Sounds of Silence | Catholic AnswersKEATING: Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan starred in a delightful romantic comedy called The Shop Around the Corner (1940). I don’t know why the movie’s title included Around the Corner, since the location of the shop was not integral to the story. Maybe director and producer Ernst Lubitsch suspected that calling the movie merely The Shop wouldn’t have worked to draw in moviegoers.
I have to admit that the movie has nothing to do with the topic of this post, which is the four cardinals’ dubia concerning Amoris Laetitia. The movie came to mind—or, I should say, the phrase “around the corner” came to mind—because it was “around the corner” that I found Cardinal Raymond Burke’s residence when I was in Rome a few months ago.
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
6 things to avoid when you're trying fight temptation
Six Ways Not to Fight Temptation - Those Catholic Men, Inc.: After making the critical decision to follow Christ, it becomes clear to many men that the Christian life is a lot like sports: there’s a lot more that goes into perfecting one’s game than appears at first. When a toddler is holding a football, his one task is just to get it into the hands of his dad standing a few feet away; however that happens is fine. Perfecting a pass is something altogether different. Good quarterbacks spend hours on end practicing the mechanics of passing: their grip, their stance, their shoulders, their draw, the timing of their release. Trying to teach the toddler what to do with his non-throwing hand would just confuse him; the mechanics are important, but they come later.
The Englishman who was almost pope: Reginald Cardinal Pole
The Man Who Was Almost Pope: Reginald Cardinal Pole | ncregister.comMANN: On November 30, 1554, an exile had returned to reconcile his native land to the universal Catholic Church. He called himself the son of a martyr; he had lead the first session of the Council of Trent; he was the last Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury; almost elected pope in 1550. He was Reginald Pole — Plantagenet heir, Renaissance scholar, and reformer.
These are the worst Nativity scenes. Ever.
The Worst Nativity Sets. Ever. | ncregister.comMATTARCHBOLD: It can be argued that we've messed up Christmas pretty bad. As evidence I present this list of the Worst nativity scenes. Ever.
First, I give you the hipster nativity. You've got the wisemen on Segways (wearing sunglasses to boot), Joseph snapping a selfie, and Mary rocking a Starbucks cup. I just realized that two of the wise men are wearing skinny jeans. And the other one's in jorts. I'm surprised Joseph isn't rocking a man bun. Because let's remember, Christmas is first and foremost be about celebrating ourselves.
First, I give you the hipster nativity. You've got the wisemen on Segways (wearing sunglasses to boot), Joseph snapping a selfie, and Mary rocking a Starbucks cup. I just realized that two of the wise men are wearing skinny jeans. And the other one's in jorts. I'm surprised Joseph isn't rocking a man bun. Because let's remember, Christmas is first and foremost be about celebrating ourselves.
The sin-eaters and the lost sacraments
The sin-eaters and the lost sacraments - Spotlight - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.orgMILLS: When he finished eating, the man would “pronounce, with a composed gesture, the ease and rest of the Soul departed, for which he would pawn his own Soul.” That “would” seems to have meant “had.” The man was a sin-eater. It was “the worst paid freelance gig in history,” as the entertaining website Atlas Obscura put it in a recent story. The sin-eaters provided the good people of the town with a Get Out of Hell Free card. They were apparently common in Wales and western England in the 16th and 17th centuries and perhaps later.
The sin-eaters also provided, by the way, the title for the first novel by the too-little-known Welsh Catholic novelist Alice Thomas Ellis.
The sin-eaters also provided, by the way, the title for the first novel by the too-little-known Welsh Catholic novelist Alice Thomas Ellis.
I worry about having to answer to God someday for every hour I've spent on Facebook...
Connected to what’s real – Mama Needs CoffeeJENNYUEBBING: Lately when I sit down to write, it feels a little stilted. Things feel a little off. I don’t feel quite up to the task of writing instructive, catechetical stuff right now. When I get questions about why the Catholic Church teaches this or that, or what to say when confronted with such and such pressing social issue, I sigh and close my inbox and want to answer that person in person, looking into their eyes over a cup of coffee, having a conversation.
As I’ve pulled back more and more from social media, my tolerance for human interaction has increased in a manner that this sleep-deprived introvert finds a little bit shocking. Even scandalous. Like, what have I been doing with my time these past years, that I would hide away from my neighbors and let phone calls go straight to voicemail, so anxious was I for solitude.
As I’ve pulled back more and more from social media, my tolerance for human interaction has increased in a manner that this sleep-deprived introvert finds a little bit shocking. Even scandalous. Like, what have I been doing with my time these past years, that I would hide away from my neighbors and let phone calls go straight to voicemail, so anxious was I for solitude.
The REAL Door to Moria: See the medieval church that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien
The REAL Door to Moria: See the Medieval Church that Inspired J.R.R. Tolkien | ChurchPOP: The ancient, cavernous, underground complex of Moria is one of the coolest places of Middle Earth in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. But did you know that part of it may have been inspired by a real place?
St. Edward’s Church serves the small town Stow-on-the-Wold in Gloucestershire, England. Parts of it date back to 11th or 12th century, with various additions having been made over the centuries. Although originally a Catholic church, it has been an Anglican church since the 16th century.
St. Edward’s Church serves the small town Stow-on-the-Wold in Gloucestershire, England. Parts of it date back to 11th or 12th century, with various additions having been made over the centuries. Although originally a Catholic church, it has been an Anglican church since the 16th century.
Why we hired a marriage counselor BEFORE we tied the knot
Why we hired a therapist before we tied the knot - Lifestyle - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.org: My husband and I were engaged during the month of February and set our wedding date for June. That gave us three and half months to plan a wedding for 150 guests, as well as do the marriage prep required by the Catholic Church. Truth be told, we weren’t looking forward to that part of the planning — mainly because the parish in which we were marrying required us to take its own peer-run 8-week (or was it 10?) program and we sensed it would be a waste of our time.
Acclaimed atheist poet becomes Catholic: 'My tears just stopped'
Acclaimed Atheist Poet Becomes Catholic: 'My Tears Just Stopped': “If you’re there, you have to help me.”
Those are the words that poet Sally Read said to an icon of Jesus in 2010. Read, a British poet and atheist, had stopped into a church in Santa Marinella, Italy. She felt burdened. Her young daughter was having health issues. Her husband Fabio was enduring some stress at work.
“There was this incredible experience where this presence almost came down, and my tears just stopped, just dried,” Read tells CNSNews.com. “I felt almost physically cited up. It was as if someone walked into the room. I knew this person. I knew that I was a Christian.”
Those are the words that poet Sally Read said to an icon of Jesus in 2010. Read, a British poet and atheist, had stopped into a church in Santa Marinella, Italy. She felt burdened. Her young daughter was having health issues. Her husband Fabio was enduring some stress at work.
“There was this incredible experience where this presence almost came down, and my tears just stopped, just dried,” Read tells CNSNews.com. “I felt almost physically cited up. It was as if someone walked into the room. I knew this person. I knew that I was a Christian.”
Pope's Wednesday Audience: “We have to pray for both the living and the dead”
We have to pray for both the living and the dead, Pope Francis says :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): In his last set of catechesis on mercy, Pope Francis focused on the works of praying for the living and the dead, as well as burying the dead, insisting that since we are all part of one family in Christ, we must remember to pray constantly for one another.
When we say “I believe in the communion of Saints” while reciting the Nicene Creed, “it’s a mystery that expresses the beauty of the mercy that Jesus revealed to us...all, living and dead, we are in communion.”
When we say “I believe in the communion of Saints” while reciting the Nicene Creed, “it’s a mystery that expresses the beauty of the mercy that Jesus revealed to us...all, living and dead, we are in communion.”
The Bridegroom comes! A reflection on the great wedding feast that Advent announces...
The Bridegroom Comes! A Reflection on the Great Wedding Feast That Advent Announces - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The coming of Christ at Christmas was as an infant and thus we don’t usually think of wedding imagery. Yet since the first coming of Christ has certainly already been fulfilled, we now focus more on His second coming, of which the first coming is a sacramental reminder.
Thus, in Advent, our longing and excitement are also directed to His glorious second coming. Mother Church, the New Jerusalem, our Mother, looks for her groom Jesus to come again all His glory...
Thus, in Advent, our longing and excitement are also directed to His glorious second coming. Mother Church, the New Jerusalem, our Mother, looks for her groom Jesus to come again all His glory...
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Navarro-Vals: “Here’s how John Paul II convinced Fidel Castro to celebrate Christmas”
Navarro-Vals: “Here’s how Wojtyla convinced Fidel to celebrate Christmas” - La Stampa: “Fidel Castro kept me talking for six hours. He was fascinated by John Paul II and although he was jealous of his inner life. I sensed he wanted to delve deeper… I told him he was a lucky man because the Pope prayed for him every day. For once he was silent.” On the occasion of Wojtyla’s visit to Cuba in January 1998, the role of JoaquÃn Navarro-Valls, John Paul II’s spokesman, went far beyond his official duties as director of the Holy See Press Office. He talked about it in an interview with Italian daily La Stampa.
6 black Catholics are now under consideration for canonization...
Could Black Catholic Saints Be the US Church’s Hidden Key for Peace in Society? | ncregister.com: They have some of the most powerful stories of forgiveness, love and mercy that the Catholic Church in the United States can offer, but remain largely unknown, even among U.S. Catholics. But as the U.S. bishops seek to promote peace and harmony in America’s communities, the heroic holiness of black Catholic men and women whose causes for canonization are under way could be the impetus to healing that the Church — and U.S. society — is looking for.
Six men and women from the 19th and 20th centuries — Servant of God Father Augustus Tolton, Venerable Pierre Toussaint, Venerable Mother Henriette Delille, Servant of God Mother Mary Lange, Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman, and now Servant of God Julia Greeley — are under consideration for canonization.
Six men and women from the 19th and 20th centuries — Servant of God Father Augustus Tolton, Venerable Pierre Toussaint, Venerable Mother Henriette Delille, Servant of God Mother Mary Lange, Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman, and now Servant of God Julia Greeley — are under consideration for canonization.
Cardinals in the Church have rights too
Cardinals in the Church have rights too | Catholic World Report - Global Church news and viewsEDPETERS: The rashest reaction to the “Four Cardinals’ Five Dubia” so far is that from Bp. Frangiskos Papamanolis, President of the Bishops’ Conference of Greece, whose railing against the questions posed by Cdls. Brandmüller, Burke, Caffarra, and Meisner in regard to Pope Francis’ Amoris laetitia must be read to be believed. The Greek prelate hurls epithets such as apostasy, sacrilege, heresy, schism, at four brothers in the episcopate...
Fear is part of the human condition. Faith is the secret antidote...
Kierkegaard and the secret weapon against fear - Spotlight - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.orgNOBLE: I was working in San Francisco for a successful startup company when the housing bubble burst and the United States entered a severe recession. I don’t know if those days of fear are etched in anyone else’s mind like they are in mine, but just working in a big city gave me a sense of the anxiety that coursed through the nation’s veins.
