New Evidence Exonerates Rats as Bearers of Black Death - D-brief | DiscoverMagazine.com: After more than 660 years, rats may finally be off the hook for causing the Black Death pandemic, which claimed up to 100 million lives in just a few years during the 14th century.
The long-running assumption was that rats, infected with the bacterium Yersinia pestis, spread the infection to humans via fleas. However, DNA evidence from 25 skeletons of Black Death victims, uncovered last year during construction of a major rail line in northern London, indicates the plague spread too quickly to pin the blame on rats and fleas. Researchers now believe the plague spread from human to human via coughs and sneezes.
Monday, March 31, 2014
'Noah' is such a messy mishmash of conflicting memes that I’m not really sure how to characterize it...
Noah: PETA Meets the Animators by Way of a Wizard, with Mad Max and a BoatHAMILTON: It is set in a post-apocalyptic world in which a king, who bears the name Tubal Cain, has supposedly destroyed creation by eating meat and forging weapons of iron. The Biblical Tubal Cain was a descendent of Cain, and he did forge various instruments of bronze and iron, so I’m guessing that’s where the filmmakers got that idea.
The human race has descended to cannibalism and is so obviously on its way out that one wonders why God would bother annihilating it.
Noah and his family, along with the rest of humanity, live in a barren waste that looks like a lava field. There is no vegetation to speak of in this post-apocalyptic world; nothing to sustain the life of even one person, much less a whole “industrial civilization,” which is what the film claims exists.
The human race has descended to cannibalism and is so obviously on its way out that one wonders why God would bother annihilating it.
Noah and his family, along with the rest of humanity, live in a barren waste that looks like a lava field. There is no vegetation to speak of in this post-apocalyptic world; nothing to sustain the life of even one person, much less a whole “industrial civilization,” which is what the film claims exists.
Coming soon: Exposing the ickiness of the Christian movie-selling business...
Coming Soon: Exposing the Ickiness of the Christian Movie Selling BusinessNICOLOSI: I’m working on a column that I am finding thoroughly cathartic in the way that confession is always good for the soul. The gist of the column is to walk you good, innocent and trusting pop-culture lay people through the creepy world of flattery, false friendship, pandering, manipulation, bribery and even coercion that goes into getting writers, publishers, radio personalities and television producers to give air and page time to upcoming movies.
Many U.S. dioceses are reporting that 2014 will be an unusually fruitful year for conversions...
Easter Conversion ‘Boom’? | Daily News | NCRegister.com: Speaking of the prospect of becoming a Catholic at this year’s Easter vigil, Sheila Bidzinski, a 36-year-old mother of two little boys, excitedly admits, “I hope I won’t pass out, but I have told my husband he has to get behind me in case he has to catch me.”
When Bidzinski, who has been studying the Catholic faith with a group at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Derwood, Md., comes into the Church, she will be participating in what one commentator has dubbed “a boom.”
When Bidzinski, who has been studying the Catholic faith with a group at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Derwood, Md., comes into the Church, she will be participating in what one commentator has dubbed “a boom.”
Human trafficking seems to be Pope Francis’ most important diplomatic challenge...
MondayVatican – Vatican � Human trafficking, Pope Francis’ global challenge | MondayVaticanGAGLIARDUCCI: The highlight of the circumscribed press release about the meeting between Pope Francis and the U.S. president Barack Obama is that both parties affirm their mutual commitment to bring an end to the plague of the human trafficking. Human trafficking seems to be Pope Francis’ most important diplomatic challenge. Yes, there had been efforts and calls for world peace, culminating last September 7 in the day of Fasting and Prayer to stop a U.S. military intervention in Syria. And there had been Pope Francis’ continued appeals to dialogue, in the name of a �culture of the encounter,� a sentence Pope Francis often likes to insert in official press releases. Often, but not always. The �culture of the encounter� is not mentioned in the official press release issued at the end of President Obama’s visit.
What graces does God promise to give us in sacramental marriage?
What Does Christian Marriage Guarantee? : Stacy TrasancosTRASANCOS: A friend of mine recently asked: “What graces are promised in sacramental marriage? Is the guarantee and promise something that we give or something we expect to get?”
The answer is: The grace to do the work of marriage is promised to a baptized man and woman who unite in matrimony. What they do with that grace is another story, a wily story that goes by the name of free will. Christian marriage does not guarantee a diamond-gleaming fairy tale. It guarantees that God is faithful to set the glass of living water on your counter, as much as you will ever need. But for that water to permeate your entire being, you have to drink it.
The answer is: The grace to do the work of marriage is promised to a baptized man and woman who unite in matrimony. What they do with that grace is another story, a wily story that goes by the name of free will. Christian marriage does not guarantee a diamond-gleaming fairy tale. It guarantees that God is faithful to set the glass of living water on your counter, as much as you will ever need. But for that water to permeate your entire being, you have to drink it.
New round of battles looms as Obamacare enrollment deadline arrives at midnight Monday
Democrats, Republicans prepare for new round of battles over health-care law - The Washington Post: The first enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act ends at midnight Monday, closing one chapter on President Obama’s landmark health-care law and paving the way for a new round of confrontations that could ultimately determine the law’s long-term prospects.
Supporters face an array of political, financial and legal challenges in the coming months. Democrats and insurance industry officials are already seeking ways to blunt what may be the next big controversy: an expected increase in monthly insurance premiums next year for the health plans sold through the federal and state marketplaces.
Supporters face an array of political, financial and legal challenges in the coming months. Democrats and insurance industry officials are already seeking ways to blunt what may be the next big controversy: an expected increase in monthly insurance premiums next year for the health plans sold through the federal and state marketplaces.
10 things you need to know today: March 31, 2014
10 things you need to know today: March 31, 2014 - The Week: The ObamaCare enrollment deadline arrives, UConn and Kentucky round out the Final Four, and more...
Sunday, March 30, 2014
If you've heard bad things about 'Noah', believe them...
Antediluvian FolliesMINER: It’s not just a bizarre, misanthropic rewrite of Genesis, it’s a brutal, soulless epic in its own right, a failure as both Biblical drama and . . . drama.
Much of the problem is its dependence upon special effects. The “visuals” of Noah have possessed it and driven out the virtues of screenwriting, acting, and directing. Indeed, those essential cinematic elements stalk ghost-like through Noah – on screen merely as placeholders for the film’s pyrotechnics. Yet even Noah’s wind and rain and fire are no better than in many films of lesser ambition, lower budgets, and far greater artistic achievement, although scenes filmed on location in Iceland and Upstate New York are lovely.
Much of the problem is its dependence upon special effects. The “visuals” of Noah have possessed it and driven out the virtues of screenwriting, acting, and directing. Indeed, those essential cinematic elements stalk ghost-like through Noah – on screen merely as placeholders for the film’s pyrotechnics. Yet even Noah’s wind and rain and fire are no better than in many films of lesser ambition, lower budgets, and far greater artistic achievement, although scenes filmed on location in Iceland and Upstate New York are lovely.
American, Dutchman nabbed while attempting to deposit billions in fake bonds at Vatican bank
US, Dutch try to deposit billions in fake bonds in Vatican bank - Yahoo News: Vatican police on Saturday apprehended an American and a Dutch man who were trying to deposit billions of euros and US dollars in fake bonds in the Vatican bank.
The men were stopped by the police when they approached one of the guarded gates at the Vatican and asked to be let through to the Institute for Religious Works (IOR) as the bank is formally known, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told AFP.
The men were stopped by the police when they approached one of the guarded gates at the Vatican and asked to be let through to the Institute for Religious Works (IOR) as the bank is formally known, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told AFP.
At any hour on any day, even on the way to the Dairy Queen, Jesus can use us
Patti Maguire Armstrong: Tabitha by Jeff CavinsCAVINS: Driving down the street headed for the Dairy Queen one afternoon, I could not get Tabitha out of my mind. The tragedy of this young girl’s life played on my mind much like a repetitive song that relentlessly repeats a chorus refusing to leave the brain. �
Everyone in Dayton, Ohio where I was working as a pastor at the time, was talking about Tabitha.� Although a mere 13-years-old, she had been arrested for the murder of another teenage girl.� But this was no cold-blooded murderer.� Tabitha wanted nothing more than to put an end to the other girl’s bullying of repeatedly hitting Tabitha on the head with a brick.� When the harassment only got worse, Tabitha went to her older brother for help.�
Everyone in Dayton, Ohio where I was working as a pastor at the time, was talking about Tabitha.� Although a mere 13-years-old, she had been arrested for the murder of another teenage girl.� But this was no cold-blooded murderer.� Tabitha wanted nothing more than to put an end to the other girl’s bullying of repeatedly hitting Tabitha on the head with a brick.� When the harassment only got worse, Tabitha went to her older brother for help.�
Did you receive absolution or not?
Did You Receive Absolution or Not?LONGENECKER: Some time ago I was in a parish visiting for a Lent mission and they had a penance service. I went to confession and after I made my confession I listened to a very long, rambling piece of advice from the priest. This doesn’t really appeal to me because a strange priest has no idea what my real situation is so for him to attempt counseling misses the mark. Nevertheless, when this happens I just listen patiently and thank the priest and wait for absolution.
San Diego Padres’ pitcher Joe Wieland practices patience on the mound...
San Diego Padres’ Pitcher Practices Patience | Daily News | NCRegister.com: Heading into spring training in February, San Diego Padres’ pitcher Joe Wieland was feeling great. He thought his previous arm injuries were behind him, and he was hoping, by this time, to have earned a spot on the team’s major-league roster.
Things turned out differently, however. After re-aggravating a tenacious right arm injury, the 24-year-old Reno, Nev., native is now focusing his attention on a successful surgery and recovery. After a March 26 arthroscopic operation, he’ll have to spend three months rehabbing his arm before he has the opportunity to return to the big-league roster.
Things turned out differently, however. After re-aggravating a tenacious right arm injury, the 24-year-old Reno, Nev., native is now focusing his attention on a successful surgery and recovery. After a March 26 arthroscopic operation, he’ll have to spend three months rehabbing his arm before he has the opportunity to return to the big-league roster.
There is great power when you make the Sign of the Cross and say a blessing before a meal...
NCRegister | A Simple and Public Act of FaithHAIN: Several weeks ago, I had lunch with one of my new clients, a senior human resources executive of an Atlanta-based company. Our working partnership had been very business-focused since the beginning, and I wanted to forge a stronger personal connection, which I enjoy with most of my other clients.
We made small talk about a number of subjects until our food arrived. I said I was going to say a blessing over our meal and that she was welcome to join me. As I made the Sign of the Cross and started to pray, I noticed that she also made the Sign of the Cross. I smiled to myself and said a quiet prayer of thanks for the opportunity I had been given.
We made small talk about a number of subjects until our food arrived. I said I was going to say a blessing over our meal and that she was welcome to join me. As I made the Sign of the Cross and started to pray, I noticed that she also made the Sign of the Cross. I smiled to myself and said a quiet prayer of thanks for the opportunity I had been given.
Walk in the Light: A homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent...
Walk in the Light – A Homily for the 4th Sunday of Lent � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: In today’s Gospel, Jesus, the Light of the World, brings light to a man born blind. If you are prepared to accept it, you are the man born blind, for all of us were born blind and in darkness. It was our baptism alone, and the faith it gave us, that has rendered us able to see, and by stages, to come more fully into the light. The man in today’s Gospel goes through the stages of the Christian walk: out of darkness, and into the beautiful light of Christ. Let’s take a moment and observe the stages that are evident in this man’s journey, for we are the man.
Pope's Sunday Angelus: "Open ourselves to the light of Christ, and get rid of the behaviors that are not Christian"
Be open to the light of Christ, encourages Pope :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): During his Sunday Angelus message, Pope Francis urged the faithful to open themselves to the light of Christ and not be hindered by pride or interior blindness.
“Sometimes unfortunately ... from the height of our pride we judge others, and even the Lord! Today, we are invited to open ourselves to the light of Christ to bear fruit in our lives, to get rid of the behaviors that are not Christian,” Pope Francis encouraged those gathered in St. Peter’s square on March 30.
“Sometimes unfortunately ... from the height of our pride we judge others, and even the Lord! Today, we are invited to open ourselves to the light of Christ to bear fruit in our lives, to get rid of the behaviors that are not Christian,” Pope Francis encouraged those gathered in St. Peter’s square on March 30.
10 things you need to know today: March 30, 2014
10 things you need to know today: March 30, 2014 - The Week: John Kerry travels to Paris for diplomatic talks with Russia, Turkish voters head to the polls, and more...
Saturday, March 29, 2014
When Vietnam was consecrated to Our Lady in 1959, the Great Red Dragon swept his tail. Now something new is happening...
Vietnam: Dreams and Reality: When Saigon fell to the Viet Cong on April 30, 1975, the Vietnam War ended, and a typically Communist, systematic program of depopulation, re-education, and redistribution of wealth ensued. In the next two years, a million people left the city for the countryside – or for farther shores.
