditional Mass) on June 24 (Nativity of St. John the Baptist) at Mary Immaculate of Lourdes in Newton, MA. Serving as deacon was Fr. Charles J. Higgins of the Archdiocese of Boston and pastor of Mary Immaculate of Lourdes. Serving as sub-deacon was Fr. John Rizzo, FSSP, visiting from his assignment in Australia.
Bombshell By the Bay — Salvatore Cordileone, outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage, named Archbishop of San Francisco
Whispers in the Loggia: B16's "Bombshell By the Bay" -- Marriage Chief Cordileone to Rock San Francisco: Depending on how one looks at things, this Friday morning brings either the most courageously bold -- or stunningly brazen -- American appointment in the seven-year reign of Pope Benedict XVI.
For the better part of the last four months, the machinery of the archdiocese that -- at least, under normal circumstances -- many US bishops consider the nation's most daunting episcopal assignment has quietly prepared its 450,000 members for a transition at the top. Yet while the pontiff's selection of the ninth archbishop of San Francisco had almost universally been expected by late June, an apparent delay was explained by credible reports of a backroom Roman "fight" over the state and direction of the famously progressive local church.
For the better part of the last four months, the machinery of the archdiocese that -- at least, under normal circumstances -- many US bishops consider the nation's most daunting episcopal assignment has quietly prepared its 450,000 members for a transition at the top. Yet while the pontiff's selection of the ninth archbishop of San Francisco had almost universally been expected by late June, an apparent delay was explained by credible reports of a backroom Roman "fight" over the state and direction of the famously progressive local church.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Our Lady of Quito prophesied that in the our times there would be spiritual catastrophe in the Church; then, through the faith of the just, a ‘complete restoration’...
Our Lady of Quito prophesied that in the 60s there would be spiritual catastrophe in the Church; then, through the faith of the just, a ‘complete restoration’ | CatholicHerald.co.ukODDIE: The most important thing to understand is that it would be just wrong to despair at all this. The fightback is underway. For, in the end, Our Lady of Quito’s prophecies do not end with spiritual catastrophe. In a later apparition she foretold that “In order to free men from bondage to these heresies, those whom the merciful love of My Most Holy Son will destine for that restoration will need great strength of will, constancy, valor and much confidence in God. To test this faith and confidence of the just, there will be occasions when everything will seem to be lost and paralyzed. This, then, will be the happy beginning of the complete restoration.”
Top 10 signs you are a normal Catholic...
Aggie Catholics: 10 Signs You Are a Normal Catholic: You are nice enough to save the pews in the front of church for the latecomers. (You also save the comfy middle part of the pew for others).
You can follow every prayer in Mass, regardless of what language it is in.
You have given up something sweet for Lent...at least a dozen times before.
You dress a lot nicer when you know you might see the Bishop.
You have genuflected (or started to) in a movie theater.
You can follow every prayer in Mass, regardless of what language it is in.
You have given up something sweet for Lent...at least a dozen times before.
You dress a lot nicer when you know you might see the Bishop.
You have genuflected (or started to) in a movie theater.
A quiet highway, Rosary beads, and a tragic accident...
A quiet highway, Rosary beads and a tragic accident � GetReligionMATTINGLY: First things first: The Indianapolis Star team deserves quite a bit of credit for the quick news feature it produced the other day about the death of Andrew Moore, a Thomas Aquinas College student who was killed while walking from coast to coast during a prayer marathon in opposition to abortion.
Most of the questions I have, truth be told, are about the nature of the accident itself. Moore was wearing a reflecting vest and was walking in the grassy median of the highway — details that the story notes quite clearly. Still, police are saying that this was nothing more than a simple accident.
Most of the questions I have, truth be told, are about the nature of the accident itself. Moore was wearing a reflecting vest and was walking in the grassy median of the highway — details that the story notes quite clearly. Still, police are saying that this was nothing more than a simple accident.
From Salzburg to Lincoln Center, religion is back on the program for classical music...
Salzburg to Lincoln Center, Spirituality Is on the Program - NYTimes.com: It has been called the city of churches, and bell towers sound frequent reminders. Yet there is little about latter-day Salzburg, which fiercely commercializes its status as Mozart’s birthplace and the setting for “The Sound of Music,” that brings to mind the word “spirituality.” Tacky Mozart mementos and confections vie for tourists’ dollars with magnificent performances of his music.
Did St. Paul attend the Olympics?