When the stock market plummeted at a frightening rate, some of my coworkers started to check their retirement portfolios obsessively. Every day on my way to work, I would observe men and women walking more briskly than usual, heads down, talking on their phones in lowered voices. Everyone looked afraid all the time.
When the stock market plummeted at a frightening rate, some of my coworkers started to check their retirement portfolios obsessively. Every day on my way to work, I would observe men and women walking more briskly than usual, heads down, talking on their phones in lowered voices. Everyone looked afraid all the time.
Mark the music! Sounds celestial on my desert island...
Mark the Music! Sounds Celestial on My Desert Island - The Imaginative ConservativePEARCE: Several months ago, in an essay published in this journal, I imagined myself marooned on a desert island surrounded by my favourite books. Ever since then, I have contemplated a return to that same desert island, this time surrounding myself with my favourite music. In order to do so, I decided that I would need to give myself Prospero-like powers so that the music could be played and sung as mystically as the music of the spheres by an ensemble and choir of invisible nymphs, conducted perhaps by Ariel himself. This is necessary because I would not want electricity or other manifestations of modern magic on my fantastically idyllic island.
Scientists reveal the secrets of the Capuchin Catacomb mummies
Scientists Reveal the Secrets of the Capuchin Catacomb Mummies | Mental Floss: The stone stairway that leads down into the Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo, Sicily, might at first offer relief from the Mediterranean heat—until you see the corpses, all 1800 of them, lining the rock-cut walls.
The mummies’ clothes chronicle a few centuries of fashion choices. You can see virgins wearing flower crowns and slain soldiers in uniform. Some of the bodies still have desiccated skin over their hands and faces. Some lie on shelves, while others are propped up vertically, their mouths contorted in what looks like a scream. Biological anthropologist Dario Piombino-Mascali assures me these tortured expressions had nothing to do with the emotional state of the deceased; it’s just a natural effect of decay.
The mummies’ clothes chronicle a few centuries of fashion choices. You can see virgins wearing flower crowns and slain soldiers in uniform. Some of the bodies still have desiccated skin over their hands and faces. Some lie on shelves, while others are propped up vertically, their mouths contorted in what looks like a scream. Biological anthropologist Dario Piombino-Mascali assures me these tortured expressions had nothing to do with the emotional state of the deceased; it’s just a natural effect of decay.
Pope could strip Cardinal Burke and others of cardinalate, warns Dean of Roman Rota
EWTN News | St. Clare Media (EWTN) | The EWTN Foundation in Great Britain: Archbishop Pio Vito Pinto, Dean of the Roman Rota, told a conference in Spain that Cardinal Burke and the three cardinals who submitted the dubia to Pope Francis "could lose their Cardinalate" for causing "grave scandal" by making the dubia public. The Dean of the Roman Rota went on to accuse Cardinals Raymond Burke, Carlo Caffarra, Walter Brandmüller and Joachim Meisner of questioning the Holy Spirit. Archbishop Pio Vito Pinto made his astounding accusations during a conference to religious in Spain.
Brazilian diocese holds Mass for victims of Colombia plane crash
Brazilian diocese holds Mass for Colombia plane crash - Vatican Radio: The Diocese of Chapecó in Brazil offered assurances of "prayer and solidarity" to the victims and relatives of the plane crash that killed at least 75 people early Tuesday morning in the city of La Unión, near MedellÃn, Colombia.
The charter plane was carrying the Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense to play the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana, the most important cup final of in the history of the small team. A Mass for the victims was scheduled to be celebrated at the Cathedral of Chapecó on Tuesday afternoon.
The charter plane was carrying the Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense to play the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana, the most important cup final of in the history of the small team. A Mass for the victims was scheduled to be celebrated at the Cathedral of Chapecó on Tuesday afternoon.
Catholic Church in Norway fined for exaggerating membership to increase state subsidies
Norway's Catholic Church fined for fraud over membership - The Local: The Norwegian Catholic Church was fined on million kroner (more than €110,000) on Monday for exaggerating the number of members it has to receive more state aid.
Oslo prosecutors slapped the fine on the Diocese of Oslo, responsible for keeping national records of Catholics living in the Scandinavian country, according to the ruling seen by AFP. The diocese is accused of having gone through telephone directories looking for immigrants with names suggesting that they were from Catholic countries and adding them to the list of members of the church between 2011 and 2014, sometimes without their knowledge.
Oslo prosecutors slapped the fine on the Diocese of Oslo, responsible for keeping national records of Catholics living in the Scandinavian country, according to the ruling seen by AFP. The diocese is accused of having gone through telephone directories looking for immigrants with names suggesting that they were from Catholic countries and adding them to the list of members of the church between 2011 and 2014, sometimes without their knowledge.
What the Anointing of the Sick is, and what it isn't
What the Anointing of the Sick Is and Isn’t - Crisis MagazineARIAS: What is the significance of the term “extreme” in Extreme Unction? The term itself means “last” or “final.” But in what sense? Many are surprised to know that there is a long historical controversy concerning why this unction is termed “last.” Indeed, Fr. Kilker (on page 5 of his work noted above) notes that, “The reason for the name … has ever been an unsettled question.” William Estius (1542-1613) maintained “extreme” was due to the fact that this unction is the last in point of time of all anointings associated with sacramental or ecclesial rites: the first given to catechumens before Baptism; the second after the baptismal washing; the third being the sacrament of confirmation itself; the fourth being the anointing of the hands at priestly ordination; the fifth (although not associated with a sacrament) is that given to secular princes; and the last being the sacrament of the sick. In The Sacraments (1937), Pohle and Preuss write: “Extreme Unction is called the last anointment in a purely liturgical sense, because it is preceded by the anointments conferred in Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders).” However, others (see, for example, Toner’s entry in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia) think the name more probably comes from “unction of those in extremis,” (i.e., those who are dying).
‘Sweet aromas’ and ‘electromagnetic disturbances’: Mysteries surrounded the opening of Christ’s tomb last month
Mysteries surround the opening of Christ’s tomb - Art / culture - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.org: On October 26, 27 and 28, 2016, the marble slab that covers the tomb of Christ was removed. As the group of scientists and religious authorities had access to the place, rumors immediately began to run around. Some rumors claimed it was possible to perceive a “sweet aroma” emanating from the tomb, reminiscent of the olfactory manifestations commonly associated with both Marian and saintly apparitions. Secondly, it was alleged that some of the measuring instruments used by scientists were altered by electromagnetic disturbances. As soon as they were placed vertically on the stone in which Christ’s body rested, the devices either malfunctioned or ceased to work at all.
Donald Trump picks Rep. Tom Price to lead HHS Department
Donald Trump Picks Rep. Tom Price to Lead Department of Health and Human Services - NBC News: President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he will nominate Georgia Rep. Tom Price to head the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Cabinet-level pick, which requires Senate confirmation, inserts one of Obamacare's most outspoken critics into the key position to dismantle it and help Republicans implement their own blueprint for health care reform.
The Cabinet-level pick, which requires Senate confirmation, inserts one of Obamacare's most outspoken critics into the key position to dismantle it and help Republicans implement their own blueprint for health care reform.
Pope's associate Fr. Antonio Spadaro: The dubia have already been answered (warning: autoplay video)
Pope Francis associate: Controversial questions answered - CNN.com: I think that Amoris Laetitia has created an open and interesting debate within the Catholic Church thanks to Francis, a Pope who never blocks dialogue, if it is loyal and motivated by the good of the Church.
The case, however, of those who use criticism for other purposes or ask questions in order to create difficulty and division, would be different, of course.
The interesting questions of the four cardinals, in reality, were already raised during the Synod, where the dialogue was deep, extensive and most of all, frank. Amoris Laetitia is only the mature fruit of Francis' reflection after listening to everyone and reading the Synod's final document.
The case, however, of those who use criticism for other purposes or ask questions in order to create difficulty and division, would be different, of course.
The interesting questions of the four cardinals, in reality, were already raised during the Synod, where the dialogue was deep, extensive and most of all, frank. Amoris Laetitia is only the mature fruit of Francis' reflection after listening to everyone and reading the Synod's final document.
Monday, November 28, 2016
Tom Price, Obamacare critic, is said to be Trump's choice for HHS secretary
Tom Price, Obamacare Critic, Is Said to Be Trump’s Choice for Health Secretary - The New York Times: If President-elect Donald J. Trump wanted a cabinet secretary who could help him dismantle and replace President Obama’s health care law, he could not have found anyone more prepared than Representative Tom Price, who has been studying how to accomplish that goal for more than six years.
Mr. Price, an orthopedic surgeon who represents many of the northern suburbs of Atlanta, speaks with the self-assurance of a doctor about to perform another joint-replacement procedure. He knows the task and will proceed with brisk efficiency.
Mr. Price, an orthopedic surgeon who represents many of the northern suburbs of Atlanta, speaks with the self-assurance of a doctor about to perform another joint-replacement procedure. He knows the task and will proceed with brisk efficiency.
A prayer for the internet from the 1946 Roman Ritual? Sure, and it's wonderful...
A Prayer for the Internet from the 1946 Roman Ritual? Sure, and It’s Wonderful! - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The old Roman Ritual (published in 1946) is a magnificent collection of blessings and prayers. It has some of the most amazing little blessings of things it would never occur to you to find in such a collection. Along with the blessings of expected objects (e.g., statues, religious medals) are blessings, often elaborately laid out, for things such as seismographs, typewriters, printing presses, fishing boats, fire engines, stables, medicine, wells, bridges, archives, lime kilns, automobiles, mountain-climbing equipment, and electric dynamos.
Coconut crabs' crushing grip finally measured by scientists
Coconut Crabs' Crushing Grip Finally Measured - D-brief: Talk about a powerful handshake.
Researchers have measured the crushing grip of coconut crabs, the largest hermit crabs on Earth, for the first time, and the results are imposing. The crustaceans’ claws are capable of exerting forces that rival a lion’s bite, researchers from Japan’s Okinawa Churashima Research Center say. They think this impressive show of strength is partly an adaption to their shell-less existence, swapping out formidable weaponry for protective defenses.
Coconut crabs are found on islands in the Pacific Ocean from Japan to the Indian Ocean. They are the largest land-dwelling invertebrates, and grow up to three feet in diameter. Although they spend the majority of their lives in burrows on land, their lives begin in the ocean as larvae, where they colonize empty gastropod shells. Eventually, they migrate to land, where they lose the ability to live underwater and grow hard exoskeletons, shedding their shell homes.
Researchers have measured the crushing grip of coconut crabs, the largest hermit crabs on Earth, for the first time, and the results are imposing. The crustaceans’ claws are capable of exerting forces that rival a lion’s bite, researchers from Japan’s Okinawa Churashima Research Center say. They think this impressive show of strength is partly an adaption to their shell-less existence, swapping out formidable weaponry for protective defenses.
Coconut crabs are found on islands in the Pacific Ocean from Japan to the Indian Ocean. They are the largest land-dwelling invertebrates, and grow up to three feet in diameter. Although they spend the majority of their lives in burrows on land, their lives begin in the ocean as larvae, where they colonize empty gastropod shells. Eventually, they migrate to land, where they lose the ability to live underwater and grow hard exoskeletons, shedding their shell homes.
