Sunday, November 10, 2013
Sunday Angelus: Pope Francis calls for "our prayer" and "actual help" for the people of the Philippines
VATICAN Pope calls for "our prayer" and "actual help" for the people of the Philippines - Asia News: Filipino authorities estimate that Typhoon Haiyan may have killed 10,000 people. Before the Angelus, Francis spoke about eternal life, which is "another life in another dimension". Eternity "enlightens and gives hope to the earthly life of each one of us," whilst "death is behind us, behind and not in front of us. The God of the living is in front of us, the God that bears my name, and yours, yours, yours . . . the final defeat of sin and death, the beginning of a new time of joy and endless light." Maria Theresia Bonzel is beatified in Paderborn. On the anniversary of the 'Night of the Broken Glass', the pontiff reiterates the Church's closeness to its 'elder brothers', the Jews.
This may be the most successful football play of all time
New Advent: This may be the most successful football play of all time: As part of our continuing series "On the Road," Steve Hartman meets the Olivet Eagles, a middle school football team who took a fledgling player under their wing and executed what may be the most successful play of all time.
Pope St. Leo I is one of only a few who are called "the Great"
Saint Pope Leo the Great: Doctor of the Unity of the Church | TOM PERNA™PERNA: Not much is known of the early life of Saint Pope Leo the Great, but it’s more than likely he was born in either Tuscany or Rome. His ordination to the priesthood has no date either. We do know from his writings that he was well educated, but his education did not include Greek. To read some of his writings, please read the complementary post, The Words of Saint Pope Leo the Great.
The first time we really hear from him is when he is a deacon under the Popes – Saint Celestine I and Saint Sixtus III. He was an important deacon since both St. Cyril of Alexandria and Saint John Cassian wrote to him regarding Nestorius and his heresies. He found out that he was elected to the Chair of St. Peter while settling a peace treaty between two imperial generals that broke out in Gaul.
The first time we really hear from him is when he is a deacon under the Popes – Saint Celestine I and Saint Sixtus III. He was an important deacon since both St. Cyril of Alexandria and Saint John Cassian wrote to him regarding Nestorius and his heresies. He found out that he was elected to the Chair of St. Peter while settling a peace treaty between two imperial generals that broke out in Gaul.
10 things you need to know today: November 9, 2013...
10 things you need to know today: November 9, 2013 - The Week: Iranian nuclear talks stall, Super Typhoon Haiyan rocks the Philippines, and more...
The secret world of cargo ships
The secret world of cargo ships - The Week: The bridge of a modern ship is a shock on first encounter. Although this place is still known as the wheelhouse, the wheel at the helm is not wooden and impressive, but mundane plastic, the kind that would suit a video arcade game. Nearly all else is automated. A bank of screens contains radar, ECDIS — an electronic chart system — and AIS, an automatic identification system that transmits the ship's name, speed and heading, and other details to other ships, port authorities, and well-equipped pirates. There is radio, a gyrocompass and magnetic compass, a tachometer and echo sounder.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
I'm gonna ride the chariot in the morning Lord! A sermon for the 32nd Sunday of the Year...
I’m Gonna Ride the Chariot in the Morning Lord! – A Sermon for the 32nd Sunday of the Year � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: What difference does the resurrection make other than to give us joy if we meditate upon it? To see that answer, look to the first reading today, where the seven brothers are willing to accept torture and death. If there is a great reward waiting for those who remain faithful and we see that reward as the greatest thing we have , then we will endure anything to get there. Notice how the vision of heaven spurs them on to reject demands of their persecutors that they deny their faith
Mesmerizing Northern Lights from around the world
Mesmerizing Northern Lights From Around The World: Though Alaska’s Northern Lights are some of the most beautiful natural occurrences in the universe, relatively few people have observed their beauty, and even less understand how and why they appear. People can see the auroral lights above the magnetic poles in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Known as the aurora borealis in the North, and the aurora australis in the South, these beautiful lights are created when ions, or charged particles, interact with solar winds.
A historic first: Vatican to place relics of St. Peter on public display to close Year of Faith
Relics of St. Peter to Go On Public Display |Blogs | NCRegister.com: For the first time and to coincide with the end of the Year of Faith, the Vatican is to put on public display the relics of St. Peter.
Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, announced the Vatican’s plans in a Nov. 8 article in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.
Recalling how many pilgrims have made a pilgrimage to the tomb of Peter during the Year of Faith, he said that a “final culminating sign will consist of the exposition for the first time what tradition recognises as the relics of the apostle who gave his life for the Lord.”
Archbishop Rino Fisichella, president of Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, announced the Vatican’s plans in a Nov. 8 article in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.
Recalling how many pilgrims have made a pilgrimage to the tomb of Peter during the Year of Faith, he said that a “final culminating sign will consist of the exposition for the first time what tradition recognises as the relics of the apostle who gave his life for the Lord.”
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Bury the dead! The Church's teaching on cremation...
Catholic Universe BulletinKOOPMAN: Recently, after offering prayers at a wake, I was a bit surprised to see that the funeral home had set up a display where they were selling a variety of different pieces of jewelry. Upon closer inspection, the pieces for sale (including pendants, bracelets, necklaces, rings, and even key‑chains) were not ordinary jewelry:� rather they were all designed to carry bits of cremains:� the ashes of a deceased person who had been cremated. As one on‑line company advertises, "Along with the rising number of cremations in recent years comes a wide range of options for storing cremated remains and memorializing deceased loved ones. Among those options, cremation jewelry is quickly becoming a favorite choice of survivors who wish to pay tribute to their departed loved ones and hold them forever close at heart."
"We must act now!" says Central African Republic archbishop
Central African Republic Archbishop Says “We Must Act NOW”HENDEY: New out today on The Guardian is a strongly worded letter from Archbishop Dieudonn�Nzapalaing of Bangui and President of Caritas Central African Republic calling us to action to help save lives in Central African Republic. Before I get into sharing his letter –a plea, really — let me share a few facts for those of us (me included) who may not know much about this part of the world.
The future of Catholicism
The Future of CatholicismCOREN: Epiphanies aren’t supposed to occur in Chicago hotel rooms. Desert roads, foxholes, emergency wards, yes, but not Chicago hotel rooms. But it was in the Windy City that a different wind blew three years ago, in the form of a telephone call from a senior editor at Random House. I was on a publicity tour for my book Why Catholics Are Right. “Some news about your book,” explained the vehemently non-Catholic publisher, “We’ve had to reprint immediately, it’s on the best-seller list, and could you write another book on the same subject?”
Of course I agreed, but the epiphany was the realization that if a book about the Church is approachable and not too pompous, legions of people will be eager to read it. 50,000 so far with the last book, and I can only hope and pray – I’ve four hungry kids! – that the new one does as well.
Of course I agreed, but the epiphany was the realization that if a book about the Church is approachable and not too pompous, legions of people will be eager to read it. 50,000 so far with the last book, and I can only hope and pray – I’ve four hungry kids! – that the new one does as well.
"When you pray that, smile": Peoria's Bishop Jenky in a Wild West shootout...
Peoria Bishop in a Wild West Shootout!SCHIFFER: Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was an iconic figure in the history of the American West, who has been memorialized in TV and movies.� He was a gambler, Pima County Deputy Sheriff, and Deputy Town Marshal in Tombstone, Arizona.� He is perhaps best known for his role in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, during which lawmen killed three outlaw cowboys.
Earp was actually born in Monmouth, about 70 miles west of Peoria.� His travels took him from Wichita and Dodge City, Kansas to Tombstone, Arizona and on to Idaho and California.� He seems to have caused considerable problems for the residents of Peoria, being arrested in the Peoria area three times during the winter of 1871-72.
Earp was actually born in Monmouth, about 70 miles west of Peoria.� His travels took him from Wichita and Dodge City, Kansas to Tombstone, Arizona and on to Idaho and California.� He seems to have caused considerable problems for the residents of Peoria, being arrested in the Peoria area three times during the winter of 1871-72.
How Typhoon Haiyan affects me, and you...
How Typhoon Haiyan Affects Me…and You |Blogs | NCRegister.comREINHARD: As I look at the pictures of Typhoon Haiyan, my heart goes out to these people. And I think that’s one of the responses that leads me to prayer in the most sincere way. It’s a more intimate response, in many ways, and though we can, from across the world, donate to charities and relief organizations, putting a face to our prayers and a heart behind our words changes something important…and often, that change is what happens within me.
Kudos to the Denver Catholic Register and El Pueblo Católico...
Denver Catholic Register Rolls Out Updated SiteHENDEY: Kudos to the Archdiocese of Denver and the team behind the Denver Catholic Register and El Pueblo Católico on the launch of two fantastic websites this past week. Both look fantastic and are chock full of news and information to compliment the print publications. Along with news, you’ll find their active Facebook and Twitter platforms. It’s great to see such a high quality look for a terrific organization proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel!
On the Purgative, Illuminative and Unitive ways of the spiritual life, as seen in a cartoon...
On the Purgative, Illuminative and Unitive Stages of Spiritual Life, as seen in a Cartoon � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: In the spiritual journey, there are generally denoted three basic stages through which the soul must pass that draws us to deeper union with God: the Purgative, the Illuminative and the Unitive.
And those who seek union with God must realize that such union, while always the gift of God, requires process, often painful, that must pave the way the way for that union. For, if a box is filled with sand, it cannot be filled with gold dust. The sand must be emptied, the vessel cleaned, and then there is the room for the Gold of God’s presence.