Did St. Paul attend the Olympics? | Bishop Kevin FarrellFARRELL: St. Paul could have attended the Olympic Games in ancient Greece.� He was in Greece when they were being played. He never mentioned the Olympics in his letters, but he has a lot to say about winning.
“Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. “(1 Cor 9:24-25)
“Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. “(1 Cor 9:24-25)
It's starting to creep me out, how much Obama loves Planned Parenthood, and how he clearly lives with the expectation that his daughters are going to kill his grandchildren...
Obama, Planned Parenthood and his Daughters, AgainSCALIA: “I don’t want my daughters punished with a baby,” was icky enough. But if Obama really wants to make sure his grandchildren don’t get in the way of his daughters “dreams” (and if he’s so sure that their dreams include abortion) does he want to them go to Planned Parenthood to do it?
Planned Parenthood, where — if their wombs are perforated and they start hemorrhaging at 11 AM — the abortion clinic may wait until 4:30 PM to call an ambulance, while his daughters, like poor Tonya Reaves, bleed to death?
Planned Parenthood, where — if their wombs are perforated and they start hemorrhaging at 11 AM — the abortion clinic may wait until 4:30 PM to call an ambulance, while his daughters, like poor Tonya Reaves, bleed to death?
The incredible sacrifice of Salvo D’Acquisto, a young Italian Carabiniere executed by the SS during World War II...
The incredible sacrifice of Salvo D’Acquisto | CatholicHerald.co.ukLUCIE-SMITH: My last post about St Edith Stein brought to mind the figure of the Servant of God Salvo D’Acquisto, another martyr of love from the period of the Second World War. Back in 1995, I visited some of the places associated with him, and wrote an article for the print edition of this newspaper, which I have salvaged from the archives. I think people in the English-speaking world need to know more about this martyr, so here is the article, slightly adapted:
Modern Italy has few war heroes: Marshal Badoglio, King Victor Emmanuel, Mussolini – their names do not appear on public buildings. The attentive tourist will only see blank spaces where stonemasons have done their best to erase the past.
Modern Italy has few war heroes: Marshal Badoglio, King Victor Emmanuel, Mussolini – their names do not appear on public buildings. The attentive tourist will only see blank spaces where stonemasons have done their best to erase the past.
Supporters vow to keep Mount Soledad Cross in California despite Circuit Court ruling
Supporters vow to keep cross in California veterans tribute despite court ruling | Fox News: For decades, there has been a First Amendment battle raging over the Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial in La Jolla, Calif., where a large cross anchors a tribute to Korean War veterans.
Because it sits on public property, the American Civil Liberties Union has long argued that the cross amounts to an unconstitutional entanglement of government and religion.�
In 2011, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed, triggering an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, but in June, the high court justices declined to hear the case.
Because it sits on public property, the American Civil Liberties Union has long argued that the cross amounts to an unconstitutional entanglement of government and religion.�
In 2011, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed, triggering an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, but in June, the high court justices declined to hear the case.
What is Eternal Life?
What Is Eternal Life? | Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: I often think we haven’t done a very good job in setting forth the doctrine of Eternal Life. For most people the concept seems a rather flat one, namely, that we shall live for ever and ever and ever…. And frankly for many such a concept seems rather unappealing even if the place of it is heaven. Heaven too is often poorly understood. It is reduced to a rather egocentric notion of a place where I will be happy. I’ll have a mansion, I’ll see my mother again, I won’t suffer…. But most moderns in their description never get around to mentioning God. If God is mentioned at all he’s down on the list somewhere, not at the top where he belongs. This is sad for the heart of heaven is to be with God!
"Pro Multis": The Pope's translation is gaining support...
"Pro Multis." The Pope's Translation Is Gaining SupportMAGISTER: In effect, after Vatican Council II, in most of the translations of the Roman missal in the various languages "pro multis" was rendered as "for all," in a forced interpretation.
And the repeated calls from the congregation for divine worship for a more literal translation of the words of Jesus at the last supper – in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark – had been little obeyed.
In recent years, nonetheless, the new translations of the missal undertaken by some of the episcopates have restored in various countries the "for many."
And the repeated calls from the congregation for divine worship for a more literal translation of the words of Jesus at the last supper – in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark – had been little obeyed.
In recent years, nonetheless, the new translations of the missal undertaken by some of the episcopates have restored in various countries the "for many."
New Scottish bishop: "I could see myself going to jail in the next 15 years" for defending traditional marriage...