San Diego bishop to priests: Embrace ‘LGBT families’, give Communion to ‘remarried’
San Diego bishop to priests: Embrace ‘LGBT families’, give Communion to ‘remarried’ | News | LifeSite: San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy is calling on his city's priests to embrace "LGBT families," and to allow divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Communion in certain cases.
Following a much-hyped diocesan synod on the family last month, Bishop McElroy encouraged priests to publish a diocesan notice in their bulletins saying the Church will "assist those who are divorced and remarried and cannot receive an annulment to utilize the internal forum of conscience in order to discern if God is calling them to return to the Eucharist."
Following a much-hyped diocesan synod on the family last month, Bishop McElroy encouraged priests to publish a diocesan notice in their bulletins saying the Church will "assist those who are divorced and remarried and cannot receive an annulment to utilize the internal forum of conscience in order to discern if God is calling them to return to the Eucharist."
Fr. Z’s annual rant on blue vestments
Fr. Z’s Annual Rant On Blue Vestments | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: The use of blue vestments during Advent has been dying out for several years as the aging hippies drop. However, inspired by Pope Francis, perhaps we shouldn’t be so rigid and just – what the heck – use them anyway?
Let’s review.
I am pretty sure that that famous indult for blue in Spanish territories doesn’t any longer apply. It was privilege was granted to Spain and its colonies, and Latin America, by a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites in 1864. In a nutshell, the concessions given for the use of cerulean were few in number and were quite restrictive by the clear intent of the Holy See. Also, a couple years ago we learned from a commentator that the Spanish bishops approved, the use of blue (“azul”) for the Marian Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It’s in their Ordo. Perhaps some reader in Spain can check on this for this year.
Let’s review.
I am pretty sure that that famous indult for blue in Spanish territories doesn’t any longer apply. It was privilege was granted to Spain and its colonies, and Latin America, by a decree of the Sacred Congregation of Rites in 1864. In a nutshell, the concessions given for the use of cerulean were few in number and were quite restrictive by the clear intent of the Holy See. Also, a couple years ago we learned from a commentator that the Spanish bishops approved, the use of blue (“azul”) for the Marian Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It’s in their Ordo. Perhaps some reader in Spain can check on this for this year.
Ross Douthat: ‘His Holiness Declines to Answer’
His Holiness Declines to Answer - The New York TimesDOUTHAT: “This is not normal” — so say Donald Trump’s critics as he prepares to assume the presidency. But the American republic is only the second-oldest institution facing a distinctively unusual situation at the moment. Pride of place goes to the Roman Catholic Church, which with less fanfare (perhaps because the papacy lacks a nuclear arsenal) has also entered terra incognita.
Two weeks ago, four cardinals published a so-called dubia — a set of questions, posed to Pope Francis, requesting that he clarify his apostolic exhortation on the family, “Amoris Laetitia.” In particular they asked him to clarify whether the church’s ban on communion for divorced Catholics in new (and, in the church’s eyes, adulterous) marriages remained in place, and whether the church’s traditional opposition to situation ethics had been “developed” into obsolescence.
Two weeks ago, four cardinals published a so-called dubia — a set of questions, posed to Pope Francis, requesting that he clarify his apostolic exhortation on the family, “Amoris Laetitia.” In particular they asked him to clarify whether the church’s ban on communion for divorced Catholics in new (and, in the church’s eyes, adulterous) marriages remained in place, and whether the church’s traditional opposition to situation ethics had been “developed” into obsolescence.
We must never forget Fidel Castro's long war against Catholics in Cuba
Fidel Castro’s War on Religion | ncregister.comKENGOR: Fidel Castro, from 1959-2006 the world’s longest-running Marxist dictator, is dead at the age of 90. He was no friend of the Cuban people, or of Cuban Catholics. He was a brutal leader who was responsible for the deaths of thousands, and who silenced the prayers and voices of many more.
Sadly, one would never know this from President Barack Obama’s statement on the death of Castro.
“We know that this moment fills Cubans — in Cuba and in the United States — with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families and of the Cuban nation,” said Obama. “History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.”
Sadly, one would never know this from President Barack Obama’s statement on the death of Castro.
“We know that this moment fills Cubans — in Cuba and in the United States — with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families and of the Cuban nation,” said Obama. “History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him.”
How are Pope Francis and Donald Trump alike?
How Are Pope Francis & Donald Trump Alike? | The American ConservativeDREHER: So, I was getting caught up last night on my news and social media feeds, which right now are filled with agita about how Donald Trump really is throwing everybody for a loop again with his reckless tweets and bizarre (by conventional standards) political behavior. And hey, I share those concerns! I didn’t vote for Trump not so much because I oppose his policies (some I do oppose, most I like, certainly compared to establishment Republicans) but because the American president wields too much power to be handed over to someone as unstable and driven by passion as Donald Trump.
Now that we’ve got him, he’s redefining almost every day what we can expect from a president, but also putting at risk some fundamental assumptions about American political life and the way a president behaves. Some people love that about him. Others find it unnerving. I tend to belong to the latter camp. What nobody can do is pretend that this is normal.
Now that we’ve got him, he’s redefining almost every day what we can expect from a president, but also putting at risk some fundamental assumptions about American political life and the way a president behaves. Some people love that about him. Others find it unnerving. I tend to belong to the latter camp. What nobody can do is pretend that this is normal.
Why you should add a greater load to the arch of your life
More Load on the Arch | The Art of Manliness: Have you ever had a really busy schedule — lots of responsibilities, lots of deadlines, lots of stress — and you felt desperate for a break? But then, for whatever reason — tasks came to a natural end; you got laid off — you found yourself with exactly what you had so keenly desired: an ocean of free time. You had nothing really to do.
At first, it probably felt fantastic. You luxuriated in inactivity.
But after awhile, maybe a couple weeks, or a month, the freshness of unadulterated leisure likely started to turn stale. You felt restless, unmoored, depressed. You began to yearn to reengage with work; responsibilities looked not onerous, but desirable.
This experience is part of a cycle innate to human nature: the dueling set of impulses that ever oscillate between the desire to escape from all burdens and work, and the desire to engage with labor and struggle.
At first, it probably felt fantastic. You luxuriated in inactivity.
But after awhile, maybe a couple weeks, or a month, the freshness of unadulterated leisure likely started to turn stale. You felt restless, unmoored, depressed. You began to yearn to reengage with work; responsibilities looked not onerous, but desirable.
This experience is part of a cycle innate to human nature: the dueling set of impulses that ever oscillate between the desire to escape from all burdens and work, and the desire to engage with labor and struggle.
Seeking help and comfort from the saints
Seeking help and comfort from the saints ~ The MotherlandsRENNER: A dark smudge appeared on the living room ceiling. When I wiped it, my finger went through the plaster. The roofing company inspected it, the landlord looked at it, our neighbor even stopped in to peer up at it. The verdict: a plumber would need to come, saw a hole in the ceiling, and find the leak. The kids would be thrilled.
There’s a measure of comfort in knowing that whatever goes wrong, there is someone to call: plumber, mechanic, doctor, insurance company, 911. When I was living in Ethiopia, with its packed churches and orphanages full of God-loving children, a local woman explained it with a shrug. “In America, if your car is broken into you call GEICO. Here, we pray.”
There’s a measure of comfort in knowing that whatever goes wrong, there is someone to call: plumber, mechanic, doctor, insurance company, 911. When I was living in Ethiopia, with its packed churches and orphanages full of God-loving children, a local woman explained it with a shrug. “In America, if your car is broken into you call GEICO. Here, we pray.”
A tree, a tax collector, and a view of God
A Tree, a Tax Collector, and a View of God | God-Haunted LunaticBECKER: Back before Rotten Tomatoes was a wireless ubiquity, my family depended on paperback movie guides, and our go-to was the one edited by Mick Martin and Marsha Porter. Like similar resources, Martin and Porter used an easily decipherable rating system, but since their tastes so often matched our own, they became our cinematic oracles when we made our own selections at Blockbuster or the library.
However, there’s another reason we liked their guide so much – one that has lasted into the internet age: the turkey reviews. Instead of assigning a single star (out of a possible five) to the worst of the worst, Martin and Porter substituted a tiny turkey graphic. It was easy to spot as you flipped through the pages, and the associated reviews often made for highly entertaining reading.
However, there’s another reason we liked their guide so much – one that has lasted into the internet age: the turkey reviews. Instead of assigning a single star (out of a possible five) to the worst of the worst, Martin and Porter substituted a tiny turkey graphic. It was easy to spot as you flipped through the pages, and the associated reviews often made for highly entertaining reading.
True love is a man being able to say: “My wife is beautiful!”
My Wife is Beautiful - Those Catholic Men, Inc.MITCHELL: I recently made a long overdue phone call to my grandfather. He now lives in assisted living; his strength, energy and abilities are not what they used to be. I imagine this has to be very difficult for a man who previously would not allow for his basically immobile shoulder to stop him from swimming, for a significant amount of time, using just one arm…daily. Nevertheless, he seemed to have been in good spirits and to have retained his sense of humor, though there was a discernable sadness in his voice. During our conversation, my grandfather told me something that I will never forget. A lover of poetry, he quoted a few lines of a poem to me, lines which he says remind him of my grandmother, who passed away less than two years ago. He had always said previously that they reminded him of his own mother.
5 reasons the Church condemns communism as "intrinsically wrong"
5 Reasons the Church Condemns Communism as "Intrinsically Wrong" | ChurchPOP: “See to it, Venerable Brethren,” Pope Pius XI warned in his 1937 encyclical Divini Redemptoris,�“that the Faithful do not allow themselves to be deceived! Communism is intrinsically wrong, and no one who would save Christian civilization may collaborate with it in any undertaking whatsoever. Those who permit themselves to be deceived into lending their aid towards the triumph of Communism in their own country, will be the first to fall victims of their error.”
Pius XI was simply reiterating what the Church had taught about communism since the 19th century: it was full of errors, contrary to the good of the social order, and incompatible with the Christian religion.
Pius XI was simply reiterating what the Church had taught about communism since the 19th century: it was full of errors, contrary to the good of the social order, and incompatible with the Christian religion.
He's not afraid of evil, but young people are scaring this exorcist
He’s Not Afraid of Evil, but Young People are Scaring This Exorcist | ncregister.comARMSTRONG: Looking into the faces of teenagers these days, Father Patrick worries. Father Patrick is not his real name, but to keep his work as a parish priest manageable, his work in exorcism and deliverance is hidden to the general public. He has been a designated diocesan exorcist for 6 years. The bishop refers cases to Father Patrick if they are deemed legitimate. Although full-fledged possessions are rare, he said the numbers are increasing with more and more, people — especially young people — dabbling in the occult. “They often open a door they cannot close on their own,” he said.
Trolls & Beasts: 2 quick reviews and 3 remedial dad lessons
Trolls & Beasts: Two Quick Reviews and Three Remedial Dad Lessons | ncregister.comBECKER: I really blew it last week. Big time. And more than once. Still, I wrested a few timely reminders out of the experience, but more on those later – here’s what happened.