And those who seek union with God must realize that such union, while always the gift of God, requires process, often painful, that must pave the way the way for that union. For, if a box is filled with sand, it cannot be filled with gold dust. The sand must be emptied, the vessel cleaned, and then there is the room for the Gold of God’s presence.
10 things you need to know today: November 9, 2013
10 things you need to know today: November 9, 2013 - The Week: Iranian nuclear talks stall, Super Typhoon Haiyan rocks the Philippines, and more...
Friday, November 8, 2013
What you should know about this week's Sunday readings
To Rise Again: Scott Hahn Reflects on the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time | St. Paul Center For Biblical TheologyHAHN: With their riddle about seven brothers and a childless widow, the Sadducees in today’s Gospel mock the faith for which seven brothers and their mother die in the First Reading.
The Maccabean martyrs chose death - tortured limb by limb, burned alive - rather than betray God’s Law. Their story is given to us in these last weeks of the Church year to strengthen us for endurance - that our feet not falter but remain steadfast on His paths.
The Maccabean martyrs chose death - tortured limb by limb, burned alive - rather than betray God’s Law. Their story is given to us in these last weeks of the Church year to strengthen us for endurance - that our feet not falter but remain steadfast on His paths.
My night with the New Jersey SWAT team, and our miserable culture of lockdown...
Kathryn Jean Lopez | Catholic PulseLOPEZ: “Civilians!”
The SWAT team cleared the way for a hundred or so of us who had spent a few hours in Nordstrom at the Paramus shopping center.
Walking with my hands above my head on an escalator wasn’t exactly how I expected Monday to end when I went to the mall to try on dresses for an upcoming wedding.
A little earlier, after a quick detour and purchase, I had headed with purpose toward the escalator as a couple, pale with shock but a sober calm about them, stopped anyone from leaving the floor. Down, it turned out, is where they heard a gunshot, as a Nordstrom employee hit the floor to protect himself from any additional gunfire.
And then we waited. Uncertain if the man who had fired the gun was now inside or outside, in police custody or in our very store. Early on, store staff explained where we would go if told to run — there was an emergency exit, which we never did use. A lot of the rest of the story was waiting to be told. We did lot of waiting, wondering, with unsettling but inconclusive public-service announcements; we saw flashes of light through the windows, suggesting the gunman could be anywhere — even the roof?
The SWAT team cleared the way for a hundred or so of us who had spent a few hours in Nordstrom at the Paramus shopping center.
Walking with my hands above my head on an escalator wasn’t exactly how I expected Monday to end when I went to the mall to try on dresses for an upcoming wedding.
A little earlier, after a quick detour and purchase, I had headed with purpose toward the escalator as a couple, pale with shock but a sober calm about them, stopped anyone from leaving the floor. Down, it turned out, is where they heard a gunshot, as a Nordstrom employee hit the floor to protect himself from any additional gunfire.
And then we waited. Uncertain if the man who had fired the gun was now inside or outside, in police custody or in our very store. Early on, store staff explained where we would go if told to run — there was an emergency exit, which we never did use. A lot of the rest of the story was waiting to be told. We did lot of waiting, wondering, with unsettling but inconclusive public-service announcements; we saw flashes of light through the windows, suggesting the gunman could be anywhere — even the roof?
How (and why) to train your children to be Urban Legend Detectors...
Training Our Children to be Urban Legend Detectors | Seton MagazineDRAPERJOHNWARREN: Of all the cultures and all the philosophies and all the religions which have been known in the world of men, none have placed truth on as high a pedestal as the Catholic Faith.
Truth is literally our God.
Truth is one of the Divine attributes, and each of God’s attributes is identical with His Essence. Thus, we rightly say “God IS Love” and “God IS Truth,” and “God IS Good.” We worship Truth. We adore Truth. Our fidelity to the truth is a sacred duty.
Truth is literally our God.
Truth is one of the Divine attributes, and each of God’s attributes is identical with His Essence. Thus, we rightly say “God IS Love” and “God IS Truth,” and “God IS Good.” We worship Truth. We adore Truth. Our fidelity to the truth is a sacred duty.
The friars of Washington's Dominican House of Studies have released their first CD...
Records | Dominicana Blog: Recorded in historic St. Dominic’s Church in downtown Washington, D.C., the friars of the Dominican House of Studies, Province of St. Joseph, present In Medio Ecclesiae, the first release from Dominicana Records. Directed by Fr. James Moore, O.P., In Medio Ecclesiae offers some of the finest chant and polyphonic treasures of the Church’s musical tradition as well as two new compositions by Dominican friars. Proceeds from the sale of this album contribute to the educational and other needs of the Dominican students.
The media are more concerned with shaping the culture than with reflecting it...
Media push agenda, not truth | Columnists | Opinion | Ottawa SunCOREN: In other words, too many journalists want to create rather than explain public affairs. And that narrative, that conversation, is far too often dominated by the left.
I was reminded of that this week when a story about the Roman Catholic Church went viral.
The Pope, we were told by numerous newspapers all over the world, was about to appoint the first woman cardinal and it was likely to be an Irish academic, Linda Hogan, who is also a radical feminist.
This week saw publication of my latest book, The Future of Catholicism. I can say with every confidence that it is superb, brilliant and essential reading and buying. OK, that’s done.
I was reminded of that this week when a story about the Roman Catholic Church went viral.
The Pope, we were told by numerous newspapers all over the world, was about to appoint the first woman cardinal and it was likely to be an Irish academic, Linda Hogan, who is also a radical feminist.
This week saw publication of my latest book, The Future of Catholicism. I can say with every confidence that it is superb, brilliant and essential reading and buying. OK, that’s done.
My day in the world's biggest building: a Chinese mall you've never heard of...
World's Largest Building by Area Is China's New Century Global Center | New Republic: The slogan of the New Century Global Center, the recently completed largest building in the world by floor space, sounds at first like a Chinglish-y misfire: “The One of Everything.” But as I spent a day wandering around the structure, located in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, the catchphrase started to take on a kind of brilliance. It captures the building’s comprehensiveness: It really does have one of everything, from a shopping mall to an Intercontinental Hotel to a 14-screen IMAX theater to a water park to a fake church to a McDoniqloGAPbucks to an ice skating rink—everything, that is, except restraint. The building also is the one of everything; of everything, it is the one. It’s the biggest/gaudiest, the bravest/most brazen, depending on your point of view. Maybe that’s why it’s called the Global Center, as in, the center of the globe. The slogan also nods to the pop-Buddhist concept that everything in the universe is one, with a commercial twist. The Global Center doesn’t distinguish between East and West, high and low, rich and poor, tasteful and tasteless. There is only the one … of everything.
Typhoon Haiyan has smashed into the Philippines with incredible force. Here's how you can help...
Philippines typhoon CRS emergency response | Catholic Relief Services | Emergencies: Catholic Relief Services teams are poised to respond to Typhoon Haiyan, a monster storm currently passing over Eastern Philippines. With sustained winds of 190 mph, Haiyan (local name: Yolanda) may end up being stronger than Typhoon Bopha, which struck the Philippines in December 2012, killing more than 1,000 people.
"You don't ask too much from God. You ask too little..."
“You ask too little [of God]” : The Integrated Catholic LifeARMSTRONG: Thus the silver-haired, Dr. Margarett Schlientz scolded her audience during a talk last month at the Thirst Conference in Bismarck, ND.� She spoke with confidence, infusing her audience with the certainty of the Gospels and the fire of the Holy Spirit.� Schlientz has the authority of one with three masters degrees; in theology, spirituality, and psychiatric nursing, as well as a doctorate in psychiatric nursing, and many years as an administrator and teacher at Marquette University.� But it is her no-nonsense, cut-to-the-chase style that gets an audience’s attention.
Schlientz knows of what she speaks. She has been involved in the deliverance ministry for many years and is the assistant director at the Institute for Priestly Formation at Creighton University where she teaches and ministers to seminarians in an intensive ten-week spiritual renewal program each summer.�� “The Jesus of the Bible is still the Jesus of today,” she said. “He did miracles then and he will still do them for us today but we need to have faith and ask.”
Schlientz knows of what she speaks. She has been involved in the deliverance ministry for many years and is the assistant director at the Institute for Priestly Formation at Creighton University where she teaches and ministers to seminarians in an intensive ten-week spiritual renewal program each summer.�� “The Jesus of the Bible is still the Jesus of today,” she said. “He did miracles then and he will still do them for us today but we need to have faith and ask.”
CNN's Christiane Amanpour interviews Rabbi Abraham Skorka about his friend Pope Francis...
Pope Francis lives with mind in heaven and feet on earth, says Rabbi friend – Amanpour - CNN.com Blogs: One of Pope Francis’ dearest friends is none other than a Jewish Rabbi.
And Rabbi Abraham Skorka, who has known Pope Francis for 15 years, since he was Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, has a concise description of what makes Francis’ papacy different from his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, born Joseph Ratzinger.
Pope Francis “lives with his mind in heaven and with his feet on Earth,” Rabbi Skorka told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday. “And Ratzinger lived totally in heaven.”
Abraham Skorka, a prominent Argentine rabbi, has had frank and open conversations with Pope Francis since he was Cardinal Bergoglio of Buenos Aires. Those discussions are the topic of a book written by both, “On Heaven and Earth.”
And Rabbi Abraham Skorka, who has known Pope Francis for 15 years, since he was Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, has a concise description of what makes Francis’ papacy different from his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, born Joseph Ratzinger.
Pope Francis “lives with his mind in heaven and with his feet on Earth,” Rabbi Skorka told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday. “And Ratzinger lived totally in heaven.”
