Tuesday, September 30, 2014
The Jesuits are "brave and expert rowers" in the Barque of Peter
Library : Jesuits 'Brave and Expert Rowers' in the Barque of Peter - Catholic CulturePOPEFRANCIS: In times of trial and tribulation, dust clouds of doubt and suffering are always raised and it is not easy to move forward, to continue the journey. Many temptations come, especially in difficult times and in crises: to stop to discuss ideas, to allow oneself to be carried away by the desolation, to focus on the fact of being persecuted, and not to see the other. Reading the letters of Fr Ricci, one thing struck me: his ability to avoid being harnessed by these temptations and to propose to the Jesuits, in a time of trouble, a vision of the things that rooted them even more in the spirituality of the Society.
You're kind of a big deal
New Advent: You're kind of a big dealSTEFANICK: You're small in this world, but spiritually, you're massive. Can an ocean love, a mountain know, or a galaxy chose to change directions? No, but you can. And you'll still be around long after all this has passed.
12 promises from the Sacred Heart of Jesus
12 Promises from the Sacred Heart of Jesus : The Integrated Catholic Life™RUMMELSBURG: As a small child, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, 1647-1690, preferred prayer and contemplation over childish play, owing perhaps to the extraordinary virtue of her parents. However, she had heavy burdens from her earliest years. She lost her father to pneumonia when she was only eight years old. After her father died she was sent to the Urbanist sisters where the order and peace of soul ushered in by the convent life swept her up into her devotions. From early on she took great comfort and consolation in the Blessed Sacrament. She impressed her order of nuns by her faithfulness so much that she was invited to make her First Holy Communion when she was nine years old.
Rome, we have a problem. We need a synod of affirmation...
Wanted: A Synod of affirmation - Denver Catholic RegisterWEIGEL: Pope Francis has called a special session of the Synod of Bishops, which will meet from Oct. 5-19 and prepare the agenda for the ordinary session of the Synod that is scheduled for the fall of 2015; both sessions will focus on the family. In my view, the Synod should focus on two related themes: marriage culture is in crisis throughout the world; the answer to that crisis is the Christian view of marriage as a covenant between man and woman in a communion of love, fidelity and fruitfulness.
Nazarenes at home and abroad
Nazarenes at Home and Abroad | National Review OnlineLOPEZ: Father Benedict Kiely is pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish in Stowe, Vt., and director of continuing education for clergy in the Diocese of Burlington. He’s also urgently concerned about his brothers and sisters in Iraq and Syria and has started a website — www.nasarean.org — selling bracelets and lapel pins and zipper hooks with the Arabic letter designating “Nazarene,” which the Islamic State put on the homes of Christians. The letter has become a symbol for solidarity with these Christians being driven out of what has been described as the cradle of Christianity. All proceeds from the items will go to the efforts of Aid to the Church in Need to help the Christians there. Father Kiely talks about the crisis and the Nasarean.org effort with NRO’s Kathryn Jean Lopez.
The Pope’s most important step on sex abuse may come in Kansas City
Pope’s most important step on sex abuse may come in Kansas City | CruxALLEN: News yesterday that the Vatican is investigating Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, first reported by Joshua McElwee of the National Catholic Reporter, is potentially a prelude to the most significant step Pope Francis may ever take with regard to the church’s child sexual abuse scandals.
Francis has already met with victims, pledged himself to zero tolerance, and launched a criminal procedure against a former archbishop and papal diplomat accused of paying underage boys for sexual acts in the Dominican Republic. He’s also created a new papal commission to lead the press for reform.
Francis has already met with victims, pledged himself to zero tolerance, and launched a criminal procedure against a former archbishop and papal diplomat accused of paying underage boys for sexual acts in the Dominican Republic. He’s also created a new papal commission to lead the press for reform.
What's that strange new thing on Saturn's biggest moon? NASA's orbiter is trying to figure it out...
What’s That Thing on Saturn’s Biggest Moon? | TIME: It’s not the first time a formation has appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, on a world beyond Earth. Usually, it’s Mars: this year alone the Mars Reconnaissance Observer spotted a brand-new crater that wasn’t there last time NASA looked, while the Opportunity Rover discovered the amazing Ghost Rock that also didn’t exist—and then it did.
5 ways J.R.R. Tolkien has influenced my faith
5 Ways Tolkien Has Influenced My Faith - Tolkien CatholicCARSWELL: Tolkien was a passionate devotee of the Eucharist, which the Catholic Church teaches is “the source and summit of the Christian faith.” Furthermore, he viewed it as “the one great thing to love on earth” (Letters 53). He recommended daily reception of the Eucharist if possible as a cure for the spiritual doldrums. Tolkien called Pope St. Piux X’s encouragement of frequent reception “the greatest reform of our time”. Furthermore, I believe there was a close connection between Tolkien’s devotion to the Eucharist and his creative genius. As anyone who has participated in eucharistic adoration knows, it is a fruitful opportunity for contemplation, an act which engages the imagination at its deepest level.
Ugly churches are starting to return to their former glory. Look at these before-and-after pictures...
How Lovely (Again) is Thy Dwelling Place - Crisis MagazineTAMARA: Some of the most jarring evidence of internal unsettledness in the Church over the past century has been the drastic physical alteration of older church interiors, often to a point of becoming unrecognizable as what they once were. Such alterations were enforced based on the assumption that the buildings, along with the liturgy and other sacraments inside them, needed to cede to the thinking of the times in order to remain relevant with modern Catholics.
8 things I think I've figured out about the Oklahoma beheading
8 Things I Think I Know about the Oklahoma BeheadingHAMILTON: I think our local newspeople here in Oklahoma have done a fine job of presenting the news about the recent atrocity in our state. They have reported in a straightforward and factual manner. I actually put trust in what they are telling me to be the facts as they know them.
But the national cable news is so rotten with wing-nuttery from both sides of the spectrum that they couldn’t tell the straight facts if the straight facts would serve them best. The gossipy conflab from MSNBC that is shown in the video below reminds me of a bunch of college sophomores, swilling down cheap wine, smoking a toke and trying to outdo one another with their brilliant bits of sarcasm.
But the national cable news is so rotten with wing-nuttery from both sides of the spectrum that they couldn’t tell the straight facts if the straight facts would serve them best. The gossipy conflab from MSNBC that is shown in the video below reminds me of a bunch of college sophomores, swilling down cheap wine, smoking a toke and trying to outdo one another with their brilliant bits of sarcasm.
Conservatives to synod: Don’t go soft on marriage
Conservatives to synod: Don’t go soft on marriage | CruxALLEN: One sign that a summit is viewed as crucial is when a tug-of-war breaks out to shape its agenda and outcome. By that standard, the looming Oct. 5-19 Synod of Bishops on the family appears a very big deal indeed.
In the run-up to the synod, we’ve already seen cardinals publicly jousting over the contentious issue of whether the Church ought to relax its ban on divorced and remarried Catholics receiving Communion.
Activists and rank-and-file believers alike have entered the fray on all manner of issues related to the family, with the latest to-do involving a cross-section of 48 mostly conservative intellectuals and ministers, including not just Catholics but also Protestant luminaries such as Rick Warren, urging the synod to hold the line in defense of traditional marriage.
In the run-up to the synod, we’ve already seen cardinals publicly jousting over the contentious issue of whether the Church ought to relax its ban on divorced and remarried Catholics receiving Communion.
Activists and rank-and-file believers alike have entered the fray on all manner of issues related to the family, with the latest to-do involving a cross-section of 48 mostly conservative intellectuals and ministers, including not just Catholics but also Protestant luminaries such as Rick Warren, urging the synod to hold the line in defense of traditional marriage.
Go to Confession! Because Hell really exists, and people can go there for doing things like this...
7 Old-Fashioned Sins that Can Still Send You to Hell | ChurchPOP: American culture may have become more enlightened and moved beyond such constricting, old-fashioned ideas like sin and hell, but God hasn’t.
Sin is still serious, hell still exists, and sinners still go there. Or as St. Paul put it, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived…” (1 Corinthians 6.9)
Of course, there’s hope! By God’s grace, we can turn from our sins and find salvation in Jesus Christ.
But first, we need to acknowledge our sins and that we need saving. And once we are given new life in Christ, the Christian life has just begun, and we are called to cooperate with God’s grace to grow in holiness.
Sin is still serious, hell still exists, and sinners still go there. Or as St. Paul put it, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived…” (1 Corinthians 6.9)
Of course, there’s hope! By God’s grace, we can turn from our sins and find salvation in Jesus Christ.
But first, we need to acknowledge our sins and that we need saving. And once we are given new life in Christ, the Christian life has just begun, and we are called to cooperate with God’s grace to grow in holiness.
What Cardinal Kasper should have remembered before saying that a typical annulment 'makes no sense'
What to know before asserting that a typical annulment ‘makes no sense’ | In the Light of the LawEDPETERS: Misunderstanding—sometimes seasoned with plain ignorance—about canon law, annulments, and tribunal work is common among Catholics and pervasive among non-Catholics. What is unnerving to see, however, in the wake of Cdl. Kasper’s call for holy Communion to be administered to those living in “public and permanent adultery” (CCC 2384), is how high up in Church life such problems apparently reach.
Latin is not a dead language. This article from the 'tela totius terrae' proves it...
Inside the evolution of a dead language: How can there be a word for "world wide web" in a language that died long before the Internet was invented? The answer is complicated, a bit geeky, and a lot of fun if you enjoy language games.
Behind the scenes of the Chicago appointment
Vatican Diary / Behind the scenes of the Chicago appointmentMAGISTER: While still reeling from the news of the imminent removal of Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, the more conservative and traditional Catholicism of the United States - and historically the more “papist” - has been dealt another blow with the appointment of the new archbishop of Chicago.
Francis’ selection of Blase J. Cupich as the new pastor of the third-ranking diocese in the U.S. has plunged this particularly dynamic component of American Catholicism into a profound depression, almost to the edge of a nervous breakdown. It is enough to scan the reactions of the websites and bloggers of this area to grasp the embarrassment and disappointment over the appointment.
Francis’ selection of Blase J. Cupich as the new pastor of the third-ranking diocese in the U.S. has plunged this particularly dynamic component of American Catholicism into a profound depression, almost to the edge of a nervous breakdown. It is enough to scan the reactions of the websites and bloggers of this area to grasp the embarrassment and disappointment over the appointment.
More confusion about sacramentality, and then some
More confusion about sacramentality, and then some | In the Light of the LawEDPETERS: The redoubtable Sr. Mary Ann Walsh, rsm, late of the USCCB, has, I am sorry to say, published in America a muddled overview of options for divorced-and-remarried Catholics. Let’s try to sort some of it out.
First—and I don’t mind repeating this till my dying day—annulments are about the validity of marriage, not about sacramentality. Walsh muffs this crucial distinction at least five times in her essay.
There are millions of presumptively valid marriages out there (untold numbers of which were entered into with the Church’s express or implied authorization) that are not sacramental.
First—and I don’t mind repeating this till my dying day—annulments are about the validity of marriage, not about sacramentality. Walsh muffs this crucial distinction at least five times in her essay.
There are millions of presumptively valid marriages out there (untold numbers of which were entered into with the Church’s express or implied authorization) that are not sacramental.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Cardinal Kasper slams fellow cardinals for "fundamentalism", says "that's how politicians operate"
Interview excerpts: Cardinal Kasper responds :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): On Sept. 29, the Argentine daily La Nacion published an interview with Cardinal Walter Kasper, who has drawn significant media attention for suggesting that some of those who have been divorced and remarried should be permitted to receive Communion.
The Church holds that a person cannot enter a new marriage if their initial marriage is valid. Those who are living together as husband and wife when they are bound to a different spouse may not receive Communion. The Church has an annulment process to examine whether a marriage may not have been valid in the first place.
The Church holds that a person cannot enter a new marriage if their initial marriage is valid. Those who are living together as husband and wife when they are bound to a different spouse may not receive Communion. The Church has an annulment process to examine whether a marriage may not have been valid in the first place.
Some say that man is nothing more than a smart ape. To which I reply, nonsense...
The Magnificent Mystery of Art and the Glory of the Human Soul � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: It is true that we have many similarities to primates and really to all mammals. But the similarities stop there.
At the level of the soul the differences could not be greater! Animals do not compose symphonies, they do not write great works of literature or create magnificent art. They do not build cities or form bicameral legislatures, legislate, pass laws or even ponder right and wrong. They do not punish crime or reward virtue. They have no museums or libraries to collect their great works. They do not invent telescopes to look to the stars, they have not been to the moon and back, or even wish to go there. They do not speak or sing, not because they lack a larynx, but because they have nothing to say, nothing to sing joyfully or or lament. They may suffer physical pain but they do not cry out in anguish “Why!?” They do not have cemeteries or religious rites. They may form packs to hunt but they do not form brotherhoods to assist the widows of dead members. They do not send their children to school to learn and they do not desire something greater for them. They do not ponder the pythagorean theorem and it relationship to music theory. They do not build hospitals, theaters, sports arenas, hold contests or celebrate wedding. They do not debate rights or justice, have courts, armies, or even go to war.