My high-schoolers were anxious to see the new Harry Potter-ish Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, so I offered to foot the bill if they deigned to let me tag along. I figured if Beasts turned out to be anything like the original Potter films (most of them anyway), then we’d be in for a rollicking good time – vibrant characters, buoyant plots, clever dialogue, and terrific CGI magic. Fun! We planned to go Tuesday – just the thing to kick off Thanksgiving week festivities.
My high-schoolers were anxious to see the new Harry Potter-ish Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, so I offered to foot the bill if they deigned to let me tag along. I figured if Beasts turned out to be anything like the original Potter films (most of them anyway), then we’d be in for a rollicking good time – vibrant characters, buoyant plots, clever dialogue, and terrific CGI magic. Fun! We planned to go Tuesday – just the thing to kick off Thanksgiving week festivities.
Pope mourns death of Fr. Peter Hans Kolvenbach, former head of Jesuits
Pope mourns death of Fr Kolvenbach, former head of Jesuits :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): After the death of Jesuit Fr. Peter Hans Kolvenbach, former head of the order, over the weekend, Pope Francis has sent a letter to the Society praising the priest’s fidelity and offering prayers for the repose of his soul.
“Learning of the news of the holy death of Fr. Peter Hans Kolvenbach S.J., former Superior General of the Society of Jesus, I wish to express to you and to the entire Jesuit family my most sincere condolences,” the Pope said in a Nov. 28 letter.
Addressed to the current head of the Society, Fr. Arturo Sosa, the letter recalled the “integral fidelity” with which Fr. Kolvenbach served Christ and the Gospel, as well as his “generous commitment to exercising his ministry for the good of the Church.”
“Learning of the news of the holy death of Fr. Peter Hans Kolvenbach S.J., former Superior General of the Society of Jesus, I wish to express to you and to the entire Jesuit family my most sincere condolences,” the Pope said in a Nov. 28 letter.
Addressed to the current head of the Society, Fr. Arturo Sosa, the letter recalled the “integral fidelity” with which Fr. Kolvenbach served Christ and the Gospel, as well as his “generous commitment to exercising his ministry for the good of the Church.”
11 fun facts about ‘The Far Side’
11 Twisted Facts About ‘The Far Side’ | Mental Floss: For 15 years, "The Far Side" added a dash of irreverence to the funny pages. Offbeat, macabre, and sometimes controversial, Gary Larson’s trailblazing cartoon was a gigantic success that ran in nearly 2000 newspapers at the height of its popularity. It also gave an entire generation of humorists a renewed appreciation for cow jokes.
Advent: “In my End is my Beginning...”
Advent: In My End Is My Beginning - Crisis MagazineRUTLER: There was a time, and perhaps there still is in some settings, which the English call, as compliment and not as a pejorative, “homely, ” when families would gather around a piano to sing. Therapists and family counselors would be less in demand if that were more a part of our domestic vernacular. Enough of reverie. Starting where we are now, in the winter months, it would be good if young and old put down their iPods and other electronic devices and just told each other stories. That would be best before a hearth but not everyone has one. All my chimney pieces are blocked up by order of regulatory environmentalists. No matter. What does matter is that people get together.
Out of the Ordinary: In “giant” Florida move, panhandle’s Parkes goes to St. Pete
Whispers in the Loggia: Out of the Ordinary – In "Giant" Florida Move, Panhandle's Parkes to St PetePALMO: If we've got any Gator fans around in the greater Tampa area, so it seems, no less than Rome's taken to rubbing in Saturday night... while the Florida State fans down there can just keep chopping away.
At Roman Noon, less than 36 hours after a fourth straight FSU win in the annual in-house faceoff, the Pope transferred the church's Chief Nole, 52 year-old Bishop Gregory Parkes of Pensacola-Tallahassee (above), to the Sunshine State's second-largest market as the fifth bishop of St Petersburg, succeeding Bishop Bob Lynch, the venerable USCCB titan who reached the retirement age of 75 in late May after two decades at the helm of the 475,000-member church.
At Roman Noon, less than 36 hours after a fourth straight FSU win in the annual in-house faceoff, the Pope transferred the church's Chief Nole, 52 year-old Bishop Gregory Parkes of Pensacola-Tallahassee (above), to the Sunshine State's second-largest market as the fifth bishop of St Petersburg, succeeding Bishop Bob Lynch, the venerable USCCB titan who reached the retirement age of 75 in late May after two decades at the helm of the 475,000-member church.
Pope's possible deal with China would 'betray Christ', says Hong Kong’s Cardinal Zen
Pope's possible deal with China would 'betray Christ', says Hong Kong cardinal | World news | The Guardian: The most senior Chinese Catholic has slammed a potential rapprochement between the Vatican and Beijing, saying it would be “betraying Jesus Christ”, amid a thaw in more than six decades of bitter relations.
Talk of a deal between the two sides has been building for months, with some saying the diplomatic coup for Pope Francis would be resolving the highly controversial issue of allowing China’s Communist government to have a hand in selecting bishops.
But Cardinal Joseph Zen, the 84-year-old former bishop of Hong Kong, has been an outspoken critic, saying any agreement where Beijing would have a hand in approving clergy would be “a surrender”.
Talk of a deal between the two sides has been building for months, with some saying the diplomatic coup for Pope Francis would be resolving the highly controversial issue of allowing China’s Communist government to have a hand in selecting bishops.
But Cardinal Joseph Zen, the 84-year-old former bishop of Hong Kong, has been an outspoken critic, saying any agreement where Beijing would have a hand in approving clergy would be “a surrender”.
Pope Francis to visit Ireland for World Meeting of Families in 2018, Taoiseach Enda Kenny announces
Pope Francis to visit Ireland in 2018 – CatholicHerald.co.uk: Pope Francis will visit Ireland in 2018, the Irish prime minister has confirmed.
Pope Francis met Taoiseach Enda Kenny in the Vatican on Monday, with the Irish prime minister tweeting after the meeting that the Pope will visit Dublin for the World Meeting of Families.
Pope Francis met Taoiseach Enda Kenny in the Vatican on Monday, with the Irish prime minister tweeting after the meeting that the Pope will visit Dublin for the World Meeting of Families.
Now you know: Why do people always looks so serious in old photos?
Now You Know: Why Do People Always Look So Serious in Old Photos? | TIME: The first photographs were taken in the late 1820s, and the new medium developed throughout the rest of the century as a practical tool, artistic form and social activity. But, even though there were a few smiles to be found in the early years of photography, it took until the 1920s and ’30s for smiles to start becoming the standard expression in photographs.
Sunday, November 27, 2016
“The very necessary minimum”: The 5 forgotten Precepts of the Church
"The Very Necessary Minimum": The Forgotten "Precepts of the Church" | ChurchPOP: What are the basic requirements of being a practicing Catholic?
An important part of the answer includes what are known as the Precepts of the Church. Unfortunately, few Catholics seem to be aware of them, let alone to be conscientiously trying to follow them. This is unfortunate because they would probably improve the lives of many Catholics.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church gives five precepts (CCC 2041-2043), which are listed below with explanations. Some older catechisms used to peg the number at six, with the extra precept being that Catholics must follow the Church’s laws regarding marriage. That’s of course still a requirement for Catholics today, but this article will only go through the five listed in the Catechism. These precepts do not exhaust the Christian life.
An important part of the answer includes what are known as the Precepts of the Church. Unfortunately, few Catholics seem to be aware of them, let alone to be conscientiously trying to follow them. This is unfortunate because they would probably improve the lives of many Catholics.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church gives five precepts (CCC 2041-2043), which are listed below with explanations. Some older catechisms used to peg the number at six, with the extra precept being that Catholics must follow the Church’s laws regarding marriage. That’s of course still a requirement for Catholics today, but this article will only go through the five listed in the Catechism. These precepts do not exhaust the Christian life.
Talks to heal rift in China gain momentum under Pope Francis
Talks to Heal Catholic Rift in China Gain Momentum Under Francis - The New York Times: Pope Francis has spoken of his admiration for Chinese culture. He has greeted a delegation from China, accepting a silk imprint of an ancient inscription about Christianity. And he had his picture taken with a Chinese bishop in St. Peter’s Square last month.
Now, he appears to be considering more significant action: a grand compromise with China’s Communist leaders to heal the bitter, decades-old rift that has divided generations of Chinese Catholics and prevented the pope from openly exercising authority in the world’s most populous country.
The Vatican says talks are continuing, and much work remains before a deal is done. But Francis’ apparent determination to see a rapprochement with Beijing has already caused unease among some who are worried that he might give too much away to the hard-line Chinese president, Xi Jinping.
Now, he appears to be considering more significant action: a grand compromise with China’s Communist leaders to heal the bitter, decades-old rift that has divided generations of Chinese Catholics and prevented the pope from openly exercising authority in the world’s most populous country.
The Vatican says talks are continuing, and much work remains before a deal is done. But Francis’ apparent determination to see a rapprochement with Beijing has already caused unease among some who are worried that he might give too much away to the hard-line Chinese president, Xi Jinping.
12 ways to be more mindful this Advent
12 Ways to be more mindful this Advent - Top Stories - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.orgANTONETTI: So we have 28 days to prepare for Christmas.
I’ve written at other times on the spiritual gift of silence and the blessed waiting we’re supposed to cultivate during this season of Advent. However, it is so easy — when we consider all we have to do in the coming weeks — to become consumed by the to-do list.
So I created this reminder to help me be mindful, to be more like a candle burning than a blinking LED light.
I’ve written at other times on the spiritual gift of silence and the blessed waiting we’re supposed to cultivate during this season of Advent. However, it is so easy — when we consider all we have to do in the coming weeks — to become consumed by the to-do list.
So I created this reminder to help me be mindful, to be more like a candle burning than a blinking LED light.
Christmas music from the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC
A New Christmas Album | Dominicana: Nearly seven hundred years ago, a Dominican friar named Henry Suso had a vision of angels singing and dancing with joy about the birth of the Infant Jesus. The German preacher and mystic poet was soon swept up by the angelic song, and penned the Christmas hymn In Dulci Jubilo as a result. In the loose translation familiar to many today, we sing...
Pope's Sunday Angelus: This Advent, ‘we must always be ready to depart’
Pope Francis: Advent calls us to enlarge our horizons - Vatican Radio: Pope Francis marked the beginning of the new liturgical year at the Angelus for the First Sunday of Advent.
On this Sunday, he said, the Gospel introduces us to one of the most “evocative” themes of the Advent season: the visit of the Lord to humanity. Pope Francis pointed out three visits of the Lord: the first, in the past, with the Incarnation, and Birth of Jesus at Christmas; the second, in the present, as Jesus visits us continually, every day; and the final visit, in the future, when Jesus “will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.”
On this Sunday, he said, the Gospel introduces us to one of the most “evocative” themes of the Advent season: the visit of the Lord to humanity. Pope Francis pointed out three visits of the Lord: the first, in the past, with the Incarnation, and Birth of Jesus at Christmas; the second, in the present, as Jesus visits us continually, every day; and the final visit, in the future, when Jesus “will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.”