I had been born nine months earlier in a Saigon hospital. By April, my mother was already pregnant with her third child. My father – an engineer and bank chairman – had done well for himself. Although he had grown up dirt poor (literally: he and his ten siblings lived in a rural house with a dirt floor), he had excelled at school, often studying by candlelight late into the night. He was valedictorian of his high school, won a college scholarship, and embarked on a successful career in civil engineering.
I had been born nine months earlier in a Saigon hospital. By April, my mother was already pregnant with her third child. My father – an engineer and bank chairman – had done well for himself. Although he had grown up dirt poor (literally: he and his ten siblings lived in a rural house with a dirt floor), he had excelled at school, often studying by candlelight late into the night. He was valedictorian of his high school, won a college scholarship, and embarked on a successful career in civil engineering.
Portraits of children around the world and where they sleep
Portraits of Children Around the World and Where They Sleep - My Modern Metropolis: Where Children Sleep is an eye-opening project by photographer James Mollison that takes a look at children from all across the globe and the diverse environments they go to sleep in. The series presents a portrait of each child or adolescent accompanied by a shot of their bedrooms. While some have a bounty of possessions and a lavish bed to rest their head on at night, the images reveal that some are not as fortunate.
Priest pretends to concelebrate fake Mass with a woman, removed from ministry by CDF
Priest pretends to concelebrate fake Mass with a woman, removed from ministry by CDF | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: Here is some cheery news. It is cheery in that the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith is doing its job diligently and that justice has been done and that the Faith has been defended. It is sad news, however, that any Catholic priest would be so wicked as to do such a thing.
We are pleased that the proper thing has been done, and sad about the sin committed which required such intervention.
We are pleased that the proper thing has been done, and sad about the sin committed which required such intervention.
What the world looks like from the cockpit of an airplane
Alex MacLean’s aerial photography is featured in the exhibit, “Alex MacLean: Aerial Perspectives,” at Beetles and Huxley.: For most photographers, making a great shot requires a quick, coordinated burst of framing, focusing, and exposing. But for aerial photographer Alex MacLean, that synchronization also includes making sure his airplane is flying steady. “It's a lot easier than trying to take pictures out of a car because you're dealing in 3-D space. The plane will fly itself straight and level. That's even without autopilot,” he said. “I usually set myself up, pick up the camera for five or 10 seconds, and take the picture out an open window.”
Before Noah: Top 100 proudly Catholic movies...
Before Noah: Top 100 Proudly Catholic Movies | CatholicVote.orgHOOPES: If you love Noah, we have more like it for you. If you hate Noah, here’s an alternative. The Gregorian Institute at Benedictine College surveyed 6,500 online readers to vote on their favorite “Proudly Catholic Movies.” The result is a Catholic Hall of Fame list of the top 100 movies, available to print out here.
The Passion of the Christ was the favorite, but two 2012 movies rated in the top 10: Les Miserables at No. 4 and For Greater Glory at No. 6.
The Passion of the Christ was the favorite, but two 2012 movies rated in the top 10: Les Miserables at No. 4 and For Greater Glory at No. 6.
"24 hours for the Lord": A penitent Pope Francis leads Catholics back to Confession
Whispers in the Loggia: In the Confessional, A Penitent PopePALMO: Asked by Italy's most-prominent daily earlier this month for an assessment of his first year as Pope, Francis demurred, saying "I only do that every fifteen days, with my confessor."
Even if he's taken all the sacraments for his latest general audience series, over the last 54 weeks, Papa Bergoglio's spoken of none more frequently or urgently than Confession, Penance, Reconciliation – whatever you call it. And for a Pope who continues to be both championed and castigated as some sort of raving iconoclast, the ecclesial Left's post-Conciliar ambivalence at best toward "the box" should serve as a reminder that the reality of things is rather more complex than the chattering-class polarities of these days tend to admit.
Even if he's taken all the sacraments for his latest general audience series, over the last 54 weeks, Papa Bergoglio's spoken of none more frequently or urgently than Confession, Penance, Reconciliation – whatever you call it. And for a Pope who continues to be both championed and castigated as some sort of raving iconoclast, the ecclesial Left's post-Conciliar ambivalence at best toward "the box" should serve as a reminder that the reality of things is rather more complex than the chattering-class polarities of these days tend to admit.
Friday, March 28, 2014
The utter embarrassing mess of 'Noah' and why everybody is lying about it...
The Utter Embarrassing Mess of ‘Noah’ and Why Everybody is Lying About ItNICOLOSI: Let me just start by saying two words which you can accept as fair warning to avoid this stupidest movie in years: Rock People.
Need more?
Everything is politics. And nowhere is that more true than in media. The same polarization that fired Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty and then got him rehired, and made Mel Gibson $600 million, and then lost him his Hollywood career, and made half the world want to canonize Roman Polanski with the other half wanting him castrated — these are the same social causes propelling the embarrassingly awful horribleness of Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Noah,’ into an 76% fresh rating from the shameless, agenda-driven critics at RottenTomatoes.com, and setting so many Christian leaders and critics into whoring for the same. Please, stop the madness. It is astounding to me how Christians can be lured into a defense of the indefensible because they are so afraid of the charge of “unreasonablenes.” Trying so hard to be nice, we end up being patsies for people who have no other agenda than to make money off of us.
Need more?
Everything is politics. And nowhere is that more true than in media. The same polarization that fired Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty and then got him rehired, and made Mel Gibson $600 million, and then lost him his Hollywood career, and made half the world want to canonize Roman Polanski with the other half wanting him castrated — these are the same social causes propelling the embarrassingly awful horribleness of Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Noah,’ into an 76% fresh rating from the shameless, agenda-driven critics at RottenTomatoes.com, and setting so many Christian leaders and critics into whoring for the same. Please, stop the madness. It is astounding to me how Christians can be lured into a defense of the indefensible because they are so afraid of the charge of “unreasonablenes.” Trying so hard to be nice, we end up being patsies for people who have no other agenda than to make money off of us.
The gifts bestowed by the Tenth Commandment, which forbids coveting...
The Gifts Bestowed by the Tenth Commandment, Which Forbids Coveting � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: There exists within each of us a whole range of appetites or desires. We desire everything from food, security, and temporal goods, to affection, friendship, sexual union, and a sense of being loved and respected. In themselves, these desires are good and they help protect and foster important aspects of ourselves. However, since the human race labors under the effects of original sin, our desires tend also to have an unruly dimension. Frequently we desire things beyond what we know is reasonable or just. And this is where coveting enters. Coveting does not include momentary desires that occur to us and that we dismiss as being unreasonable or inappropriate. Rather, coveting involves the willful entertaining or eliciting of inappropriate or excessive desires.
U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upholds Texas abortion restrictions
US appeals court upholds new Texas abortion rules | Fox News: A federal appeals court on Thursday upheld Texas' tough abortion restrictions that have led to the closure of nearly 20 clinics around the state, saying the new rules don't jeopardize women's health.
A panel of judges at the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court judge who said the rules violate the U.S. Constitution and served no medical purpose. Despite the lower court's ruling, the appeals court already had allowed some rules to go into effect while it considered the case. The latest decision means more regulations will begin later this year, as scheduled, and sets the case up for a likely appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
A panel of judges at the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower court judge who said the rules violate the U.S. Constitution and served no medical purpose. Despite the lower court's ruling, the appeals court already had allowed some rules to go into effect while it considered the case. The latest decision means more regulations will begin later this year, as scheduled, and sets the case up for a likely appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
British Catholic newspaper suspends writer who looked forward to Benedict's death...
British paper suspends writer who looked forward to Benedict's death :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): The Tablet, a British Catholic weekly, has suspended its Rome correspondent Robert Mickens after he publicly referred to Benedict XVI as “the Rat” and anticipated his death.
In a March 2 Facebook post about Cardinal Loris Francesco Capovilla, who was Pope John XXIII's secretary and was elevated to the red Feb. 22, Mickens wrote: “This should have happened a LONG time ago. Do you think he'll make it to the Rat's funeral?”
The comment about Joseph Ratzinger was noticed by Damian Thompson, a writer at The Telegraph, who wrote about it March 24.
In a March 2 Facebook post about Cardinal Loris Francesco Capovilla, who was Pope John XXIII's secretary and was elevated to the red Feb. 22, Mickens wrote: “This should have happened a LONG time ago. Do you think he'll make it to the Rat's funeral?”
The comment about Joseph Ratzinger was noticed by Damian Thompson, a writer at The Telegraph, who wrote about it March 24.
The major theme of this Sunday’s readings is coming to "true sight" and being restored from the darkness of sin...
The Sacred Page: "The Good Shepherd and True Sight": The Readings for the Fourth Sunday of LentBARBER: Elsewhere in the Fourth Gospel, Jesus is able to heal by simply pronouncing a word. Here Jesus uses clay and the act of washing with water. Why?
The answer is not entirely obvious. As many commentators have noted, by using clay Jesus evokes Genesis where God creates humanity with the soil. The imagery could thus be read as highlighting what John 1 emphasizes, namely, Jesus identity as creator.
We might also learn another lesson from this though. Jesus heals different people in different ways. Perhaps we might take away from this the idea that God works uniquely in each person’s life. He chooses a pedagogy specially designed for each person.
The answer is not entirely obvious. As many commentators have noted, by using clay Jesus evokes Genesis where God creates humanity with the soil. The imagery could thus be read as highlighting what John 1 emphasizes, namely, Jesus identity as creator.
We might also learn another lesson from this though. Jesus heals different people in different ways. Perhaps we might take away from this the idea that God works uniquely in each person’s life. He chooses a pedagogy specially designed for each person.
The talking points from Obama's papal audience: "religious freedom, life, conscientious objection, immigration reform"
Whispers in the Loggia: The Talking Points: "Freedom, Life, Conscience"... And A Promise KeptPALMO: Three and a half hours after the Pope and President wrapped up their 52-minute talks, the Holy See released its readout. Also, instead of the customary statement, the White House issued the exchanges from Obama's evening press conference with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi as its official summary of the papal audience...
10 heroic battlefield medics, from the U.S. Civil War to Afghanistan
10 Heroic Battlefield Medics | Mental Floss: When we study war in history class, we learn about kings, presidents, and generals. It's a shame we don't get to learn about the many everyday people who step up and do extraordinary things, like the medical workers who perform heroically under terrible conditions. Here are a few of those extraordinary people.
10 things you need to know today: March 27, 2014
10 things you need to know today: March 27, 2014 - The Week: Northwestern football players get a chance to unionize, Egypt's military chief quits to run for president, and more...
Pope Francis receives President Obama in private audience at Vatican
President Obama Meets Pope Francis At The Vatican - ABC News: President Obama met Pope Francis at the Vatican on Thursday.
In his first official visit, which began at 10:27 a.m. in Rome, the president and the pope met for about 50 minutes -- longer than many had expected -- before bringing in the rest of the U.S. delegation, including Secretary of State John Kerry, National Security Advisor Susan Rice, and Press Secretary Jay Carney. One by one, the ten members of the delegation were introduced to the pope.
In his first official visit, which began at 10:27 a.m. in Rome, the president and the pope met for about 50 minutes -- longer than many had expected -- before bringing in the rest of the U.S. delegation, including Secretary of State John Kerry, National Security Advisor Susan Rice, and Press Secretary Jay Carney. One by one, the ten members of the delegation were introduced to the pope.
St. Augustine’s Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount
St. Augustine’s Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount | Crisis Magazine: Saint Augustine once observed that the “New Testament lies hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is unveiled in the New.” In his early years as a Manichean, St. Augustine had trouble interpreting the Bible.� Subsequently, he would acknowledge the role of his intellectual pride complicit in his prior difficulty with Scripture. After his conversion, he learned from St. Ambrose to interpret the Scriptures symbolically.� As a guiding principle for the revelation of the Scriptures’ inner spirituality, he took the Ambrosian hermeneutic: “the letter kills, but the spirit gives life.”
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
President Obama arrives in Rome for meeting with Pope Francis
BBC News - Obama to meet Pope during Rome visit: US President Barack Obama is due to meet Pope Francis for the first time on the third leg of a European tour dominated by the crisis in Ukraine.
He flew into Rome after three days of talks with EU leaders in the Netherlands and Brussels.
He flew into Rome after three days of talks with EU leaders in the Netherlands and Brussels.
Hyper-stimulation is an increasing evil. Here's how you can be aware, learn its moves, and rebuke its influence...
Hyper-stimulation is an increasing evil about which we should be aware, learn its moves, and then rebuke its influnence. � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: We live in an age of overstimulation that would be unimaginable to people even hundred years ago, let alone to those of more ancient times. In fact, it is probably more right to say we are not simply overstimulated, we are hyper-stimulated. The number and kind of diversions available to us and imposed upon us almost too numerous to mention. Silence and quietude are almost unknown to us as is real darkness. We are in the enveloped in a sea of lights such that we no longer behold the stars at night.