At the level of the soul the differences could not be greater! Animals do not compose symphonies, they do not write great works of literature or create magnificent art. They do not build cities or form bicameral legislatures, legislate, pass laws or even ponder right and wrong. They do not punish crime or reward virtue. They have no museums or libraries to collect their great works. They do not invent telescopes to look to the stars, they have not been to the moon and back, or even wish to go there. They do not speak or sing, not because they lack a larynx, but because they have nothing to say, nothing to sing joyfully or or lament. They may suffer physical pain but they do not cry out in anguish “Why!?” They do not have cemeteries or religious rites. They may form packs to hunt but they do not form brotherhoods to assist the widows of dead members. They do not send their children to school to learn and they do not desire something greater for them. They do not ponder the pythagorean theorem and it relationship to music theory. They do not build hospitals, theaters, sports arenas, hold contests or celebrate wedding. They do not debate rights or justice, have courts, armies, or even go to war.
3 secret spiritual benefits of bringing your children to Mass
Three Secret Spiritual Benefits (for You!) of Bringing Your Children to MassFITZ: At ladies’ Bible study this past week we were talking about our prayer lives, and one of the moms worried that with small children in tow, she just wasn’t “getting much out of Mass.” �This is a common worry, but it’s unfounded. �Yesterday as I watched the mom in front of me do her best with a pair pew-scramblers, I was reminded of the three genuine spiritual benefits that can only be had by bringing wiggly, noisy, naughty children to Mass.
Ransoming for Christ: The story of two daring religious orders
Ransoming for Christ: The Story of Two Daring Religious OrdersBEALE: It was 1253 in Barcelona. Two men—Teobaldo and Fernando—were about to embark on a mission deep into enemy territory.
Their mission: the rescue of 129 hostages. Their destination: Tunis, the capital of a burgeoning new Muslim kingdom across the Mediterranean Sea. Much would detain them in executing of their mission. One of them was the victim of rapacious locals who tried to trap him in marriage to a Moorish beauty. He endured trial, burning, and eventually death by stoning. His companion was lucky to escape with just a beating.
Their mission: the rescue of 129 hostages. Their destination: Tunis, the capital of a burgeoning new Muslim kingdom across the Mediterranean Sea. Much would detain them in executing of their mission. One of them was the victim of rapacious locals who tried to trap him in marriage to a Moorish beauty. He endured trial, burning, and eventually death by stoning. His companion was lucky to escape with just a beating.
Here's what I tell Catholics who ask me which books they should read...
Church History and EvangelizationMCCLOSKEY: I reply simply: 1) the best version you can find of the New Testament, and 2) almost as important, the latest version of The Catechism of the Catholic Church – this� later being arguably the greatest product of the Second Vatican Council. Although it was very long in coming (St. John Paul II promulgated it in 1992, which is to say twenty-seven years after the close of the Council), it was well worth the wait.
The result is that now, any serious Catholic can simply look up, in print or online, the answers they need to crucial questions. The Catechism is indispensable for one’s own knowledge and practice and growth in the Faith. But it is equally important to enable us to do what should come naturally, i.e., to share our joyful Faith with the many thousands of people with whom we will come in contact over the course of a whole lifetime.
The result is that now, any serious Catholic can simply look up, in print or online, the answers they need to crucial questions. The Catechism is indispensable for one’s own knowledge and practice and growth in the Faith. But it is equally important to enable us to do what should come naturally, i.e., to share our joyful Faith with the many thousands of people with whom we will come in contact over the course of a whole lifetime.
Report: Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn under Vatican investigation
NCR: Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn under Vatican investigation | Crux: A Canadian archbishop visited the Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., diocese last week on behalf of the Vatican to investigate the leadership of Bishop Robert Finn, the first Catholic prelate to be found criminally guilty of shielding a priest in the ongoing clergy sexual abuse crisis, according to a report by the National Catholic Reporter.
Where Is the Archangel Raphael in the Scriptures?
Where Is the Archangel Raphael in the Scriptures?SCHIFFER: The Old Testament book of Tobit�tells the story of how Tobit, a devout Jew in exile in Assyria, and his son Tobias (sometimes called Tobiah) were rewarded for their piety and good deeds.
Against the orders of the evil king Sennaherib, Tobit—who respected the Jewish burial customs—buried the bodies of Jews who had been executed by Sennaherib in Nineveh.� Because of this, the king ordered Tobit to be captured and killed.� Tobit fled and hid among his kinsmen.� One day, Tobit was looking toward the sky when some bird droppings landed in his eyes and blinded him. No longer able to work because of his blindness,�Tobit did not curse God, but instead prayed for God to end his life.
Against the orders of the evil king Sennaherib, Tobit—who respected the Jewish burial customs—buried the bodies of Jews who had been executed by Sennaherib in Nineveh.� Because of this, the king ordered Tobit to be captured and killed.� Tobit fled and hid among his kinsmen.� One day, Tobit was looking toward the sky when some bird droppings landed in his eyes and blinded him. No longer able to work because of his blindness,�Tobit did not curse God, but instead prayed for God to end his life.
Sts. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael put the ANGEL in evANGELization
How Are the Archangels Models of Evangelization? | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: As children many of us were brought up to pray to our guardian angels. Somehow our parents would invoke our angels to protect us and guide us in our daily life. It almost became synonymous that when we dared to defy our parents rule they would say; “you better pray that your guardian angel will protect you.”
Other than calling upon our guardian angels to protect us, there is something more important, more distinct in following and applying the angelic model in our daily walk with Christ. When we take the time to really study the lives of the Angels throughout salvation history one cannot help but see that they are truly models of evangelization.
Other than calling upon our guardian angels to protect us, there is something more important, more distinct in following and applying the angelic model in our daily walk with Christ. When we take the time to really study the lives of the Angels throughout salvation history one cannot help but see that they are truly models of evangelization.
Pope Francis: "Satan is trying to destroy mankind. The task of the angels is to do battle and win"
Pope Francis: Satan seduces by disguising evil as good :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): On Monday’s feast of the archangels Pope Francis spoke of the ongoing battle between the devil and mankind, encouraging attendees to pray to the angels, who have been charged to defend us.
“He presents things as if they were good, but his intention is destruction. And the angels defend us,” the Roman Pontiff told those gathered for his Sept. 29 mass in the Vatican’s Saint Martha residence.
The Bishop of Rome began by pointing to the day’s readings taken from Daniel Chapter 7 in which the prophet has a vision of God the Father on a throne of fire giving Jesus dominion over the world, and Revelation Chapter 12 which recounts the battle in which Satan, as a large dragon, is cast out of heaven by St. Michael.
“He presents things as if they were good, but his intention is destruction. And the angels defend us,” the Roman Pontiff told those gathered for his Sept. 29 mass in the Vatican’s Saint Martha residence.
The Bishop of Rome began by pointing to the day’s readings taken from Daniel Chapter 7 in which the prophet has a vision of God the Father on a throne of fire giving Jesus dominion over the world, and Revelation Chapter 12 which recounts the battle in which Satan, as a large dragon, is cast out of heaven by St. Michael.
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Pope Francis has shown an iron hand against priestly pedophilia. How will the international community react?
MondayVatican – Vatican � Pope Francis, an iron hand against priestly pedophilia. How will the international community react? | MondayVaticanGAGLIARDUCCI: In two moves, Pope Francis has shown he intends to strongly carry forward the line of zero tolerance on clergy sex abuse. Two very clear moves: an archbishop has been put on house arrest, another one has been removed from his post. Yet, all of this may not be sufficient to remove the prejudices against the Church for what concerns pedophilia. The Church is winning its fight against pedophilia through the work that John Paul II started, Benedict XVI carried forward and Pope Francis is continuing. But this fight risks to remain hidden, since in the end the real target of the attacks to the Church seem to be just one: to undermine the Church’s moral authority and question its sovereignty.
Do not be deceived! A meditation on a constant theme of Scripture...
Do Not be Deceived! A Meditation on a Constant theme of Scripture � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: A very common word in the New Testament is “deceived.” In English we tend to think of this word is referring to someone who is been tricked or fooled. And thus the emphasis is on intellectual terms. The Greek and Latin roots however have an almost physical dimension to them. �
The Latin roots for “deceived” or “deception” are de- “from” �capere “to take, or carry away.” The Greek word in the New Testament that is translated as “deceived” �is πλανάομαι (planaomai) and means more literally “to be carried off” or “to be led astray”
The Latin roots for “deceived” or “deception” are de- “from” �capere “to take, or carry away.” The Greek word in the New Testament that is translated as “deceived” �is πλανάομαι (planaomai) and means more literally “to be carried off” or “to be led astray”
7 things to know and share about the holy archangels...
Celebrating the Archangels: 7 things to know and share |Blogs | NCRegister.comAKIN: The word “saint” (Greek, hagios) means “holy one.”
It does not mean “holy human being.” As a result, it can apply to holy ones that aren’t human.
Since Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael all chose to side with God rather than the devil, they are holy angels and thus saints.
All angels that sided with God are saints, but these three’s names are known to us, and so they are picked out by name in the liturgy.
It does not mean “holy human being.” As a result, it can apply to holy ones that aren’t human.
Since Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael all chose to side with God rather than the devil, they are holy angels and thus saints.
All angels that sided with God are saints, but these three’s names are known to us, and so they are picked out by name in the liturgy.
6 Bible verses to help you survive game day...
6 Bibles Verses to Help You Survive Game Day | ChurchPOPLU: As a dedicated football fan, I hate being told that “it’s just a game.”
Sure, football is a game. So is electoral politics. So were the gladiatorial contests that once made Christian martyrs. Games can be serious business.
But this much is true: you don’t want your fanhood to become a spiritual distraction. Does it matter whether my Fighting Irish qualify for college football’s first-ever post-season playoff? Absolutely! But it doesn’t matter as much as the salvation of souls. Like every other natural good, football needs to be harmonized with our larger spiritual goals.
Here then are some Bible verses for true fans to read over when preparing to enjoy a weekend of the world’s greatest sport.
Sure, football is a game. So is electoral politics. So were the gladiatorial contests that once made Christian martyrs. Games can be serious business.
But this much is true: you don’t want your fanhood to become a spiritual distraction. Does it matter whether my Fighting Irish qualify for college football’s first-ever post-season playoff? Absolutely! But it doesn’t matter as much as the salvation of souls. Like every other natural good, football needs to be harmonized with our larger spiritual goals.
Here then are some Bible verses for true fans to read over when preparing to enjoy a weekend of the world’s greatest sport.
UK bishop steps down over 'being unfaithful' to vows
UK bishop steps down over 'being unfaithful' to vows :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Bishop Kieran Conry of the U.K. dioceses of Arundel and Brighton has announced his resignation after revealing he has been “unfaithful” to his “promises as a Catholic priest.”
“I am sorry for the shame that I have brought on the diocese and the Church and I ask for your prayers and forgiveness,” he said in a brief statement, which has been read in all the Church's of the dioceses over the weekend.
In the Sept. 27 announcement, the bishop wrote: “going back some years, I have been unfaithful to my promises as a Catholic priest.”
“I am sorry for the shame that I have brought on the diocese and the Church and I ask for your prayers and forgiveness,” he said in a brief statement, which has been read in all the Church's of the dioceses over the weekend.
In the Sept. 27 announcement, the bishop wrote: “going back some years, I have been unfaithful to my promises as a Catholic priest.”
Homily for the Mass for the Elderly at St. Peter's Square
Pope Francis: elderly are key to health of free society Vatican RadioPOPEFRANCIS: There are times when generations of young people, for complex historical and cultural reasons, feel a deeper need to be independent from their parents, “breaking free”, as it were, from the legacy of the older generation.� It is a kind of adolescent rebellion.� But unless the encounter, the meeting of generations, is reestablished, unless a new and fruitful intergenerational equilibrium is restored, what results is a serious impoverishment for everyone, and the freedom which prevails in society is actually a false freedom, which almost always becomes a form of authoritarianism.
Cupich was a timid bishop in Spokane. He'll need the help of robust Catholics to succeed in Chicago...
Bishop Cupich: A View from SpokaneKRIES: Now that he has been named archbishop of Chicago, many people have expressed interest in Bishop Blase Cupich’s time as bishop of the Diocese of Spokane. I should make clear that I barely know Bishop Cupich on a personal level. I am only a Catholic layman in the diocese of Spokane. I do, however, hold an endowed chair in “Christian Philosophy” at Gonzaga University, serve as academic advisor to Bishop White Seminary (an undergraduate college seminary at Gonzaga), and am a former director of Gonzaga’s small Catholic Studies Program. Gonzaga University is, primarily, a school of approximately 4800 undergraduates that calls itself Jesuit and Catholic and that operates within the Spokane diocese.