Saturday, November 26, 2016
The New York Times: ‘The Sisters Who Treat the Untreatable’
The Sisters Who Treat the Untreatable - The New York Times: At the beginning of the 20th century, sick Americans typically died at home. By the middle of it, they mostly died in hospitals. And yet this great transformation in the geography of death was, at first, of little interest to medical providers: In the 1960s, some doctors routinely chose not to inform terminal patients of their fate. Studies found hospitals stashing dying people at the ends of halls and largely ignoring them. Medicine, it was said, was about healing people. It had nothing to offer the already dying.
A recipe for readiness: A homily for the First Sunday of Advent
A Recipe for Readiness – A Homily for the First Sunday of Advent - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The first weeks of Advent focus more on the Lord’s second coming in glory than on His first coming at Bethlehem. The Gospel clearly states that we must always be prepared, for at an hour we do not expect, the Son of Man will come. “Ready” is the key word. But how should we be ready?
The second reading from today’s Mass gives us a basic recipe for readiness. We can distinguish five fundamental instructions in Paul’s recipe.
The second reading from today’s Mass gives us a basic recipe for readiness. We can distinguish five fundamental instructions in Paul’s recipe.
The First Sunday of Advent!
The Sacred Page: First Sunday of Advent, 2017!BERGSMA: Happy New Year, everyone!� The Church Year begins this Sunday with the First Sunday of Advent, and we are back to reading cycle A in Church Year 2017.�
There is a very ancient tradition in the Church of reading the Book of Isaiah during Advent.� In antiquity, both Jews and Christians considered the Book of Isaiah to be one extended prophesy of the “age to come,” the “latter days” when the Anointed One (Heb. “Meshiach,” =”Messiah”) would arrive.� The First Readings for Sunday Mass and for weekday masses, as well as the Office of Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours, are dominated by Isaiah during this liturgical season.
The Gospel sequence, the First Sunday of Advent focuses on Jesus’ Second Coming, forming a good transition from the month of November with its focus on the Last Things.� The Second and Third Sundays of Advent focus on John the Baptist, the fore-runner of Jesus.� The Fourth Sunday finally casts its gaze on the events leading directly to Jesus birth.�
There is a very ancient tradition in the Church of reading the Book of Isaiah during Advent.� In antiquity, both Jews and Christians considered the Book of Isaiah to be one extended prophesy of the “age to come,” the “latter days” when the Anointed One (Heb. “Meshiach,” =”Messiah”) would arrive.� The First Readings for Sunday Mass and for weekday masses, as well as the Office of Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours, are dominated by Isaiah during this liturgical season.
The Gospel sequence, the First Sunday of Advent focuses on Jesus’ Second Coming, forming a good transition from the month of November with its focus on the Last Things.� The Second and Third Sundays of Advent focus on John the Baptist, the fore-runner of Jesus.� The Fourth Sunday finally casts its gaze on the events leading directly to Jesus birth.�
Fidel Castro was one of the most brutal dictators in modern history...
Farewell to Cuba’s brutal Big Brother - The Washington Post: Oddly enough, some will mourn his passing, and many an obituary will praise him. Millions of Cubans who have been waiting impatiently for this moment for more than half a century will simply ponder his crimes and recall the pain and suffering he caused.
From Maritain-influenced humanist to persecutor of Catholics: 3 glimpses of Fidel Castro's early image
3 Glimpses of Castro’s Early Years (From the Register Archives) | ncregister.com: When Fidel Castro took over as the leader of Cuba in 1959 he was an unknown quantity in the United States. Many were initially hopeful that Fulgencio Batista's corrupt regime would be supplanted by an era of humanism in Cuba, but Castro quickly became a persecutor of the Catholic Church. The evolution of his image among U.S. Catholics can be seen in the following three snapshots from the Register.
“Fidel has died ... now he awaits the judgment of God”
Whispers in the Loggia: "Fidel Has Died.... Now He Awaits Judgment."PALMO: If there's a place to start amid this early morning's news, we'd be remiss to not look first to the heroic witness, courage, sanctity and charity of Bishop AgustÃn Roman, who led South Florida's Cuban faithful in exile for five decades until his death in early 2012.
Yet even as thousands of El Padrino's own who fled their homeland for these shores would be laid to rest facing the island 93 miles away, awaiting the day of its freedom, that wasn't the burial Román chose for himself... barring the future that – at least, on a symbolic level – suddenly begins with this moment.
Yet even as thousands of El Padrino's own who fled their homeland for these shores would be laid to rest facing the island 93 miles away, awaiting the day of its freedom, that wasn't the burial Román chose for himself... barring the future that – at least, on a symbolic level – suddenly begins with this moment.
Friday, November 25, 2016
Run to Jesus! An Advent reflection...
Run to Jesus! An Advent Reflection - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The Lord’s coming is near. And though we have all been well taught that the word “Advent” means “coming,” there is the danger that we think that we are only passively waiting for Him to come. It is not just that the Lord is coming to us; we are also journeying to Him. In fact, as the Advent prayers in the Roman Missal instruct, we ought to run, not walk, and hasten to greet Him as He draws near.
This notion of running to meet God is set forth as a consistent theme in the prayers of the Roman Missal. Consider the following prayers and how the theme of our hastening to go out to meet God, even as He is coming to us, is set forth
This notion of running to meet God is set forth as a consistent theme in the prayers of the Roman Missal. Consider the following prayers and how the theme of our hastening to go out to meet God, even as He is coming to us, is set forth
Membership in Catholic, Muslim communities surges in Norway
Membership in Catholic, Muslim communities surges in Norway | Fox News: Norway's official statistics agency says the country's Roman Catholic and Muslim communities have added tens of thousands of members in recent years while the state Lutheran Church is declining.
Statistics Norway said Friday the number of Catholics has jumped 42 percent since 2012, to 145,000 this year.
Membership in Islamic groups rose by 32 percent to 148,000 in the same period. Those figures were not broken down by denomination.
The statistics showed Norway's tiny Jewish community had just 770 members at the start of 2016.
Statistics Norway said Friday the number of Catholics has jumped 42 percent since 2012, to 145,000 this year.
Membership in Islamic groups rose by 32 percent to 148,000 in the same period. Those figures were not broken down by denomination.
The statistics showed Norway's tiny Jewish community had just 770 members at the start of 2016.
The Year of Mercy has ended but the mercy of God endures forever
Year of Mercy Has Ended but Mercy of God Endures ForeverCLARK: God is always, always, always desperately willing, wanting, and unwavering in His desire to save your soul. To use a preposterous understatement, God is on your side. God the Father is the Father of mercies, God the Son bled out for you in a cruciform embrace on Calvary and the Holy Spirit is your Advocate. As a reminder of all this, the Church declared a Year of Mercy in 2015, and it has come to an end. But it is also important to remember that while the year of mercy has ended, the mercy of God has not. The mercy of God will never come to an end.
Drugs a 'new form of slavery', Pope Francis says
Drugs a 'new form of slavery', Pope Francis says :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Drug addiction is a contemporary form of slavery, Pope Francis lamented Thursday, emphasizing that a rehabilitation which restores victims' joy and dignity is much needed.
“Drugs are a wound in our society.� A wound that traps many people in the networks. They are victims have lost their freedom to fall into slavery; slavery of a dependency we can call ‘chemistry,’” the Pope said Nov. 24.
It’s certain, he said, that drugs consist “of a new form of slavery, like many others that plague man today and society in general.”
“Drugs are a wound in our society.� A wound that traps many people in the networks. They are victims have lost their freedom to fall into slavery; slavery of a dependency we can call ‘chemistry,’” the Pope said Nov. 24.
It’s certain, he said, that drugs consist “of a new form of slavery, like many others that plague man today and society in general.”
Thursday, November 24, 2016
The famous descendants of the Mayflower pilgrims
The Famous Descendants of the Mayflower Pilgrims | ncregister.comCRAUGHWELL: One month into the voyage of the Mayflower, John Howland, an indentured servant from Huntingtonshire, could bear the smells and the damp and the darkness below deck no more. He went upstairs for some air.
A violent gale was blowing, and Howland had no experience trying to walk across the deck of a heaving ship. The Mayflower lurched leeward, and Howland was tossed to ship’s rail. He failed to get a good grip, and tumbled into the sea. Fortunately, a rope from topsail halyard, the ship’s upper sail, was dragging in the water.
A violent gale was blowing, and Howland had no experience trying to walk across the deck of a heaving ship. The Mayflower lurched leeward, and Howland was tossed to ship’s rail. He failed to get a good grip, and tumbled into the sea. Fortunately, a rope from topsail halyard, the ship’s upper sail, was dragging in the water.
‘A Man for All Seasons’ is a magnificent religious film—perhaps the best ever...
On our Need for the Real Thomas More | George Weigel | First ThingsWEIGEL: Next month marks the fiftieth anniversary of the film A Man for All Seasons. And if it’s impossible to imagine such a picture on such a theme winning Oscars today, then let’s be grateful that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences got it right by giving Fred Zinnemann’s splendid movie six of its awards in 1967—when, reputedly, Audrey Hepburn lifted her eyes to heaven before announcing with obvious pleasure that this cinematic celebration of the witness and martyrdom of Sir Thomas More had beaten The Sand Pebbles, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Alfie, and The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming for Best Picture.
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
U.S. abortion rate falls to lowest level since before Roe v. Wade
U.S. abortion rate falls to lowest level in decades - CBS News: The number and rate of abortions tallied by federal authorities have fallen to their lowest level in decades, according to new data released Wednesday.
The latest annual report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, incorporating data from 47 states, said the abortion rate for 2013 was 12.5 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years. That is down 5 percent from 2012, and is half the rate of 25 recorded in 1980.
The latest annual report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, incorporating data from 47 states, said the abortion rate for 2013 was 12.5 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years. That is down 5 percent from 2012, and is half the rate of 25 recorded in 1980.
The real Jesus of Scripture might surprise you
The Real Jesus of Scripture Might Surprise You - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: If we could travel back in time to A.D. 30 and meet the Lord Jesus as He carried forth His public ministry, we might be quite surprised by what we saw. I say this because many of us are heirs to a rather filtered description of Him that is both Western and modern.
Most picture Jesus as fair-skinned and slender, with long, straight hair and a gentle beard. This physical reimagining of Him began rather early, gathered steam during the Renaissance, and has come to our day. I will not dwell here on His physical traits in this post, as I have written in detail on them elsewhere: What Did Jesus Look Like?.
Most picture Jesus as fair-skinned and slender, with long, straight hair and a gentle beard. This physical reimagining of Him began rather early, gathered steam during the Renaissance, and has come to our day. I will not dwell here on His physical traits in this post, as I have written in detail on them elsewhere: What Did Jesus Look Like?.
How airplanes are designed to feel bigger on the inside
New Advent: How airplanes are designed to feel bigger on the inside: Ever wonder why some airplanes feel big on the inside when they're actually small? Engineers use some special tricks to make that happen.
OK Go's wild new video was filmed in 4.2 seconds
New Advent: OK Go's newest video was filmed in 4.2 seconds: OK Go (and Morton Salt) present ‘The One Moment’
Disney's ‘Moana’ features exuberant songs and spectacular animation, but not without a few drawbacks
SDG Reviews ‘Moana’ | ncregister.comGREYDANUS: It would be going too far to say that Moana combines everything I enjoy about contemporary Disney with everything I dislike, but it’s got quite a bit of both.