World Vision backtracks on gay marriage support. But can their donors ever trust them after this?
World Vision Switches Tracks. Says They Won’t Hire Gay Marrieds. Can Their Supporters Trust Them After This?HAMILTON: It’s been an interesting 24 hours for the folks at World Vision.
Franklin Graham took them to task for their decision to hire people who are in same-sex marriages. Their supporters responded with a sense of betrayal and outrage. World Vision President, Richard Stearns, gave an interview to Christianity Today in which he tried to parse the decision into something it wasn’t, saying in part
Franklin Graham took them to task for their decision to hire people who are in same-sex marriages. Their supporters responded with a sense of betrayal and outrage. World Vision President, Richard Stearns, gave an interview to Christianity Today in which he tried to parse the decision into something it wasn’t, saying in part
The Benedict Option is really quite simple: Live your Christian life in a coherent, simple, and prayer-centered way in the modern world...
The Benedict Option: What Does It Really Mean? | Crisis MagazineSTAUDT: The Benedict Option—what does it really mean? In my mind, it is quite simple: taking St. Benedict and his Rule as a model for the Christian life within the context of our culture.
The term Benedict Option was coined recently by Rod Dreher. He initially defined it in somewhat negative terms as “pioneering forms of dropping out of a barbaric mainstream culture that has grown hostile to our fundamental values.” It is not surprising to think of St. Benedict in this light, as he himself withdrew in disgust from late fifth century Rome in favor of a cave in Subiaco. However, Benedict did not stay in isolation long, and quickly became an Abbot, gathering large numbers of men to himself.
The term Benedict Option was coined recently by Rod Dreher. He initially defined it in somewhat negative terms as “pioneering forms of dropping out of a barbaric mainstream culture that has grown hostile to our fundamental values.” It is not surprising to think of St. Benedict in this light, as he himself withdrew in disgust from late fifth century Rome in favor of a cave in Subiaco. However, Benedict did not stay in isolation long, and quickly became an Abbot, gathering large numbers of men to himself.
10-year-old Jersey Vargas travels to Rome to seek Pope's aid on "an almost inhuman choice"...
Young advocate seeks pope's aid on immigration - latimes.com: A 10-year-old student from Noble Avenue Elementary School in North Hills visited the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels last week on a diplomatic mission.
Jersey Vargas, a fourth-grader, was about to leave for Rome and a possible visit with Pope Francis, but first she wanted to ask Archbishop José H. Gomez for his blessing and his help. Jersey said she hoped the archbishop...
Jersey Vargas, a fourth-grader, was about to leave for Rome and a possible visit with Pope Francis, but first she wanted to ask Archbishop José H. Gomez for his blessing and his help. Jersey said she hoped the archbishop...
L.A. girl with dad In deportation asks Pope Francis to push for U.S. immigration reform
L.A. Girl With Dad In Deportation Asks Pope Francis To Push For U.S. Immigration Reform | Fox News Latino: Young Jersey Vargas arrived at the Vatican Wednesday morning carrying a cloth handkerchief her mother sewed with the words “Nest of Love” across the front.
The 10-year-old girl's hope was to be able to hand it directly to none other than the pope himself.
Despite a note from Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez that got Vargas and a group of southern California immigration activists a general audience with Pope Francis, in reality there was still a slim chance that the young girl would actually get close enough to get a good look at leader of the Catholic Church, let alone be able to ask him to help her father, who faces deportation.
The 10-year-old girl's hope was to be able to hand it directly to none other than the pope himself.
Despite a note from Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez that got Vargas and a group of southern California immigration activists a general audience with Pope Francis, in reality there was still a slim chance that the young girl would actually get close enough to get a good look at leader of the Catholic Church, let alone be able to ask him to help her father, who faces deportation.
Holy orders fosters a passionate love of the Church, Pope notes at Wednesday audience
Holy orders fosters a passionate love of the Church, Pope notes :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): In his weekly general audience Pope Francis continued his catechesis on the Sacraments, devoting today’s discourse to those who receive Holy Orders, referring to it as a vocation of “service.”
“Those who are ordained are placed at the head of the community as servants, as Jesus did and taught,” the Pope observed in his March 26 general audience, adding that “the sacrament also helps them to passionately love the Church.”
“Those who are ordained are placed at the head of the community as servants, as Jesus did and taught,” the Pope observed in his March 26 general audience, adding that “the sacrament also helps them to passionately love the Church.”
German bishop accused of luxurious lifestyle resigns
German bishop accused of luxurious lifestyle resigns (Updated) :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): In a March 26 statement the Holy See announced its acceptance of the resignation of Bishop Franz-Peter Tebarts-van Elst, noting that the situation in his diocese does not allow the full exercise of his ministry.
“Considering that in the diocese of Limburg a situation has arisen that prevents the fruitful exercise of the ministry of S.E. Mons. Franz-Peter Tebarts-van Elst,” the statement read, “the Holy See has accepted the resignation of the Bishop presented on Oct. 20, 2013.”
“Considering that in the diocese of Limburg a situation has arisen that prevents the fruitful exercise of the ministry of S.E. Mons. Franz-Peter Tebarts-van Elst,” the statement read, “the Holy See has accepted the resignation of the Bishop presented on Oct. 20, 2013.”
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
"Well you have met me now": The sister and the rapper...
Through a Glass Brightly: "Well You Have Met Me Now": The Sister and the RapperWALES: The latest viral video sensation is something you need to experience. The last time I checked, it had nearly twenty-five million views on YouTube (though the seventh million shouldn't really count because that was all just me. Heh.). An Ursuline Sister named Cristina Scuccia performed on the Italian version of the television talent show, The Voice, and the response from the judges and the audience was absolutely amazing. After watching the clip the first time (before I knew how to turn on the English subtitles), I was most struck with how quickly and willingly the audience embraced the habited young woman. She had barely sung a single note when suddenly everyone was on their feet cheering loudly. When her song ended, they chanted in unison the Italian word for sister, "Sor-ell-a! Sor-ell-a!" Clearly the state of the Church in Italy is way better shape than I thought. (Thank you, Pope Francis!) The next few (dozen) times that I watched it with the benefit of the dialogue following the song, I zeroed in on the judge she chose to be her coach, rapper "J-Ax". The profound transformation that he undergoes through Sister Cristina is one of the most inspiring things I've ever seen.
When you feed the hungry, you give the poor what is justly theirs...
Feeding the Hungry: Giving the Poor What Is Justly Theirs | Daily News | NCRegister.comSHEA: In 1968, Paul Ehrlich, declared defeat in his book The Population Bomb: “The battle to feed all of humanity is over. In the 1970s and 1980s hundreds of millions of people will starve to death in spite of any crash programs embarked upon now.”
The prophet of doom didn’t reckon on Norman Borlaug, the father of the “Green Revolution,” who bred fantastically fruitful strains of food plants that kept the burgeoning population of the world (especially the Third World) from starving to death. Almost nobody has heard of him, but without him we could very well be living in a post-apocalyptic nightmare. I am hopeful that if anybody stands a good chance of hearing Jesus say to them, “I was hungry, and you gave me food,” it will be Borlaug, who goes down in history as the guy who gave more food to the “least of these” than anybody who ever lived.
The prophet of doom didn’t reckon on Norman Borlaug, the father of the “Green Revolution,” who bred fantastically fruitful strains of food plants that kept the burgeoning population of the world (especially the Third World) from starving to death. Almost nobody has heard of him, but without him we could very well be living in a post-apocalyptic nightmare. I am hopeful that if anybody stands a good chance of hearing Jesus say to them, “I was hungry, and you gave me food,” it will be Borlaug, who goes down in history as the guy who gave more food to the “least of these” than anybody who ever lived.
Has it ever occurred to you that Mary is a hero?
Mary as Hero |Blogs | NCRegister.comFISHER: We are used to thinking of Mary's "yes" to the angel as a positive thing, a step forward, a beginning -- of course, so it was. But it was also the end of something, the unmaking of the rule of darkness over the world. Outsiders may see Mary as passive, as witlessly, helplessly receptive to the intrusion of the demanding angel. But it was her choice -- the choice of a hero -- to step foot outside of her peaceful Shire. �She is the hero who pressed on, the small one who had the heart, the strength, the courage to face the darkness and to unmake it. �Hail, Mary, hero.
Many who seek to "reform" the Church fundamentally misunderstand her mission and purpose...
Many Who Seek to “Reform” the Church fundamentally misuderstand her Mission and Purpose. A Response to a Recent Church Critic � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: I recently read an article by Damon Linker in The Week entitled Why Churches Should Brace for a Mass Exodus of the Faithful. And while the article presents a kind of doomsday scenario, the actual experience of the Catholic Church would be better described as a steady erosion in terms of weekly attendance. The prospect, in the light of this experience suggests more of the same, rather than a “bottom dropping out” scenario.
With Crimea conquered, Vladimir Putin sets his sights on Ukrainian Catholics...
Priest: Ukrainian Catholics flee Crimea to escape threats of arrest | CatholicHerald.co.uk: Members of the Ukrainian Catholic Church are fleeing Crimea to escape threats of arrest and property seizures, a priest has said.
“The situation remains very serious, and we don’t know what will happen — the new government here is portraying us all as nationalists and extremists,” said Father Mykhailo Milchakovskyi, a parish rector and military chaplain from Kerch, Crimea, who was speaking to the Catholic News Service just four days after Russia finalised the region’s annexation.
“The situation remains very serious, and we don’t know what will happen — the new government here is portraying us all as nationalists and extremists,” said Father Mykhailo Milchakovskyi, a parish rector and military chaplain from Kerch, Crimea, who was speaking to the Catholic News Service just four days after Russia finalised the region’s annexation.
Franklin Graham and World Vision in a world of changing gods...
Franklin Graham and World Vision in a World of Changing GodsHAMILTON: World Vision, which is an evangelical Christian organization, has evidently decided to hire “married” gay couples. Rev Franklin Graham has issued a statement condemning this action.
I hadn’t intended to comment about this. Public Catholic is a Catholic blog, and the World Vision-Franklin Graham argument is taking place among Evangelical Protestants. My first thought was that it would be best to let them tend to their own chickens.
I’ve changed my mind because there is only one Jesus, and only one universal body of Christ. That makes this a matter of concern for all Christians and not just the Evangelical Protestant part of us.
I hadn’t intended to comment about this. Public Catholic is a Catholic blog, and the World Vision-Franklin Graham argument is taking place among Evangelical Protestants. My first thought was that it would be best to let them tend to their own chickens.
I’ve changed my mind because there is only one Jesus, and only one universal body of Christ. That makes this a matter of concern for all Christians and not just the Evangelical Protestant part of us.
Lent is an “annual catechumenate” that prepares us to be missionary disciples...
Lent: the annual catechumenate - Denver Catholic RegisterWEIGEL: Historians of the Roman liturgy generally reckon the restorations of the Easter Vigil (by Pius XII) and the adult catechumenate (by Vatican II) as two of the signal accomplishments of the 20th-century liturgical movement. I wouldn’t contest that claim, but I’d add something else to the highlights reel: the recovery of the baptismal character of Lent for every Catholic.
Back in the day, Lent was about what you didn’t do: eat candy, smoke, drink, whatever. And of course the three classic methods of keeping the Forty Days—fasting, intensified prayer, and almsgiving—retain their perennial significance. What I discovered three years ago, however, was that those practices come into clearer spiritual focus when they’re “located” within an understanding that Lent is the season when all of us—not just those who will be baptized or received into full communion with the Church at Easter, but all of us—becomes, in a sense, catechumens.
Back in the day, Lent was about what you didn’t do: eat candy, smoke, drink, whatever. And of course the three classic methods of keeping the Forty Days—fasting, intensified prayer, and almsgiving—retain their perennial significance. What I discovered three years ago, however, was that those practices come into clearer spiritual focus when they’re “located” within an understanding that Lent is the season when all of us—not just those who will be baptized or received into full communion with the Church at Easter, but all of us—becomes, in a sense, catechumens.
The Language of Love
Language of LoveCONLEY: Twenty years ago, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta stood before the President of the United States, before senators and congressmen, before justices of the United States Supreme Court.� She spoke about her work among the world’s poor.� She spoke about justice and compassion.� Most importantly, she spoke about love.
Smithsonian Magazine picks the 20 best small towns in America...
The 20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2014 | Travel | Smithsonian: From country music to herbal cocktails to horseshoe crabs to Rodin, our third annual list takes you to cultural gems worth mining
Don't misread Bishop Conley's letter on contraception
Don't Misread Bishop Conley's Letter On Contraception |Blogs | NCRegister.comPATARCHBOLD: Some twenty three years after Bishop Glennon Flavin of the Diocese of Lincoln issued a pastoral letter to Catholic couples and physicians on the Issue of Contraception, his successor Bishop James Conley has done the same.