CFRs ask for prayers for Father Benedict Groeschel, injured in a fall...
Pray for Father Groeschel! | Women of Grace: Our ministry received an email from the CFR Lay Associates asking for prayer for Father Benedict Groeschel who took a tumble and hurt the same arm that was so seriously wounded in an accident 10 years ago. We’re being asked to pray for him through the intercession of an old roommate of his, a man who is now on the road to beatification.
In rare joint appearance, Francis and Benedict celebrate old age with 40,000 elderly
x: There is no future without the encounter between generations, Pope Francis said – addressing the tens of thousands of grandparents and elderly men and women gathered for Mass in Saint Peter's Square.
The Sept. 28 Mass followed an international encounter with the Holy Father and the elderly earlier in the morning.
Pope Francis opened his homily with a reflection on the Gospel reading in which Mary was greeted by her cousin Elizabeth, describing the passage as ”the encounter between young and old, an encounter full of joy, full of faith, and full of hope.”
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Are you a faithful Catholic? Beware these three common pitfalls of the pious...
Pitfalls of the Pious – A Sermon for the 26th Sunday of the Year � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: In understanding this Gospel, we cannot overlook the audience Jesus was addressing. The text begins, Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people. In effect, Jesus was addressing the religious leaders and the religiously observant of His day. He calls to their attention at least three things, three common sins or pitfalls of the pious, if you will: lost connections, leaping to conclusions, and lip service.
Let’s look at each of these in turn, remembering that though they are not exclusive to the religiously observant, they are considered in that context. Let’s also learn how they are particularly problematic when it comes to our mandate to hand on the faith through evangelization.
Let’s look at each of these in turn, remembering that though they are not exclusive to the religiously observant, they are considered in that context. Let’s also learn how they are particularly problematic when it comes to our mandate to hand on the faith through evangelization.
Australian cardinal faces the Vatican’s law of the jungle
Australian cardinal faces the Vatican’s law of the jungle | CruxALLEN: In bureaucracies everywhere, when someone’s interests are threatened by a cycle of reform, one time-honored resistance strategy is to dig up dirt on the reformers. For maximum effectiveness, the dirt should be related to a brewing crisis in which people are tempted to shoot first and ask questions later.
Whatever its supernatural claims may be, the Vatican is hardly exempt from this very natural law of the jungle.
Whatever its supernatural claims may be, the Vatican is hardly exempt from this very natural law of the jungle.
English bishop announces shock resignation, says he was "unfaithful to my promises as a priest"
English bishop announces shock resignation | CatholicHerald.co.uk: An English bishop has announced his resignation after disclosing that he has been unfaithful to his vows.
Bishop Kieran Conry made the announcement in a letter to be read out at Masses in his Diocese of Arundel and Brighton this weekend.
He apologised for being “unfaithful to my promises as a Catholic priest”.
In the letter Bishop Conry, 63, said he had not been involved in any criminal behaviour and asked for his flock’s prayers.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster, president of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said: “This is a sad and painful moment. It makes clear that we are always a Church of sinners called to repentance and conversion and in need of God’s mercy. All involved in this situation are much in my prayers today.”
Bishop Kieran Conry made the announcement in a letter to be read out at Masses in his Diocese of Arundel and Brighton this weekend.
He apologised for being “unfaithful to my promises as a Catholic priest”.
In the letter Bishop Conry, 63, said he had not been involved in any criminal behaviour and asked for his flock’s prayers.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster, president of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, said: “This is a sad and painful moment. It makes clear that we are always a Church of sinners called to repentance and conversion and in need of God’s mercy. All involved in this situation are much in my prayers today.”
The danger of being religious and idle
The Danger of Being Religious and Idle | The Gregorian Blog | The Gregorian Institute at Benedictine CollegeHOOPES: This Sunday’s Gospel (the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A) is directed at those of us who consider ourselves religious.
Jesus tells the story of the man who had two sons — one said he would work in the vineyard but didn’t; the other said he wouldn’t but did. Who did the father’s will?
It’s the second, of course, but the story speaks to a common phenomenon.
Jesus tells the story of the man who had two sons — one said he would work in the vineyard but didn’t; the other said he wouldn’t but did. Who did the father’s will?
It’s the second, of course, but the story speaks to a common phenomenon.
100,000 gather in Madrid for beatification of Opus Dei leader Álvaro del Portillo
Spain celebrates beatification of Opus Dei leader | The Kansas City Star: Tens of thousands of people gathered in Madrid on Saturday to witness the beatification of an early leader of the Roman Catholic organization Opus Dei.
At a large outdoor mass, Cardinal Angelo Amato began the process that will confirm Alvaro del Portillo as a saint. Del Portillo succeeded Opus Dei's founder, St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, as leader of the organization.
Opus Dei, once considered a secretive, right-wing, cult-like group that curried high favor within the church, has been trying to foster a friendlier image in recent years.
At a large outdoor mass, Cardinal Angelo Amato began the process that will confirm Alvaro del Portillo as a saint. Del Portillo succeeded Opus Dei's founder, St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, as leader of the organization.
Opus Dei, once considered a secretive, right-wing, cult-like group that curried high favor within the church, has been trying to foster a friendlier image in recent years.
Everything you know about the physics of space battles is wrong
New Advent: Everything you know about the physics of space battles is wrong: How scientifically accurate is your favorite sci-fi space battle? From PBS Digital Studios and "It’s Okay To Be Smart"...
What the horse can teach us about courage
What the Horse Can Teach Us About Courage - Seton MagazineCLARK: Robert George recently observed that “the days of comfortable Catholicism are past.” I’m not sure being Catholic was ever “comfortable,” but his point is clear that witnessing for the Faith will require an increasing amount of grit. When the Faith is mocked—and you practice that Faith—you will be mocked.
When the Faith is persecuted—and you practice that Faith—you will be persecuted. Because we have been entrusted with the care of our wives and children, we fathers need to be especially courageous. The Church needs men who will stand up when standing up is heroic. The Church needs men who practice that virtue which overcomes fear.
When the Faith is persecuted—and you practice that Faith—you will be persecuted. Because we have been entrusted with the care of our wives and children, we fathers need to be especially courageous. The Church needs men who will stand up when standing up is heroic. The Church needs men who practice that virtue which overcomes fear.
Good King Wenceslaus, the patron saint of Poland
Good King Wenceslaus – Patron Saint of Poland | Philip KosloskiKOSLOSKI: Wenceslaus was brought up by his grandmother Saint Ludmilla, who took him in after his father’s death and raised him in the Catholic faith. Christianity was still very new in Bohemia and it is believed that Wenceslaus’ great-grandfather was converted by Sts. Cyril and Methodius. Additionally, Wenceslaus’ own mother Dragomir was opposed to Christianity and conspired with her son Boleslaw to recapture the throne.
The fragile splendor of America's largest national forest
The fragile splendor of America's largest national forest - The Week: There is a land, in southeast Alaska, that feels like the setting of some old-world fairy tale. Across nearly 17 million acres, bears wander through icy rivers, pausing to snatch salmon from the watery depths before sauntering into lush rainforests. Eagles fly across windswept plains, battered down by seasonal storms. Blue and white glaciers scour the bedrock of otherwise imposing mountain ranges.
15 tidbits from Archbishop Fulton Sheen's declassified FBI file
15 Fun Facts from Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s FBI file - CNA Blog: Currently the late Archbishop Fulton Sheen, best known for his T.V. and radio preaching, is caught up in an impasse regarding the next steps in his cause for canonization. In the meantime, we thought we’d give you some fun tidbits we found in his FBI file.
But wait! Don’t freak out - pretty much everyone during the Communist scare in the 1950′s had a file, especially people of prominence of any kind. The government was worried about Communist spies, and Fulton Sheen spoke a lot about the topic (how he was against it).
But wait! Don’t freak out - pretty much everyone during the Communist scare in the 1950′s had a file, especially people of prominence of any kind. The government was worried about Communist spies, and Fulton Sheen spoke a lot about the topic (how he was against it).
‘The Boxtrolls’ is an unpleasant slog that you'll want to avoid...
SDG Reviews ‘The Boxtrolls’ | Daily News | NCRegister.comGREYDANUS: The Boxtrolls is so defiantly weird and bleak, so committed to the bitter end to its grotesque aesthetic and chilly story, that even as the film crashes and burns you can’t help being moved by the hardworking stop-motion animators’ devotion to their craft.
There is very little here for viewers to love, but clearly the filmmakers loved it all: every crooked tread in every skewed staircase; every corrugation of the battered cardboard accouterments of the title creatures; every swollen pustule on the alarmingly inflamed face of the cheese-allergic villain.
There is very little here for viewers to love, but clearly the filmmakers loved it all: every crooked tread in every skewed staircase; every corrugation of the battered cardboard accouterments of the title creatures; every swollen pustule on the alarmingly inflamed face of the cheese-allergic villain.
Afghanistan needs Avicenna's commitment to reason, not America's cult of diversity
Absurd in Afghanistan | The American Conservative: Five American troops moved briskly through the streets of Kandahar, their weapons at the ready. It was not yet mid-morning, and things had already broken down. Separated from their convoy, they were following an Afghan prosecutor to the city’s judicial headquarters. Afghanistan is generally not kind to foot patrols or improvisation, and that July morning in 2011 was quickly acquiring an aura of misadventure. Their mission was to kiss the ring of an Afghan judge to obtain the release of a young boy who had been arrested for no other reason than that a police chief found him attractive. Joseph, one of the Americans from that patrol, later explained that it was a uniquely Afghan problem requiring a uniquely American solution: “Begging for a favor while carrying a gun.”
Friday, September 26, 2014
Paraguayan bishop obedient, but has grievance over removal
Paraguayan bishop obedient, but has grievance over removal :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Bishop Rogelio Livieres Plano has accepted in obedience Pope Francis’ decision to remove him from governance of the Ciudad del Este diocese, though he says the action resulted from a flawed apostolic visitation and that his country is in vital need of Christian renewal.
“As an obedient son of the Church, I nevertheless accept this decision, despite considering it to be unfounded and arbitrary,” Bishop Livieres said in a Sept. 25 letter to Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
“As an obedient son of the Church, I nevertheless accept this decision, despite considering it to be unfounded and arbitrary,” Bishop Livieres said in a Sept. 25 letter to Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
Marriage is indissoluble. We must be clear about this now, or we'll face hostile disappointment later...
True Mercy and the Indissolubility of Marriage | Catholic World Report - Global Church news and viewsPELL: The health of an organization can be gauged by observing the amount of time and energy devoted to the discussion of various topics. Healthy communities do not spend most of their energies on peripheral issues, and unfortunately the number of divorced and remarried Catholics who feel they should be allowed to receive Holy Communion is very small indeed.
The pressures for this change are centered mainly in some European churches, where churchgoing is low and an increasing number of divorcees are choosing not to remarry. The issue is seen by both friends and foes of the Catholic tradition as a symbol—a prize in the clash between what remains of Christendom in Europe and an aggressive neo-paganism. Every opponent of Christianity wants the Church to capitulate on this issue.
The pressures for this change are centered mainly in some European churches, where churchgoing is low and an increasing number of divorcees are choosing not to remarry. The issue is seen by both friends and foes of the Catholic tradition as a symbol—a prize in the clash between what remains of Christendom in Europe and an aggressive neo-paganism. Every opponent of Christianity wants the Church to capitulate on this issue.
Who's responsible for the "rape culture" on campus?
Who's Responsible for the "Rape Culture" on Campus? - AleteiaFICKETT: President Obama’s administration has launched a public awareness campaign, “It’s On Us,” against the epidemic of rape on college campuses. “It’s On Us” emphasizes the role other students can play in defusing violent situations before they start. “It takes a village” becomes “It takes a student body.” ��
The campaign is well intentioned, may do some good, and will leave the root causes of the problem unaddressed.
The campaign is well intentioned, may do some good, and will leave the root causes of the problem unaddressed.
The USCCB's main Muslim dialogue partner is a group called ISNA. This is cause for concern...
The Downside of Dialogue - Crisis MagazineKILPATRICK: Dialoguers say the darndest things. The conclusion to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ document, Revelation: Catholic and Muslim Perspectives, contains the following: “Both Jesus and Muhammad loved and cared for all whom they met, especially the poor and oppressed.”
Would that include the seven hundred men of the Qurayza tribe who were beheaded on Muhammad’s order after they surrendered? Would it include the women and children of the same tribe who were sold into slavery? Muhammad may have cared for some of the poor and oppressed he met, but many people became poor and oppressed precisely because of him. And many others never survived their encounter with the prophet.
What leads Catholic prelates to sign off on a statement that portrays Muhammad as just an earlier version of Will (“I never met a man I didn’t like”) Rogers?