Abraham Skorka, a prominent Argentine rabbi, has had frank and open conversations with Pope Francis since he was Cardinal Bergoglio of Buenos Aires. Those discussions are the topic of a book written by both, “On Heaven and Earth.”
I’ve been keeping a secret about Flannery O'Connor for two years...
Fr. Robert Barron's Word On Fire - Holy Intelligence: A Review of A Prayer Journal, by Flannery O’ConnorFERENCE: On October 6, 2011, the opening night of an O’Connor conference at Loyola University Chicago, Sessions read – for the first time in public – excerpts from a recently discovered prayer journal of Flannery O’Connor. Before he read O’Connor’s prayers, he made it very clear that we, the audience, were not permitted to record, report, or even comment upon anything that he would read. He was serious. And so were the prayers that he read to us. I took notes – lots of notes – for my own prayer and reflection. But I haven’t been able to tell anybody about them until now.
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pays NCEA $100,000+ to promote Common Core in Catholic schools
EXCLUSIVE: National Catholic Education Association Gets Gates Foundation Grant to Promote ‘Common Core’ in Catholic Schools: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation paid the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) more than $100,000 to support teacher training and materials on implementing the Common Core school standards, The Cardinal Newman Society has discovered.
The $100,007 grant made in September will only fuel division over the NCEA’s public encouragement for Catholic schools to adopt the Common Core standards, despite serious concerns about the standards’ academic quality and impact on schools’ Catholic identity.
The $100,007 grant made in September will only fuel division over the NCEA’s public encouragement for Catholic schools to adopt the Common Core standards, despite serious concerns about the standards’ academic quality and impact on schools’ Catholic identity.
If music be the food of love, play on...
Through a Glass Brightly: If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On (Part 1, Arcade Fire)WALES: I had no idea how hard it would be to write this post. After several false starts, I re-watched a lecture called "Three Chords and the Desire for Truth: Rock 'n' Roll as Search for the Infinite" given by the Irish journalist John Waters, in which he says that the way we feel about music is something we shouldn't talk about. Ah...right. No wonder: I've read dozens of articles and watched just as many performances on YouTube and I still haven't been able to type a word. I've scrawled all over napkins and loose leaf as ideas have come to me; but why am I so reluctant to put these thoughts out there? I suppose because it is so very personal and subjective. I'll just say this: if I achieve nothing in this post accept getting you to click the above link and watch the Waters talk for an hour and a half, then I will have done a great service to God and the whole world. (It is that good). I'll be referring to it throughout both parts of this post, but you needn't watch it in order to follow along.
Pope Francis is providing an antidote to the problems of "liquid modernity"...
Francis Gives the Church and Humanity a Chance - Ethika PolitikaHAINES: Regular readers know of my newfound fondness for Zygmunt Bauman. Apparently, Bauman, too, is nurturing his own growing affections for the Holy Father. In a new interview with L’Osservatore Romano, Bauman speaks of the Franciscan papacy as a sort of solution to the problems of “liquid modernity.” (An English summary is available here. The full Italian text is here.) “I believe his pontificate gives not just the Catholic Church but all of humanity a chance,” says Bauman. Strong words from a secular, Jewish sociologist; although perhaps not totally unexpected in the wake of similar comments from folks like Eugenio Scalfari.
Q&A about the synod, and some statistics in the global war on Christians
The synod turns sexy; statistics in a global war | National Catholic ReporterALLEN: If proof were ever needed of how much Pope Francis has captured the interest of the global media, the fact that over the past week, a Synod of Bishops, of all things, has emerged as a sexy news story ought to deliver it.
I've covered eight synods from soup to nuts, and while they've all been useful sounding boards, none has ever really taken the world by storm. Generally, they're insider stories, covered by specialists and ignored by pretty much everyone else.
I've covered eight synods from soup to nuts, and while they've all been useful sounding boards, none has ever really taken the world by storm. Generally, they're insider stories, covered by specialists and ignored by pretty much everyone else.
A ticket to Argentina for the Pope, but no hurry
Vatican Diary / A ticket to Argentina for the pope, but no hurryMAGISTER: John Paul II returned to Poland, in spite of the iron curtain dividing Europe at the time, after less than eight months of pontificate.
Benedict XVI went to Germany only four months after his election to the see of Peter. It was a practically obligatory voyage, on account of World Youth Day in Cologne. In any case, after a year and a half pope Joseph Ratzinger made a visit to his birthplace, Bavaria.
Benedict XVI went to Germany only four months after his election to the see of Peter. It was a practically obligatory voyage, on account of World Youth Day in Cologne. In any case, after a year and a half pope Joseph Ratzinger made a visit to his birthplace, Bavaria.
10 things you need to know today: November 8, 2013
10 things you need to know today: November 8, 2013 - The Week: The strongest storm of the year hits the Philippines, Twitter shares soar in their debut, and more...
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Yes, Jesus is real. I have met Him. I feel His presence now, and I am moved to tears as I write this...
He Kindled a Fire that Never Died Away – How I Met Jesus � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: Personal Testimonies are supposed to be three to five minutes. I suspect that my written version of how I met Jesus violates that rule. But, since many of you have known me a while, I think that I have to add a few details that I don’t when I am speaking to people who know less about me.
Thus, here is my personal testimony of how and when I met the Lord. I break it into sections so that perhaps you can abbreviate your reading where necessary. The over arching truth of my life is that the Lord kindled a fire that did not die away, despite trials and personal failings. Thanks be to God, here is how I met Jesus.
Thus, here is my personal testimony of how and when I met the Lord. I break it into sections so that perhaps you can abbreviate your reading where necessary. The over arching truth of my life is that the Lord kindled a fire that did not die away, despite trials and personal failings. Thanks be to God, here is how I met Jesus.
"The embrace that melted hearts worldwide": Photos of Pope's encounter with severely disfigured man go viral on social media
Pope Francis, a disfigured man and an embrace that went viral - CNN.com: It was the embrace that melted hearts worldwide.
Pope Francis, pausing for a moment to pray and lay his hands on a man with a disfiguring disease. The man gently burying his head in the Pope's chest, his many facial tumors visible.
His encounter with the ailing man occurred in Vatican City on Wednesday at the end of the general audience, which had about 50,000 attendees.
Images of the Pope's embrace in St. Peter's Square went viral on social media.
Pope Francis, pausing for a moment to pray and lay his hands on a man with a disfiguring disease. The man gently burying his head in the Pope's chest, his many facial tumors visible.
His encounter with the ailing man occurred in Vatican City on Wednesday at the end of the general audience, which had about 50,000 attendees.
Images of the Pope's embrace in St. Peter's Square went viral on social media.
Two extraordinary moments where a single hand gesture tells the whole story
Two Extraordinary Moments Where a Single Hand Gesture Tells the Whole StorySCALIA: A kiss is pretty special, true, but laying hands upon that which can repulse us, and allowing them to linger there, and then praying with and for that person — that’s a wholly different, deeper sort of unity. Where they stood may have been very crowded, but in this moment there was a peculiar intimacy of oneness, and the way this challenged man lays his own hand upon Pope Francis’ arm is eloquent of it.
A Pope his laid hands on a sick man, and a sick man laid his hand upon that Pope with a sense of utter trust, safety, familiarity and consolation.
A Pope his laid hands on a sick man, and a sick man laid his hand upon that Pope with a sense of utter trust, safety, familiarity and consolation.
Contrary to popular sentiment, not everyone goes to heaven...
Prayer for souls in purgatory: a forgotten work of mercy - Denver Catholic RegisterAQUILA: All Souls’ Day is an opportunity of mercy because it offers us a reminder to pray for the dead and through our prayers and sacrifices, bring them closer to heaven. It is also a time to recall that, contrary to popular sentiment, not everyone goes to heaven. This idea is not found in Jesus’ teachings or in the long tradition of the Church.
Since All Souls’ Day took place this past Saturday, and the Church sets aside the month of November to pray for the dead, I am dedicating this week’s column to encouraging people to go beyond remembering the dead and to actually pray for them. Specifically, we should pray for those souls who are undergoing purification in purgatory in preparation for entering God’s presence.
Since All Souls’ Day took place this past Saturday, and the Church sets aside the month of November to pray for the dead, I am dedicating this week’s column to encouraging people to go beyond remembering the dead and to actually pray for them. Specifically, we should pray for those souls who are undergoing purification in purgatory in preparation for entering God’s presence.
10 things you need to know today: November 7, 2013...
10 things you need to know today: November 7, 2013 - The Week: Twitter stock goes on sale, a top HealthCare.gov official retires, and more...
Pope Francis announces themes for next three World Youth Days
VATICAN Pope takes themes for the next three World Youth Days from the Beatitudes - Asia News: Pope Francis has decided that the themes for the next three World Youth Days will be taken from the Gospel Beatitudes.
The decision was made public in a statement today. For the diocesan World Youth Day of 2014, the theme is "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Mt, 5:3). For that of 2015, it will be "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" (Mt, 5:8). And for World Youth Day in Krakow in 2016, it will "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy" (Mt, 5:7).
The decision was made public in a statement today. For the diocesan World Youth Day of 2014, the theme is "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Mt, 5:3). For that of 2015, it will be "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" (Mt, 5:8). And for World Youth Day in Krakow in 2016, it will "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy" (Mt, 5:7).
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
The Aurora Australis, as seen from the International Space Station
Picture of the Day: In Awe of the Aurora �TwistedSifter: Aurora Australis is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 23 crew member on the International Space Station. Among the views of Earth afforded crew members aboard the ISS, surely one of the most spectacular is of the aurora. These ever-shifting displays of colored ribbons, curtains, rays, and spots are most visible near the North (Aurora Borealis) and South (Aurora Australis) Poles as charged particles streaming from the sun (the solar wind) interact with Earth’s magnetic field, resulting in collisions with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen in the upper atmosphere.