On the plus side, the filmmakers have drawn inspiration from a new cultural setting, indigenous Polynesian culture and mythology: a move crucial to the success of Lilo & Stitch and The Princess and the Frog, which also featured brown-skinned heroines.
The soundtrack, featuring music from Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, Samoan artist Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina, is infectious, with a lyrical wit not seen since the days of Howard Ashman (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin). Hamilton fans will easily recognize Miranda’s touch on numbers like You’re Welcome and Shiny.
On the plus side, the filmmakers have drawn inspiration from a new cultural setting, indigenous Polynesian culture and mythology: a move crucial to the success of Lilo & Stitch and The Princess and the Frog, which also featured brown-skinned heroines.
The soundtrack, featuring music from Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, Samoan artist Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina, is infectious, with a lyrical wit not seen since the days of Howard Ashman (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin). Hamilton fans will easily recognize Miranda’s touch on numbers like You’re Welcome and Shiny.
Counting my many blessings in the year of cancer
Counting My Many Blessings in the Year of Cancer.HAMILTON: Today is Thanksgiving Eve. It’s time to count our blessings and pause in gratitude.
I look back over the past year on this Thanksgiving eve and I am grateful that I was born an American. I am grateful that God placed me in the adoring hands of two parents who never placed limits on me because I was female, who didn’t try to form me into a half-person who knew her “place” at the back of the bus.
I am grateful for my grandmother who was a Pentecostal Holiness preacher. She was a “church planter” who started and succored into success churches throughout a multi-state area and who had a huge following for her weekly radio sermons. She gave me a vision of God as Father to all His children, including the female half of the people He made.
I look back over the past year on this Thanksgiving eve and I am grateful that I was born an American. I am grateful that God placed me in the adoring hands of two parents who never placed limits on me because I was female, who didn’t try to form me into a half-person who knew her “place” at the back of the bus.
I am grateful for my grandmother who was a Pentecostal Holiness preacher. She was a “church planter” who started and succored into success churches throughout a multi-state area and who had a huge following for her weekly radio sermons. She gave me a vision of God as Father to all His children, including the female half of the people He made.
Krauthammer on Fox: Someday, we'll thank the Church for its pro-life position
Krauthammer on Fox: One Day We'll Thank the Church for Its Pro-Life Position | ChurchPOP: Political commentator Charles Krauthammer said something unusual on Fox News recently: that we’ll all eventually thank the Catholic Church for its steadfast principled stand against abortion.
“I think he’s done something wonder,” Krauthammer said (you can watch the video below) regarding Pope Francis’ recent decision to indefinitely give all priest the power to forgive the sin of abortion (rather than only bishops). “All that the Pope is doing is extending that delegation of power a little bit lower down as a way to make it easier. I think it really is an act of mercy, and it shows the lack of vindictiveness of the Church imposing its will.
“I think he’s done something wonder,” Krauthammer said (you can watch the video below) regarding Pope Francis’ recent decision to indefinitely give all priest the power to forgive the sin of abortion (rather than only bishops). “All that the Pope is doing is extending that delegation of power a little bit lower down as a way to make it easier. I think it really is an act of mercy, and it shows the lack of vindictiveness of the Church imposing its will.
The transgender movement is especially dangerous for boys
The Transgender Movement Is Especially Dangerous for Boys - Those Catholic Men, Inc.CRAIG: It is a bit ironic that the “bathroom wars” began in Charlotte, NC, my home state. While we war over whether or not a man is a man, or just seems that way, North Carolina’s motto remains engraved in stones around the state: “Esse quam videri”, which is Latin for “to be, rather than to seem”.
Like I said – ironic.
Of course, I think both sides of the argument could use the motto to their liking.
But there is a more interesting note about the transgender issues of today: how often it is a matter of male identity – i.e. men wanting to become women. While of course the data can be confusing, estimates put the desire for males to become female as nearly three times as prevalent as females wanting to be males.
Like I said – ironic.
Of course, I think both sides of the argument could use the motto to their liking.
But there is a more interesting note about the transgender issues of today: how often it is a matter of male identity – i.e. men wanting to become women. While of course the data can be confusing, estimates put the desire for males to become female as nearly three times as prevalent as females wanting to be males.
When it comes to Pope Francis, is it time to turn the corner?
When it comes to Pope Francis, is it time to turn the corner? | Catholic CultureMIRUS: CatholicCulture.org has tried to be both accurate and forthright in reporting and commenting on the words and actions of Pope Francis. We have tried to treat Francis as sons; to give Francis the benefit of every doubt; to recognize the complexity of the issues he addresses; to acknowledge the possibility of differences among Catholics of good will; and to interpret his remarks, ideas and initiatives in the best possible light. But we have also been forced to admit the Pope’s shortcomings, and in particular the confusion he causes when the faithful compare what the Church has always asked of them with what Pope Francis asks of them.
Here's the trailer for Martin Scorsese's ‘Silence’
New Advent: Here's the trailer for Martin Scorsese's ‘Silence’: Martin Scorsese’s 'Silence' tells the story of two Christian missionaries (Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver) who face the ultimate test of faith when they travel to Japan in search of their missing mentor (Liam Neeson) – at a time when Christianity was outlawed and their presence forbidden. The celebrated director's 28-year journey to bring Shusaku Endo’s 1966 acclaimed novel to life will be in theaters this Christmas.
How to use a chronograph and tachymeter on a wristwatch
How to Use a Chronograph and Tachymeter on a Wristwatch | The Art of Manliness: In our guide to men’s wristwatches, we discussed “complications” — the various extra features on a watch that go beyond just telling time. Two of the complications that you’ll often see on racing or pilot watches are a chronograph and a tachymeter.
They certainly make your watch look cool, but they’re not just for looks. Learning how these two watch complications work together can turn your watch into a pretty nifty measuring tool.
If you’ve been mystified by all the dials of your chronograph watch and have no idea what those tachymeter numbers around its bezel mean, then keep reading. We explain it all below.
They certainly make your watch look cool, but they’re not just for looks. Learning how these two watch complications work together can turn your watch into a pretty nifty measuring tool.
If you’ve been mystified by all the dials of your chronograph watch and have no idea what those tachymeter numbers around its bezel mean, then keep reading. We explain it all below.
U.S. bishops give thumbs up to the cause of former slave Julia Greeley
Denver’s ‘Angel of Charity’ on road to sainthood - Denver Catholic: A freed slave, a servant, and perhaps one day a saint – Julia Greeley was not your average Denverite, according to her biographer, Capuchin Friar Father Blaine Burkey.
“People have been saying ever since she died that she ought to be canonized,” he told the Denver Catholic.
On Dec. 18, Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila will preside over a special Mass opening the cause for the canonization of Julia Greeley, a woman who lived in Denver at the turn of the century and garnered a reputation for serving the poor, marginalized and struggling within the city, earning her the moniker “Angel of Charity.” She was known for hauling food, clothes and other charitable goods around in a red wagon and handing them out to those in need.
“People have been saying ever since she died that she ought to be canonized,” he told the Denver Catholic.
On Dec. 18, Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila will preside over a special Mass opening the cause for the canonization of Julia Greeley, a woman who lived in Denver at the turn of the century and garnered a reputation for serving the poor, marginalized and struggling within the city, earning her the moniker “Angel of Charity.” She was known for hauling food, clothes and other charitable goods around in a red wagon and handing them out to those in need.
Recording the ‘Requiem’ that never rests
Recording the ‘Requiem’ That Never Rests | ncregister.comBEATTIE: Although “requiem” means “rest” in Latin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Requiem does not seem to get much repose. It has been performed numerous times throughout the years, including at the funerals or memorials of other famous composers. Additionally, a number of new versions of the work have been produced since 1970.
The original “Süssmayr version” was recorded at St. John Cantius Church in Chicago earlier this year. The lively depiction of the last chapters in the drama of salvation (death, judgment, heaven and hell) are presented by the St. Cecilia Choir and an orchestra comprised largely of musicians from Lyric Opera of Chicago.
The original “Süssmayr version” was recorded at St. John Cantius Church in Chicago earlier this year. The lively depiction of the last chapters in the drama of salvation (death, judgment, heaven and hell) are presented by the St. Cecilia Choir and an orchestra comprised largely of musicians from Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Pope's Wednesday Audience: ‘Doubts vanish’ when the faith is learned and lived
Pope Francis: we all have doubts, but living the faith helps :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): While the Jubilee might be over, Pope Francis hasn’t stopped talking about mercy, telling faithful Wednesday that the works of mercy of counseling the doubtful and instructing the ignorant, are rooted in a deep faith, and are things we can do every day.
“In certain moments doubts come to everyone! Doubts that touch the faith, in a positive sense, are a sign that we want to know God, Jesus, and the mystery of his love for us better and more deeply,” the Pope said Nov. 23.
Because of this, he said it’s good to ask ourselves questions about the faith, because they push us to deepen in it.
“In certain moments doubts come to everyone! Doubts that touch the faith, in a positive sense, are a sign that we want to know God, Jesus, and the mystery of his love for us better and more deeply,” the Pope said Nov. 23.
Because of this, he said it’s good to ask ourselves questions about the faith, because they push us to deepen in it.
Scottish archdiocese releases ‘Sindr’ app to help penitents find confessors
Catholic Church’s ‘Sindr’ app for those with an urgent confession�: Now, for those with a burning need to unburden themselves, one Catholic archdiocese has launched what is thought to be the world’s first interactive GPS-powered “confession finder”.
Why should you remain Catholic when the Church doesn't seem to believe her own message?
ASK FATHER: Why should I remain Catholic when the Church doesn’t seem to believe her own message? | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: We are living in very strange times, in which many things seem upside down. �The Enemy can take advantage of our disorientation to urge us in directions which, in more stable days, we would never consider.
Does anyone here really think that the Devil is not roaming the earth like a roaring lion seeking whom he might devour? �I firmly believe that. �It is the sole goal of the Enemy to steel souls from heaven so that God will have just that much less glory, that there will be just that much less joy. �Therefore, the Enemy will target the Church that Christ founded, through whose mediation every soul is saved.
Never underestimate the savagely cruel, relentlessly clever work of the Enemy of our souls. �When I signed up, when I became a Catholic, I committed to what I was in for… though you never really know what you are in for, until you are actually in it.
Does anyone here really think that the Devil is not roaming the earth like a roaring lion seeking whom he might devour? �I firmly believe that. �It is the sole goal of the Enemy to steel souls from heaven so that God will have just that much less glory, that there will be just that much less joy. �Therefore, the Enemy will target the Church that Christ founded, through whose mediation every soul is saved.
Never underestimate the savagely cruel, relentlessly clever work of the Enemy of our souls. �When I signed up, when I became a Catholic, I committed to what I was in for… though you never really know what you are in for, until you are actually in it.