His letter will be discussed along with the topic of contraception generally this Sunday in all parishes of the Diocese.
The letter is a wonderful restatement of Catholic principles on the issues of contraception and I urge each and every one of you to read it in its entirety. Further, I find it wonderful and somewhat counter-cultural, even within the Church, to issue such a letter and instruct that this topic be taught in every parish. Bishop Conley is truly a good shepherd.
His letter will be discussed along with the topic of contraception generally this Sunday in all parishes of the Diocese.
The letter is a wonderful restatement of Catholic principles on the issues of contraception and I urge each and every one of you to read it in its entirety. Further, I find it wonderful and somewhat counter-cultural, even within the Church, to issue such a letter and instruct that this topic be taught in every parish. Bishop Conley is truly a good shepherd.
U.S. Supreme Court considers support for corporate religious claims; ruling expected in June
Supreme Court signals support for corporate religious claims | Reuters: The U.S. Supreme Court signaled on Tuesday it may allow corporations to mount religious objections to government action, possibly paving the way for companies to avoid covering employees' birth control as required under Obamacare.
During a 90-minute oral argument, 30 minutes more than usual, a majority of the nine justices appeared ready to rule that certain for-profit entities have the same religious rights to object as individuals do. A ruling along those lines would likely only apply to closely held companies.
During a 90-minute oral argument, 30 minutes more than usual, a majority of the nine justices appeared ready to rule that certain for-profit entities have the same religious rights to object as individuals do. A ruling along those lines would likely only apply to closely held companies.
It's Obama's turn at the Vatican, but the Pope's trip takes center stage...
Whispers in the Loggia: At the Vatican, It's Obama's Turn... But The Pope's Trip Takes Center StagePALMO: A year into the new Rule of Francis, the Pope has met almost every key Western leader, with one particularly glaring exception.
That'll change first thing Thursday morning, as President Obama returns to the Apostolic Palace for his first meeting with Papa Bergoglio and second overall with a Pope after his July 2009 visit to Benedict XVI.
Given its late afternoon scheduling to accommodate Obama's schedule – and the now-retired Pope's desire to meet with him – that earlier visit upended standard Vatican protocol, which invariably sees heads of state and government received from mid-morning until noon. This time, with Francis enjoying Stateside approval numbers more than double those of the battle-weary, second-term president, Air Force One is touching down in Rome tomorrow night to allow for the morning time-slot.
That'll change first thing Thursday morning, as President Obama returns to the Apostolic Palace for his first meeting with Papa Bergoglio and second overall with a Pope after his July 2009 visit to Benedict XVI.
Given its late afternoon scheduling to accommodate Obama's schedule – and the now-retired Pope's desire to meet with him – that earlier visit upended standard Vatican protocol, which invariably sees heads of state and government received from mid-morning until noon. This time, with Francis enjoying Stateside approval numbers more than double those of the battle-weary, second-term president, Air Force One is touching down in Rome tomorrow night to allow for the morning time-slot.
Monday, March 24, 2014
More than 15,000 babies incinerated in 'waste to energy' power plants to heat British hospitals
Aborted babies incinerated to heat UK hospitals - Telegraph: The bodies of thousands of aborted and miscarried babies were incinerated as clinical waste, with some even used to heat hospitals, an investigation has found.
Ten NHS trusts have admitted burning foetal remains alongside other rubbish while two others used the bodies in ‘waste-to-energy’ plants which generate power for heat.
Last night the Department of Health issued an instant ban on the practice which health minister Dr Dan Poulter branded ‘totally unacceptable.’
Ten NHS trusts have admitted burning foetal remains alongside other rubbish while two others used the bodies in ‘waste-to-energy’ plants which generate power for heat.
Last night the Department of Health issued an instant ban on the practice which health minister Dr Dan Poulter branded ‘totally unacceptable.’
"Sacrifice is the language of love": Lincoln's Bishop Conley issues pastoral letter on contraception...
Contraception disrupts 'language of love,' Bishop Conley teaches :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Bishop James Conley of Lincoln hopes his new pastoral letter on the sacrificial “language of love” and the disruptive immorality of contraception will be received “with open hearts and open minds.”
“My hope is that people, Catholic couples especially, and also Catholic physicians and pharmacists, will be willing to look at this issue again,” he told CNA March 20.
“The Language of Love” is Bishop Conley’s pastoral letter on the sacrificial nature of love and on contraception, officially promulgated March 25 -- the feast of the Annunciation, when the Church celebrates Mary’s assent to becoming the Mother of God. The letter can be read in full, and listened to, here.
“My hope is that people, Catholic couples especially, and also Catholic physicians and pharmacists, will be willing to look at this issue again,” he told CNA March 20.
“The Language of Love” is Bishop Conley’s pastoral letter on the sacrificial nature of love and on contraception, officially promulgated March 25 -- the feast of the Annunciation, when the Church celebrates Mary’s assent to becoming the Mother of God. The letter can be read in full, and listened to, here.
Is the Pope as Catholic as President Obama? The Times will tell...
Is the pope as Catholic as the president? The Times will tellMATTINGLY: Long, long ago, I covered religion news during the era in which Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago was one of the most powerful newsmakers on the beat. At the time, I thought it was interesting that conservative Catholics and mainstream journalists had such similar takes on this complicated man.
As Obama prepares for Pope, Alliance Defending Freedom gathers 'strategic influencers' in Rome to press religious liberty...
Global symposium aims to educate media on religious liberty :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal advocacy association, is hosting a conference in Rome this week to inform members of the media about its work in defense of religious freedom.
“Alliance Defending Freedom is hosting an International Media Symposium to educate the media about the legal issues that are threatening human dignity, religious liberty, the sanctity of life, the future of the family,” Alan Sears, president of the organization, told CNA March 23.
“Alliance Defending Freedom is hosting an International Media Symposium to educate the media about the legal issues that are threatening human dignity, religious liberty, the sanctity of life, the future of the family,” Alan Sears, president of the organization, told CNA March 23.
Do your work, and leave the harvest to God and the one to whom he assigns it...
Do your work, and leave the harvest to God and the one to whom he assigns it. � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: In the Gospel from this past Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, an important teaching is given by Jesus on sewing seeds and reaping harvests. The teaching has special importance for us who live in a modern, technological age which is so insistent on instant results. So easily we become resentful and discouraged when our efforts not yield quick fruits, or when solutions take time.
I was on death row, and you walked with me...
I Was on Death Row, and You Walked with Me: Being Prolife out on the MarginsMCPORTLAND: So a priest, a nurse, and a lawyer walk into a prison . . . and they’re all the same guy. CNN had a great profile Friday of Fr Neil Kookoothe, pastor of St Clarence in the Diocese of Cleveland. Fr Kookoothe’s unique skill set—he got a nursing license and a law degree before entering the seminary—helped him free a man from Death Row, and led to legislation widening Ohio’s discovery rules.
Pope Francis warns of "mortal sins" among the media, warns against clericalizing laity
Pope speaks of media’s sins, warns against clericalizing laity : News Headlines - Catholic Culture: In extemporaneous remarks to members of Carollo, an Italian association of broadcasters, Pope Francis said that the “sins of the media” are misinformation, calumny, and defamation. The last two, he said, “are grave, but not as dangerous as the first.”
The Pope said that calumny (which involves falsehoods) “is a mortal sin” and defamation (which involves truths that unjustly damage a person’s reputation) “is a mortal sin,” but a broadcaster can later issue corrections to help repair the damage. But misinformation involves saying “half of things, those that are most convenient for me,” preventing viewers and listeners from arriving at a “complete judgment.”
The Pope said that calumny (which involves falsehoods) “is a mortal sin” and defamation (which involves truths that unjustly damage a person’s reputation) “is a mortal sin,” but a broadcaster can later issue corrections to help repair the damage. But misinformation involves saying “half of things, those that are most convenient for me,” preventing viewers and listeners from arriving at a “complete judgment.”
8 things to know and share about the Annunciation
8 things to know and share about the Annunciation |Blogs | NCRegister.comAKIN: Normally the Solemnity of the Annunciation is celebrated on March 25th.
This date is used because it is nine months before Christmas (December 25th), and it is assumed that Jesus spent the normal nine months in the womb.
However, March 25th sometimes falls during Holy Week, and the days of Holy Week have a higher liturgical rank than this solemnity (weekdays of Holy Week have rank I:2, while this solemnity has a rank of I:3; see here for the Table of Liturgical Days by their ranks).
Still, the Annunciation is an important solemnity, and so it doesn't just vanish from the calendar. Instead, as the rubrics in the Roman Missal note:
Whenever this Solemnity occurs during Holy Week, it is transferred to the Monday after the Second Sunday of Easter.
�It is thus celebrated on the first available day after Holy Week and the Octave of Easter (which ends on the Second Sunday of Easter).
This date is used because it is nine months before Christmas (December 25th), and it is assumed that Jesus spent the normal nine months in the womb.
However, March 25th sometimes falls during Holy Week, and the days of Holy Week have a higher liturgical rank than this solemnity (weekdays of Holy Week have rank I:2, while this solemnity has a rank of I:3; see here for the Table of Liturgical Days by their ranks).
Still, the Annunciation is an important solemnity, and so it doesn't just vanish from the calendar. Instead, as the rubrics in the Roman Missal note:
Whenever this Solemnity occurs during Holy Week, it is transferred to the Monday after the Second Sunday of Easter.
�It is thus celebrated on the first available day after Holy Week and the Octave of Easter (which ends on the Second Sunday of Easter).
10 things you need to know today: March 23, 2014
10 things you need to know today: March 23, 2014 - The Week: French satellites spot possible Malaysian plane debris, Turkey shoots down a Syrian fighter jet, and more...
Are you smarter than an eighth grader? Test yourself with the 1912 edition...
Are You Smarter Than an Eighth Grader? 1912 Edition | Mental Floss: For most of us, eighth grade is a stew of awkward memories: pimples, doodles, and straight-armed slow dances. But for students 100 years ago, it was probably their last year at school. Thanks to mandatory schooling laws established a decade earlier, kids in Kentucky could stop attending class at 14 years old. Of the 72 percent of children who attended primary school in America, fewer than 20 percent continued on to high school. So travel back to 1912 and pretend this fascinating document from the Bullitt County History Museum�is your exit exam to the real world.
MIT physicist Alan Guth on new insights into the ‘Big Bang’
3 Questions: Alan Guth on new insights into the ‘Big Bang’ - MIT News Office: The theory of cosmic inflation was first proposed in 1980 by Alan Guth, now the Victor F. Weisskopf Professor of Physics at MIT. He discussed the significance of the new BICEP2 results with MIT News.
Go see "Muppets Most Wanted"...
Hell Burns: MOVIES: "MUPPETS MOST WANTED"BURNS: The Muppets are at it again. The clever new caper takes us to a gulag in Siberia, Russia, and several other international cities, as "The Muppet Show" reunites for a world tour. But all is not as it seems. All is not well. Constantine--the World's Most Dangerous Frog--who looks exactly like Kermit, except with a dark mole above his lip and a thick Russian accent, has Kermit kidnapped so that he can take his place and steal England's crown jewels during the Muppets traveling show. Kermit winds up in Constantine's place at the gulag.
Ricky Gervais plays "Mr. Badguy" a conniving talent agent (in cahoots with Constantine) who makes the Muppets think they are selling out every venue (he's actually giving tickets away free) just so they can eventually wind up in London in a venue next to the Tower of London which houses the gems.
Ricky Gervais plays "Mr. Badguy" a conniving talent agent (in cahoots with Constantine) who makes the Muppets think they are selling out every venue (he's actually giving tickets away free) just so they can eventually wind up in London in a venue next to the Tower of London which houses the gems.
Is the Lord’s promise never to thirst again real? Yes! Here's how...
Is the Lord’s Promise to Never Thirst Again Real? Yes! Here’s How. � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: The beautiful gospel of the woman at the well, which we read, Sunday, has so many wonderful teachings that not all can be dealt with in a single sermon. Hence, I’d like to consider today just a couple of the teachings that relate to this gospel.
In this post, I’d like to deal with the question of the efficacy of Grace, which many struggle to experience when it�comes to the promises that Jesus extends. Jesus promises the Samaritan woman water that will satisfy her, unlike the water of the world. Specifically, Jesus says, Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:13-14).
In this post, I’d like to deal with the question of the efficacy of Grace, which many struggle to experience when it�comes to the promises that Jesus extends. Jesus promises the Samaritan woman water that will satisfy her, unlike the water of the world. Specifically, Jesus says, Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (John 4:13-14).
The most influential adviser to Pope Francis is the Pope Emeritus...