Fr. Deomar De Guedes, senior leader in Legionaries of Christ, resigns from order
Senior Leader in Legionaries of Christ Resigns |Blogs | NCRegister.comPENTIN: One of the most senior leaders of the Legionaries of Christ has resigned from the order, saying he "did not have the necessary energy to confront the challenges" of his position.
Fr. Deomar De Guedes LC, second general counsellor of the order, submitted his resignation to Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, pontifical delegate of the Legionaries of Christ.
Cardinal De Paolis has been leading a reform of the Legion since revelations of grave abuse and corruption by its founder, Father Marcial Maciel, came to light.�
Fr. Deomar De Guedes LC, second general counsellor of the order, submitted his resignation to Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, pontifical delegate of the Legionaries of Christ.
Cardinal De Paolis has been leading a reform of the Legion since revelations of grave abuse and corruption by its founder, Father Marcial Maciel, came to light.�
Some questions and truths at the heart of the “New” Evangelization...
Some questions and truths at the heart of the “New” Evangelization � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: I am gathered with over 200 brother priests from the Archdiocese for a convocation on the New Evangelization. And we are blessed to have Dr. Ralph Martin as our Keynote speaker.
Of course some wonder at the title “new” in the New Evangelization. On the one hand it is new in the sense that we are having now to reach back to once Christian cultures and people and repropose the gospel. The is a “new” (and unfortunate) development that is in a way harder than opening new “virginal” territory for the Kingdom. The ancient Western world was as a virgin awaiting her husband. But the modern West is more an angry divorcee. And this requires new approaches rooted in healing past hurts and overcoming a kind of spiritual boredom and sloth that has overtaken the modern West.
Of course some wonder at the title “new” in the New Evangelization. On the one hand it is new in the sense that we are having now to reach back to once Christian cultures and people and repropose the gospel. The is a “new” (and unfortunate) development that is in a way harder than opening new “virginal” territory for the Kingdom. The ancient Western world was as a virgin awaiting her husband. But the modern West is more an angry divorcee. And this requires new approaches rooted in healing past hurts and overcoming a kind of spiritual boredom and sloth that has overtaken the modern West.
14 things to know and share about the new letter on Medjugorje
14 things to know and share about the new letter on Medjugorje |Blogs | NCRegister.comAKIN: This certainly is not an encouraging sign for those who would want to see Medjugorje approved.
On the other hand, sticking with the existing policy and applying its logic more rigorously is not a change of substance and does not tell us anything in particular about what the ultimate ruling is likely to be.
The current Medjugorje commission is expected to deliver its findings to the CDF for evaluation, and, after the CDF has had a chance to study them, the results will be presented to the pope.
It will be the pope who makes the final decision.
Sticking with the current policy at the present time does not tell us anything, one way or another, about what that decision will be.
On the other hand, sticking with the existing policy and applying its logic more rigorously is not a change of substance and does not tell us anything in particular about what the ultimate ruling is likely to be.
The current Medjugorje commission is expected to deliver its findings to the CDF for evaluation, and, after the CDF has had a chance to study them, the results will be presented to the pope.
It will be the pope who makes the final decision.
Sticking with the current policy at the present time does not tell us anything, one way or another, about what that decision will be.
Should we expect a theological earthquake at the Extraordinary Synod?
Will there be an earthquake at the Extraordinary Synod? (12 things to know and share) |Blogs | NCRegister.comAKIN: Pope Francis has called for an extraordinary meeting of the Synod of Bishops.
It’s only the third such meeting that’s taken place.
The topic Pope Francis feels urgently needs to be addressed is the family.
Some are have hopes—or fears—that the bishops will overturn traditional Catholic teachings or practices about the family.
Now a new document sheds light on what we should expect.
Here are 12 things to know and share
It’s only the third such meeting that’s taken place.
The topic Pope Francis feels urgently needs to be addressed is the family.
Some are have hopes—or fears—that the bishops will overturn traditional Catholic teachings or practices about the family.
Now a new document sheds light on what we should expect.
Here are 12 things to know and share
Bombshell warning from the Vatican: "The faithful are not permitted to participate" in Medjugorje-related gatherings...
x: At the direction of the Vatican's head for doctrine, the apostolic nuncio to the U.S. has written a letter stating that Catholics “are not permitted” to participate in meetings which take for granted that the supposed Marian apparitions in Medjugorje are credible.
Pope's "advice" to Newark: It's time to talk
Whispers in the Loggia: Pope's "Advice" to Newark: It's Time to TalkPALMO: Amid these long, strange months in the nation's seventh-largest church, it wouldn't be an ecclesial event in Newark if there weren't protestors.
Even if the demonstrations outside yesterday's Welcome Mass for Coadjutor-Archbishop Bernie Hebda were mostly the customary troupe of 50 guitar-strumming, drum-beating Neocat singers, three advocates for victim-survivors were indeed on hand, toting full-body, all-caps signs blaring that incumbent Archbishop John "Myers must still go" and urging "Hebda: ignore Myers."
Even if the demonstrations outside yesterday's Welcome Mass for Coadjutor-Archbishop Bernie Hebda were mostly the customary troupe of 50 guitar-strumming, drum-beating Neocat singers, three advocates for victim-survivors were indeed on hand, toting full-body, all-caps signs blaring that incumbent Archbishop John "Myers must still go" and urging "Hebda: ignore Myers."
Unexpected yet well-prepared: Death be not proud...
Unexpected Yet Well-Prepared: Death Be Not Proud | Daily News | NCRegister.comNASH: My good friend Daniel Peper died a month ago. He was only 57 years old and, apparently, in great health. His death was thus a great shock for both family and friends.
I thought that Daniel would live well into his 80s or 90s, barring some unforeseen tragedy, and Daniel thought so too, given his family history and because he was physically fit and committed to regular exercise and other healthful activities.
Daniel was six years my senior, one of five boys in his family. In my youth, I knew better his younger, twin brothers — Ed and Bill — from our years at St. Mary of Redford Grade School in Detroit, until the Pepers moved out to the suburbs in 1973, as so many families in Detroit sadly felt inclined to do during the 1970s.
I thought that Daniel would live well into his 80s or 90s, barring some unforeseen tragedy, and Daniel thought so too, given his family history and because he was physically fit and committed to regular exercise and other healthful activities.
Daniel was six years my senior, one of five boys in his family. In my youth, I knew better his younger, twin brothers — Ed and Bill — from our years at St. Mary of Redford Grade School in Detroit, until the Pepers moved out to the suburbs in 1973, as so many families in Detroit sadly felt inclined to do during the 1970s.
A question for the New York Post: Did that school have a Catholic covenant?
Yo! NYPost! Did that school have a Catholic covenant?MATTINGLY: This story is getting very, very familiar and it’s clear that these lawsuits are happening for a reason. It’s understandable that the girl’s father does not care whether or not this Catholic school was trying to defend centuries of Catholic teachings on sexuality.
However, The Post team doesn’t get the same exemption from asking basic, logical, journalistic questions about the legal (canon law and secular) tensions inside Catholic education circles today.
However, The Post team doesn’t get the same exemption from asking basic, logical, journalistic questions about the legal (canon law and secular) tensions inside Catholic education circles today.
Pope's Wednesday audience: The communion of saints is a sharing of sacraments, charisms and charity...
Charity is the 'greatest richness' of Church, says Pope :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): During his general audience today, Pope Francis reflected on the importance of participating in the Church’s spiritual goods in order to grow closer to God as a community in charity.
“Charity is the greatest richness of the Church. Living Communion in charity means not looking for one’s own interest, but rather to be capable of sharing the joys and sufferings of brethren; to be capable of carrying one another’s burdens,” the Pope explained in his Nov. 6 General Audience.
The Holy Father addressed his words to the thousands of pilgrims crowded into Saint Peter’s Square earlier this morning.
“Charity is the greatest richness of the Church. Living Communion in charity means not looking for one’s own interest, but rather to be capable of sharing the joys and sufferings of brethren; to be capable of carrying one another’s burdens,” the Pope explained in his Nov. 6 General Audience.
The Holy Father addressed his words to the thousands of pilgrims crowded into Saint Peter’s Square earlier this morning.
Visiting these 6 forgotten (but rediscovered) places is like traveling back in time...
6 Forgotten Places, Rediscovered | Mental Floss: In 2010, the London Underground began upgrading their Notting Hill Gate station. In the process of the renovation, workers uncovered a� section of tunnel that had been sealed up since the mid 1950s. The area had serviced people taking the elevator to the Tube, which was replaced with escalators in 1959.� The walls of this station were lined with a museum’s worth of advertisements and movie posters dating from between 1956 and 1959, left just as they were when the area was closed 50 years ago. The unusual part of this discovery is that the London Underground will be sealing the tunnel, and the posters, right back up again. The area will be untampered with, and completely off limits to civilians. �
If we want to play social engineers with teams like the Redskins, we shall catch a host of problems worldwide...
What’s in a Name? | Crisis MagazineRUTLER: We have not yet reached the nadir of the Nika Riots in Justinian’s Constantinople in 532. The city was as sports crazy as we are, which is always a sign of decadence, and the Hippodrome was right next to the royal palace so that the emperor could watch the races at home before the days of television.� His wife Theodora was a sports fan even more fanatical than Justinian and helped stoke the violence that destroyed much of the city including that greatest of churches, Hagia Sophia. The teams were harmlessly named the Blue and the Green, but they came to represent political parties and, worse, theological parties, for the Blues were orthodox believers while the Greens were Monophysite heretics. Politics and religion played out in the circus was a volatile combination, and about thirty thousand were killed in one of the worst riots in history.