New Scottish bishop could see going to jail over 'gay marriage' :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Archbishop-designate Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow could see himself being imprisoned for speaking out in support of the traditional married family.
“I could see myself going to jail possibly at some point over the next 15 years, if God spares me, if I speak out,” Archbishop Tartaglia said in an interview with STV News July 24.
His comments came just a day before the Scottish government announced it would legislate in favor of same-sex “marriage.” Archbishop Tartaglia warned that the redefinition of marriage will have “enormous implications for religious liberty.”
“I could see myself going to jail possibly at some point over the next 15 years, if God spares me, if I speak out,” Archbishop Tartaglia said in an interview with STV News July 24.
His comments came just a day before the Scottish government announced it would legislate in favor of same-sex “marriage.” Archbishop Tartaglia warned that the redefinition of marriage will have “enormous implications for religious liberty.”
The Unsustainable Name...
The Unsustainable Name |Blogs | NCRegister.comFISHER: I was thinking over these things as I drove around this morning -- wondering about names, wondering about fitting in to the family of man, wondering about what we should try to sustain, and what we should abandon.� As I zipped along, the lush, overwhelming green of midsummer maples suddenly gave way to a wide open sky beside the highway, and I had my first clear view of the mountain that is central to the little towns I traveled through.��
And then I realized that the clear cut space was a cemetery.� At first it seemed odd:� the most spectacular view for miles around, and not a single live person to enjoy it!
But then it made perfect sense.� There are the dead, our ancestors, staking out a claim for the family of man.� Keeping the ground clear, reserving a spot while the rest of us go about our work.
I was driving too fast to read any of the names on the stones.� I suppose they might as well have been my own last name.
And then I realized that the clear cut space was a cemetery.� At first it seemed odd:� the most spectacular view for miles around, and not a single live person to enjoy it!
But then it made perfect sense.� There are the dead, our ancestors, staking out a claim for the family of man.� Keeping the ground clear, reserving a spot while the rest of us go about our work.
I was driving too fast to read any of the names on the stones.� I suppose they might as well have been my own last name.
An interview with Dr. Peter Kreeft, and his list of 5 books every Catholic should read...
Interview with Peter Kreeft – On C.S. Lewis, Philosophy, and Great Books | BrandonVogt.comVOGT: In my opinion, Dr. Kreeft is the closest thing we have to a twenty-first century Lewis. Nobody else mirrors Lewis’ total package: his cunning wit, sharp thinking, baptized imagination, and love for story and wonder. Just listen to some of his talks to see what I mean.
Dr. Kreeft recently sat down with me to discuss C.S. Lewis, the New Atheism, philosophy, story, books, and much more. Enjoy!
Dr. Kreeft recently sat down with me to discuss C.S. Lewis, the New Atheism, philosophy, story, books, and much more. Enjoy!
City of Steubenville sides with atheist group, promises to remove Cross from logo...
Oh, for [Delete Deity]‘s Sake!–UPDATE 2MCPORTLAND: Other cities don’t hesitate to incorporate religious images. Las Cruces, New Mexico’s city logo features, not surprisingly, obviously Christian crosses. Salem, Massachusetts recently spent a boatload of bucks retooling its city signage—including police cars and police badges—to include a witch on a broomstick, and proudly calls itself The Witch City. Yoohoo, Freedom from Religion Foundation! Wicca is a religion.
How to get rid of your excess baggage...
Getting Rid of Excess Baggage : The Integrated Catholic LifeHAIN: I have been thinking a great deal about my experience at Reconciliation a few weekends ago.� I felt an intense and unexplainable urge to go and confess my sins when I woke up that Saturday morning.� I try to go every six weeks or so, but this was no routine visit to the Priest for me.� I needed to unburden myself of the numerous venial sins I had committed since I last participated in this Sacrament.� For possibly the first time in the six years since I joined the Church, I was able to see the true nature of these sins as a tremendous burden on my shoulders, as a fog that kept me from seeing the path ahead and absolutely as obstacles in my relationship with Christ.� I know these observations to be true because the moment I left the confessional booth I felt as though a huge weight had been lifted, my spiritual vision was restored and I was again focused on serving the Lord.
Paid Parenthood: What compels 60,000 people each year to sell their eggs and sperm?