MondayVatican – Vatican � Pope Francis’ hidden adviser | MondayVaticanGAGLIARDUCCI: Pope Francis established a group of Eight Cardinals to advise him about a reform of the Curia and the government of the universal Church. He has several people he trusts working with him, like Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the Pope’s vicar for the diocese of Rome. But the most influential adviser is in fact Pope Francis’ predecessor, Benedict XVI. Pope Francis holds Pope Benedict in such a high regard that he sent to him the first copy of the interview he granted to the Jesuit-run magazine “La Civilt�Cattolica”. And Benedict XVI, obedient and at the same time precise, responded with four pages of comments.
Anti-abuse commission, Obama to meet Francis, cardinal vs. cardinal, and the death of Bishop Joseph Fan Zhongliang
Francis shows political savvy in naming members to anti-abuse commission - World - The Boston GlobeALLEN: Pope Francis captured the imagination of the world within hours after his election a year ago through his flashes of humility, and that’s not just a PR facade. In Argentina, he was known as a “bishop of the villas,” referring to the vast slums that ring Buenos Aires, because he had a special love for the poor.
Yet one should never forget that beneath that simple exterior lies the mind of a brilliant Jesuit politician. Some Argentines believe he may actually rival Juan and Evita Perón for the title of best set of political instincts the country ever produced.
That savvy was on display again Saturday, when Francis rolled out the initial members for a new Vatican commission to lead the charge in the fight against clerical sexual abuse.
Yet one should never forget that beneath that simple exterior lies the mind of a brilliant Jesuit politician. Some Argentines believe he may actually rival Juan and Evita Perón for the title of best set of political instincts the country ever produced.
That savvy was on display again Saturday, when Francis rolled out the initial members for a new Vatican commission to lead the charge in the fight against clerical sexual abuse.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Just a little talk with Jesus
Just a Little talk with Jesus – Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Lent � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: What it is that really makes you happy? ���� There are endless ways this question could be answered. We desire so many ���� things: food, water, shelter, clothing, and creature comforts. We long for ���� affection, peace, and a sense of belonging. Sometimes we hope for ���� stability and simplicity; at other times we yearn for change and variety. ���� Our hearts are a sea of desires, wishes, and longings. The gospel today ���� says that a woman went to the well to draw water. She is each one of us, ���� and her desire for water is a symbol of all our desires.
March Madness, vasectomies and the really manly man
March Madness, Vasectomies and the Really Manly ManSCHIFFER: In Spring a young man’s fancy turns to…. vasectomies??
You may have seen something of this in the news this week. Apparently, some urologists have noted as much as a 50% increase in the number of vasectomies scheduled during or just before NCAA basketball’s MARCH MADNESS tournament.
The reasoning is this: If you’re going to be lounging around on the couch for a couple of days anyway, eyes glued to the television screen watching college basketball, why not have that vasectomy you’ve been thinking about?
One clinic—Urology Limited of Elgin, Illinois—has even advertised a new clinical promotion this week, offering what they term a “3-Point Shot Plan”. The Plan includes one vasectomy, one free pizza, and one weekend excuse to watch college basketball.
You may have seen something of this in the news this week. Apparently, some urologists have noted as much as a 50% increase in the number of vasectomies scheduled during or just before NCAA basketball’s MARCH MADNESS tournament.
The reasoning is this: If you’re going to be lounging around on the couch for a couple of days anyway, eyes glued to the television screen watching college basketball, why not have that vasectomy you’ve been thinking about?
One clinic—Urology Limited of Elgin, Illinois—has even advertised a new clinical promotion this week, offering what they term a “3-Point Shot Plan”. The Plan includes one vasectomy, one free pizza, and one weekend excuse to watch college basketball.
Pope Francis calls Catholics to return to Confession, announces '24 Hours for the Lord' on March 29-30
Upcoming day of reconciliation announced by Pope :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): During his Sunday Angelus, Pope Francis announced that March 29-30 would be “24 hours for the Lord,” during which people can find special opportunities for prayer and the sacrament of confession.
“Next Friday and Saturday we will live a special moment of penance, called ‘24 hours for the Lord.’ It will begin with a (liturgical) Celebration in the Basilica of St. Peter’s (on) Friday afternoon, then in the evening and night some churches in the center of Rome will be open for prayer and confessions,” he explained to the crowds in St. Peter’s square on March 23.
“It will be - we could call it -� a celebration of forgiveness, which will happen also in many dioceses and parishes of of the world.”
“Next Friday and Saturday we will live a special moment of penance, called ‘24 hours for the Lord.’ It will begin with a (liturgical) Celebration in the Basilica of St. Peter’s (on) Friday afternoon, then in the evening and night some churches in the center of Rome will be open for prayer and confessions,” he explained to the crowds in St. Peter’s square on March 23.
“It will be - we could call it -� a celebration of forgiveness, which will happen also in many dioceses and parishes of of the world.”
Saturday, March 22, 2014
10 things you need to know today: March 22, 2014
10 things you need to know today: March 22, 2014 - The Week: Chinese satellites capture new images in search for missing plane, Putin welcomes Crimea as a Russian territory, and more...
Pope Francis announces members of new commission to combat sex abuse
John Thavis | The Vatican commission on sex abuse takes shapeTHAVIS: Pope Francis today named eight members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, including an Irish victim of clerical sexual abuse.
This core group of the commission, which includes four women, has been asked to further define the scope of the panel's responsibilities and recommend additional members.
The Vatican said the commission would promote “a multi-pronged approach to promoting youth protection, including: education regarding the exploitation of children; discipline of offenders; civil and canonical duties and responsibilities; and the development of best practices as they have emerged in society at large.”
This core group of the commission, which includes four women, has been asked to further define the scope of the panel's responsibilities and recommend additional members.
The Vatican said the commission would promote “a multi-pronged approach to promoting youth protection, including: education regarding the exploitation of children; discipline of offenders; civil and canonical duties and responsibilities; and the development of best practices as they have emerged in society at large.”
Pope Francis announces members of new commission to combat sex abuse
Pope appoints former child victim to church group on sex abuse | Reuters: Pope Francis on Saturday named a victim of sexual abuse by a priest to be part of a core group formed to help the Catholic Church tackle the problem of clerical pedophilia that has dogged it for two decades.
The formation of a group of experts was first announced in December, and today the pope named the first eight members - four female and four male - from eight different countries.
These initial members will be responsible for rounding out the "commission for safeguarding minors" with other experts from around the world and defining the scope of the group's action.
The formation of a group of experts was first announced in December, and today the pope named the first eight members - four female and four male - from eight different countries.
These initial members will be responsible for rounding out the "commission for safeguarding minors" with other experts from around the world and defining the scope of the group's action.
Dominican Friar Lawrence Lew tweets the Gospel, one beautiful image at a time...
Tweeting the Gospel | National Review OnlineLOPEZ: Father Lawrence Lew, O.P., tweets beautiful images. A Dominican priest, a friar, he is assistant Catholic chaplain for the Universities of Edinburgh, Napier, and Queen Margaret in Edinburgh, Scotland. The Dominicans are the Order of Preachers and Fr. Lew has made photos a distinctive part of his ministry. You can find his preaching in different forms on Twitter and Tumblr (where you can read his daily homilies for the St. Albert’s Priory and Chaplaincy) and Flickr. Fr. Lew talks with National Review Online’s Kathryn Jean Lopez about making use of social media for holy purposes.
A group of 'nuns' gone mad...
'Nuns' Gone Mad |Blogs | NCRegister.comCAREY: “Stand With the Nuns in Support of Birth Control."
This startling statement is the name of a petition to be presented to the Supreme Court this month when it hears the cases of Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood. The owners of those two companies have religious objections to the HHS mandate to provide sterilization and contraceptive coverage to all employees. Some of the “contraceptives” covered can also cause an early abortion.
Behind the petition is a group that calls itself the National Coalition of American Nuns (NCAN) and claims to have 2,000 members.
This startling statement is the name of a petition to be presented to the Supreme Court this month when it hears the cases of Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood. The owners of those two companies have religious objections to the HHS mandate to provide sterilization and contraceptive coverage to all employees. Some of the “contraceptives” covered can also cause an early abortion.
Behind the petition is a group that calls itself the National Coalition of American Nuns (NCAN) and claims to have 2,000 members.
We're ingenious in passing things and foolish in eternal things
Ingenious in Passing Things and Foolish in Eternal Things, As Seen on T.V. � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: We live in times of great ingenuity. We have a lot of clever smarts. We have been to the moon and back. Our computers never cease to amaze, as we make them smaller and more powerful. We peer into outer space and see further than ever. And then we look ever deeper into inner space, doing microsurgery and studying the human genome.
And yet, though technological giants, we are moral midgets. Though able to solve enormous technical problems, we cannot even figure how to stay faithful to our commitments, or keep our families together. Churches that once dominated our skylines are now dwarfed by buildings dedicated to banking, insurance, and other passing worldly affairs.
And yet, though technological giants, we are moral midgets. Though able to solve enormous technical problems, we cannot even figure how to stay faithful to our commitments, or keep our families together. Churches that once dominated our skylines are now dwarfed by buildings dedicated to banking, insurance, and other passing worldly affairs.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Pope Francis to Mafiosi: "There is still time to avoid going to hell, which awaits you if you continue on this road"
Pope to Mafiosi: Turn away now from the road to hell: Surrounded by survivors of innocent people killed by the Mafia, Pope Francis made an emotional appeal to Italian gangsters to give up their lives of crime and avoid eternal damnation.
"Men and women of the Mafia, please change your lives, convert, stop doing evil," the pope said at a prayer vigil March 21. "I ask on my knees and for your own good.
"This life you have now, it will not give you pleasure, it will not give you joy, it will not give you happiness," the pope said. "The power, the money you have now from so many dirty deals, from so many Mafia crimes, blood-stained money, blood-stained power -- you will not be able to take that with you to the other life."
"Men and women of the Mafia, please change your lives, convert, stop doing evil," the pope said at a prayer vigil March 21. "I ask on my knees and for your own good.
"This life you have now, it will not give you pleasure, it will not give you joy, it will not give you happiness," the pope said. "The power, the money you have now from so many dirty deals, from so many Mafia crimes, blood-stained money, blood-stained power -- you will not be able to take that with you to the other life."
'Noah' is a rare gift: an epic spectacle that made me think and cry...
SDG Reviews ‘Noah’ | Daily News | NCRegister.comGREYDANUS: Aronofsky has been pondering the Noah story for decades, and working on this film for more than 15 years. Somehow he has brought the first major big-studio Bible film in decades to the screen. The work of an uncompromising filmmaker who makes the movies he wants to make, it’s an outlier for the genre to be sure. It’s not often that a movie with giant rock monsters has me pondering ancient and modern cosmologies, rabbinic literature and Tolkien�—�and also makes me cry.
I often label my fellow Catholics, and I'm beginning to realize how bad that is...
Have you found "Catholic Normal" yet? - Taylor MarshallMARSHALL: This is how we should talk about each other. When I’m tempted to label you as a just “Charismatic Catholic,” “JP2 Catholic,” or “traditional Catholic” it is just an easy way for me to dismiss you or simplify you.
It’s more difficult to the do the right thing. To really appreciate a person as who they are and to see them in the light of God’s mercy. That’s what I’ve been learning lately. I suspect that “Catholic normal” will be find there.
It’s more difficult to the do the right thing. To really appreciate a person as who they are and to see them in the light of God’s mercy. That’s what I’ve been learning lately. I suspect that “Catholic normal” will be find there.
Why do we let 80,000 Americans suffer a 'slow-motion torture of burying alive'?
Why do we let 80,000 Americans suffer a 'slow-motion torture of burying alive'? | Sadhbh Walshe | Comment is free | theguardian.com: Sarah Shourd still has nightmares about the 13 months she spent in solitary confinement in Iran. “It reduces you to an animal-like state,” she tells me. Shourd recalled the hours she spent crouched down at the food slot of her cell door, listening for any sign of life. Or pounding on the walls until her knuckles bled. Or covering her ears to drown out the screams – the screams she could no longer distinguish as her own – until she felt the hands of a prison guard on her face, trying to calm her.
You can now explore the Colorado River on Google Street View
Google Street View Colorado River - Business Insider: Google Street View has gone off road and into the waters of the Colorado River.
Last week, the Google Maps team, utilizing "trekkers" from the American Rivers Organization and the Google Earth Outreach Team, introduced a first person, 360-degree view of the six million-year-old river spanning more than 1,450 miles.
Last week, the Google Maps team, utilizing "trekkers" from the American Rivers Organization and the Google Earth Outreach Team, introduced a first person, 360-degree view of the six million-year-old river spanning more than 1,450 miles.
It's not too late to recover a "used-to-be" Lent
A “Used-to-be” Lent � The Gospel in the Digital AgeDOLAN: I am moved to wonder if, as a Church, we have lost the wonder of Lent, that these forty holy days have gone the way of holy days of obligation, fasting before communion, and no meat on Friday.