The Bible is clear: Jesus knew that He was God. Jesus claimed to be God. Jesus is almighty God...
The Divinity of Jesus Christ, In Scripture and in his own words. � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: I have mentioned before that many years ago in seminary I was quite surprised to listen to some of my professors declare what I considered to be heretical things about Jesus Christ. They often said, he did not claim to be God, or he did not know he was God.
When I might meekly suggest a certain biblical text that more than suggested he darn well knew he was divine they seemed unimpressed and invoked dubious theories that denied the biblical text was a credible source.
Thankfully I had some other professors who were able to reassure me that the Divinity of Christ was not in question and that the Scriptures accurately what reported what Jesus himself actually said and did. It still shocked me that teachers who denied or questioned the divinity of Christ could openly teach in a Catholic seminary and am happy to report that those problems have long since been cleared up at the seminary I attended.
When I might meekly suggest a certain biblical text that more than suggested he darn well knew he was divine they seemed unimpressed and invoked dubious theories that denied the biblical text was a credible source.
Thankfully I had some other professors who were able to reassure me that the Divinity of Christ was not in question and that the Scriptures accurately what reported what Jesus himself actually said and did. It still shocked me that teachers who denied or questioned the divinity of Christ could openly teach in a Catholic seminary and am happy to report that those problems have long since been cleared up at the seminary I attended.
An ancient Roman tradition has been resurrected, in Rome, by American Catholics...
Doing Rome at Home | First ThingsWEIGEL: In the middle centuries of the first millennium, the Bishop of Rome celebrated the Eucharist with his people during Lent in a striking way. Each day, the pope would lead a procession of Roman clergy and laity from one church (the collecta, or gathering point) to another, the statio or “station” of that day. There, over the relics of one of the Roman Church’s martyrs, Mass was celebrated and a communal meal that broke the daylong Lenten fast followed. Over time, this annual tradition was formalized into the Roman station church pilgrimage, and as the tradition evolved, the pilgrimage sites shaped the Lenten liturgical texts. The pilgrimage was also universalized in a very concrete way: every Missal in the world once carried a stational indicator during Lent, such as “Ash Wednesday: Station at St. Sabina.”
10 things you need to know today: November 6, 2013...
10 things you need to know today: November 6, 2013 - The Week: Christie wins reelection, Illinois approves gay marriage, and more...
Pope Francis appoints Vermont's Salvatore Matano as Bishop of Rochester in New York
Whispers in the Loggia: For Rochester, Rome Declares Matano Law – Vt. Prelate to Upstate PostPALMO: Capping weeks of speculation surrounding Bishop Salvatore Matano, at Roman Noon this Wednesday the Pope named the 67 year-old prelate – head of Vermont's statewide diocese of Burlington since 2005 – as bishop of Rochester.
In the upstate New York post, the Providence-born, Rome-trained canonist succeeds Bishop Matthew Clark, who led the 320,000-member diocese for 33 years – a length of tenure practically unheard of in recent times – until his retirement was accepted last September, two months after his 75th birthday.
In the upstate New York post, the Providence-born, Rome-trained canonist succeeds Bishop Matthew Clark, who led the 320,000-member diocese for 33 years – a length of tenure practically unheard of in recent times – until his retirement was accepted last September, two months after his 75th birthday.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Vatican embassy in Damascus hit by mortar fire; no casualties reported
Mortar Shell Hits Vatican Embassy in Damascus - ABC News: A mortar shell slammed into a Damascus building that houses the Vatican's embassy on Tuesday, eyewitnesses said, in what was the latest of a string of assaults on foreign diplomatic missions in the Syrian capital.
It was not clear if the diplomatic mission near the upscale Abu Roummaneh district was specifically targeted in the early morning attack, which damaged the roof. No casualties were reported and no one claimed responsibility for the attack.
It was not clear if the diplomatic mission near the upscale Abu Roummaneh district was specifically targeted in the early morning attack, which damaged the roof. No casualties were reported and no one claimed responsibility for the attack.
Several Shakespearean scholars read the Gunpowder Plot in the subtext of Macbeth. Did he sympathize with the conspirators?
Shakespeare, Macbeth, and the Gunpowder Plot - AleteiaMCINERNY: Having just completed the stirring experience of playing the title role in my local community theater’s production of Macbeth--and I suppose as a way of lingering in the experience--I have turned to several of the books I own about Shakespeare’s Catholicism, where I have discovered arguments for intriguing connections between Macbeth (first performed in 1606) and the The Gunpowder Plot which was foiled 407 years ago today (November 5, 1605).
Slavery and fair trade: Topics I can't get away from...
Slavery and Fair Trade: Topics I Can’t Get Away From |Blogs | NCRegister.comREINHARD: When Catholic blogger Lisa Hendey went to Rwanda recently, I followed her status updates and blog posts with both trepidation and intrigue.
A few days ago, she posted about slavery. She writes that the Vatican’s hosting a seminar entitled, “Trafficking in human beings: modern slavery. Destitute peoples and the message of Jesus Christ.” I’ll be watching for more about this and what comes from it.
I have been mulling the reality of slavery since I read Refuse to Do Nothing earlier this year. It’s the result of two moms who couldn’t stay quiet, were changed by the knowledge of slavery, and relentlessly pursued it.
A few days ago, she posted about slavery. She writes that the Vatican’s hosting a seminar entitled, “Trafficking in human beings: modern slavery. Destitute peoples and the message of Jesus Christ.” I’ll be watching for more about this and what comes from it.
I have been mulling the reality of slavery since I read Refuse to Do Nothing earlier this year. It’s the result of two moms who couldn’t stay quiet, were changed by the knowledge of slavery, and relentlessly pursued it.
Works without faith are dead...
Works Without Faith is DeadLONGENECKER: The old debate still rages in which Catholics dispute with Protestants who say that salvation is by “faith alone.” Yes, we like to pick out the verse from the epistle of James which says that “faith without works is dead.” If we’re going to talk the talk we have to walk the walk. Action speak louder than words and the old saying...
Arborist attacks military chaplains in the National Catholic Reporter. Here's how you can respond...
Fishwrap attacks Military Chaplains. ACTION ITEM! | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: At the National Catholic Reporter there is a mean-spirited and wrong-headed opinion piece by someone who is described as “an arborist and a member of the Ithaca, N.Y., Catholic Worker community”. In this piece he says that the collection to be taken up in support of the Archdiocese for Military Services is really a “sign that the spirit of militarism and nationalism has spread apace in our church, at least among our bishops”.
Having been married only a year and a half, I've recently come to the conclusion that marriage isn't for me...
Marriage Isn't for You | Seth Adam Smith: Having been married only a year and a half, I've recently come to the conclusion that marriage isn't for me.
Now before you start making assumptions, keep reading.
I met my wife in high school when we were 15 years old. We were friends for 10 years until... until we decided no longer wanted to be just friends. I strongly recommend that best friends fall in love. Good times will be had by all.
Nevertheless, falling in love with my best friend did not prevent me from having certain fears and anxieties about getting married. The nearer Kim and I approached the decision to marry, the more I was filled with a paralyzing fear. Was I ready? Was I making the right choice? Was Kim the right person to marry? Would she make me happy?
Now before you start making assumptions, keep reading.
I met my wife in high school when we were 15 years old. We were friends for 10 years until... until we decided no longer wanted to be just friends. I strongly recommend that best friends fall in love. Good times will be had by all.
Nevertheless, falling in love with my best friend did not prevent me from having certain fears and anxieties about getting married. The nearer Kim and I approached the decision to marry, the more I was filled with a paralyzing fear. Was I ready? Was I making the right choice? Was Kim the right person to marry? Would she make me happy?
Were there alternatives to the Affordable Care Act?
Were There Alternatives to the Affordable Care Act? | First ThingsSCALIA: Amid occasional stories of success (a personal friend who had previously been unable to afford health insurance can now afford a subsidized plan in California) the disastrous launch of the Affordable Care Act has revealed itself to be life-upending disaster for millions who are discovering that—thanks to the narrowest, and thus most easily negated of “Grandfathering” provisions—policy holders who liked their insurance cannot keep their insurance. If they like their doctors and hospitals, they cannot keep their doctors and hospitals, either.
Vatican releases preparatory document for next year's Family and Evangelization Synod
VIS news - Holy See Press Office: PREPARATORY DOCUMENT OF THE SYNOD: We publish below the full text of the preparatory document for the Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops: “The pastoral challenges for the family in the context of evangelisation”...
132 Catholic scholars send letter to U.S. bishops, call for rejection of Common Core in Catholic schools
A Plea for Catholic Schools to Ignore New Guidelines - NYTimes.com: A group of Catholic scholars has called on Catholic schools to ignore the new educational standards known as the Common Core, a set of guidelines on what students should know and be able to do from kindergarten through 12th grade, opening a front with parallels to the fight over using the guidelines in public schools.
In a letter to the nation’s bishops last month, the group, including more than 100 professors and university administrators, argued that the Common Core would actually lower standards, that it would move parochial schools away from their grounding in the church, and that its emphasis on increased nonfiction reading across many subjects would translate into less focus on literary and philosophical classics, and moral teaching.
In a letter to the nation’s bishops last month, the group, including more than 100 professors and university administrators, argued that the Common Core would actually lower standards, that it would move parochial schools away from their grounding in the church, and that its emphasis on increased nonfiction reading across many subjects would translate into less focus on literary and philosophical classics, and moral teaching.