Would that include the seven hundred men of the Qurayza tribe who were beheaded on Muhammad’s order after they surrendered? Would it include the women and children of the same tribe who were sold into slavery? Muhammad may have cared for some of the poor and oppressed he met, but many people became poor and oppressed precisely because of him. And many others never survived their encounter with the prophet.
What leads Catholic prelates to sign off on a statement that portrays Muhammad as just an earlier version of Will (“I never met a man I didn’t like”) Rogers?
13 maps to help you make sense of religion in the U.S.
13 Insightful Maps of U.S. Religion | ChurchPOP: Last week, we brought you 11 Maps to Help You Make Sense of World Religion. This week, we’re zooming in on the grand ‘ole United States of America.
What are the major religious groups? And where are they located? Scroll through these awesome maps, and you’ll see some interesting patterns emerge.
What are the major religious groups? And where are they located? Scroll through these awesome maps, and you’ll see some interesting patterns emerge.
It is strange how books can seem to spring into your life as if they had been lying in ambush
From Fiction to MysticismAPARICIO: I began to notice this some years ago, when I picked up A Canticle for Leibowitz for the first time and was deeply intrigued by its vision of a world in which a nuclear holocaust had spurred a world-wide revolt against science, sending the world into a new Dark Age. The book, on its own, was fascinating, but I got chills down my back when I began reading, at the same time, Alasdair MacIntyre’s renowned philosophical text After Virtue, which begins with a thought experiment based on the exact same scenario as Canticle. Weird.
Philadelphia is busy preparing for the 2015 World Meeting of Families
‘When Our Family Is Renewed, the Whole Church Is Renewed’ | Daily News | NCRegister.comMATTARCHBOLD: When Pope Benedict XVI called Archbishop Charles Chaput two years ago to ask him to consider hosting the 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, his first thought was to refuse the offer.
The Philadelphia Archdiocese has endured difficult times in recent years — a sexual-abuse scandal that led to the conviction of several priests, as well as parish and school closings, dwindling Mass attendance and an operating deficit reportedly at $17.4 million. An event the magnitude of the World Meeting of Families seemed to the shepherd of Philly’s 1.5 million Catholics the “last thing we needed,” said the archbishop.
But Archbishop Chaput did say “Yes” to the Holy Father’s call, and he now considers the event an “undeserved grace” and “a great opportunity” for his beleaguered archdiocese.
The Philadelphia Archdiocese has endured difficult times in recent years — a sexual-abuse scandal that led to the conviction of several priests, as well as parish and school closings, dwindling Mass attendance and an operating deficit reportedly at $17.4 million. An event the magnitude of the World Meeting of Families seemed to the shepherd of Philly’s 1.5 million Catholics the “last thing we needed,” said the archbishop.
But Archbishop Chaput did say “Yes” to the Holy Father’s call, and he now considers the event an “undeserved grace” and “a great opportunity” for his beleaguered archdiocese.
Something wicked is afoot in America and it's not just a disagreement over politics...
The Gay Bullyboys Want You Jailed - Crisis MagazineRUSE: A goofy guy named Adam Weinstein writing for a goofy website called Gawker has called for the jailing of those who deny global warming. Weinstein says, “there is the body of purulent pundits, paid sponsors, and corporate grifters who exploit the smallest uncertainty at the edges of a settled science.” Those who disagree with Weinstein on a scientific and political point are criminally negligent and should face not just fines but even prison.
As goofy as he is, he’s not the only one.
As goofy as he is, he’s not the only one.
The teachings of the Faith are not optional
Dialogue with Demas |Blogs | NCRegister.comSHEA: The teachings of the Faith are not optional, though many Catholics erroneously believe that one can dissent from particular teachings of the Church that one happens to find unsatisfactory or unpleasant and still remain a "faithful Catholic." One such confused person is my friend "Demas." Demas has the remarkable knack of speaking aloud some of the most common mis-perceptions that modern Catholics have about their own Church. Recently, I had a conversation with him which was a veritable inventory of many of the confusions afoot in the modern American Church. So it seemed to me that a summary of our conversation might be useful to others who are confronting the same confusions and difficulties.
Bishop Alvaro Del Portillo of Opus Dei to be beatified in Madrid this Sunday
Bishop Alvaro Del Portillo of Opus Dei To Be Beatified This Saturday - Aleteia: Just over 20 years after his death, Bishop Alvaro del Portillo will be beatified this Saturday, September 27, in Madrid, his birthplace—the next to last step before canonization. Successor to St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, founder of Opus Dei (“Work of God”), Bishop Portillo faithfully followed in the founder’s footsteps, retaining the spirit of “The Work,” as it is called. When he died on March 23, 1994, Pope John Paul II attended his wake, the only one he ever attended as pope. “I had to come,” he said. He had been a good friend to the pope and had played an integral role at the Vatican. In the midst of it all, Don Alvaro (as he was known) lived the virtues to the same heroic degree as the founder, which is rare in the annals of church history, showing that the path St. Josemaria Escriva set out so painstakingly is an efficacious means of finding sanctity by doing one’s ordinary work well for love of God.
What do Satanists really believe?
What Do Satanists Really Believe? - Aleteia: With Satanic activities and promotional events so much in the news lately, I thought it might be interesting to go back to the founding father of American Satanism: Anton Szandor LaVey, a high school drop-out whose Cook County (Chicago), IL birth certificate bore a far less exotic name — Howard Stanton Levey, son of Michael and Gertrude Levey.
Although most people assume that Satanism has existed for millennia, in “Contemporary Esotericism” religious studies professors and authors Egil Asprem and Kennet Granholm confirm that LaVey founded the first “unbroken explicitly Satanic tradition, in the sense of a group of people adhering to a teaching of that type” over a period of decades or more.
Although most people assume that Satanism has existed for millennia, in “Contemporary Esotericism” religious studies professors and authors Egil Asprem and Kennet Granholm confirm that LaVey founded the first “unbroken explicitly Satanic tradition, in the sense of a group of people adhering to a teaching of that type” over a period of decades or more.
Alvaro Del Portillo: The "shadow" steps into the light...
Alvaro Del Portillo: The "Shadow" Steps into the Light - Crisis Magazine: Alvaro Del Portillo died in his sleep on March 23, 1994.
He would have preferred it that way: unnoticed, without fuss, and as ordinary an end to any man’s life as is possible.
It was a fitting conclusion to one who had spent all his life as an apostle of the sanctity of ordinariness, now giving witness to this even in the manner of his death. This was not the whole story, though, for only hours later the then reigning Supreme Pontiff, Pope John Paul II, knelt by the side of the dead prelate, not only to offer prayers for this departed soul, but, also, in testimony to the life of his friend. In these few hours we glimpse something of the paradox of the ordinary and the extraordinary summed up in this man soon to be pronounced blessed.
He would have preferred it that way: unnoticed, without fuss, and as ordinary an end to any man’s life as is possible.
It was a fitting conclusion to one who had spent all his life as an apostle of the sanctity of ordinariness, now giving witness to this even in the manner of his death. This was not the whole story, though, for only hours later the then reigning Supreme Pontiff, Pope John Paul II, knelt by the side of the dead prelate, not only to offer prayers for this departed soul, but, also, in testimony to the life of his friend. In these few hours we glimpse something of the paradox of the ordinary and the extraordinary summed up in this man soon to be pronounced blessed.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly at the former Crystal Cathedral
Christ’s Cathedral California: the Good, the Bad and the UglyLONGENECKER: I’ve taken the time to look at the pictures and plans for The Diocese of Orange’s Christ Cathedral and it presents some very interesting problems and solutions.
First of all one has to take the building as it is and wonder at it. We are confronted first of all with the problem of modern architecture for sacred space. While I am fond of traditional church architecture, I’m not opposed in principle to a church building constructed with modern materials in a modern style. A church is not good or bad just because it is old fashioned or new fashioned. One has to ask other questions.
First of all one has to take the building as it is and wonder at it. We are confronted first of all with the problem of modern architecture for sacred space. While I am fond of traditional church architecture, I’m not opposed in principle to a church building constructed with modern materials in a modern style. A church is not good or bad just because it is old fashioned or new fashioned. One has to ask other questions.
God has put the timeless into your heart
God Has Put the Timeless into our Hearts – A Meditation on a Saying from Ecclesiastes � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: Somewhere in our hearts is something that the world cannot, and did not give us. It is something that is nowhere evident in the world, and yet, though not perceiving it, we still know it. This passage from Ecclesiastes calls it “the timeless.” We also often refer to it as eternity, or even infinity.
But where did this come from? The world is finite. Time on earth is serial. Things have a beginning, a middle, and an end. We do not experience anything here of the timeless. Rather, everything is governed by the steady, unrelenting ticking of the clock. Things begin and end. Every verb we speak is time-based, rooted at some point in time but never able to break free of it. Everything is rooted in chronological time. But somewhere in our hearts we can grasp the timeless. It is hard to put into words for we know it at a very deep level. But, we do know it.
But where did this come from? The world is finite. Time on earth is serial. Things have a beginning, a middle, and an end. We do not experience anything here of the timeless. Rather, everything is governed by the steady, unrelenting ticking of the clock. Things begin and end. Every verb we speak is time-based, rooted at some point in time but never able to break free of it. Everything is rooted in chronological time. But somewhere in our hearts we can grasp the timeless. It is hard to put into words for we know it at a very deep level. But, we do know it.
Details emerge on 2015 World Meeting of Families as countdown begins
Details on 2015 World Meeting of Families emerge as countdown begins | Crux: Sept. 22 marked exactly one year before the start of the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, so organizers for the event took the occasion to brief staff of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia on the latest details.
Registration for the Sept. 22-25 event will begin within several weeks as agreements with speakers for the program are finalized. That part of the planning is ahead of schedule, as registration for the meetings held every three years in a different city typically begins only eight to nine months before the event.
Registration for the Sept. 22-25 event will begin within several weeks as agreements with speakers for the program are finalized. That part of the planning is ahead of schedule, as registration for the meetings held every three years in a different city typically begins only eight to nine months before the event.
3 things our churches can learn from that epic Digiorno Pizza disaster on Twitter
3 Things Catholics & Our Churches Can Learn from that Epic @DigiornoPizza #TwitterFailHENDEY: Can we Catholics learn a thing or two from a frozen pizza company that might be useful to us in the New Evangelization?
Matt Swaim and I would argue “Yes!”
We took on this topic for today’s episode of The Son Rise Morning Show, where I’m blessed to serve as a regular technology contributor. This week, we looked at the recent — and epic — Twitter fail by Digiorno Pizza. You may know them as an upscale frozen pizza manufacturer, but around social media realms they are currently a “go to” example of why we all need to be extra cautious when we employ Twitter to convey information.
Matt Swaim and I would argue “Yes!”
We took on this topic for today’s episode of The Son Rise Morning Show, where I’m blessed to serve as a regular technology contributor. This week, we looked at the recent — and epic — Twitter fail by Digiorno Pizza. You may know them as an upscale frozen pizza manufacturer, but around social media realms they are currently a “go to” example of why we all need to be extra cautious when we employ Twitter to convey information.
Sister Miriam Demjanovich’s October 4 beatification will mark the first such event on U.S. soil...
Blessed in the U.S.A. | Daily News | NCRegister.comROGERLANDRY: On Oct. 4, at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, N.J., the first beatification ever held in the United States will take place, as Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, a young Sister of Charity who died in the Garden State in 1927, will be formally raised to the altars.
In the history of the Church, 18 other men and women with U.S. ties have been beatified, with 12 of them proceeding on to canonization. But with the exception of St. Damien de Veuster, who was beatified in Brussels in 1995, all of their beatification and canonization ceremonies have taken place at the Vatican.
It will be a moment of special joy for the Church in the United States when Cardinal Angelo Amato, the prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, pronounces the formula never before heard on our shores, solemnly declaring Sister Miriam Teresa beata in the presence of a 1,800-strong crowd in Newark’s stunning Gothic cathedral. The beatification ceremony will be broadcast live on EWTN at 9:30am Eastern Time.
In the history of the Church, 18 other men and women with U.S. ties have been beatified, with 12 of them proceeding on to canonization. But with the exception of St. Damien de Veuster, who was beatified in Brussels in 1995, all of their beatification and canonization ceremonies have taken place at the Vatican.
It will be a moment of special joy for the Church in the United States when Cardinal Angelo Amato, the prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, pronounces the formula never before heard on our shores, solemnly declaring Sister Miriam Teresa beata in the presence of a 1,800-strong crowd in Newark’s stunning Gothic cathedral. The beatification ceremony will be broadcast live on EWTN at 9:30am Eastern Time.
Pope sacks Paraguayan bishop accused of protecting abuser priest
Pope sacks Paraguayan bishop accused of protecting abuser priest | Reuters: Pope Francis has dismissed a conservative Paraguayan bishop who was accused of protecting a priest suspected of sexually abusing young people in the United States, the Vatican said on Thursday.