And all our kids hear about is how Lent “used-to-be.”
So, for instance, I’m at a great parish in the archdiocese and notice that they’re having a big dance on . . . the first Friday of Lent!
So, I’m at a huge banquet for over a thousand men, mostly Catholics, where the liquor flows and the steaks are medium-rare on . . . a Friday of Lent!
So, I’m at Mass in a parish where they sing the Gloria and have alleluias all over the place on . . . a Sunday of Lent!
And all our kids hear about is how Lent “used-to-be.”
So, for instance, I’m at a great parish in the archdiocese and notice that they’re having a big dance on . . . the first Friday of Lent!
So, I’m at a huge banquet for over a thousand men, mostly Catholics, where the liquor flows and the steaks are medium-rare on . . . a Friday of Lent!
So, I’m at Mass in a parish where they sing the Gloria and have alleluias all over the place on . . . a Sunday of Lent!
May the soul of Fr. Ray Ryland, through the mercy of God, rest in peace...
Fr. Ray Ryland, RIP: He was a good man and a fine priest and had a happy death surrounded by loved ones.
I had the honor of meeting him a couple of years ago at a conference out in Ohio.� We were on a panel discussion together, along with a bunch of other people whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.
May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace. We pray this through Christ our Lord. Amen!
I had the honor of meeting him a couple of years ago at a conference out in Ohio.� We were on a panel discussion together, along with a bunch of other people whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.
May his soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace. We pray this through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Pope Francis ends 13-month vacancy in England's largest diocese, names Dominican as archbishop of Liverpool
Whispers in the Loggia: After 13-Month Wait, Liverpool Lands a PreacherPALMO: A month after the Pope described his ideal picks, a fascinating cycle of choices from his rebooted Congregation for Bishops was capped at Roman Noon this Friday with Francis' appointment of Malcolm McMahon OP, 64, as archbishop of Liverpool, Britain's largest local church.
An engineer who entered religious life in his late 20s, McMahon (above left) had served as bishop of Nottingham since 2000, months after finishing his second term as Dominican provincial in England and Scotland, in which post he succeeded Timothy Radcliffe upon the celebrated theologian's election as Master of the Order. Beyond his work in the East Midlands, the archbishop-elect heads the education and catechetical apparatus of the church in England and Wales.
An engineer who entered religious life in his late 20s, McMahon (above left) had served as bishop of Nottingham since 2000, months after finishing his second term as Dominican provincial in England and Scotland, in which post he succeeded Timothy Radcliffe upon the celebrated theologian's election as Master of the Order. Beyond his work in the East Midlands, the archbishop-elect heads the education and catechetical apparatus of the church in England and Wales.
Tales of the Unexplained
Tales of the Unexplained |Blogs | NCRegister.comSHEA: One of the interesting fruits of a discussion of Private Revelation is that telling stories about the strange things God has occasionally done in one’s own life or in the lives of the saints will often free people up to share their own Twilight Zone moments.� Sure enough, in my comboxes and emails during the Private Revelation series, sometimes from strangers and sometimes from friends, I got a number of such Tales of the Unexplained, all exhibiting the curious characteristics of the strangeness and very specifically targeted personal encounter with God—always pointing them back toward the public revelation.� I thought it might be a good idea to gather some of them up and post them, just as a reminder my readers that a) such things do happen and b) if something an analogous has happened to you, you aren’t a weirdo but actually right in the mainstream of normal human experience.�
The two most crucial requirements for any theologian, according to Origen
The Two Most Crucial Requirements for any Theologian According to Origen � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: Back in my Seminary days we would often study the question of authorship when it came to books of the Bible. Especially in modern times there are extensive debates about such things. I remember being annoyed at the question, since in most cases I didn’t really care to whom the Holy Spirit gave the text; in the end, God was the author.
I was also annoyed at some of the premises used to reject apostolic authorship. For example, it was widely held by modern scholars that St. Paul couldn’t possibly have been the author of the Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus) since the description of the Church was “far too developed” to have been written prior to 65 AD. Never mind that the Acts of the Apostles describes many of the “dubious” hierarchal elements (presbyters (e.g., Acts 14:23), deacons (e.g., Acts 6:3), and apostles (bishops)). Never mind any of that. For us moderns there is the tendency to consider early eras as “primitive.” So Paul’s authorship was questioned by many in those days.
I was also annoyed at some of the premises used to reject apostolic authorship. For example, it was widely held by modern scholars that St. Paul couldn’t possibly have been the author of the Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus) since the description of the Church was “far too developed” to have been written prior to 65 AD. Never mind that the Acts of the Apostles describes many of the “dubious” hierarchal elements (presbyters (e.g., Acts 14:23), deacons (e.g., Acts 6:3), and apostles (bishops)). Never mind any of that. For us moderns there is the tendency to consider early eras as “primitive.” So Paul’s authorship was questioned by many in those days.
10 things you need to know today: March 21, 2014
10 things you need to know today: March 21, 2014 - The Week: Obama slaps tougher sanctions on Russia, Turkey bans Twitter, and more...
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Russell Crowe, studio officials attend general audience after Vatican rejects papal photo-op for 'Noah'...
Russell Crowe meets Pope Francis but leaves without a 'Noah' endorsement | Deseret News: Russell Crowe, who plays the title character in the new Hollywood blockbuster "Noah," lobbied hard for a personal audience with Pope Francis. What he got Wednesday, March 19, instead was a blessing.
Crowe used social media in recent weeks to try to cajole Francis to watch "Noah," which has drawn fire from religious groups that say the film takes too many liberties with the biblical story of Noah's Ark and the great flood. Crowe also asked for a private audience with the pontiff.
Crowe used social media in recent weeks to try to cajole Francis to watch "Noah," which has drawn fire from religious groups that say the film takes too many liberties with the biblical story of Noah's Ark and the great flood. Crowe also asked for a private audience with the pontiff.
10 things you need to know today: March 20, 2014
10 things you need to know today: March 20, 2014 - The Week: Ukraine starts pulling out of Crimea, Australia spots what could be Malaysia Airlines debris, and more...
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Ask St. Joseph to bless and guide and protect your family. You'll be thankful you did...
Tim Drake | Catholic PulseDRAKE: The New Evangelization is centered on reintroducing people to a person whom they’ve forgotten — the person of Jesus Christ. Next to Christ, there is another man — one whose feast we celebrate this week — who has become even more forgotten.
That man is St. Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus. His March 19 feast day is overshadowed even by the proximity and the prominence given to St. Patrick just two days before. The fact that Joseph is forgotten is a genuine poverty, for next to Jesus and His Blessed Mother he is a powerful intercessor. I can attest to this from firsthand experience.
That man is St. Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus. His March 19 feast day is overshadowed even by the proximity and the prominence given to St. Patrick just two days before. The fact that Joseph is forgotten is a genuine poverty, for next to Jesus and His Blessed Mother he is a powerful intercessor. I can attest to this from firsthand experience.
"I've had a difficult life, and that's okay"
I’ve Had a Difficult Life, and That’s Okay | Catholic LaneZIMMERMAN: Lizzie Velásquez is a 24 year old American woman who was born with a very rare disease (shared by only two other people in the United States) that doesn’t allow her to gain weight. She has been bullied most of her life, including being labeled the “World’s Ugliest Woman” in an internet video that received over a million views and thousands of vile comments.
That’s enough to break anyone’s spirit. But instead of giving in to negativity and despair, she overcame hardship and ridicule to become a successful author and motivational speaker. Many of you may recognize her from a video of her TEDX talk in Austin last year that immediately went viral.
For the most part, her speech is a motivational pep-talk for those who have been bullied or with low self-esteem. But it also sends a powerful message to the culture of death, specifically those who justify killing in order to spare someone a lifetime or period of suffering from some disease or disability.
That’s enough to break anyone’s spirit. But instead of giving in to negativity and despair, she overcame hardship and ridicule to become a successful author and motivational speaker. Many of you may recognize her from a video of her TEDX talk in Austin last year that immediately went viral.
For the most part, her speech is a motivational pep-talk for those who have been bullied or with low self-esteem. But it also sends a powerful message to the culture of death, specifically those who justify killing in order to spare someone a lifetime or period of suffering from some disease or disability.
Pope Francis' situation is unusual...
Pope Francis on the Family and Human Life - Truth and Charity ForumMCCLOSKEY: What a first year this has been for Pope Francis and for the Church! From Pius XII to the current pontiff, the Church and the world have been exceptionally blessed with a string of pontiffs who have been outstanding in the area that is most important for all of us – holiness. All these popes have been proposed for canonization with the exception of the still-living Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, and I would not count him out after he leaves this vale of tears.
There are secret guardians in St. Peter's Basilica that you might not expect...
Vatican: The Secret But Not So Quiet Guardians of St. Peter's - Aleteia: Picture this: tomb of Blessed John Paul II, St Peter’s Basilica, early morning mass.
The conditions were perfect - my priest friend was celebrating and had a smashing homily up his sleeve, the sun was gently streaming in, cascading golden shafts over the great marbled pillars, it was 7.30 in the morning, so flocks of tourists hadn’t yet flooded in; all was quiet and peaceful...
�
Then I came up to receive the Blessed Sacrament right in front of the tomb itself; so far, so good. I sat down to say my prayers in quiet post-communion contemplation, when SMACK!
The conditions were perfect - my priest friend was celebrating and had a smashing homily up his sleeve, the sun was gently streaming in, cascading golden shafts over the great marbled pillars, it was 7.30 in the morning, so flocks of tourists hadn’t yet flooded in; all was quiet and peaceful...
�
Then I came up to receive the Blessed Sacrament right in front of the tomb itself; so far, so good. I sat down to say my prayers in quiet post-communion contemplation, when SMACK!
Here are some of the underreported hotspots of Christian persecution around the world
The Persecuted Church 2013MARLIN: Rising Islamic radicalism, particularly the growth of the Saudi Arabian Wahhabi movement, is driving Catholics out of some parts of the country.
In December 2013, the head of the Catholics Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Franjo Komarica of Banja Luka called on Western governments to pressure his country’s political leadership to grant equal rights to Catholics. Croatian Catholics are not equal in status to the other main ethnic groups, Bosnians and Bosniaks, who are Muslims or Eastern Orthodox.
Catholic refugees who are returning to their homeland have “no guarantees for a sustainable return, no houses, no work, no electricity, no roads, no medical provisions and no schools,” the bishop said, adding, “a Croatian name is often a handicap in looking for work.”
In December 2013, the head of the Catholics Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Franjo Komarica of Banja Luka called on Western governments to pressure his country’s political leadership to grant equal rights to Catholics. Croatian Catholics are not equal in status to the other main ethnic groups, Bosnians and Bosniaks, who are Muslims or Eastern Orthodox.
Catholic refugees who are returning to their homeland have “no guarantees for a sustainable return, no houses, no work, no electricity, no roads, no medical provisions and no schools,” the bishop said, adding, “a Croatian name is often a handicap in looking for work.”
Pope Francis reportedly submits landmark Spadaro interview to Benedict XVI for critique
AOL.com Article - Retired Pope Benedict critiqued Francis' interview: The man who serves two popes has revealed that retired Pope Benedict XVI wrote four pages of critique and commentary on Pope Francis's landmark interview in which he blasted the church's obsession with "small-minded" rules.
Monsignor Georg Gaenswein, Benedict's personal secretary and head of Francis' papal household, told German broadcaster ZDF that Francis had solicited Benedict's input on the interview, which was published in September in 16 Jesuit journals around the globe and helped define Francis' agenda.
Monsignor Georg Gaenswein, Benedict's personal secretary and head of Francis' papal household, told German broadcaster ZDF that Francis had solicited Benedict's input on the interview, which was published in September in 16 Jesuit journals around the globe and helped define Francis' agenda.
The world doesn't deserve God's love. But then, neither did we...
Our Only Option - Ethika PolitikaSTEPHENWHITE: The Church in her social teaching has consistently condemned socialism. From Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum in 1891 (“the main tenet of socialism, community of goods, must be utterly rejected”) and continuing through Bl. John Paul II’s 1991 post-mortem of the collapse of European communism, Centesimus Annus, (“the fundamental error of socialism is anthropological in nature”) this rejection of socialism was founded in her equally consistent defense of human freedom, which is rooted in the very nature of the human person.
Supreme Court chooses Feast of the Annunciation to hear Hobby Lobby’s challenge to Obama’s HHS Mandate
Supreme Court Sets Date for Hobby Lobby’s Challenge to Obama’s HHS Mandate | LifeNews.com: The Supreme Court has set the date for oral arguments for Hobby Lobby’s challenge to the Obama HHS mandate. The nation’s highest court will hear debate from attorneys representing the Christian-owned business and the Obama administration on Tuesday, March 25 at 10 a.m.