The New Atlantis � Paid ParenthoodMERRILL: In the United States, there is a vast market for sperm and eggs to enable infertile couples, single women, and gay and lesbian couples to have children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that over 17,000 in vitro fertilization cycles were initiated in the United States in 2009 with donor eggs, with perhaps a third of these resulting in live births. While statistics for artificial insemination are not as carefully tracked, estimates of the annual number of U.S. women who are inseminated with donor sperm are in the hundreds of thousands, and an estimated 30,000 to 60,000 children are born each year through sperm donation, although this number is only an educated guess.
What does air conditioning have to do with religious liberty?
HVAC and the HHS Mandate - Interview - National Review OnlineLOPEZ: The Department of Health and Human Services mandate requiring employers to offer health insurance covering abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and contraception goes into effect on August 1. Matt Bowman, a lawyer for the Alliance Defending Freedom, talks to National Review Online’s Kathryn Jean Lopez about the Newland family in Denver, whose religious liberty he is helping to defend. The Newlands run a company, Hercules Industries, that distributes products for heating and air-conditioning systems. They are asking for an injunction that will protect their constitutional rights as they face the beginning of their new health-care-enrollment year this fall.
Rosary, Adoration, and Latin Mass: MLS All-Star midfielder rediscovers his neglected Catholic faith in a big way...
Major League Soccer All-Star Rediscovers Beauty of Catholic Faith | Daily News | NCRegister.com: Eddie Gaven is in his 10th season of Major League Soccer. His career includes an MLS All-Star Game appearance in 2004 and an MLS Cup victory with the Columbus Crew in 2008. These are impressive accomplishments for anyone, but what makes them even more so is that Gaven is only 25.
In 2003, the Hamilton Township, N.J., native was the youngest player up to that point to sign an MLS contract. He was only 16 at the time. While Gaven’s soccer career was pursued with youthful zeal, his Catholic faith was left to decay.
In 2003, the Hamilton Township, N.J., native was the youngest player up to that point to sign an MLS contract. He was only 16 at the time. While Gaven’s soccer career was pursued with youthful zeal, his Catholic faith was left to decay.
The Man in Black and the Men in Blue...
The Man in Black and the Men in Blue |Blogs | NCRegister.comDRAKE: Every good story has at its heart the story, Jesus Christ's crucifixion, death and resurrection. In Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises, that story is more self-evident (even in the title) than in most. Christian reviews, such as Focus on the Family's Plugged In have noted it. (See Register review here.)
Most of the reviews that I've read, however, have failed to note the film's attention to the broad theme of masculine protection, which was also modeled by Christ and the Twelve.
Most of the reviews that I've read, however, have failed to note the film's attention to the broad theme of masculine protection, which was also modeled by Christ and the Twelve.
St. Anne, St. Anne, find me a man...
“St. Anne, St. Anne find me a man” | IgnitumTodayTOMANEK: Long ago, in a Podunk country near the center of trade between East and West, a couple named Joachim and Anne were practicing their Jewish faith. Like all Israelites, they were anticipating the long awaited Messiah, the Word of God, the same Logos that Greek philosophers before them spoke.� They would undoubtedly travel to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover.� I wonder if they would realize that the sacrificial bloody lamb that they would consume would be replaced by another Lamb, that would also be sacrificed and consumed.� I wonder if they would realize that the recalling of the Passover and its release of bondage from the slavery in Egypt would be fulfilled with another Pasch and a release from the slavery of a deadlier master, sin.
Top 10 signs your Catholic co-worker is expecting a child...
Truth & CharitySCIBA: You find him during lunch break flipping through the index of Butler’s Lives of the Saints, reading, “Athanasius? Nah. Pachomius? Nah…” He’s obviously trying to name something, or someone. Or you hear him in the break room practicing his refusal of post-op contraceptives. Nothing says, my wife is expecting, like the words, “Tubal ligation? No thanks, we’re Catholic.”
You built that company. Now build a better world. Here's how they're doing it in Ecuador...
You Built a Company – Now Use It to Build a Better WorldDALRYMPLE: Companies don’t have to direct funds toward charitable purposes in order to be engaged in doing good. �They already are doing good. �They provide meaningful work, they provide salaries that enable their employees to take care of their families, and they provide helpful services and products. �At their best, companies are people banding together to do something good and redemptive, to participate in the restoration of culture and creation. �But they can do more. �They can harness the talents and treasures their company has assembled and put them behind social transformation.