The Argentinian-born pontiff has vowed zero tolerance against Roman Catholic clerics who sexually abuse minors after a series of scandals hit the Church in a number of countries over many years. Last May, Francis called such abuse an "ugly crime" and likened it to "a Satanic mass".
The Argentinian-born pontiff has vowed zero tolerance against Roman Catholic clerics who sexually abuse minors after a series of scandals hit the Church in a number of countries over many years. Last May, Francis called such abuse an "ugly crime" and likened it to "a Satanic mass".
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
The Gates of Hell and Joan Andrews Bell
Father Paul Nicholson: The Gates Of Hell And Joan Andrews BellNICHOLSON: When I was a teenager, I had the inclination to rebel.� Every teenager has it, and I was no exception.� However, my teenage rebellion was not the usual “grow my hair long, smoke weed, live like a tom-cat” rebellion.� Instead, mine was channeled by a rare activist, Joan Andrews.� I had taken to the pro-life cause with a natural affinity.� The horrible Morgentaler decision of January 28, 1988 compelled me.� I was in my last year of high school, and felt a visceral horror at my nation's total disregard for human life.� The Morgentaler decision struck down the paper thin law that had protected the unborn since 1969.� As of January 28, 1988, my nation of Canada would be without any law protecting the unborn.� An abortion can be obtained at any point during pregnancy.� It is a horrible situation, one in which we share with communist China the unique distinction of being nations without any law against abortion. �
C.S. Lewis Doodle: The Screwtape Letters (VII)
New Advent: C.S. Lewis Doodle: The Screwtape Letters (VII): "My very dear human, my poppet, my pigsnie! Wishing you a very sumptuous Hell-oween. Yours increasingly and ravenously, Screwtape"
10 things you should know about Marian apparitions
Aggie Catholics: 10 Things To Know About Marian ApparitionsLEJEUNE: A Marian apparition is when Mary is reportedly appearing to a person (or several people) in order to give a supernatural message from God. Generally, the apparitions are given names based on the location of the appearances (e.g. Lourdes, France and Fatima, Portugal). No person is required to believe in any Marian apparitions. They are considered "private revelations", even if approved by the Church as authentic. We are only bound to believe in public revelation that came from Jesus Christ and has been passed down to us through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition - preserved by the Magisterium of the Church.
A strange thing called a 'space bubble' may have led to a deadly battle in Afghanistan
'Space bubbles' may have led to deadly battle in Afghanistan | Science/AAAS | News: On the morning of Monday, 4 March 2002, sometime just before the sun came up, an MH-47E Chinook helicopter carrying a group of U.S. Army Rangers flew low across a rugged Afghan landscape. Their destination was a snowcapped mountain called Takur Ghar. It was a rescue mission; hours earlier a team of Navy SEALS had been shot down by al-Qaida forces at the mountain’s summit and needed extraction. But the Rangers had been given the wrong coordinates and were headed right into the same al-Qaida forces that shot the SEALS down. Back at the U.S. command post, radio operators tried desperately to warn the Chinook, but the message was never received, and the helicopter was downed by another al-Qaida rocket-propelled grenade. The Rangers’ rescue mission turned into a 17-hour firefight—one of the deadliest engagements of the war for U.S. forces, costing seven lives.
Couragio! A brief refutation of our cultural fear of being against things
Couragio! A brief refutation of our cultural fear of being against things � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: One of the critiques that many make of the Church is that we are sometimes known more for what we are against than what we are for. This critique, and fear, exists even within the Church. A similar critique is made of God’s law, wherein some wonder, “Why are the Ten Commandments generally worded as negatives: ‘Thou Shalt not …’ ?”
It is a fact that, at least in modern culture, many prefer to say what they are for rather than what they are against. Somehow, being “positive” is valued over being “negative.” Thus, even in the tragic conflict over abortion, both sides declare that they are “pro” something, either life or “choice.” I am certainly “pro-life,” but as to the matter in question, I am anti-abortion. But most of us who do any media work are strongly cautioned to avoid the prefix “anti-” altogether.
It is a fact that, at least in modern culture, many prefer to say what they are for rather than what they are against. Somehow, being “positive” is valued over being “negative.” Thus, even in the tragic conflict over abortion, both sides declare that they are “pro” something, either life or “choice.” I am certainly “pro-life,” but as to the matter in question, I am anti-abortion. But most of us who do any media work are strongly cautioned to avoid the prefix “anti-” altogether.
Jetpacks might sound fun, but there's a good reason why you don't have one...
Jetpacks: here’s why you don’t have one | Dean Burnett | Science | theguardian.com: Where’s my jetpack?”
You’ve probably heard this question before. And it’s 99% certain that it was used as a complaint about scientists. Because if scientists were any good at their jobs, we’d all have jetpacks by now, right?
You see it often these days, what with the internet giving everybody a platform to air their grievances, ergo you’re more likely to see people demanding “where’s my jetpack?” online. So you’ve got people with frighteningly powerful pocket-sized computers that can access all the world’s information instantaneously at the touch of a (virtual) button via invisible beams traveling at light speed, and they use them to moan about their lack of access to “futuristic” technology. But who needs self-awareness when you’ve got a shiny phone, eh?
You’ve probably heard this question before. And it’s 99% certain that it was used as a complaint about scientists. Because if scientists were any good at their jobs, we’d all have jetpacks by now, right?
You see it often these days, what with the internet giving everybody a platform to air their grievances, ergo you’re more likely to see people demanding “where’s my jetpack?” online. So you’ve got people with frighteningly powerful pocket-sized computers that can access all the world’s information instantaneously at the touch of a (virtual) button via invisible beams traveling at light speed, and they use them to moan about their lack of access to “futuristic” technology. But who needs self-awareness when you’ve got a shiny phone, eh?
Have you ever felt phantom cellphone vibrations? So what's up with that?
What's Up With That? Phantom Cellphone Vibrations | WIRED: It happens to me maybe once or twice a month...
Do you slam the door on grace? When you meet God, expect to see negative reviews for your behavior...
The Pyrrhic Victory, Mercy, and Sebastian Mahfood - Shaun McAfeeMCAFEE: When it comes to pride, I’m guilty as any, but the other day sort of confirmed this and taught me a valuable lesson: even when you’re right, or wronged by someone else, mercy and forgiveness trump a Pyrrhic victory.
What’s a Pyrrhic victory? The phrase Pyrrhic victory is named after Greek King Pyrrhus of Epirus, whose army suffered irreplaceable casualties in defeating the Romans at Heraclea and Asculum during the Pyrrhic War. This is a victory that incurs such a devastating cost that it is tantamount to a defeat. Imagine winning, but winning at toll that negates any sense of achievement or actual profit.
What’s a Pyrrhic victory? The phrase Pyrrhic victory is named after Greek King Pyrrhus of Epirus, whose army suffered irreplaceable casualties in defeating the Romans at Heraclea and Asculum during the Pyrrhic War. This is a victory that incurs such a devastating cost that it is tantamount to a defeat. Imagine winning, but winning at toll that negates any sense of achievement or actual profit.
Got a screaming kid at Mass? Six encouraging things to remember...
Got a Screaming Kid at Church? 6 Encouraging Things to Remember | ChurchPOPLU: With three young boys, Mass can be the scariest part of my whole week. I wonder: will the baby scream right in the middle of the Consecration? Will I end up chasing the toddler down the center aisle? Grim possibilities flit through my mind as I dress the boys for church.
But God loves children, and even harrowing churchgoing memories will probably seem precious a decade or two hence.
Here then are some thoughts to help you keep perspective if you have this problem as well.
But God loves children, and even harrowing churchgoing memories will probably seem precious a decade or two hence.
Here then are some thoughts to help you keep perspective if you have this problem as well.
Could your child be better off dead?
Could Your Child Be Better Off Dead? - John Zmirak - Page 1ZMIRAK: Pharmaceutical magnate Gigi Jordan is on trial for the murder of her son, and her story will wrench your heart. Jordan admits that she poisoned Jude, who was eight years old, deaf, and autistic. But she claims that the killing was justified: She was certain that Jude would be granted to the custody of his father, who had abused the boy sexually and was sure to abuse again. So her killing was not a murder, but a maternal act of mercy in a desperate situation. She didn’t murder her boy—she spared him unspeakable suffering.
Front row at the Pope's Wednesday Audience: "Catholic and Apostolic"
Front Row With Francis: Catholic and Apostolic | Catholic LaneLICHENS: Pope Francis continues his catechesis this week going over what it means when we proclaim that the Church is both Catholic and Apostolic. In using these terms, the Holy Father discusses how they are an expression of our faith lived out in the world and are thus inseparable in the Christian life. As with much of the Christian life, these two concepts seem opposite and contradictory, with the opening of up of the universal Catholic life but the narrowing sense of being Apostolic. However, as His Holiness demonstrates, the paradox in our faith is that these two different ideas are in fact dependent and work in unison with one another in our faith lives.
Do Protestants have the Holy Spirit?
The Bad Evangelist Club: Do Protestants Have the Holy Spirit? | Catholic LaneTIERNEY: If there are gifts of the Spirit present even outside of the Church, and these gifts are God’s way of pushing humanity towards the Catholic Church, why are all Christians not united? �First and foremost, we Catholics should have no problem confessing that we have not always been good representatives of the Holy Spirit. �We’ve squandered the gifts provided to us through our inaction, or sometimes through bad action. �We sometimes don’t give enough credence to the fact that our behavior plays a huge role in how people around us see Christ. �While they are responsible for their own choices, we are also responsible for which direction we push them in through our behavior.
The Ascent Stories: Friendship
The Ascent Stories: Friendship - OneBillionStories.comDEMOOR: High up in the Rocky Mountains, an encounter has ensued. This relational exchange of love centers around the human person, and the love found in rubbing shoulders with an unlikely cast of characters. Communal cooking, no showers, yard games, and the Mass, are a few highlights within this encounter of people, friends. The plot has been set, the cast is chosen, the setting found, and now we sit back and see how 30 young adults come to know the God made Man at Saint Paul’s Lodge, built in 1887, right here in Colorado.
Diocese of Orange unveils redesign plans for former Crystal Cathedral
xPALMO: The rollout is on – three years since its $57.5 million acquisition, the centerpiece plans for Crystal Cathedral's transformation into the seat of the 1.3 million-member diocese of Orange are being released at this hour at the Garden Grove site.
Currently slated for dedication as Christ Cathedral in early 2016, the following video lays out the process behind the liturgical redesign – and, for the first time, reveals the anticipated result
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
For Orange's own, "the veil is lifted"
Whispers in the Loggia: For Orange's Own, "The Veil Is Lifted"PALMO: Even if he's now head of the largest diocese these shores have ever seen, when you've known the now-archbishop of Los Angeles for practically all of his 14 years on the bench, it didn't take long to realize that what José Gomez showed some days back at the San Diego funeral of Bishop Cirilo Flores was simply unlike anything he ever had before....
A man with one watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never quite sure...
A man with one watch knows what time it is; a man with two watches is never quite sure. A Meditation on following only one Shepherd. � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: One of the great human struggles is to become free of being simply defined by others, of being under the world’s judgments, such that we lack any personal conviction or deep, stable, and serene core.
An old African proverb says “if I don’t know I am , anyone can name me.”
Somewhere in the midst of the the world’s demands for conformity to its ephemeral standards, every human person must come to know the man, the woman, that God has made us to be.
This does not mean, especially in youth, that we do not seek guidance from people and elders that we trust. But in the end, there must be that very private journey with God that every human person makes. It is the journey to discover one’s true self, as God gently reveals.
An old African proverb says “if I don’t know I am , anyone can name me.”
Somewhere in the midst of the the world’s demands for conformity to its ephemeral standards, every human person must come to know the man, the woman, that God has made us to be.
This does not mean, especially in youth, that we do not seek guidance from people and elders that we trust. But in the end, there must be that very private journey with God that every human person makes. It is the journey to discover one’s true self, as God gently reveals.
The unexpected causes and effects that led to World War I
New Advent: The unexpected causes and effects that led to World War I: 100 summers ago the countries of Europe collapsed quickly into war: it was sudden but also strangely inevitable. Countless books have been written since about the causes of The Great War, but in this video essay, delve.tv offers an alternative history. By tracing the story backwards in time, they stumble upon a very unexpected cause and discover that sometimes the most harmless of things can have terrible consequences.
Should Catholics read anti-Catholic materials?
Should Catholics Read Anti-Catholic Materials? |Blogs | NCRegister.comFISHER: Well, that's silly. The statue labelled "Semiramis" and "Nimrod" is clearly European and clearly Medieval, which is about as far from "Ancient Babylon" as you can get. A few hardy souls went to the source of the meme and let its anti-Catholic authors know that the statue of "Semiramis" was, in fact, indisputably a Madonna and Child who reside in the South Portal of the Cologne Cathedral.