The Obama administration is attempting to make it comply with the HHS mandate that compels religious companies to pay for birth control and abortion-causing drugs for their employees. However, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take up Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., a landmark case addressing the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of business owners to operate their family companies without violating their deeply held religious convictions. This is good news to the Green family, who own the store.
The Obama administration is attempting to make it comply with the HHS mandate that compels religious companies to pay for birth control and abortion-causing drugs for their employees. However, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take up Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., a landmark case addressing the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of business owners to operate their family companies without violating their deeply held religious convictions. This is good news to the Green family, who own the store.
St. Joseph's influence on the lives of Catholic men in the 21st century...
The Influence Saint Joseph has on Catholic Men in the 21st Century | TOM PERNA™PERNA: Instead of doing the usual blog post on Saint Joseph, which I have done here and here, I thought would reach out to some of my fellow Catholic brothers to see how Saint Joseph has influenced their lives as husbands and fathers. Although I am not a husband and father yet, even as a single man, Saint Joseph has had a great influence on me for many years of my life.
Every man, especially every Catholic man, should try to emulate the virtues that Saint Joseph displayed on a daily basis as the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the foster-father to Jesus Christ. It was Saint Joseph who was charged by God to protect the Immaculate Mother and the Divine Son of God. As men, let us yearn to be protectors to all those placed under our care.
Every man, especially every Catholic man, should try to emulate the virtues that Saint Joseph displayed on a daily basis as the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the foster-father to Jesus Christ. It was Saint Joseph who was charged by God to protect the Immaculate Mother and the Divine Son of God. As men, let us yearn to be protectors to all those placed under our care.
Kudos to Michael Voris
Kudos to Michael VorisSHEA: When we debated back in October, one of the things I noticed about him was that he quietly and adamantly refused to attack Pope Francis (and that in a roomful of guys who showed no hesitation about registering their… disquiet… about the Holy Father). It impressed me then. It impresses me even more now. Why?
Because since that time, the Reactionary freakoutery about Francis has, if anything, only gotten worse, with nutjobs speculating that he is the false prophet of Revelation and people courting schism (all of them, of course, “faithful Catholics” who are waaaaaay better Catholics then the low caste slobs who go to the OF and need to be kicked out of the Church in order to maintain purity of essence).� The Perfecti seem to be coming to the conclusion that they must destroy the Church in order to save it.� And as they do they, with the cannibalistic instinct that always seem to come to the fore when Puritans begin a purge, have decided to begin by devouring anybody who thinks the Pope is, you know, the Vicar of Christ and our spiritual father.
Because since that time, the Reactionary freakoutery about Francis has, if anything, only gotten worse, with nutjobs speculating that he is the false prophet of Revelation and people courting schism (all of them, of course, “faithful Catholics” who are waaaaaay better Catholics then the low caste slobs who go to the OF and need to be kicked out of the Church in order to maintain purity of essence).� The Perfecti seem to be coming to the conclusion that they must destroy the Church in order to save it.� And as they do they, with the cannibalistic instinct that always seem to come to the fore when Puritans begin a purge, have decided to begin by devouring anybody who thinks the Pope is, you know, the Vicar of Christ and our spiritual father.
Russian and Ukrainian Orthodoxy, civil society and the state...
Orthodoxy, state and society - Denver Catholic RegisterWEIGEL: In a conversation about Russian Orthodoxy some dozen years ago, that famous source who can only be quoted off-the-record, the Senior Vatican Official, said to me, “They only know how to be chaplain to the czar—whoever he is.”
Such asperity reflected deep frustration over the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow’s continued rudeness (some would say, cruelty) to John Paul II and its nasty habit of throwing sand into the gears of the international Orthodox-Catholic dialogue. And my interlocutor surely knew that there were exceptions to his rule: men like the late Father Alexander Men, axe-murdered in 1990, almost certainly because politicians and senior Russian Orthodox churchmen feared that this son of a Jewish family might, in a free, post-Soviet Russia, help craft a new relationship between religious and political authority; men like Father Gleb Yakunin, a founder of the Christian Committee for the Defense of Believers’ Rights who did hard time in the Gulag as a result; men like the country pastors who, since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, have been rebuilding Russian Orthodoxy in the countryside, one wounded soul at a time.
Such asperity reflected deep frustration over the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow’s continued rudeness (some would say, cruelty) to John Paul II and its nasty habit of throwing sand into the gears of the international Orthodox-Catholic dialogue. And my interlocutor surely knew that there were exceptions to his rule: men like the late Father Alexander Men, axe-murdered in 1990, almost certainly because politicians and senior Russian Orthodox churchmen feared that this son of a Jewish family might, in a free, post-Soviet Russia, help craft a new relationship between religious and political authority; men like Father Gleb Yakunin, a founder of the Christian Committee for the Defense of Believers’ Rights who did hard time in the Gulag as a result; men like the country pastors who, since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, have been rebuilding Russian Orthodoxy in the countryside, one wounded soul at a time.
This news from Wyoming is one of those awful stories that clutches at the heart…
One of those awful stories that clutches at the heart…SCALIA: We hear about tragedies like this one every day. I’m not sure why this one has struck me so forcefully as to throw me into a kind of mourning for these people, who are perfect strangers.
Perhaps its because, though my children are adults, I remember them so distinctly at those ages, 3 and 6; I was mentioning to a young mother only the day before that when I dream of my kids, I dream them at those ages. In real life, I am privileged to see them as grown men, but in my dreams I get to recapture some of their babyhood and their fresh sweetness. It’s the best of both worlds.
Perhaps its because, though my children are adults, I remember them so distinctly at those ages, 3 and 6; I was mentioning to a young mother only the day before that when I dream of my kids, I dream them at those ages. In real life, I am privileged to see them as grown men, but in my dreams I get to recapture some of their babyhood and their fresh sweetness. It’s the best of both worlds.
7 theme parks worldwide that inspired Disneyland...
7 Theme Parks That Inspired Disneyland | Mental Floss: Since opening in 1955, Disneyland has inspired new theme parks and attractions all around the world. But before the “Mickey Mouse Park” was a twinkle in his eye, Walt Disney drew inspiration from many different theme parks.
Suffering is a remedy for something much, much worse...
On Suffering as A Remedy for Something Worse. A Meditation on a Teaching from St. Augustine � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: When asked, most people identify their most serious problems as issues related to their physical health, or finances. Family and career issues also rank up there.
But frankly, our biggest problem is pride, and all the sins that flow from it. Nothing is more serious than our sins, which can destroy us forever. Worldly problems are temporary. The worst they can do is to make life unpleasant, or kill us; then we get to go home and meet God if are faithful.
But frankly, our biggest problem is pride, and all the sins that flow from it. Nothing is more serious than our sins, which can destroy us forever. Worldly problems are temporary. The worst they can do is to make life unpleasant, or kill us; then we get to go home and meet God if are faithful.
Here's everything we know so far about Star Wars: Episode VII...
Star Wars: Episode VII: Everything we know so far - The Week: Get the latest news on a galaxy far, far away with this comprehensive guide to the upcoming Star Wars sequel...
Lest so many words complicate a simple question...
Lest so many words complicate a simple question | In the Light of the LawEDPETERS: What do we suddenly know about marriage, human falleness, and the Eucharist that the Apostles, the Fathers, the Doctors, and the Saints did not know before us? What do we face for upholding one of the Lord’s hardest sayings that they did not face before us? �If, as I suspect, the answer to both questions is “nothing” (or at least, nothing persuasive of, let alone compelling, change) by what authority do we consider so great a departure from the course so-long steered by the Church?
Pope Francis quotes G.K. Chesterton! But what was the quotation?
Pope Francis Quotes Chesterton! But … What Was the Quotation? | Crisis MagazineAHLQUIST: “A heresy is a truth gone mad.” Naturally, a few people have asked me about where Chesterton said this—and what he meant by it. I admit that when I read it, it didn’t quite sound right. But we have to keep in mind that this is an English translation of an Italian transcription of a spoken homily by someone who is giving an off-the-cuff Italian translation of a text he is quoting from memory of a Spanish translation of an English text that he never read in English. It is possible that something was lost—or even added—in translation.
10 things you need to know today: March 19, 2014
10 things you need to know today: March 19, 2014 - The Week: Putin signs a treaty annexing Crimea, Obama awards overdue Medals of Honor, and more...
Pope's Wednesday audience: "St. Joseph is the model educator and father, the model for dads"
VATICAN Pope: St. Joseph, model for those who have educational role in Church and in society - Asia News: St. Joseph, whose "feast" we celebrate today, is the "model" for all those who have an educational role in society and in the Church. Pope Francis dedicated his catechesis during the general audience today to the figure of the patron of the universal Church, one year to the day after the mass with which he began his pontificate. And as he said on that occasion, he reiterated today, that "Joseph greatest characteristic was his being a guardian, his great mission is to be a guardian". "Saint Joseph - he added greeting the faithful in Arabic - is the model of every educator and every believer, because he was able to cross the darkness of doubt, the experience of exile and of having to flee from his home, without ever losing his trust in God and in His love. Learn from him that only faith in God can turn doubt into certainty, evil into good, the total darkness of the night into a radiant dawn".
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Two essential Lenten resolutions
2 Essential Lenten Resolutions | CatholicVote.orgSOLENNI: At this point in Lent, our resolutions are not unlike our New Year’s resolutions.
We start out with good intentions and, well, you know the rest. But I’m offering two that each one of us can embrace and which will serve the Church and the world.
Hold on. �I’m getting ahead of myself.
This past weekend, I attended the LA Religious Ed Congress. I know, many of you thought people like me should either not attend the REC or would not survive the REC. Here’s my advice: attend the REC next year.
We start out with good intentions and, well, you know the rest. But I’m offering two that each one of us can embrace and which will serve the Church and the world.
Hold on. �I’m getting ahead of myself.
This past weekend, I attended the LA Religious Ed Congress. I know, many of you thought people like me should either not attend the REC or would not survive the REC. Here’s my advice: attend the REC next year.
Bracketology 2014: Magisterial Fidelity Edition
Bracketology 2014: Magisterial Fidelity Edition | Duel to the Death: It’s that time of year again -- while we wait for baseball’s Spring training to culminate in Opening Day, we have the opportunity to bet money or foodstuffs against those we love, or work alongside. And just like last year, get ready to lose to the person in your office who knows the least about basketball. It’s just as well to do your bracket as arbitrarily as they do.
Each year, I pick my main bracket according to the following criteria
Each year, I pick my main bracket according to the following criteria
Finalists for Loyola Marymount dean both worked at Planned Parenthood
Catholic Alumni: Finalists for Loyola Marymount Dean Both Worked at Planned ParenthoodMATTARCHBOLD: Loyola Marymount University has narrowed the search for the new dean of its liberal arts school to two candidates, both of whom have worked for Planned Parenthood, according to RenewLMU, an organization committed to promoting the Jesuit University’s Catholic identity.
RenewLMU is calling on the University to re-start the selection process and “ensure the new Dean of the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts demonstrates a strong record of furthering Catholic mission and identity so that LMU will be, in the words of Pope Francis, an ‘uncompromising witness…to the Church’s moral teaching.’”
Robbin Crabtree, who is currently Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University, has been selected as one of two finalists for the position.
RenewLMU is calling on the University to re-start the selection process and “ensure the new Dean of the Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts demonstrates a strong record of furthering Catholic mission and identity so that LMU will be, in the words of Pope Francis, an ‘uncompromising witness…to the Church’s moral teaching.’”
Robbin Crabtree, who is currently Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University, has been selected as one of two finalists for the position.
Is Bill Gates tiptoeing his way towards Catholicism? Is Westboro Baptist's Fred Phelps?
Is Bill Gates Tip-toeing His Way Towards Catholicism? Is Westboro Baptist’s Fred Phelps?WEATHERS: I don’t know the answer to either question, actually. Only they, and God, know. I mention it only because in a recent interview in Rolling Stone, Gates mentioned that he attends a Catholic Church with his wife Melinda, and that they have raised their children in the Church. As for Westboro Baptist’s founder, I learned that he is on his deathbed AND has been “excommunicated” from the church he started.
Let’s look at what the founder of Microsoft said first. The interview follows the standard format, where the interviewer assumes Mr. Gates, due to his success, wealth, position, or a combination of all three, has better insights into a number of things than do you or I. He’s asked questions regarding everything from cloud computing and the rollout of Obamacare, to questions about terrorism.
Let’s look at what the founder of Microsoft said first. The interview follows the standard format, where the interviewer assumes Mr. Gates, due to his success, wealth, position, or a combination of all three, has better insights into a number of things than do you or I. He’s asked questions regarding everything from cloud computing and the rollout of Obamacare, to questions about terrorism.
Priest, Prophet, King: Fr. Robert Barron’s newest teaching series...