10 things you need to know today: November 5, 2013...
10 things you need to know today: November 5, 2013 - The Week: A potentially historic gay rights bill advances in the Senate, voters head to the polls for state elections, and more...
Watch 500 hot air balloons fill the sky at Albuquerque's Dawn Ascension (HD and sound recommended)
New Advent: Watch 500 hot air balloons fill the sky at Albuquerque's Dawn Ascension: You've never seen hot air balloons like this before. A couple weeks ago, Albuquerque, New Mexico held its 42nd annual International Balloon Fiesta. It's a 9-day event where over 700 balloons see liftoff. It's the largest hot air balloon festival in the entire world and we were on hand to capture the action. HD and good speakers recommended...
Abortion is a window into hell. Want out? Acknowledge pro-choice politics as being about a right to dead babies...
When to Call an Exorcist? | National Review OnlineLOPEZ: On Halloween, The Drudge Report highlighted a Washington Post interview with the author of The Exorcist. William Peter Blatty had used the word “demonic,” and now there atop Drudge was a photo of of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
It had been another week of the Obama administration’s having to answer for and trying to explain away the political house of horrors that its signature law, the misnamed Affordable Care Act has becomesignat.
Blatty never called Sebelius demonic. But he did reflect on the American soul in ways deeper than most political analysts tend to, deeper than many public prayers about politics.
It had been another week of the Obama administration’s having to answer for and trying to explain away the political house of horrors that its signature law, the misnamed Affordable Care Act has becomesignat.
Blatty never called Sebelius demonic. But he did reflect on the American soul in ways deeper than most political analysts tend to, deeper than many public prayers about politics.
Pope Francis: "Don't be a 'guest list' Christian. The Lord does not like those who say 'yes' but mean 'no'"...
VATICAN Pope: being Christian is "a joyful invitation open to all" but demands "total commitment" - Asia News: The Christian essence seen as an invitation to celebration was the theme illustrated by Pope Francis at Mass this morning at the Casa Santa Marta. And we must "fully participate" at the Lord's celebration, and with everyone, we cannot pick and choose. Christians, however, are not content to just "be on the guest list", it takes a "total participation ", otherwise it's like "being left out" of the celebration.
The Unfinished Symphony of the composer Francis
The Unfinished Symphony of the Composer FrancisMAGISTER: The interview of Pope Francis with the magazine of the Rome Jesuits “La Civilà Cattolica” appears more and more as the “overture” to a concert for many voices.
A concert that is still in full swing, both developing motifs barely mentioned by the pope and embellishing them with counterpoint.
In that interview, for example, in confirming his being and feeling fully Jesuit, Jorge Mario Bergoglio distanced himself from the current image of Saint Ignatius of Loyola as a severe ascetic of the Counter-Reformation:
"I am rather close to the mystical movement, that of Louis Lallement and Jean-Joseph Surin. And Faber was a mystic.”
A concert that is still in full swing, both developing motifs barely mentioned by the pope and embellishing them with counterpoint.
In that interview, for example, in confirming his being and feeling fully Jesuit, Jorge Mario Bergoglio distanced himself from the current image of Saint Ignatius of Loyola as a severe ascetic of the Counter-Reformation:
"I am rather close to the mystical movement, that of Louis Lallement and Jean-Joseph Surin. And Faber was a mystic.”
Monday, November 4, 2013
12 unusually placed sports venues around the world...
THE WORLD GEOGRAPHY: 12 Unusually Placed Sports Venues: When it comes to sports venues, they are often located in the usual places. These are the most peripheral parts of towns and other settlements, and in major cities are located in strictly urban areas. But if you search hard enough, you’ll find there are some unusually placed venues that are worth of being called unique. Here are twelve such examples.
Shame on me. I make Jesus sleep on my couch...
For Shame: I Make Jesus Sleep On My Couch | Truth & Charity The Intersection of Faith & LifeANDREWSCIBA: Finding time to pray has rarely been successful in my own life. I often hit snooze in the morning, promising myself that I’ll pray during lunch or my planning period at school, but those days are invariably ones that require all of my spare time, leaving mere seconds for the Lord. Many nights after a murmured bedtime prayer, I set my alarm to sound early with the intent to pray, which only initiates the cycle again.
My spinal cord injury has changed my life forever. I typed this post using a knuckle of my right pinky. And God is good...
Reflections On My Time Away | CatholicVote.orgTHOMASPETERS: On a Friday in July I awoke in the early morning hours to someone beating on my back with their fists. I was lying on a bed in a place I did not recognize and I was in excruciating pain. It was a kind of pain I had never experienced before and did not understand. There was a tube down my throat and my body felt incomplete, as if much of it was missing. I came to realize in the hours that followed, the man beating on my back with his fists was a nurse, and he was trying to dislodge some of the fluid that was filling up my lungs as the result of the diving accident I had sustained three days previously, an accident that had fractured my fifth vertebrae and had given me a severe spinal cord injury, an injury that has changed the course of my life forever.
10 things you need to know today: November 4, 2013...
10 things you need to know today: November 4, 2013 - The Week: Mohamed Morsi goes on trial, Kenyans win the New York City marathon, and more...
Why you shouldn’t believe those reports about a woman cardinal...
Why you shouldn’t believe those reports about a woman cardinalKANDRA: There’s less here than meets the eye. �
It’s worth noting that the only source cited for these reports is Fr. James Keenan, SJ, who posted on Facebook his personal suggestions for a woman cardinal; he included Hogan prominently on his list of contenders, along with Sister Teresa Okure, a theology professor at the Catholic Institute of West Africa in Nigeria, and Maryanne Loughry, associate director of the Jesuit Refugee Service in Australia.
Google around, and you’ll find multiple reports today on the Linda Hogan rumor from a variety of news outlets; virtually every one goes back to the Keenan Facebook post as the source for Hogan’s name. There’s no one from the Vatican, no one in a position to know is quoted.
It’s worth noting that the only source cited for these reports is Fr. James Keenan, SJ, who posted on Facebook his personal suggestions for a woman cardinal; he included Hogan prominently on his list of contenders, along with Sister Teresa Okure, a theology professor at the Catholic Institute of West Africa in Nigeria, and Maryanne Loughry, associate director of the Jesuit Refugee Service in Australia.
Google around, and you’ll find multiple reports today on the Linda Hogan rumor from a variety of news outlets; virtually every one goes back to the Keenan Facebook post as the source for Hogan’s name. There’s no one from the Vatican, no one in a position to know is quoted.
Do not admire evil or fear its apparent ascendance. Jesus has won...
A Word of Encouragment in one of Jesus’ Stranger Sayings � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: In this strange and provocative saying of Jesus, comes important perspective for all of us. The perspective is this, that evil, no matter how powerful it seems, cannot stand, it will ultimately self-destruct and be overcome by the Light. No matter how awful Good Friday seemed to those first disciples, Jesus, by his own description, was casting out demons and bring healing in that very act of suffering. And his apparent disappearance into death, and down into the place of the dead, was only for the purposes of turning out the Devil’s trophy room, and bringing life into the place of the dead, and healing to the deep wounds caused by sin.
The physical world and the First Cause argument
The Physical World and the First Cause Argument |Blogs | NCRegister.comSHEA: Babies come from mommies and daddies, cars come from builders, and trees come from acorns. And though adults may simply rest content with that explanation, little children inevitably ask, "Where do the parents, builders and acorns come from?" And so we find that everything participates in a "Great Chain of Being" which takes us further and further into the past until we get to the Big Bang itself. In the normal course of events, absolutely nothing in Nature is unhooked from that chain.
"Sauron forgot about a hobbit": In the deadness of Harvard there are new signs of life...
I Met a Hero in Harvard Yard | Crisis MagazineESOLEN: There is one thing everyone ought to know about blacktop.� It cracks.� Ice then gets into the cracks and before you know it, there’s a regular furrow, and some windswept dirt, and something with stubborn roots sets up in it, like dandelions with their brave yellow caps, or pokeweed, or ordinary grass.� In the long war of grass against asphalt, give me the grass every time.
The goodness of the natural world reasserts itself.� God does not abandon us to our sins.� A boy whose bones are rickety from life indoors will grow strong straightaway, if you put him on a mountain for a month or two.� Women whose souls are withered by the poisons of feminism don’t necessarily have to find a special diet for the antidote.� Just removing the poison, and giving them a chance to breathe freely again, will often do the trick.
The goodness of the natural world reasserts itself.� God does not abandon us to our sins.� A boy whose bones are rickety from life indoors will grow strong straightaway, if you put him on a mountain for a month or two.� Women whose souls are withered by the poisons of feminism don’t necessarily have to find a special diet for the antidote.� Just removing the poison, and giving them a chance to breathe freely again, will often do the trick.
St. Wolfgang and the church the devil built
St. Wolfgang and the Church the Devil Built | Crisis MagazineFITZPATRICK: October 31 does not receive much attention as a saint’s feast day in the United States. The ostentatious festivities of Halloween are, of course, difficult to compete with—as is the Holy Day it vigils. Besides being a night of merry devilry and the eve of All Saints’ Day, October 31 commemorates the feast of one saint who, like ancient Halloween traditions, juggled evil to good purpose. Similarly, as Halloween’s liturgy has been overshadowed by its lore, so has the life of this saint been overshadowed by his legend. St. Wolfgang of Regensburg’s story has become, in a sense, more significant than his history.
"Expect surprises": The Archbishop of Canterbury's remarkable interview at the World Council of Churches...