And guess what? No one cared. They didn't even have the good grace to feel sheepish over the goofy historical error. What mattered to them was that Catholics are wrong, Catholics are always wrong, and if Catholics defend themselves with demonstrable facts, then that's just further evidence that they're covering up how wrong they are. Why? Because they are Catholics, and everyone knows that Catholics are wrong, because they are wrong Catholics, the end.
And guess what? No one cared. They didn't even have the good grace to feel sheepish over the goofy historical error. What mattered to them was that Catholics are wrong, Catholics are always wrong, and if Catholics defend themselves with demonstrable facts, then that's just further evidence that they're covering up how wrong they are. Why? Because they are Catholics, and everyone knows that Catholics are wrong, because they are wrong Catholics, the end.
15 of the world's most beautiful destinations for fall foliage...
15 Incredible Destinations for Fall Foliage | Mental Floss: As summer fades and cool air fills our lungs, nothing beats gazing at a warm rainbow of autumn leaves.
The University of Mary in North Dakota is on the cutting edge of Catholic higher education reform
Explosive business in North Dakota - Denver Catholic RegisterWEIGEL: The “Official Portal for the North Dakota State Government” lists that commonwealth’s nicknames as the Peace Garden State, the Flickertail State (something to do with squirrels, evidently), and the Roughrider State. Most Americans know today’s North Dakota as the Fracking State, where fortunes are being made in the energy industry. Catholics in the United States may soon know North Dakota as the cutting edge of Catholic higher education reform.
That’s because Msgr. Jim Shea and the people of the University of Mary, founded in Bismarck in 1959 by the Benedictine Sisters of the Annunciation, are dreaming no small dreams, there in the upper Midwest. Those dreams were on full display recently, when the University of Mary (home to 3,300 students from 42 states and 23 countries) hosted a conference celebrating the work of the first holder of the university’s newly created John Henry Newman Chair in the Liberal Arts: Dr. Don J. Briel, who has relocated his work in Catholic university reform from the University of St. Thomas in the Twin Cities, where he built the gold standard of Catholic Studies programs over a quarter-century, to the University of Mary.
That’s because Msgr. Jim Shea and the people of the University of Mary, founded in Bismarck in 1959 by the Benedictine Sisters of the Annunciation, are dreaming no small dreams, there in the upper Midwest. Those dreams were on full display recently, when the University of Mary (home to 3,300 students from 42 states and 23 countries) hosted a conference celebrating the work of the first holder of the university’s newly created John Henry Newman Chair in the Liberal Arts: Dr. Don J. Briel, who has relocated his work in Catholic university reform from the University of St. Thomas in the Twin Cities, where he built the gold standard of Catholic Studies programs over a quarter-century, to the University of Mary.
I pray for people who obscure God's mercy by their harshness toward women who have had abortions...
Jesus, teach us to imitate your mercy - Denver Catholic RegisterAQUILA: Last week I met two amazing women dedicated to healing the broken. They were from Rachel’s Vineyard, an apostolate that holds retreats for men and women who have experienced the tragic consequences of choosing abortion.
During our meeting I heard something that surprised me. I learned that sometimes people in parishes question the need for retreats for those who have aborted their children. The fact that these retreats are being questioned is revealing.
It shows that some people have failed to grasp the power and depth of God’s mercy, which is able to wipe away every sin. Abortion is undeniably a grave sin, but it is by no means a sin beyond God’s mercy.
During our meeting I heard something that surprised me. I learned that sometimes people in parishes question the need for retreats for those who have aborted their children. The fact that these retreats are being questioned is revealing.
It shows that some people have failed to grasp the power and depth of God’s mercy, which is able to wipe away every sin. Abortion is undeniably a grave sin, but it is by no means a sin beyond God’s mercy.
Pilgrimages are not vacations. They are journeys into God's providence...
Hidden Treasures, Blessed Adventures in Italy | Prayer and PerspectiveHINKEL: I recently returned from leading a pilgrimage to Italy. I was reminded several times that I still lack patience and charity, and so my earthly pilgrimage still has a long way to go in achieving its end. Nevertheless, this pilgrimage was for me a truly blessed adventure. God never allows our own weaknesses and sins to completely deter Him from accomplishing what He wants to do in us. He only asks that we allow Him the opportunity.
I experienced profound grace at every destination. It would take too long to recount the entire journey, but there were some hidden treasures that are worth sharing.
I experienced profound grace at every destination. It would take too long to recount the entire journey, but there were some hidden treasures that are worth sharing.
How to make a 1000X microscope with your cellphone and a glass bead
How To Make a 1000x Microscope With Your Phone and a Glass Bead: In the aftermath of our annual ritual for receiving the newest and shiniest iPhones, let's not forget that even our slightly outdated phones are pretty nifty devices. With a cheap glass bead, a 3D-printed clip, and the camera of an old phone, scientists have made a powerful microscope with up to 1000x magnification. And better yet, they've shared the instructions—all two steps of it.
Not only is the microscope easy to make, but it's cheap. Not counting cost of the phone and a 3D printer, the materials for each microscope came out to less than a dollar. This small, portable, and disposable lens could be perfect for letting kids peer at the nuclei of cells or letting technicians examine samples out in the field.
Not only is the microscope easy to make, but it's cheap. Not counting cost of the phone and a 3D printer, the materials for each microscope came out to less than a dollar. This small, portable, and disposable lens could be perfect for letting kids peer at the nuclei of cells or letting technicians examine samples out in the field.
How World War I's U-boats launched the age of unrestricted warfare
How WWI's U-Boats Launched the Age of Unrestricted Warfare | WIRED: For British merchant vessels operating during World War I, few things were so terrifying as the submarine. The German navy used the Unterseeboot, or U-boat, to sink 5,000 ships measuring more than 13 million gross register tons during the war.
As the war geared up, the Germans and the British believed the big battles would be fought with huge ships like the HMS Dreadnought and its sisters. Submarines, they figured, would be limited to coastal defense, preventing blockades by enemy ships and serving as lookouts.
Instead, the war saw the first widespread use of the technology. The earliest wartime vessels were rudimentary, according to historians at the Western Front Association. Most used diesel engines (Germany started the war with some gasoline-burning U-boats, but soon embraced diesel) and had a range of more than 4,000 miles, but they couldn’t go very fast or stay under very long. German subs had the edge over those of the Allies when it came to reliability and armaments—some early models even had anti-aircraft guns—but the torpedoes of the era were accurate only to 3,200 feet or so.
As the war geared up, the Germans and the British believed the big battles would be fought with huge ships like the HMS Dreadnought and its sisters. Submarines, they figured, would be limited to coastal defense, preventing blockades by enemy ships and serving as lookouts.
Instead, the war saw the first widespread use of the technology. The earliest wartime vessels were rudimentary, according to historians at the Western Front Association. Most used diesel engines (Germany started the war with some gasoline-burning U-boats, but soon embraced diesel) and had a range of more than 4,000 miles, but they couldn’t go very fast or stay under very long. German subs had the edge over those of the Allies when it came to reliability and armaments—some early models even had anti-aircraft guns—but the torpedoes of the era were accurate only to 3,200 feet or so.
It's time to take the Islamic State seriously
It’s Time to Take the Islamic State Seriously - Crisis MagazineSCHALL: Islam has no central or definitive body or figure authorized to define what exactly it is. Opinions about its essence and scope vary widely according to the political or philosophic background of its own interpreters. The current effort to establish an Islamic State, with a designated Caliph, again to take up the mission assigned to Islam, brings to our attention the question: “What is Islam?”
The issue of “terror” is a further aspect of this same understanding. Many outside Islam seek to separate “terror” and “Islam” as if they were, in their usage, independent or even opposed ideas. This latter view is almost impossible seriously to maintain in the light of Islamic history and the text of the Qur’an itself.
The issue of “terror” is a further aspect of this same understanding. Many outside Islam seek to separate “terror” and “Islam” as if they were, in their usage, independent or even opposed ideas. This latter view is almost impossible seriously to maintain in the light of Islamic history and the text of the Qur’an itself.
Some problems with Cardinal Scola’s ‘fourth suggestion’
Some problems with Cdl Scola’s ‘fourth suggestion’ | In the Light of the LawEDPETERS: Cdl. Angelo Scola of Milan (not a canon lawyer but appreciative of the connection between canon law and doctrine) is the latest high-ranking churchman to come out solidly against what Sandro Magister calls the Kasper-Bergoglio proposal in regard to Communion for divorced-and-remarried Catholics. Toward the end of his essay, however, Scola offers a ‘fourth suggestion’ for dealing with the annulment problem, namely, a non-judicial canonical process wherein bishops will decide on marriage nullity petitions. Scola’s idea, I suggest, underscores the point that the annulment process does not lend itself to easy reformation.
Bishop Fellay and other SSPX officials meet with Cardinal Müller, Prefect of the CDF
SSPX officials met with Card. Müller, Prefect of CDF | Fr. Z's BlogFr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: As crazy as it is may now sound, perhaps Pope Francis is the one who can reconcile the SSPX. I’ve floated this idea before. �I don’t have any illusions that Francis likes much of anything about the SSPX. � The other day I had a chat with a South American journalist who agreed with my suspicions that then-Card. Bergoglio’s impressions of the SSPX in Argentina were not favorable in large part because of Bp. Williamson and Bp. de Galaretta. �Not hard to believe at all.
But, just maybe, could Francis be the one to get the job done?
But, just maybe, could Francis be the one to get the job done?
Vatican police arrest former archbishop and papal diplomat, will prosecute on sex-abuse charges
x: Vatican police have arrested Josef Wesolowski, the former apostolic nuncio to the Dominican Republic, who will now face criminal charges for sexual abuse.
Then-Archbishop Wesolowski was recalled from his post in the Dominican Republic in August 2013, after the Vatican was presented with evidence that he had molested young boys. In June of this year, the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (CDF) found him guilty of sexual abuse and he was stripped of his clerical status. Shortly thereafter, the Vatican announced that Wesolowski would be liable to criminal prosecution, which would begin after a Vatican tribunal heard his appeal of the canonical sentence imposed by the CDF.
Then-Archbishop Wesolowski was recalled from his post in the Dominican Republic in August 2013, after the Vatican was presented with evidence that he had molested young boys. In June of this year, the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (CDF) found him guilty of sexual abuse and he was stripped of his clerical status. Shortly thereafter, the Vatican announced that Wesolowski would be liable to criminal prosecution, which would begin after a Vatican tribunal heard his appeal of the canonical sentence imposed by the CDF.
Cardinal Burke: Media hijacking Synod on the Family
Cardinal Burke: Media hijacking Synod on the Family :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Next month's Synod on the Family has undergone an attempted hijacking by some media sources, which are fueling expectations that impossible changes will be made to Church doctrine, said the head of the Church's highest court.
Monday, September 22, 2014
This deacon was almost murdered as a baby. Then his mother made a brave decision...
The Deacon That Almost Wasn't | Seminarian CasualSeminarian Casual: She was more scared than he was.� She thought she’d never see him again after it.� After all, she was only in college and she couldn’t afford to take care of him.
So she decided to have an abortion.
Deacon Ryan Allan Kaup should not be here right now.
Yet something inside of that frightened girl just wouldn’t let her go through with the abortion.� So she made another appointment – this time with her doctor.� She resolved to deliver her child and offer him up for adoption, hoping that he’d be given every chance she feared she couldn’t give him.
So she decided to have an abortion.
Deacon Ryan Allan Kaup should not be here right now.
Yet something inside of that frightened girl just wouldn’t let her go through with the abortion.� So she made another appointment – this time with her doctor.� She resolved to deliver her child and offer him up for adoption, hoping that he’d be given every chance she feared she couldn’t give him.
10 celebrities who look suspiciously similar to Pope Francis
10 Celebrities Who Look Suspiciously Similar to Pope Francis | ChurchPOP: We are not normally ones to give credence to conspiracy theories, but has anyone seen Pope Francis and these celebrities in the same room at the same time?
With a little background knowledge, we can read Jesus’ parable of the talents with fresh eyes
New Advent: With a little background knowledge, we can read Jesus’ parable of the talents with fresh eyesBARRON: The attendance at our daily Mundelein Seminary on Labor Day weekend was sparse. Many of the students had gone home while others were on a special tour of Chicago churches. The celebrant and preacher for the Sunday Mass was Fr. Robert Schoenstene, our veteran Old Testament professor. Fr. Schoenstene offered the best interpretation I’ve ever heard of a particularly puzzling parable of the Lord, and I wanted to make sure his reading got a wider audience.
Believe it or not, The New York Times actually printed this...
Revenge of GetReligion MZ: Concerning the NYTimes effort to bury Jesus — GetReligionMATTINGLY: Now, mistakes happen. We all know that. That's why newspapers run corrections.
Only, in this case, the Times desk declined to run a correction. At least, I do not see one (and I just checked again before clicking "publish" on this post) at the top of the bottom of the corrected article quoted above.
What's up with that?
Come on Times people, confession is good for the soul.