Priest, Prophet, King: Fr. Robert Barron’s Newest Teaching SeriesSCHIFFER: Father Robert Barron, whose excellent book and breathtaking video series Catholicism earned raves when it was introduced three years ago, has a new film and study series ready for use in your parish. �I reviewed Catholicism for Patheos back in 2011, before I was a regular blogger on the site.
Today, Word on Fire Ministries has released the video trailer for a new, six-part film and study program, Priest, Prophet King. �This new series, filmed in high-definition at Mundelein Seminary, �combines the videographic creativity of Spirit Juice Studios with the timeless wisdom of the gospel, as told by Father Robert Barron.
Today, Word on Fire Ministries has released the video trailer for a new, six-part film and study program, Priest, Prophet King. �This new series, filmed in high-definition at Mundelein Seminary, �combines the videographic creativity of Spirit Juice Studios with the timeless wisdom of the gospel, as told by Father Robert Barron.
So, the universe gave birth to itself, with help from The Force?
Universe gives birth to itself, transformed by unknown ‘force’MATTINGLY: What is the best verb here, science writers?
So the universe “got very big very fast, transforming itself” from nothing or next to nothing into something really big? It “transformed itself”?
To it’s credit, the Post team did not settle for one verb in its coverage of this amazing development. That same passage the opens the story also uses, well, the C-word. The gravitational waves were “created” in an event at the “dawn of time.” Yes, the word “created” certainly raises an obvious question or two. Later, the linguistic plot thickens:
So the universe “got very big very fast, transforming itself” from nothing or next to nothing into something really big? It “transformed itself”?
To it’s credit, the Post team did not settle for one verb in its coverage of this amazing development. That same passage the opens the story also uses, well, the C-word. The gravitational waves were “created” in an event at the “dawn of time.” Yes, the word “created” certainly raises an obvious question or two. Later, the linguistic plot thickens:
The Catholic Church is not for the left or the right
Catholic Anchor Online � The church is not for the left or the right: A favorite quote of mine comes from George Bernard Shaw: “God created man in his image and then man returned the favor.” We might say the same about how many people try to make the church into the image of the present culture or serve the present political agenda. The left wants the church to be left and the right — right.
If the church was merely a human institution this would be understandable but as a both human and divine institution, it stands in the culture to convert souls to the Gospel. Just like the Christian is not of the world but in the world, the church presents a Gospel that challenges those of all political views with the desire that all be saved. The church is for the salvation of the world.
If the church was merely a human institution this would be understandable but as a both human and divine institution, it stands in the culture to convert souls to the Gospel. Just like the Christian is not of the world but in the world, the church presents a Gospel that challenges those of all political views with the desire that all be saved. The church is for the salvation of the world.
Why is seafood allowed on Fridays of Lent? Here's how St. Thomas Aquinas explained it...
Universe gives birth to itself, transformed by unknown ‘force’MARSHALL: The Church’s general rules of Lent are the bare minimum. The heartfelt sacrifice of love by which we offer little hidden penances (like eating the salad and not the lobster on Friday) to Christ bring joy to His heart and grace to our souls. Most people don’t regularly eat lobster anyway. Most people do, however, eat meat regularly, and the Church thinks that we should make more sacrifice in this regard on Fridays.
And who knows, maybe your decreased consumption of hamburgers and steak will keep you on the straight and narrow!
And who knows, maybe your decreased consumption of hamburgers and steak will keep you on the straight and narrow!
Beware of this dangerously convincing Google Docs phishing scam
Beware of This Dangerously Convincing Google Docs Phishing Scam: A very tricky phishing scam that takes advantage of Google Docs is making its way around the web. And since it uses a google.com URL and even makes use of Google's SSL encryption, it's almost impossible to tell that it's a hack. Your best safeguard, as always, is a little bit of common sense.
This phishing scam starts like many other phishing scams: with an email. The malicious message reportedly arrives with the subject line "Documents" and points to a Google Docs link. Again, it shows up in the address bar as a google.com domain and takes you to a fake log-in page that looks just like the real Google login page. This is how the hackers get you.
This phishing scam starts like many other phishing scams: with an email. The malicious message reportedly arrives with the subject line "Documents" and points to a Google Docs link. Again, it shows up in the address bar as a google.com domain and takes you to a fake log-in page that looks just like the real Google login page. This is how the hackers get you.
One of the problems with our religious education programs is that some parents treat catechists like babysitters...
Supposed to be teaching, “I feel like I’m babysitting!”SCALIA: Read this entire article. Consider sending it around, to parents and teachers you know. And your parish DRE, if you have one. And your pastor. Consider picking up Christian’s book to get ideas about how to discuss the faith with your kids on your own — during drive-time to lessons and games? A great time to discuss theology, or why the church teaches as she does. That’s how we did it.
Who needs the Church? You might as well ask, "Who needs Jesus?"
Who Needs the Church? You might as well ask, “Who needs Jesus?” � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: I was asked to go to a neighboring parish and address some fundamental questions related to the necessity of the Church. Many today question the need for a church or The Church and claim they can have Jesus without the Church. And thus the fundamental question “Who needs the Church?” ought to be addressed.
I propose here a rather more doctrinal answer to the question and hope tomorrow to offer a more personal answer. But, the fundamental answer I offer to “Who needs the Church?” is that everyone does, because the Church is the Body of Christ.
I propose here a rather more doctrinal answer to the question and hope tomorrow to offer a more personal answer. But, the fundamental answer I offer to “Who needs the Church?” is that everyone does, because the Church is the Body of Christ.
"In the name of Francis, get up and walk": On the Pope's anniversary, the Nuncio's message
Whispers in the Loggia: "In the Name of Francis, Get Up and Walk" – On Pope's Anniversary, The Nuncio's MessagePALMO: A year into the new Franciscan Rule, perhaps no figure symbolically reflects the change of ecclesiastical seasons more than Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganó.
Thirty months since being exiled to Washington after his outrage over fiscal mismanagement and corruption in Vatican City's government became too much for the Curia's Old Guard, what had been seen as the 73 year-old Italian's "punishment" has suddenly birthed a new springtime. Among the US bishops and most of the rest of the Stateside scene, Viganó's delicate effectiveness has made him the most universally well-regarded holder of the DC posting in some three decades, while in Rome, he's reportedly forged a keen bond with the Pope his criticisms helped create.
Thirty months since being exiled to Washington after his outrage over fiscal mismanagement and corruption in Vatican City's government became too much for the Curia's Old Guard, what had been seen as the 73 year-old Italian's "punishment" has suddenly birthed a new springtime. Among the US bishops and most of the rest of the Stateside scene, Viganó's delicate effectiveness has made him the most universally well-regarded holder of the DC posting in some three decades, while in Rome, he's reportedly forged a keen bond with the Pope his criticisms helped create.
Fort Worth's Fisher More College under financial scrutiny after lawsuit
Fort Worth college under financial scrutiny after lawsuit | wfaa.com Dallas - Fort Worth: A lawsuit filed in Tarrant County on Monday alleges that Fisher More College, a well-known Catholic institution on the south side of Fort Worth, is more than $100,000 behind in rent, taxes and other payments.
The suit was filed by Modern Village Management. It also seeks $300,000 in damages.
School president Michael King said late Monday that the suit "was unexpected. There is a disagreement about the current status of the lease."
The suit was filed by Modern Village Management. It also seeks $300,000 in damages.
School president Michael King said late Monday that the suit "was unexpected. There is a disagreement about the current status of the lease."
Notorious Newark priest Michael Fugee laicized by Vatican "with uncustomary speed"
Michael Fugee expelled from priesthood for flouting ban on contact with children | NJ.com: Acting with uncustomary speed, the Vatican has expelled a New Jersey man from the priesthood for repeatedly defying a lifetime ban on ministry to children.
Michael Fugee, 53, who attended youth retreats and heard confessions from minors despite signing a court-sanctioned decree forbidding such activities, has been returned to the lay state, said Jim Goodness, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Newark.
Michael Fugee, 53, who attended youth retreats and heard confessions from minors despite signing a court-sanctioned decree forbidding such activities, has been returned to the lay state, said Jim Goodness, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Newark.
10 things you need to know today: March 18, 2014
10 things you need to know today: March 18, 2014 - The Week: Russia recognizes Crimea as independent, GM recalls another 1.5 million vehicles, and more...
Monday, March 17, 2014
Huge scientific breakthrough: Astronomers discover echoes from expansion after Big Bang
Astronomers discover echoes from expansion after Big Bang | Reuters: Astronomers announced on Monday that they had discovered what many consider the holy grail of their field: ripples in the fabric of space-time that are echoes of the massive expansion of the universe that took place just after the Big Bang.
Predicted by Albert Einstein nearly a century ago, the discovery of gravitational waves would be the final piece in one of the greatest achievements of the human intellect. It would help scientists understand how the universe began and evolved into the cornucopia of galaxies and stars, nebulae and vast stretches of nearly empty space that constitute the known universe.
Predicted by Albert Einstein nearly a century ago, the discovery of gravitational waves would be the final piece in one of the greatest achievements of the human intellect. It would help scientists understand how the universe began and evolved into the cornucopia of galaxies and stars, nebulae and vast stretches of nearly empty space that constitute the known universe.
Huge scientific breakthrough: Gravitational wave measurements confirm Big Bang...
Gravitational Waves Finding Confirms Early Universe's Exponential Growth: Surprisingly strong gravitational waves rippled through the fiery aftermath of the Big Bang, a finding which confirms the cosmos grew to a stunningly vast size in it very first moments, a team of astronomers announced Monday.
The long-sought observations, taken from Antarctica, support the cosmological theory of "inflation," which explains how the early universe smoothly expanded to unimaginable vastness in the first fractional second of its existence. (See: "Origins of the Universe.")
"Detecting this signal is one of the most important goals in cosmology today," said Harvard's John Kovac in a statement. Kovac co-led the scientific team that reported the results Monday the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Massachusetts.
The long-sought observations, taken from Antarctica, support the cosmological theory of "inflation," which explains how the early universe smoothly expanded to unimaginable vastness in the first fractional second of its existence. (See: "Origins of the Universe.")
"Detecting this signal is one of the most important goals in cosmology today," said Harvard's John Kovac in a statement. Kovac co-led the scientific team that reported the results Monday the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Massachusetts.
When you welcome God's presence, He will simplify your soul...
Beginning to Pray: Faith Simplifies PrayerLILLES: Faith simplifies us, in the way we live, and even in our prayer. � During Lent, elaborate meditations involving our imagination, composition of place and attending to the movements of our hearts can all be helpful. �One should use these as long as one draws good fruit. �It can also be helpful to remember the beautiful ways that the Lord has visited us in the past whether in something that happened in prayer or in something that happened as a result of it - as long as we do so to thank Him and not out of some nostalgic impulse to live in the past.
Why would anyone take the missing Malaysia Airlines plane?
Why would anyone take the missing Malaysia Airlines plane? |Blogs | NCRegister.comAKIN: The story of the missing Malaysian Airlines plane has been getting weirder and weirder.
Instead of being a simple crash in the sea, it seems that the plane was deliberately hijacked, that its communications gear was largely switched off, and that then it flew along for hours, seemingly being guided expertly using navigational landmarks.
It may be a long shot that the passengers are still alive, but we should pray for them and for their families—and the safety of the whole world.
There are a lot of theories about the missing Malaysian Airlines plane, and we’ll undoubtedly know more in coming days, but I thought I’d put down a few thoughts as I clarify my own thinking on the subject.
Instead of being a simple crash in the sea, it seems that the plane was deliberately hijacked, that its communications gear was largely switched off, and that then it flew along for hours, seemingly being guided expertly using navigational landmarks.
It may be a long shot that the passengers are still alive, but we should pray for them and for their families—and the safety of the whole world.
There are a lot of theories about the missing Malaysian Airlines plane, and we’ll undoubtedly know more in coming days, but I thought I’d put down a few thoughts as I clarify my own thinking on the subject.
Like any tale worth its salt, St. Patrick's story begins with a cataclysm...
St. Patrick—Setting Ireland Afire | Crisis MagazineFITZPATRICK: When the world fell into darkness, the smile of God shone like twilight on Eriu’s Isle. Even as demons tramped her four green fields, those fields rested still in His hand. Trees whispered the rumor of His Truth. Druid fires burned in unconscious vigil for the Light. Then came a night when Holy Fire clove the ancient shadow with a new dawn for the Gaels. The fearless kindler of that flame was St. Patrick, who converted the worshippers of sun and tree to the Son Who hung on a tree.
Fantastic 120-year-old color pictures of Ireland
Fantastic 120-Year-Old Color Pictures of Ireland | Mental Floss: There's a lot more to the Emerald Isle than the supposed World’s Greatest Snake Exterminator. Need some proof? Just check out these photochrom prints of Ireland taken between 1890 and 1900 and organized by county, courtesy of the Library of Congress.
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