“Expect Surprises”: Archbishop of Canterbury’s Remarkable Interview at the World Council of ChurchesSCHIFFER: The Archbishop of Canterbury has hinted that we should expect “a few surprises” in terms of ecumenical relations between the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.
Archbishop Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the Anglican Communion, is in Busan, South Korea, attending the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches.� In his address to the Assembly, he noted that the WCC Assembly really reflects the depth and breadth of God’s great Church; and he called members to recommit themselves to the task of restoring full, visible, sacramental unity to the Body of Christ.� “We must be one,” he said, “so that the gospel we preach is not denied by the way we live our separate lives.”
Archbishop Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the Anglican Communion, is in Busan, South Korea, attending the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches.� In his address to the Assembly, he noted that the WCC Assembly really reflects the depth and breadth of God’s great Church; and he called members to recommit themselves to the task of restoring full, visible, sacramental unity to the Body of Christ.� “We must be one,” he said, “so that the gospel we preach is not denied by the way we live our separate lives.”
Amid Syria’s civil war, giant statue of Jesus built on mountain top between front lines
Amid Syria’s civil war, a 40-foot statue of Jesus rises on mountain top between front lines - The Washington Post: In the midst of a conflict rife with sectarianism, a giant bronze statue of Jesus has gone up on a Syrian mountain, apparently under cover of a truce among three factions in the country’s civil war.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Pope's Sunday Angelus: "Let us call upon the name Jesus! He can transform our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh..."
Pope Francis: Let us welcome Jesus into our lives with joy: At his Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis spoke about the day’s Gospel account of the conversion of Zacchaeus.
The Holy Father recalled that Zacchaeus, a man “short in stature,” because he was a publican “was a lost sheep, despised, ‘excommunicated’ . . . a friend of the hated Roman occupiers, a thief and an exploiter.”
Nonetheless, although he was far away from Jesus, he climbed a tree in order to be able to see the Master as He passed by. Although it seemed ridiculous, the Pope said, “this exterior act expressed the interior act of a man who sought to bring himself beyond the crowd to come into contact with Jesus.” Although Zacchaeus himself probably did not recognize the significance of his action, Jesus, when He passed by, called Zacchaeus by name. “This man of short stature, rejected by all and far from Jesus, was like one lost in anonymity; but Jesus calls him, and his name has a significance full of allusions: Zacchaeus, in fact, means ‘God remembers’.”
The Holy Father recalled that Zacchaeus, a man “short in stature,” because he was a publican “was a lost sheep, despised, ‘excommunicated’ . . . a friend of the hated Roman occupiers, a thief and an exploiter.”
Nonetheless, although he was far away from Jesus, he climbed a tree in order to be able to see the Master as He passed by. Although it seemed ridiculous, the Pope said, “this exterior act expressed the interior act of a man who sought to bring himself beyond the crowd to come into contact with Jesus.” Although Zacchaeus himself probably did not recognize the significance of his action, Jesus, when He passed by, called Zacchaeus by name. “This man of short stature, rejected by all and far from Jesus, was like one lost in anonymity; but Jesus calls him, and his name has a significance full of allusions: Zacchaeus, in fact, means ‘God remembers’.”
Saturday, November 2, 2013
If you like a good steak or burger, the ranchers who get it to the grill desperately need your help right now...
South Dakota Ranchers Need Our Prayerful SupportETIENNE: The economic impact of this storm will be felt for some time well into the future. Sadly, many of these cattle would have been sold within weeks after the storm. Not only were many calves lost, but also the herd genetics family ranchers have built over generations will take another generation to rebuild, if indeed the families are able to survive at all. For a good treatment on the full impact to the cattle ranching families, see the following article on the South Dakota State Extension website.
For more information on the nature of the storm and why the loss of livestock was so astronomical, you can view this video, it is about sixteen minutes in length.
In the wake of such devastation, it is taking a while to understand the full scale of losses, let alone understand how best to come to the aid of these ranching families. One thing many ranchers already know is that what they have (the land and ranching) is entrusted to them by the Lord. Ranching is a way of life, a way of working hand in hand with the Creator. It is a way of life that enhances faith, and as we see up close and personal in the wake of this storm, a way of life that tests faith.
For more information on the nature of the storm and why the loss of livestock was so astronomical, you can view this video, it is about sixteen minutes in length.
In the wake of such devastation, it is taking a while to understand the full scale of losses, let alone understand how best to come to the aid of these ranching families. One thing many ranchers already know is that what they have (the land and ranching) is entrusted to them by the Lord. Ranching is a way of life, a way of working hand in hand with the Creator. It is a way of life that enhances faith, and as we see up close and personal in the wake of this storm, a way of life that tests faith.
To make a long story short: A homily for the 31st Sunday of the Year...
To Make a Long Story Short – A Homily for the 31st Sunday of the Year � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: Zacchaeus was not just any Tax Collector, he was Chief Tax collector. He was a mafia boss, a Don, a “Godfather.” Got the picture? Zacchaeus isn’t just physically short. He’s the lowest of the low, he doesn’t measure up morally, he comes up short in terms of justice, he’s a financial giant, but a moral midget. Zacchaeus is a shrimp, well short of a full moral deck. That he cannot see the Lord is not just a physical problem, it is a moral one.
Now I am not picking on Zacchaeus. For the truth be told we are all Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus is us. You say, “Wait a minute, I’m not that bad.” Maybe, not but you’re not that good either. In fact we’re a lot closer to being like Zacchaeus that to being like Jesus. The fact that we are not yet ready to look on the face of the Lord is demonstrable by the fact that we’re still here. We’re not ready and not righteous enough to look upon the unveiled face of God. How will Zacchaeus ever hope to see the Lord? How will we? Let’s read on.
Now I am not picking on Zacchaeus. For the truth be told we are all Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus is us. You say, “Wait a minute, I’m not that bad.” Maybe, not but you’re not that good either. In fact we’re a lot closer to being like Zacchaeus that to being like Jesus. The fact that we are not yet ready to look on the face of the Lord is demonstrable by the fact that we’re still here. We’re not ready and not righteous enough to look upon the unveiled face of God. How will Zacchaeus ever hope to see the Lord? How will we? Let’s read on.
Zacchaeus and the little way
Zachaeus and the Little WayLONGENECKER: We used to sing the Sunday School song, “Zachaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he, he climbed up into a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see, and the Lord said, “Zachaeus! You come down!”
There are a lot of nice details in the story–all of which bear a deeper meaning. Why did Zachaeus climb up the tree in the first place? Yes, to get a better view to see the Lord, but I think he also wanted a place to see the Lord from a safe distance. He wanted to be an observer, but Christianity is not a spectator sport and Jesus calls him out and tells him to come down.
There are a lot of nice details in the story–all of which bear a deeper meaning. Why did Zachaeus climb up the tree in the first place? Yes, to get a better view to see the Lord, but I think he also wanted a place to see the Lord from a safe distance. He wanted to be an observer, but Christianity is not a spectator sport and Jesus calls him out and tells him to come down.
Catholics observe the Feast of All Souls; Pope Francis visits tombs of predecessors
Pope Francis set to pray by the tombs of deceased Roman Pontiffs: At 6 pm on the day the Church celebrates the Feast of All Souls, Pope Francis will go on a private visit to the Vatican Grottoes in Saint Peter's Basilica to pray by the tombs of the Roman Pontiffs who have preceded him as Successor of Peter.
Already on Easter Monday this past year, Pope Francis had prayed by the tombs of twentieth century popes Benedict XV, Pius XI, Pius XII, Paul VI and John Paul I. A visit which was followed by a a moment of silent prayer in the Necropolis beneath the Basilica.Precisely in the Clementine Chapel, the place closest to the to tomb of Saint Peter.
Already on Easter Monday this past year, Pope Francis had prayed by the tombs of twentieth century popes Benedict XV, Pius XI, Pius XII, Paul VI and John Paul I. A visit which was followed by a a moment of silent prayer in the Necropolis beneath the Basilica.Precisely in the Clementine Chapel, the place closest to the to tomb of Saint Peter.
On spiritual gifts and holy attire, as seen in a beer commercial...
On Spiritual Gifts and Holy Attire as Seen in a Beer Commercial � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: Men and Women, of course, are very different. Vive la différence! This difference also reaches our spiritual lives and even effects liturgical preferences.
Without seeking to cause a firestorm of opinions, one of the critiques of modern liturgy is that it has tipped the balance decidedly toward a more feminine expression, especially in the area of music and preaching. Much modern music is emotive, relational and generally thematic of social concord and harmony. Many sermons too are more of the “can all we all get along and be a litter nicer” variety.
Without seeking to cause a firestorm of opinions, one of the critiques of modern liturgy is that it has tipped the balance decidedly toward a more feminine expression, especially in the area of music and preaching. Much modern music is emotive, relational and generally thematic of social concord and harmony. Many sermons too are more of the “can all we all get along and be a litter nicer” variety.
10 things you need to know today: November 2, 2013...
10 things you need to know today: November 2, 2013 - The Week: A TSA agent is shot and killed at LAX, the Pakistani Taliban leader reportedly dies in a drone strike, and more...
Friday, November 1, 2013
Playin' church with Francis; the 'Bergoglio of Saskatchewan'; and Iraq
Playin' church with Francis; the 'Bergoglio of Saskatchewan'; and Iraq | National Catholic ReporterALLEN: An old joke tweaking life in church circles goes like this: A dad is sitting in his living room when he hears a ruckus upstairs. He goes up and is startled to see the kids sitting in a circle on folding chairs, screaming their lungs out at each other: "You're an idiot!" "You're completely wrong and I can prove it!" and so on.