Only, in this case, the Times desk declined to run a correction. At least, I do not see one (and I just checked again before clicking "publish" on this post) at the top of the bottom of the corrected article quoted above.
What's up with that?
Come on Times people, confession is good for the soul.
Scott Hahn's newest book is the missing manual for Catholic evangelizers...
Evangelizing Catholics: A Mission Manual for the New EvangelizationMCCLOSKEY: Scott Hahn is currently perhaps the best-known Catholic evangelizer in the United States — and probably the best American evangelizer since Archbishop Fulton Sheen himself.
A convert and former Presbyterian minister, Hahn is a university professor, lecturer and prolific writer. With God's grace, he has been responsible for multitudes of converts and reverts to the Catholic faith.
His newest book is Evangelizing Catholics: A Mission Manual for the New Evangelization. Its publication could not be more timely, given Pope Francis' emphasis on reaching those beyond the precincts of our faith.
A convert and former Presbyterian minister, Hahn is a university professor, lecturer and prolific writer. With God's grace, he has been responsible for multitudes of converts and reverts to the Catholic faith.
His newest book is Evangelizing Catholics: A Mission Manual for the New Evangelization. Its publication could not be more timely, given Pope Francis' emphasis on reaching those beyond the precincts of our faith.
Oklahoma City's "Black Mass" backfires...
Oklahoma’s Black Mass Backfires. Opens the Doorway to Christ.HAMILTON: I suppose I could begin writing about all this by telling you that, based on what I experienced at the Holy Hour, this was a real deal.
I had a hard time getting to the Holy Hour and Benediction. All day the day before I experienced the most dreadful spiritual crisis I have been through since I converted to the Catholic Church. My mind was deluged with negative thoughts, to the point that I began to wonder if I even was Catholic or had a right to enter any Church.
Then, at Mass that evening, I prayed and prayed and it let up.
I had a hard time getting to the Holy Hour and Benediction. All day the day before I experienced the most dreadful spiritual crisis I have been through since I converted to the Catholic Church. My mind was deluged with negative thoughts, to the point that I began to wonder if I even was Catholic or had a right to enter any Church.
Then, at Mass that evening, I prayed and prayed and it let up.
Crowd turns out for Eucharistic Holy Hour to counter "Black Mass" in Oklahoma City
Archbishop Says Oklahoma City Has Been Targeted by "Dark Forces" - Aleteia: Oklahoma City “has been targeted by dark forces,” Archbishop Paul S. Coakley told a gathering of some 3,000 people Sunday as he led a Eucharistic holy hour to counter Sunday's publicly performed black mass.
Archbishop Coakley, who leads the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, spoke hours ahead of the black mass, which had been planned for months in a publicly owned and operated theater in the city. The Satanic ritual, an obscene inversion of the Catholic Mass, usually uses (and desecrates) a consecrated Eucharistic Host.
Archbishop Coakley, who leads the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, spoke hours ahead of the black mass, which had been planned for months in a publicly owned and operated theater in the city. The Satanic ritual, an obscene inversion of the Catholic Mass, usually uses (and desecrates) a consecrated Eucharistic Host.
Pope returns to Rome after successful Albania trip, visits St. Mary Major in thanksgiving
Pope gives flowers received in Albania to Blessed Mother :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): In thanksgiving to the Blessed Mother for the success of his short but eventful trip to Albania, Pope Francis paid a visit on Monday morning to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
Vatican spokesman Father� Federico Lombardi said the Pope spent time before the icon of Our Lady salus populi Romani – Protectress of the Roman people – and left the bouquet of flowers he had received Sunday during his meeting at the Betania Home for the disabled in Tirana, Albania.
Vatican spokesman Father� Federico Lombardi said the Pope spent time before the icon of Our Lady salus populi Romani – Protectress of the Roman people – and left the bouquet of flowers he had received Sunday during his meeting at the Betania Home for the disabled in Tirana, Albania.
This is fascinating. Did you know that the Roman god Pan was declared dead during the life of Christ?
G.K. Chesterton on the Death of Pan and the Death of Christ | Taylor MarshallMARSHALL: While having a daddy date with them at a coffee shop, I learned more about Pan and the Death of Pan. Remember? Pan is the god with goat legs who plays the pipes.
He is the god of nature, and according to the Roman pagans, he “died” during the life of Christ.
This fascinated me and so I did a little research.
According to the historian Plutarch during the reign of Tiberius (A.D. 14–37), the news of Pan’s death was announced from the skies to a sailor named Thamus on his way to Italy by way of the island of Paxi.
He is the god of nature, and according to the Roman pagans, he “died” during the life of Christ.
This fascinated me and so I did a little research.
According to the historian Plutarch during the reign of Tiberius (A.D. 14–37), the news of Pan’s death was announced from the skies to a sailor named Thamus on his way to Italy by way of the island of Paxi.
Climbers light up the Matterhorn (once climbed by Pius XI) to mark 150th anniversary of first ascent
New Advent: Climbers light up the Matterhorn (once climbed by Pius XI) to mark 150th anniversary of first ascent: Filmed in Zermatt for the 150th anniversary in 2015 of the first ascent of the Matterhorn.
Being chosen should evoke wonder and humility, not hubris
Chosenness |Blogs | NCRegister.comSHEA: Virtually everything in nature and the Christian revelation gets abused by our stupid pride, including Divine Election. So what? Abusus non tollit usum. The key is not to jettison the notion of Chosenness, but to understand what it really means. And to do that, the sensible approach, of course, is staked out by the inspired authors of Scripture who not only assert the wonder that God notices us, but even tell us he loves us as creatures made in his very image and likeness and, yes, chooses us. Yet they also still marvel at the sheer infinitude of the gulf between the Creator and his very fallen creature
A quick guide to the two sides of the annulment argument
The annulment argument: a quick quide to the two sides | In the Light of the LawEDPETERS: There are basically two groups agitating for annulment reform, one saying that there are too many annulments, the other saying that there are too few. Let me suggest that (a) the first group is mistaken if it thinks the annulment problem lies in the annulment process (ie, Book VII of the 1983 Code and Dignitas connubii) and (b) the second group seeks not so much reform of the annulment process as its effective abolishment.
The first group (those holding that there are too many annulments), can scarcely suggest any procedural reforms (short of requiring tribunals to stamp DENIED on every annulment petition) for nothing about current canon and special law makes declaring marriage nullity easy. Under current ecclesiastical law, nullity must be proven, on specific grounds, based on sworn declarations and testimony, over the arguments of an independent officer, and confirmed on appeal. There are, that I can see, no gaps in the process through which marriage cases may slip quietly but wrongly into nullity. Not even the oft-reviled Canon 1095 (the “psychological” canon upon which most annulments around the world are based) can be written off as a mere legislative novelty for it articulates (as best positive law can) jurisprudence developed by the Roman Rota itself over the last 60 or 70 years.
The first group (those holding that there are too many annulments), can scarcely suggest any procedural reforms (short of requiring tribunals to stamp DENIED on every annulment petition) for nothing about current canon and special law makes declaring marriage nullity easy. Under current ecclesiastical law, nullity must be proven, on specific grounds, based on sworn declarations and testimony, over the arguments of an independent officer, and confirmed on appeal. There are, that I can see, no gaps in the process through which marriage cases may slip quietly but wrongly into nullity. Not even the oft-reviled Canon 1095 (the “psychological” canon upon which most annulments around the world are based) can be written off as a mere legislative novelty for it articulates (as best positive law can) jurisprudence developed by the Roman Rota itself over the last 60 or 70 years.
The longest continuously inhabited cities in Europe
The Longest Continuously Inhabited Cities in Europe | WOE: The second smallest continent in the world, Europe, is known as the birthplace of Western Culture...
According to scientists, Kansas really is "flatter than a pancake". But so is Colorado...
Is Kansas Really "Flatter than a Pancake"? | Mental Floss: In a survey conducted by the American Geographical Society, almost a third of all respondents said that Kansas was the flattest state. Some people even call it “flatter than a pancake.” But what does science have to say about that?
The first, and only, study that we know of that directly compared the Sunflower State to a pancake was done by a trio of geographers in 2003. For their tongue-in-cheek analysis, they acquired a pancake from IHOP, cut out a sample slice and made a topographic profile of it using a laser microscope (assuring us that they would “not be daunted by the ‘No Food or Drink’ sign posted in the microscopy room”). They then compared their pancake to an east-west profile of Kansas taken from a 1:250,000 scale digital model of the state’s elevation data, and calculated flatness estimates for each.�
The first, and only, study that we know of that directly compared the Sunflower State to a pancake was done by a trio of geographers in 2003. For their tongue-in-cheek analysis, they acquired a pancake from IHOP, cut out a sample slice and made a topographic profile of it using a laser microscope (assuring us that they would “not be daunted by the ‘No Food or Drink’ sign posted in the microscopy room”). They then compared their pancake to an east-west profile of Kansas taken from a 1:250,000 scale digital model of the state’s elevation data, and calculated flatness estimates for each.�
You are living in the midst of an epic battle
Multitudes in the Valley of Decision! A Meditation on the Dramatic Battle in Which We Live � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: A grave deficiency of modern times is the loss of the sense that our lives are caught up in a tremendous, epic battle. And yet here we are living in the midst of a great drama—in the greatest story ever told.
Behind the scenes is a deadly enemy, one of whom many rarely speak: Satan. Yet he is active and involved, manipulating both the world and the flesh (our sinful nature). We are on the front lines of a fierce spiritual war, a war that is to blame for most of the casualties you see around you. Yes, fellow Christians, there is a dragon, the roaring lion—Satan—who seeks to devour our souls.
Behind the scenes is a deadly enemy, one of whom many rarely speak: Satan. Yet he is active and involved, manipulating both the world and the flesh (our sinful nature). We are on the front lines of a fierce spiritual war, a war that is to blame for most of the casualties you see around you. Yes, fellow Christians, there is a dragon, the roaring lion—Satan—who seeks to devour our souls.
The upcoming synod will be the first real test for Pope Francis
MondayVatican – Vatican � Pope Francis, the moment for a change of pace | MondayVaticanGAGLIARDUCCI: The reference to "the spirit of Francis" in characterizing the new document that will regulate the functions of the offices of the Roman Curia is the most prominent and newsworthy aspect of the presentation of its introduction. The draft of the new introduction has been discussed during the six meetings of the Council of Cardinals (eight counsellors chosen by the Pope, plus Secretary of State Pietro Parolin though no document has made official his appointment). The draft is only the first step toward a brand new document. Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, underlined that we are just talking about a draft.
Cardinal Scola: Four solutions for the divorced and remarried...
Scola: Four Solutions for the Divorced and RemarriedMAGISTER: With the synod approaching, the clash between supporters of change and defenders of the bimillennial doctrine and practice of the Catholic Church in the matter of marriage is becoming ever more heated.
The clash is being fought also and above all at the highest levels of the hierarchy, among cardinals of the first rank. In particular over the dilemma of whether or not to give sacramental communion to divorced Catholics who have remarried civilly.
The innovators have their combative leader in the German cardinal and theologian Walter Kasper. No other cardinal has yet taken sides with him publicly in a substantiated form. The only one who has promised to support him has been Cardinal Reinhard Marx, archbishop of Munich, who announced that he will bring a document to the synod signed by the German bishops in favor of the change.
The clash is being fought also and above all at the highest levels of the hierarchy, among cardinals of the first rank. In particular over the dilemma of whether or not to give sacramental communion to divorced Catholics who have remarried civilly.
The innovators have their combative leader in the German cardinal and theologian Walter Kasper. No other cardinal has yet taken sides with him publicly in a substantiated form. The only one who has promised to support him has been Cardinal Reinhard Marx, archbishop of Munich, who announced that he will bring a document to the synod signed by the German bishops in favor of the change.
Who brought Cupich to the Pope's attention for Chicago? O'Malley, backed by Rodriguez and Wuerl...
Whispers in the Loggia: In Chicago's Wake, "Riding the Wave"PALMO: Seventeen years ago, the ink was barely dry on Francis George's own surprise appointment to Chicago when its architect emerged: the cardinal-archbishop of Boston.
Having quoted the end of TS Eliot's "Little Gidding" at his first presser, George might've been the first Windy City native ever to return home as Boss. But his path to the chair in Holy Name arguably owed as much to his days as a young mission priest in Mississippi, when he helped coordinate Catholic involvement in the civil rights movement alongside another freshly-ordained cleric, one Fr Bernard Law.
Having quoted the end of TS Eliot's "Little Gidding" at his first presser, George might've been the first Windy City native ever to return home as Boss. But his path to the chair in Holy Name arguably owed as much to his days as a young mission priest in Mississippi, when he helped coordinate Catholic involvement in the civil rights movement alongside another freshly-ordained cleric, one Fr Bernard Law.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
After brutal persecution, Albania welcomes Pope Francis for historic visit
After brutal persecution, Albania 'reopened' to missionary zeal :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): During Mass at Mother Teresa square as part of his one-day trip to Albania, Pope Francis recalled the country's vicious history of anti-religious persecution, saying it is now ready for the Gospel to flourish.