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Why we should address Jesus as “Thou”
Why We Should Address Jesus as Thou | Word On FireBARRON: On the final morning of the November meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, we were treated to a fine sermon by Archbishop J. Peter Sartain. The leader of the church in Seattle spent a good deal of time discussing Pier Giorgio Frassati, a saint from the early twentieth century to whom he and I both have a strong devotion. But what particularly struck me in his homily was a reference to the great St. Catherine of Siena. One of the most remarkable things about that remarkable woman was the intimacy which she regularly experienced with Mary, the saints, and the Lord Jesus himself. Archbishop Sartain relayed a story reported by Catherine’s spiritual director, Raymond of Capua. According to Raymond, Catherine would often recite the office while walking along a cloister in the company of Jesus, mystically visible to the saint. When she came to the conclusion of a psalm, she would, according to liturgical custom, speak the words of the Glory Be, but her version was as follows, “Glory be to the Father, and to Thee, and to the Holy Ghost!” For her, Christ was not a distant figure, and prayer was not an abstract exercise. Rather, the Lord was at her side, and prayer was conversation between friends.
If Kennedy, Lewis and Huxley walked into a bar...
If Kennedy, Lewis and Huxley Walked Into a Bar…. – Seasons of GraceSCHIFFER: Peter Kreeft, in his 1982 book Between Heaven and Hell, imagined a conversation among the three men when they found themselves together at the gates of heaven. In Kreeft’s book, the newly dead John F. Kennedy, Aldous Huxley, and C.S. Lewis engage in what might be called a modern-day Socratic dialogue. They ask themselves and one another important questions: Does human life have meaning? Who was Jesus? And what does He mean to us today?
We need to ask ourselves these questions, too. So many people seem to plod along, asking themselves only whether they should buy the sportscar or the family van, the cheeseburger or the salad plate.
We need to ask ourselves these questions, too. So many people seem to plod along, asking themselves only whether they should buy the sportscar or the family van, the cheeseburger or the salad plate.
5 ways to find peace in the midst of chaos
5 Ways to find peace in the midst of chaos - Spotlight - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.orgNOBLE: I don’t know about you but I’ve reached my limit over the past weeks with social media. The amount of hate, fear-mongering, shouting down, stereotyping, passive aggressiveness, and mocking I have seen in just a couple weeks has been enough to put me off logging into Facebook and Twitter for months to come.
As I search for peace in a world that has become highly divisive and loud, I am pretty sure there are others out there who are doing the same. So, I thought I would share with you some of the things I have come up with.
As I search for peace in a world that has become highly divisive and loud, I am pretty sure there are others out there who are doing the same. So, I thought I would share with you some of the things I have come up with.
The Everlasting Caesar: Why there will not be a “post-secular future”
The Everlasting Caesar: Why There Will Not Be a "Post-Secular Future" - The Imaginative ConservativePEARCE: Christ is uttering a timeless and therefore timely truth when he tells us to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and unto God that which is God’s. Since secularism demands that we render unto Caesar that which is God’s it has to be resisted. This is easy to fathom and easy to understand. We need to remember, however, that Caesar comes in many shapes and sizes, and in many political guises, on the so-called left and on the so-called right.
How to understand the mix of metaphors, similes and symbols surrounding our Lord
Simcha Fisher: thank God for refusing to be nailed downFISHER: As a compulsive reader, I’ll forgive a mixed metaphor or two, if the material is interesting enough. You’re taking arms against a sea of troubles? Sure, why not. You protest that the proposed budget is “just ham-fisted salami-slicing by the bean counters”? I’m still with you, if only because I like ham and beans. You wish me to understand that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and simultaneously the lamb who was slain, who is a door and also a key who is the light of the world, while being a cornerstone who is the Word, who was with God, who is God, and servant, and king, and a new Adam, and a bridegroom?
The easiest way to start a jet engine? Have a jet engine running already...
How to Start a Jet Engine: Whether you are starting a sleek and stealthy F-22 Raptor or a 787 Dreamliner, the first main step to getting in the air is the same: You've got to get your engines going. But this isn't a car. It's not as easy as just turning the ignition. Nor is it some old-fashioned prop plane you can start up with your hands. A modern day jet engine is a little more complicated, and the key to getting started is a bit circular; you've got to have an engine running already.
C.S. Lewis, great Christian apologist, died on November 22, 1963
Memory eternal, C.S. Lewis: Another story on Nov. 22 that might be worth some ink — GetReligion: Here in the United States of America, Nov. 22 will always mean one thing on the news calendar. That's especially true in Texas and for folks like me who are natives of Dallas.
As you would expect, there was some mainstream coverage of the fact that today is the 53rd anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I expect some second-day coverage of events linked to the anniversary, as well.
As you would expect, there was some mainstream coverage of the fact that today is the 53rd anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. I expect some second-day coverage of events linked to the anniversary, as well.
Cardinal Cupich is mistaken: Synod Fathers did reject Communion for remarried divorcees
Cardinal Cupich is Mistaken: Synod Fathers Did Reject Communion for Remarried Divorcees | ncregister.comPENTIN: Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago fielded about half a dozen questions from reporters after Pope Francis elevated him to the College of Cardinals on Saturday.
A question I asked him was about the Dubia, the five doubts about Amoris Laetitia that four cardinals have sent to the Pope to ascertain whether some of the most controversial passages are consistent with Church teaching.
Although the Dubia questions ask for a simple “yes” or “no” answer on whether previous magisterial teachings, particularly of Pope St. John Paul II, are still valid in light of these passages, the Holy Father has decided not to respond, nor requested to meet the cardinals to specifically discuss their concerns.
A question I asked him was about the Dubia, the five doubts about Amoris Laetitia that four cardinals have sent to the Pope to ascertain whether some of the most controversial passages are consistent with Church teaching.
Although the Dubia questions ask for a simple “yes” or “no” answer on whether previous magisterial teachings, particularly of Pope St. John Paul II, are still valid in light of these passages, the Holy Father has decided not to respond, nor requested to meet the cardinals to specifically discuss their concerns.
Aldous Huxley, author of ‘Brave New World’, died on November 22, 1963
New Advent: Aldous Huxley, author of ‘Brave New World’, died on November 22, 1963: Huxley died after a long bout with cancer — only a few minutes apart from the deaths of C.S. Lewis and John F. Kennedy.
NYTimes Magazine profile of Martin Scorsese, and a look ahead at ‘Silence’
The Passion of Martin Scorsese - The New York Times: A man was on a train in Japan, reading a novel set in Japan. The train slid past the mountains, bound for Kyoto, where the man, bearded, bright-eyed, was headed. The year was 1989. The train was a bullet train.
John F. Kennedy, President of the United States, died on November 22, 1963
New Advent: President John F. Kennedy died on November 22, 1963: This video footage from the late morning and early afternoon of Nov. 22 1963 was taped live from CBS.
Vatican announces Marian themes for World Youth Day 2017 and beyond
After Krakow, Mary at heart of next World Youth Day gathering :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): On Tuesday the Vatican announced the themes for the next three World Youth Day encounters, which are focused on Mary and form the basis of a spiritual journey culminating in the next global encounter in Panama in 2019.
A Nov. 22 Vatican communique revealed that the themes for 2017 and 2018 diocesan-level events as well as the international gathering in 2019 will all be taken from Chapter 1 of the Gospel of Luke, centering on Mary in the scene of the Annunciation and her Magnificat, spoken after her cousin Elizabeth’s declaration that “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”
A Nov. 22 Vatican communique revealed that the themes for 2017 and 2018 diocesan-level events as well as the international gathering in 2019 will all be taken from Chapter 1 of the Gospel of Luke, centering on Mary in the scene of the Annunciation and her Magnificat, spoken after her cousin Elizabeth’s declaration that “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”
Monday, November 21, 2016
Spanish judge thinks stealing, desecreting hosts (“small, white, round objects”) is no big deal
Spanish Judge Thinks Stealing, Desecrating Hosts Is No Big Deal | ncregister.comSCHIFFER: A Spanish judge has ruled that a performance artist who stole more than 240 consecrated hosts, then turned them into anti-Catholic “art,” has done nothing wrong.
Judge Fermin Otamendi, a judge of the Pamplona Second District Court of Discovery, closed the case, claiming that there had been no desecration of the sacred hosts because desecration is “treating something sacred without due respect or using it for profane purposes.” He added that
Judge Fermin Otamendi, a judge of the Pamplona Second District Court of Discovery, closed the case, claiming that there had been no desecration of the sacred hosts because desecration is “treating something sacred without due respect or using it for profane purposes.” He added that
France bans Down syndrome video because happy children “disturb the conscience of women” who had aborted
C_E_N_S_O_R_E_D: video "Dear Future Mom" | The Huffington Post: Last week another big step was taken towards the mass persecution of children with Down syndrome. On November 10th, the French ‘State Counsel’ rejected an appeal made by people with Down syndrome, their families and allies to lift the ban on broadcasting the award winning “Dear Future Mom” video on French television. The ban was previously imposed by the French Broadcasting Counsel. Kids who are unjustly described as a ‘risk’ before they are born, are now wrongfully portrayed as a ‘risk’ after birth too.
Technology and the language of bodily presence
Technology and the Language of Bodily Presence – PrinciplesWILSON: Though purveyors of modern technology boast of connecting the world like never before, human beings, paradoxically, are finding themselves in a state of near-pathological disconnection from one another. Why are our young people struggling to converse, concentrate, and create when they have been equipped with state-of-the-art tools designed to stimulate them socially as well as intellectually? A common denominator of modern developments in technology is that the human body itself is playing an ever-diminishing role in human relationships. From the telephone and voicemail, all the way to email and texting, our culture has been gradually retreating from actual physical encounter in daily interaction in favor of more and more disembodied modes of communication between persons.
Mother Teresa's 15 tips to help you become more humble
Mother Teresa's 15 Tips to Help You Become More Humble | ncregister.comARMSTRONG: Good self-esteem is confidence in one's worth or abilities. Think about Mother Teresa. That little nun had good self-esteem. She even dared to speak against abortion at the National Prayer Breakfast in 1993 before her invited hosts President Bill Clinton, and Vice President Al Gore, and their spouses. That’s guts. That’s self-confidence. And that’s humility.
All the saints understood that humility is the way to nail down a good self-esteem by depending on God rather than oneself. It’s the understanding that everything comes from God and that God is everything.
Mother Teresa called humility the mother of all virtues. She said: “If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a pedestal.”
All the saints understood that humility is the way to nail down a good self-esteem by depending on God rather than oneself. It’s the understanding that everything comes from God and that God is everything.
Mother Teresa called humility the mother of all virtues. She said: “If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a pedestal.”
The Presentation of Mary: All the House of Israel loved her
The Presentation of Mary: All the House of Israel Loved Her | ncregister.comSTAGNARO: The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the holidays that seems to get lost in all of the Thanksgiving and Christmas preparations every year. But, despite it not being as flashy of other beloved Marian holidays such as the Annunciation or the Assumption, it behooves a Christian to pause at this time every year to consider what this feast means.