The father steps in and demands to know, "What in the world is going on here?"
"Ah, don't worry, dad," one of the kids says. "We're just playin' church."
However middling it may be as a punch line, the joke captures something real. Perhaps because religion is about people's deepest passions, it seems to breed division almost as reliably as devotion.
The father steps in and demands to know, "What in the world is going on here?"
"Ah, don't worry, dad," one of the kids says. "We're just playin' church."
However middling it may be as a punch line, the joke captures something real. Perhaps because religion is about people's deepest passions, it seems to breed division almost as reliably as devotion.
For all the saints: Reflecting on a great hymn of the Church...
For all the Saints – Reflecting on a Great Hymn of the Church � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: One of the greatest English hymns ever written, is “For All the Saints.” It is a wide and sweeping vision of the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant. It’s imagery is regal and joyful, it’s poetry majestic and masterful. A vivid picture is painted in the mind as the wondrous words move by. If you ask me it is a masterpiece. Many people know the opening line, but most have never sung it all the way through and thus miss its wondrous portrait. A number of years ago I committed words of this hymn to memory, very much like my father who loved to memorize things that moved him.
The saints are proof that no sinner is too far gone for God...
From Sinners to Saints: No One is Too Far Gone for GodROSSI: The following is the text of the Christopher News Note “From Sinners to Saints.” If you’d like a pdf or hard copy, see the end of this post:
No one is too far gone for God.
Regardless of how many poor choices you’ve made, how many people you’ve hurt or how you’ve broken the laws of God and man, God is still willing to welcome you back with open arms if you sincerely ask His forgiveness and try to change your ways.
Don’t believe it? Take the saints as an example.
Christian art has done the saints no favors. Whether in marble or in plaster, on canvas or on a laminated holy card, we see saints who are blissful and pure, who appear incapable of ever uttering a harsh word let alone spending years living like dirty, rotten scoundrels. In other words, most depictions of saints make holiness look easy. It’s not.
No one is too far gone for God.
Regardless of how many poor choices you’ve made, how many people you’ve hurt or how you’ve broken the laws of God and man, God is still willing to welcome you back with open arms if you sincerely ask His forgiveness and try to change your ways.
Don’t believe it? Take the saints as an example.
Christian art has done the saints no favors. Whether in marble or in plaster, on canvas or on a laminated holy card, we see saints who are blissful and pure, who appear incapable of ever uttering a harsh word let alone spending years living like dirty, rotten scoundrels. In other words, most depictions of saints make holiness look easy. It’s not.
It's a feast day, so here are 5 awesome recipes for manly men...
5 Awesome Recipes for the Man’s-Man | The Art of Manliness: I believe every man should know how to cook. That being said, I’m realistic enough to know that many of you are likely to “outsource” cooking to others — be it your wives, moms, roommates, or the chefs and cooks at your local restaurants. So be it.
However, I believe every man should have a recipe (or 5) up their sleeves. That’s where I come in.
I’ve put together an awesome recipe to satisfy almost any manly occasion — be it an appetizer, something to share, a hot lunch, a hearty soup, or dinner for one.
However, I believe every man should have a recipe (or 5) up their sleeves. That’s where I come in.
I’ve put together an awesome recipe to satisfy almost any manly occasion — be it an appetizer, something to share, a hot lunch, a hearty soup, or dinner for one.
Could Forrest Gump have possibly survived his epic run? The experts weigh in...
Could Forrest Gump have possibly survived his epic run? - The Week: Forrest Gump is a classic. And while the 1994 film uses its eponymous main character as an accidental vanguard to some of the most defining moments in the second half of the 20th century, it is perhaps Forrest's epic, years-long run that sticks in our collective mind the most. It certainly sticks in my mind.
Claims of eavesdropping at the Vatican are nothing new. Communist spies once hid a microphone inside a statue of Our Lady...
Espionage at the Vatican | CNS BlogGLATZ: Claims of eavesdropping on the Vatican are nothing new.
But it’s hard to imagine any current foreign snooping could match the spying frenzy of the Cold War when the communist “East” and democratic “West” were locked in an ideological battle.
Karol Wojtyla receiving the woolen pallium during his installation as Pope John Paul II Oct. 22, 1978. (CNS photo by Arturo Mari)
After Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla was elected Pope John Paul II in 1978, the Vatican did come under increased scrutiny as it was seen to be a decisive player in the anti-communist chess game.
Apparently double agent priests infiltrated the upper echelons of the Vatican and Czechoslovakian spies reportedly bugged the private studio of then-Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Agostino Casaroli by planting a hidden microphone inside a statue of Our Lady.
But it’s hard to imagine any current foreign snooping could match the spying frenzy of the Cold War when the communist “East” and democratic “West” were locked in an ideological battle.
Karol Wojtyla receiving the woolen pallium during his installation as Pope John Paul II Oct. 22, 1978. (CNS photo by Arturo Mari)
After Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla was elected Pope John Paul II in 1978, the Vatican did come under increased scrutiny as it was seen to be a decisive player in the anti-communist chess game.
Apparently double agent priests infiltrated the upper echelons of the Vatican and Czechoslovakian spies reportedly bugged the private studio of then-Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Agostino Casaroli by planting a hidden microphone inside a statue of Our Lady.
10 things you need to know today: November 1, 2013
10 things you need to know today: November 1, 2013 - The Week: Only six people were reportedly able to enroll on HealthCare.gov during its first 24 hours, a new book says Obama considered replacing Biden, and more...
The bishops are under fire in Italy, Spain and the United States
Vatican Diary / Bishops under fire in Italy, the United States, and SpainMAGISTER: Pope Francis is showing that he has very clear in his mind both the battles that he wants to fight and those for which he sees no need to do so. Both "ad intra," meaning within the ecclesial body of which he has become the supreme pastor - and in the Roman curia in particular - and "ad extra," in the world.
With regard to the latter, pope Jorge Mario Bergoglio has said loud and clear, in the interview with "La Civiltà Cattolica," that he does not see as a priority the battles over anthropological issues like the questions “connected to abortion, homosexual marriage, and the use of contraceptive methods.”
This undoubtedly constitutes a change of stance with respect to the last pontificates: not only of Benedict XVI and of John Paul II, but also of Paul VI, the pope of “Humanae Vitae" and of the strenuous resistance against the introduction of divorce in Italy.
With regard to the latter, pope Jorge Mario Bergoglio has said loud and clear, in the interview with "La Civiltà Cattolica," that he does not see as a priority the battles over anthropological issues like the questions “connected to abortion, homosexual marriage, and the use of contraceptive methods.”
This undoubtedly constitutes a change of stance with respect to the last pontificates: not only of Benedict XVI and of John Paul II, but also of Paul VI, the pope of “Humanae Vitae" and of the strenuous resistance against the introduction of divorce in Italy.
Pope was concerned interview could be misunderstood, took measures to mitigate damage, writer says
Pope was concerned interview could be misunderstood, writer says :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)GAGLIARDUCCI: According to a Catholic writer in Italy, Pope Francis was aware that his reported words in an Oct. 1 interview published in “La Repubblica” could be misunderstood, and took measures concerning this.
Antonio Socci, a Catholic columnist for the Italian newspaper “Libero,” wrote Oct. 27 that after the publication of the interview, Pope Francis was fully aware of the risk of misunderstanding of some of his words, particularly those on conscience.
In the interview, Eugenio Scalfari, founder and former director of “La Repubblica,” quoted Pope Francis as saying that “the conscience is autonomous, and everyone must obey his conscience.”
Antonio Socci, a Catholic columnist for the Italian newspaper “Libero,” wrote Oct. 27 that after the publication of the interview, Pope Francis was fully aware of the risk of misunderstanding of some of his words, particularly those on conscience.
In the interview, Eugenio Scalfari, founder and former director of “La Repubblica,” quoted Pope Francis as saying that “the conscience is autonomous, and everyone must obey his conscience.”
Pope Francis on the Solemnity of All Saints: "To be holy is not a privilege of a few, but a vocation for everyone..."
VATICAN Pope: the Saints tell us to trust the Lord and not be afraid to go against the tide - Asia News: "What do the Saints tell us today? They tell us to trust the Lord because He does not disappoint! The Lord is our friend; He never disappoints! With their witness, they encourage us not to be afraid of going against the tide or of being misunderstood and ridiculed when we speak about Him and the Gospel". This is the teaching Pope Francis offers for the Solemnity of All Saints, which the Catholic Church celebrates today.
Pope Francis has often called on Christians to "go against the tide". In today's feast, he focuses on three aspects of going against the dominant mind-set. The first is victory over death. "The feast of All Saints," the pope said, "reminds us that death is not the goal of our existence, Heaven is! As the Apostle John wrote, 'We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is' (1Jn, 3:2). The Saints, God's friends, assure us that this promise will not disappoint. During their earthly existence in fact, they lived in deep communion with God, so much so that they become like Him. In the faces of their younger and more despised brothers, they saw God's face, and now they contemplate it face to face in its glorious beauty."
Pope Francis has often called on Christians to "go against the tide". In today's feast, he focuses on three aspects of going against the dominant mind-set. The first is victory over death. "The feast of All Saints," the pope said, "reminds us that death is not the goal of our existence, Heaven is! As the Apostle John wrote, 'We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is' (1Jn, 3:2). The Saints, God's friends, assure us that this promise will not disappoint. During their earthly existence in fact, they lived in deep communion with God, so much so that they become like Him. In the faces of their younger and more despised brothers, they saw God's face, and now they contemplate it face to face in its glorious beauty."
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