The Campaign for Humanae Vitae
The Campaign for Humanae Vitae | Crisis MagazineRICE: The year 2018 will mark the 50th, or Golden, anniversary of Humanae Vitae (HV), in which Paul VI restated what had been, until 1930, an unbroken and universal Christian teaching.� Today, on HV’s 44th anniversary, the Bellarmine Forum is launching The Campaign for Humanae Vitae.� Our goal is to gather a million signatures on our petition conveying to the Holy Father and our bishops our prayerful gratitude, encouragement, and support for their efforts to preach and to defend this vital teaching of the Magisterium.
A Catholic mother's trifecta: three brothers becoming priests
Trifecta: three brothers becoming priests: When Luke Strand started college nine years ago, he wanted to earn a marketing degree, a job in the business world, then a house and children.
What are the great signs of demonic influence? Scattering, accusation, lying, and death...
The Devil: A Commentary by Fr. Barron - YouTubeBARRON: In the sixth chapter of Mark's Gospel we find the account of Jesus sending his disciples out on mission. They're going to preach and heal, but the first thing he tells them is, "You have authority over unclean spirits." When they return from mission, the first thing they tell Him is, "We cast out many demons in your Name." When I was in the seminary, that kind of language was seen as primitive superstition...
CDF delegate Bishop Leonard Blair responds to LCWR criticism on NPR
Whispers in the Loggia: On the "Nun Wars," Fresh Blair... and A Word from the "Holy Office": As the promised follow-up to last week's Fresh Air interview of the LCWR president, Sr Pat Farrell (above left), in the run-up to the body's crucial August assembly in St Louis -- at which the umbrella-group representing a majority of the superiors of the nation's women religious is expected to formally respond to the Vatican's April order for its effective reconstitution -- earlier today the NPR mainstay ran a conversation with Bishop Leonard Blair of Toledo, the CDF delegate who oversaw the four-year Doctrinal Assessment of the group.
Circuit Court upholds South Dakota's pro-life 'informed consent' law...
Court upholds S. Dakota rule based on abortion's suicide risk :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): A federal appeals court has upheld a South Dakota informed consent rule requiring that abortion doctors warn women seeking abortions about the increased risks of suicide.
Leslee J. Unruh, President of the pro-life counseling group Alpha Center in Sioux Falls, S.D., backed the law and praised the July 24 ruling.
She said the decision is a victory for “all women who have ever been deceived into thinking that aborting their unborn children was the ‘only easy way out.’”
The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the disputed portion of the 2005 informed consent law by a vote of 7-4. The court said the law is not an “undue burden on abortion rights” or a violation of doctors’ free speech rights.
Leslee J. Unruh, President of the pro-life counseling group Alpha Center in Sioux Falls, S.D., backed the law and praised the July 24 ruling.
She said the decision is a victory for “all women who have ever been deceived into thinking that aborting their unborn children was the ‘only easy way out.’”
The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the disputed portion of the 2005 informed consent law by a vote of 7-4. The court said the law is not an “undue burden on abortion rights” or a violation of doctors’ free speech rights.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
A Catholic reply to an a bigoted comic that's making the rounds of the Internet...
Shameless Popery: A Catholic Reply to “How to Suck At Your Religion”HESCHMEYER: There is a temptation to say, “It’s a webcomic, don’t take it so seriously!” But the truth is, while it’s supposed to be funny, it’s also supposed to make a serious point. In my view, it fails on both counts, but I’m really only concerned about the latter. Nearly every panel raises a different argument against certain types of religion, with most of the vitriol saved for Catholicism. Each of these arguments collapse on closer inspection, and it’s clear that the sheer quantity of arguments cannot overcome the dearth of quality of any given argument.
For St. James’ Day, an interesting detailed bit of early Church detective work...
St James the ApostleLONGENECKER: What are Peter’s “memoirs”? We know it isn’t the Gospel of Peter–which is a later apocryphal gospel that was written after Justin Martyr died. The early tradition of the church was that John Mark was the companion, translator and scribe for Peter, and that Mark’s gospel is based on the memories of Peter himself. We can safely conclude that the “memoirs” of Peter that Justin Martyr probably refers to Marks’ gospel. What seals the deal is that Mark is the only one of the Evangelists who records that Jesus nicknamed James and John “Boanerges–Sons of Thunder”.
In the wake of Aurora, here's what America's pastors should have said...