“Recalling the decades of atrocious suffering and harsh persecutions against Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims, we can say that Albania was a land of martyrs: many bishops, priests, men and women religious, and laity paid for their fidelity with their lives,” he said Sept. 21.
“Recalling the decades of atrocious suffering and harsh persecutions against Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims, we can say that Albania was a land of martyrs: many bishops, priests, men and women religious, and laity paid for their fidelity with their lives,” he said Sept. 21.
Pope Francis makes historic visit to Albania
After brutal persecution, Albania 'reopened' to missionary zeal :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): During Mass at Mother Teresa square as part of his one-day trip to Albania, Pope Francis recalled the country's vicious history of anti-religious persecution, saying it is now ready for the Gospel to flourish.
“Recalling the decades of atrocious suffering and harsh persecutions against Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims, we can say that Albania was a land of martyrs: many bishops, priests, men and women religious, and laity paid for their fidelity with their lives,” he said Sept. 21.
“Recalling the decades of atrocious suffering and harsh persecutions against Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims, we can say that Albania was a land of martyrs: many bishops, priests, men and women religious, and laity paid for their fidelity with their lives,” he said Sept. 21.
Vatican spokesman downplays security worries as Muslims gather in mosque to pray for Pope's visit...
Update in Albania – Muslims pray for Pope, security a non-issue :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)GAGLIARDUCCI: In a press briefing Sunday the Vatican's spokesman downplayed worries over Pope Francis' safety in Albania, also noting that Muslims gathered in an important Tirana mosque to pray for the pontiff's visit.
Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, told journalists that the Sept. 21 papal visit has been welcomed with joy by all the Albanian religious communities.
Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, told journalists that the Sept. 21 papal visit has been welcomed with joy by all the Albanian religious communities.
Vatican spokesman downplays security worries as Muslims gather in mosque to pray for Pope's visit...
Update in Albania – Muslims pray for Pope, security a non-issue :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): In a press briefing Sunday the Vatican's spokesman downplayed worries over Pope Francis' safety in Albania, also noting that Muslims gathered in an important Tirana mosque to pray for the pontiff's visit.
Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, told journalists that the Sept. 21 papal visit has been welcomed with joy by all the Albanian religious communities.
Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, told journalists that the Sept. 21 papal visit has been welcomed with joy by all the Albanian religious communities.
Vatican announces commission to streamline marriage process
Vatican announces commission to streamline marriage process :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Pope Francis will establish a commission to review the matrimonial process in canon law with the goal of simplifying the procedure while maintaining the indissolubility of marriage, the Holy See Press Office announced Saturday.
According to Vatican Radio, the decision was made on Aug. 2 of this year and the commission will be chaired by Monsignor Pio Vito Pinto, dean of the Roman Rota.
“The work of the commission will start as soon as possible and will have as its goal to prepare a proposal of reform of the matrimonial process, with the objective of simplifying its procedure, making it more streamlined, and safeguarding the principle of the indissolubility of matrimony,” read a Sept. 20 statement from the Vatican.
According to Vatican Radio, the decision was made on Aug. 2 of this year and the commission will be chaired by Monsignor Pio Vito Pinto, dean of the Roman Rota.
“The work of the commission will start as soon as possible and will have as its goal to prepare a proposal of reform of the matrimonial process, with the objective of simplifying its procedure, making it more streamlined, and safeguarding the principle of the indissolubility of matrimony,” read a Sept. 20 statement from the Vatican.
Discerning the priesthood? Here's what you should be asking yourself about maturity and sexuality...
Discerning a Call to Priesthood? Here are some questions about sexuality and affective maturity you should be asking yourself. | With Good ReasonBERG: As seminaries across the country commence a new academic year and re-engage in the crucial work of priestly formation,� so too a throng of young Catholic men throughout the U.S. will continue the task which might lead them one day to seminary, namely, the work of discernment. �And they will continue to be assisted in that effort by friends, family, spiritual directors and diocesan vocation directors.
If you are in the thick of that discernment process (or if you are trying to support someone who is), here are a few key questions about sexuality and affective maturity that you should be asking yourself and discussing openly and honestly, not only with your spiritual director, but also with your diocesan vocation director.
If you are in the thick of that discernment process (or if you are trying to support someone who is), here are a few key questions about sexuality and affective maturity that you should be asking yourself and discussing openly and honestly, not only with your spiritual director, but also with your diocesan vocation director.
What is the spiritual aim of the catechist?
What Is the Spiritual Aim of the Catechist? | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: The role of catechist is one of the most significant ministries one can be involved in the Church. Why, because we are consistently dealing with the teeter-tottering effect of the human soul either believing in God or simply seeing Him as a passing fancy. But what if we can’t seem to teach about Christ with joy? What if our spiritual tank is empty and the seeds of despair, discontent or doubt creep in? I’ve seen this happen to many good catechists and the results can be deadly. Our spiritual aim should always be Christ in everything we do.
Budding gentleman need guidance, and our gentlemanly things are delightful ways to mentor them
In Defense of Gentlemanly Things | Those Catholic MenCRAIG: Vanity turns us in on ourselves, like all sin.� But in the case of the superficial or vain “gentleman” we are turned inward with the false image of being a man for others, a vanity more pitiable than others.� The gentleman, after all, is not the one who wants everyone to notice him, and how “gentlemanly” he is.
Yet, I think the trend of “calling out” so-called vain gentlemanly things to be wrong.� Wrong not because vanity is not dangerous or possible (if not probable), but because it is a misdiagnoses of the root problem.� I don’t think that the young men buying fedoras and wingtips are struggling with vanity or false hopes of these things seeping into their souls and making them men.� I think they long for a sense of belonging, place, culture, and most important of all, fatherhood. � That sense and even that reality comes to us in many forms, and those gentlemanly things and manly traditions of yore are one way they arrive.
Yet, I think the trend of “calling out” so-called vain gentlemanly things to be wrong.� Wrong not because vanity is not dangerous or possible (if not probable), but because it is a misdiagnoses of the root problem.� I don’t think that the young men buying fedoras and wingtips are struggling with vanity or false hopes of these things seeping into their souls and making them men.� I think they long for a sense of belonging, place, culture, and most important of all, fatherhood. � That sense and even that reality comes to us in many forms, and those gentlemanly things and manly traditions of yore are one way they arrive.
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Be very, very careful before you ask God to be "fair" to you...
Dimensions of Discipleship – A Homily for the 25th Sunday of the Year � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: This is one of those parables that rock our world and our worldly way of thinking. And frankly, that is one of its purposes. We are tempted to side with the laborers who were hired first and who worked the longest. When we find out that they got paid the same as the men who only worked an hour the thought occurs to us that this is unfair somehow.
But, be very careful before we ask God to be “fair.” Really what we want to ask from God is that he be merciful. For, if he were fair we’d all be in hell right now. The fact is, we have no innate capacity to stand before God in pure justice, we simply cannot measure up to that. It is only grace and mercy that will win the day for us. So be very careful before trying to play the fairness card on God. In fact when we see Him being merciful to some one else, we ought to rejoice, for is also means we might stand a chance.
But, be very careful before we ask God to be “fair.” Really what we want to ask from God is that he be merciful. For, if he were fair we’d all be in hell right now. The fact is, we have no innate capacity to stand before God in pure justice, we simply cannot measure up to that. It is only grace and mercy that will win the day for us. So be very careful before trying to play the fairness card on God. In fact when we see Him being merciful to some one else, we ought to rejoice, for is also means we might stand a chance.
Ranking all 32 NFL franchises in order of greatness
Ranking All 32 NFL Franchises In Order of Greatness: Attention, NFL purists, this piece is for you...
Watch the Chicago press conference introducing Archbishop-elect Blase Cupich
Whispers in the LoggiaPALMO: To those just getting up, good morning... and whatta day.
Again, the Chicago presser introducing Archbishop-elect Blase Cupich to the nation's third-largest diocese begins at 9.30 Oprah time (10.30 ET/7.30 Pacific, 1630 Rome). You'll find the livestream here then, and on-demand playback afterward.
In the meantime, Page Three – either directly here or down your right sidebar – is likewise in full "Special Edition" mode, so have at it.
Again, the Chicago presser introducing Archbishop-elect Blase Cupich to the nation's third-largest diocese begins at 9.30 Oprah time (10.30 ET/7.30 Pacific, 1630 Rome). You'll find the livestream here then, and on-demand playback afterward.
In the meantime, Page Three – either directly here or down your right sidebar – is likewise in full "Special Edition" mode, so have at it.
The ‘Francis Era’ in America starts today in Chicago
The ‘Francis Era’ in America starts today in Chicago | CruxALLEN: With the appointment of Blase Cupich today as the new Archbishop of Chicago, one can say that the Francis revolution in Catholicism has finally arrived in the United States.
Up to this point, one could have made the argument that the change triggered by Francis is largely a matter of a new tone and style in Rome, but one that had not yet reached down and begun to alter the culture of the church on these shores.
Up to this point, one could have made the argument that the change triggered by Francis is largely a matter of a new tone and style in Rome, but one that had not yet reached down and begun to alter the culture of the church on these shores.
Why does coffee always get the blame?
Why Does Coffee Always Get the Blame? - Seton MagazineCLARK: Has anyone else noticed that coffee has become the financial “fall guy” lately? We live in an age of bailouts, zombie banks, troubled assets, and more troubled liabilities, yet coffee is often pointed to as the real financial problem. Here’s what I mean.
Have you been in a conversation expressing your frustration that you can’t afford something, and someone chimes in with a tidbit of advice like this
Have you been in a conversation expressing your frustration that you can’t afford something, and someone chimes in with a tidbit of advice like this
Are you being fair to the Catholic Church? An invitation to "recovering Catholics"...
Are You Fair to the Catholic Church? (An Invitation to “Recovering Catholics”)WORNER: It happened one night years ago at the local Lutheran church. I should have seen it coming. After all, it’s the kind of thing I had been around for years. But this is the first time I really noticed it. And it bothered me. My wife and I were taking an Alpha Course over the course of roughly ten weeks. The thrust of the course was to foster small group discussion on the tenets of the Christian faith following an ostensibly ecumenical (effectively Protestant) instructive video by a charismatic, if not slightly goofy, Anglican. And so the video switched off and the married couple leading the group opened the discussion with a few thought-provoking questions. It wasn’t long before the discussion broadened and came upon a matter of doctrine when she said it. A middle aged woman with glasses and a “free-spirited” air about her just tossed her cheeky comment out there for everyone to consider or comment.
Why is WIkipedia scrubbing all references to Neil deGrasse Tyson's fabrication?
Why Is Wikipedia Scrubbing All References To Neil Tyson's Fabrication?: Religious fanatics have an odd habit of overreacting when people have the audacity to question their fanaticism. In Iraq, radical Islamic jihadists are systemically murdering and beheading Christians, Jews, and even Muslims who do not pledge fealty to ISIS’s religious tenets. Hundreds of years ago, church authorities and Aristotelian acolytes placed Galileo under house arrest for having the audacity to reject geocentrism in favor of heliocentrism. The Bible recounts how Christians were persecuted and stoned, and Jesus himself was crucified for contradicting the religious dogma of the day.
Don't! It's a trap! A moral lesson from a TV commercial...
Don’t! It’s a trap! A Moral Lesson from a Commercial � Archdiocese of WashingtonPOPE: Here’s a little commercial that requires very little decoding. A woman enters an office and, spying a very nice pen, has thoughts of petty theft. Just as she is about to depart, stolen pen in hand, a voice from above says, “Don’t! It’s a trap!” She looks up to see a co-worker swinging in a net that has swooped him up.
And so, too, for us. When temptation comes our way we often hear that voice “from above” saying, “Don’t! It’s a trap!” But the voice we hear is not that of some fellow sinner—it is the voice of God.
And so, too, for us. When temptation comes our way we often hear that voice “from above” saying, “Don’t! It’s a trap!” But the voice we hear is not that of some fellow sinner—it is the voice of God.
My job as a mother, I'm realizing with a pang of sadness, is to raise my kids up and away from me
Winning the Heart of a ChildJENNYUEBBING: I watched my three-year-old’s face light up in the glow of his new toy, a faux-computer for toddlers designed to teach letter and number recognition. Immediately captivated, he danced back and forth hopping from foot to foot, impatient as I tore away the packaging.
“Give it to me, Mommy! I love it!”
He hadn’t even seen what it could do yet. But he knew that he loved it.
I smiled and handed it over, satisfied but also troubled, on some level. It wasn’t until I was lying in bed later that night that I could really put my finger on why.
“Give it to me, Mommy! I love it!”
He hadn’t even seen what it could do yet. But he knew that he loved it.
I smiled and handed it over, satisfied but also troubled, on some level. It wasn’t until I was lying in bed later that night that I could really put my finger on why.
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