A Religious Response to the Colorado Killings | Crisis Magazine: A weekend has passed since twelve people were killed and fifty-eight were wounded in Aurora, Colorado, by alleged gunman James Holmes.� Throughout the period I searched the mainstream media for statements from America’s religious leaders that might help people make sense of the tragedy.� The closest I came to finding any pastoral contribution was in the form of therapeutic religion.� Pastors called for remembrance of the victims, solidarity with their families, asked for prayers and encouraged people to have faith.� These are all well and good, but, didn’t President Obama do as much?� As a matter of fact, the President was referred to by some reporters as fulfilling his ministry as “the consoler and chief.”�� Isn’t this the job of the priests, ministers and rabbis’?
Perhaps some nuggets here for homilists and evangelizers: Researchers study how to get, and keep, someone's attention...
How to Get — and Keep — Someone’s Attention | TIME Ideas | TIME.com: Sir Lancelot had the Holy Grail. Captain Ahab had Moby Dick. For scientists who study learning, the ultimate quest is to unlock the secrets of engagement. How do we engage students in learning, and then keep them in that state? So ardent is their search that it can lead them down paths that may seem, to the uninitiated, a bit silly — as demonstrated by two recent developments.
To the U.S. bishops, "social justice" has always meant "government programs". But things are changing...
The Church and the End of the Welfare State | First ThingsWEIGEL: Throughout the post-Vatican II years, the U.S. bishops’ conference has typically defended the welfare state and not infrequently urged its expansion. Everyone familiar with the situation knows that this has had far more to do with the political predilections of certain conference staff members than with the settled judgment of the American episcopate—or with a careful application of the principles of Catholic social doctrine. But things are changing.
Why did Jesus call Sts. James and John the "sons of thunder"?
Why did Jesus call Sts. James and John the "sons of thunder"? | The New Theological MovementERLENBUSH: Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. James the Greater, who was the brother of St. John the Evangelist. This is the St. James who was first among the Apostles to be martyred (by Herod in Jerusalem) and whose relics are venerated in Compostella, Spain.
St. James the Greater was not called “the brother of the Lord” (that is St. James the Less), but he and his younger brother St. John were called Boanerges or “sons of Thunder”. Why did Jesus give them this designation?
St. James the Greater was not called “the brother of the Lord” (that is St. James the Less), but he and his younger brother St. John were called Boanerges or “sons of Thunder”. Why did Jesus give them this designation?
'Dark Night' star Christian Bale (who previously brought the world's attention to the blind pro-life activist in China) quietly visits shooting victims in Aurora...
Photographs of the Week: Christian Bale Visits the Victims UPDATEDWEATHERS: Let me tell you what this does for morale. I was hospitalized for 5 1/2 weeks once, and when visitors came to see me, it always lifted my spirits. But the biggest lift came when the Commanding General of the 4th Marine Division came to see me at the Naval Hospital in Balboa. Talk about a jump in morale! In that setting, when a Major General pops in to see one of his troops, it’s just like Christian Bale coming to visit you. I know this for a fact: all the nurses treated me better afterwards.
Planned Parenthood may face Congressional scrutiny over Chicago abortion clinic death
Rep wants public hearing on Planned Parenthood after woman's death | Fox News: Planned Parenthood is facing new calls for congressional scrutiny after a Chicago woman died following an abortion at a local clinic last week.�
Twenty-four-year old Tonya Reaves died Friday of hemorrhaging following the abortion, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office. Her death has been ruled an accident.�
While Planned Parenthood afterward issued a statement expressing condolences to the family, the abortion provider's most vocal critics in Washington swiftly began calling for a closer look into the group's safety guidelines and financial practices.�
Twenty-four-year old Tonya Reaves died Friday of hemorrhaging following the abortion, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office. Her death has been ruled an accident.�
While Planned Parenthood afterward issued a statement expressing condolences to the family, the abortion provider's most vocal critics in Washington swiftly began calling for a closer look into the group's safety guidelines and financial practices.�
The Bible verses that I never saw...
The Verses I Never Saw |Blogs | NCRegister.comFULWILER: When I read the New Testament, I was caught off guard by how earthy it was. There was talk of the goings on in this town or that one, comments about local politics, mentions of the health of people's brothers and slaves and children -- most of them identified by name. In his letters, Paul occasionally took a break from fleshing out Christian doctrine to offer shout-outs to men and women like Aquila and Prisca, Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus. He sent warm greetings from prison to his friend Philemon, his sister in Christ Apphia, and to a man named Archippus who held church services in his home. In Colossians 4:18, Paul includes a personal aside to his friends. In Luke 23:12 the author includes a note that shows his personality as a man who is interested in the politics of his time.
A priest (and exorcist-in-training) shares insights on what enrages Satan, what frightens him, and how you might be welcoming him without even knowing it...
American exorcist-in-training shares his experience :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): “I never thought I’d end up doing this, no,” admits the young priest whose unexpected path to becoming an exorcist began while saying one of his first Masses after he was ordained 15 years ago.
“At the moment of consecration of the precious blood I asked the Lord to shower his blood upon the youth and to help any young men who may have a vocation to the priesthood.”
The instant reaction of one 13-year old boy shocked the young priest, “he fell backwards and started growling. And I thought, ‘I wasn’t expecting this!’”
“At the moment of consecration of the precious blood I asked the Lord to shower his blood upon the youth and to help any young men who may have a vocation to the priesthood.”
The instant reaction of one 13-year old boy shocked the young priest, “he fell backwards and started growling. And I thought, ‘I wasn’t expecting this!’”
CRS’ partnership with CARE may have been imprudent, but it was certainly not immoral...
Compassion vs. CARE: A Defense of Catholic Relief Services | BrandonVogt.comVOGT: This whole thing could have been avoided if CRS understood the scandal it would evoke. I’m sure they now regret the partnership. But I’m also convinced it will cause them to be more careful in the future. For us Catholics, it’s not time to jump ship on CRS. Whenever our boat scrapes rock, our first move should not be to abandon it. Instead we should assess the damage, fix the problems with permanent solutions, and then steer clear of future dangers.
"Stylish and finely-written": Celestial is a classy new digital magazine for Catholic women...
DCR June 20, 2012: Denver native launches first digital magazine for Catholic women: Like every founding editor poised to launch a contemporary women’s magazine, Melyssa Padilla hopes readers respond to her mix of lively contributors’ stories, pointed relationship advice and full-color fashion pages.
But celestial, which launched May 31, bears one crucial difference with other upscale women’s publications: God is not just in all the details of celestial, he is behind all the details, too.
Padilla believes celestial is most likely the first Catholic publication to break into the digital magazine genre, the latest innovation in the field of online publications.��
But celestial, which launched May 31, bears one crucial difference with other upscale women’s publications: God is not just in all the details of celestial, he is behind all the details, too.
Padilla believes celestial is most likely the first Catholic publication to break into the digital magazine genre, the latest innovation in the field of online publications.��
"Humanae Vitae": 44 years later, it continues to challenge us to love, trust, and sacrifice...
"Humanae Vitae": 44 years later, it continues to challenge us to love, trust, and sacrifice: Catholic World ReportOLSON: The encyclical, Humanae Vitae, was promulgated 44 years ago today, on July 25, 1968. The word often used to describe Pope Paul VI's encyclical is "prophetic". It is one of those rather rare cases in which such a daunting, loaded, and strong adjective is exactly on the mark. Being prophetic, in the biblical and apostolic tradition, involves far more than some sort of foretelling of future events. It is, first, a forthtelling of truth, a proclamation of the Word of God. As such, it requires courage and a willingness to be rejected, mocked, and even vilified.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Conversion story: "I fought the Church and the Church won"...
I Fought the Church, and the Church Won - Called to Communion: Part of me has wished for a while now that I was born early enough to have been a fan of The Clash back in the Seventies. The first song I ever heard by them (several years after its release) was their cover of Sonny Curtis’s hit, the chorus of which goes, “I fought the law, and the law won.” Despite being a fairly law-abiding guy, I can relate to being on the losing side of a battle, only mine was not against the law, but against the Church.
Beyond Here Be Dragons: 17 questions with Catholic author David Athey...
Beyond Here Be Dragons: 17 Questions with Catholic Author David Athey | St. Peter's List: Seeing books as a means of entertainment or escape is the common misconception of many people because they fail to acknowledge that a book can be very dangerous (sometimes they are dangerous in a good way and other times dangerous in a bad way). All books, no matter if it is either light bubblegum fiction or some great masterpiece, have the potential to leave a lasting impression on the minds and hearts of its readers. For example, I realized this the first time I read the The Silver Chair when I was young girl. I ended up bursting into tears because I began to doubt my own existence, thinking that it was a possible that I was part of someone else’s dream (Clearly I was a gullible child). Having the power to leave such ideas, sensations, fears, and passions on their audience, authors, therefore, have a lot of power.
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