This feast is one of a series of three Marian feasts that mirror those of Christ―her birthday (September 8), a celebration of her Holy Name (September 12) and her presentation in the Temple (November 21). The Christian will note that these are the three holidays in which we celebrate the major milestones of Christ's infancy as well. (i.e., Christmas (December 25), the Holy Name of Jesus (January 3) and His Presentation at the Temple (February 2).
This feast is one of a series of three Marian feasts that mirror those of Christ―her birthday (September 8), a celebration of her Holy Name (September 12) and her presentation in the Temple (November 21). The Christian will note that these are the three holidays in which we celebrate the major milestones of Christ's infancy as well. (i.e., Christmas (December 25), the Holy Name of Jesus (January 3) and His Presentation at the Temple (February 2).
This priest and his Muslim friend might be the best commercial of the holidays
This Priest and his Muslim friend might be the best commercial of the holidays – EpicPew: This is such a heartwarming commercial by Amazon. And it reminds me of what the document from Vatican II, Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, Nostra Aetate. It says: The Church, therefore, exhorts her sons, that through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions, carried out with prudence and love and in witness to the Christian faith and life, they recognize, preserve and promote the good things, spiritual and moral, as well as the socio-cultural values found among these men.
Under Caesar's Sword: Building solidarity with persecuted Christians around the world...
Under Caesar's Sword // University of Notre Dame: “Everyone agrees that we’re seeing religious cleansing, ethnic cleansing on a massive scale.”
Put not your trust in princes (or in princesses)
Put Not Your Trust in Princes—or in Princesses | Catholic AnswersKEATING: Speaking in Fulton, Missouri, seventy years ago, Winston Churchill famously said, “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron curtain has descended across the Continent.” Three paragraphs later he referred to the dangers arising from Communism and its fifth columns, which “constitute a growing challenge and peril to Christian civilization.”
Churchill was not a Christian—while he in believed in Providence, he did not think Jesus was the Son of God—but still, at that late date, could refer, not inaccurately, to “Christian civilization.” We, living a lifetime later, also can use the term, but no longer in the present tense.
Not that the term fully applied when Churchill spoke, but in 1946 most Americans and most Europeans, even those coming under Communist subjugation, considered themselves and their societies (no matter how battered by war) to be Christian, at least in some sense. That is a view that ceased to be tenable years ago. No one not engaged in wishful thinking can talk that way today. We live in a society that is inhabited by many Christians, but it is no longer a Christian society.
Churchill was not a Christian—while he in believed in Providence, he did not think Jesus was the Son of God—but still, at that late date, could refer, not inaccurately, to “Christian civilization.” We, living a lifetime later, also can use the term, but no longer in the present tense.
Not that the term fully applied when Churchill spoke, but in 1946 most Americans and most Europeans, even those coming under Communist subjugation, considered themselves and their societies (no matter how battered by war) to be Christian, at least in some sense. That is a view that ceased to be tenable years ago. No one not engaged in wishful thinking can talk that way today. We live in a society that is inhabited by many Christians, but it is no longer a Christian society.
The miraculous story of the forgotten Catholic hero of the first Thanksgiving
The Miraculous Story of the Forgotten Catholic Hero of the First Thanksgiving | ChurchPOPMILLEGAN: Most people know the basic story of the first Thanksgiving: the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth rock, the Native Americans helped them grow food, and they all gathered together in a feast of thanksgiving.
But what most tellings of the story leave out is the crucial role played by Squanto, the English-speaking Catholic Native American hero.
Wait, what? Why was there an English-speaking Catholic Native American near Plymouth when the Pilgrims landed? Here’s the amazing story.
But what most tellings of the story leave out is the crucial role played by Squanto, the English-speaking Catholic Native American hero.
Wait, what? Why was there an English-speaking Catholic Native American near Plymouth when the Pilgrims landed? Here’s the amazing story.
Polish bishops and President Andrzei Duda declare Christ King of Poland
Polish Bishops and President Duda Declare Christ King of Poland: In a ceremony at the Church of Divine Mercy in Krakow, Poland on Saturday, the Catholic Bishops of Poland in the presence of President Andrzei Duda and many Catholic pilgrims, officially recognized Jesus Christ as the King of Poland and called upon Him to rule over their nation, its people and their political leaders.
"Immortal King of Ages Lord Jesus Christ, our God and Savior," they declared at the ceremony, "bowing our heads before You, King of the Universe, we acknowledge Thy dominion over Poland, those living in our homeland and throughout the world. Wishing to worship the majesty of Thy power and glory, with great faith and love, we cry out: Rule us, Christ!"
As reported by Fr. Paul McDonald in Rorate Caeli and at Radio Maryja, the enthronement or recognition of Christ as King of Poland "was done in the official presence of the president of Poland [Andrzei Duda]" on Nov. 19 and was repeated at many Polish cathedrals and parishes on Sunday, Nov. 20.
"Immortal King of Ages Lord Jesus Christ, our God and Savior," they declared at the ceremony, "bowing our heads before You, King of the Universe, we acknowledge Thy dominion over Poland, those living in our homeland and throughout the world. Wishing to worship the majesty of Thy power and glory, with great faith and love, we cry out: Rule us, Christ!"
As reported by Fr. Paul McDonald in Rorate Caeli and at Radio Maryja, the enthronement or recognition of Christ as King of Poland "was done in the official presence of the president of Poland [Andrzei Duda]" on Nov. 19 and was repeated at many Polish cathedrals and parishes on Sunday, Nov. 20.
Georgetown University hosts event to discuss “injustices” of legal barriers to abortion
Georgetown Hosts Slew of Abortion Advocates to Discuss 'Reproductive Injustices' - Cardinal Newman SocietyCASSANDRA: Just eight months after being chastised by the Archdiocese of Washington for lacking an “environment of morality, ethics and human decency” on campus, Georgetown University proudly hosted a day-long symposium on Veterans Day featuring a dozen abortion advocates discussing the “injustices” of legal barriers to abortion.
There are few evils in the world today as heinous as abortion — the direct killing of an innocent human baby in the womb who was made in the image and likeness of God. And there’s no debating where the Catholic Church stands on the subject. The Church teaches that abortion is “gravely contrary to the moral law,” and formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. One can even be excommunicated from the Church for procuring an abortion.
There are few evils in the world today as heinous as abortion — the direct killing of an innocent human baby in the womb who was made in the image and likeness of God. And there’s no debating where the Catholic Church stands on the subject. The Church teaches that abortion is “gravely contrary to the moral law,” and formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. One can even be excommunicated from the Church for procuring an abortion.
On the benefit of beards
On the Benefits of Beards - The Imaginative ConservativeLONGENECKER: This month there is a campaign called “No Shave November” in which men are encouraged to grow facial hair. This is to raise awareness of prostate cancer. No doubt this is a worthy cause, but my friends at Barbatus Catholic Beard Balm are amplifying the worthy cause with a parallel campaign called “The Nazarite Challenge.”
The Nazarite vow was a temporary religious commitment adopted by Jewish men. John the Baptist took the Nazarite vow, and many scholars think Jesus Christ also took the vow. Those who took the vow committed themselves to baptism, purity, prayer… and not shaving. For some reason they believed that holiness is next to hairiness. It’s an intriguing idea and one that ought to prompt more prayer and self-discipline. It also prompts some thought on the benefits of beards.
The Nazarite vow was a temporary religious commitment adopted by Jewish men. John the Baptist took the Nazarite vow, and many scholars think Jesus Christ also took the vow. Those who took the vow committed themselves to baptism, purity, prayer… and not shaving. For some reason they believed that holiness is next to hairiness. It’s an intriguing idea and one that ought to prompt more prayer and self-discipline. It also prompts some thought on the benefits of beards.
The profit to be gained from praying for the holy souls in Purgatory
The Profit to Be Gained from Praying for Holy Souls - Crisis MagazineTURLEY: Sometimes you hear stories too good to be true.
This was just such a story. It returned to my mind this month as it involves a spiritual work of mercy—praying for the dead. Indeed, as I was to discover, the reported tale was even better than I had been told.
We all know what we should do. Like the Maccabee warriors surveying the battlefield, we know we should pray for the dead. The month of November is a time set aside by the Church for a more intense living of this practice. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting Lumen Gentium, reminds us
This was just such a story. It returned to my mind this month as it involves a spiritual work of mercy—praying for the dead. Indeed, as I was to discover, the reported tale was even better than I had been told.
We all know what we should do. Like the Maccabee warriors surveying the battlefield, we know we should pray for the dead. The month of November is a time set aside by the Church for a more intense living of this practice. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting Lumen Gentium, reminds us
7 of the coolest bridges in the United States
7 of the Coolest Bridges in the United States: There are hundreds upon hundreds of bridges in the wide expanse of the United States, and among them some are the oldest, the highest, the longest. But some of the nation's coolest, most impressive bridges don't fit cleanly into a collection of your typical superlatives. Like the world's longest floating bridge, one of the most time-tested construction projects ever, and other wonders of modern engineering.
So here are seven bridges that may not be the longest, or the oldest, or the most expensive. But what they are is dang cool.
So here are seven bridges that may not be the longest, or the oldest, or the most expensive. But what they are is dang cool.
‘Misericordia et Misera’: Pope creates ‘World Day of the Poor’; extends faculties regarding SSPX, abortion
Full Text of Pope Francis' Apostolic Letter on Mercy | ncregister.comPENTIN: In an apostolic letter marking the end of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis has extended indefinitely both the faculty of priests to absolve the sin of abortion and the validity of the Sacrament of Penance for the Society of St. Pius X. Both changes had initially been limited to the Holy Year of Mercy.
The letter, entitled Misericordia et misera [mercy with misery], is aimed at continuing the commitment to sharing the merciful love of God beyond the Holy Year of Mercy that has just concluded.
The letter, entitled Misericordia et misera [mercy with misery], is aimed at continuing the commitment to sharing the merciful love of God beyond the Holy Year of Mercy that has just concluded.
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Your echo chamber is destroying democracy
Your Echo Chamber is Destroying Democracy | WIRED: On November 7, 2016, the day before the US election, I compared the number of social media followers, website performance, and Google search statistics of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. �I was shocked when the data revealed the extent of Trump’s popularity. He had more followers across all social platforms and his posts had much higher engagement rates. �I noticed that the second most popular article shared on social media in the last six months with words “Donald Trump” in the headline,� “Why I’m Voting For Donald Trump”, had been shared 1.5 million times. Yet that story never made it into my Facebook newsfeed. I asked many of my liberal New York friends, and they all said they never seen it.
King of Thieves and King of the Universe: A homily for the Solemnity of Christ the King
King of Thieves and King of the Universe – A Homily for the Solemnity of Christ the King - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The thief who asked Jesus to remember him manifested repentance, faith, and a kind of baptism of desire. In so doing, he moved into the victor’s column. Jesus’s words, Today you shall be with me in paradise, indicate a dramatic shift in the thief’s fortunes.
�
To be with Jesus—wherever He is—is paradise and victory. Soon enough, the heavens will be opened, but the victory is now and paradise begins now.
�
Thus the good thief claims the victory through his choice for Jesus Christ. Will you have the victory? That depends on whether you choose the prince of this world or the King of the Universe, Jesus. Some think that they can tread some middle path, choosing neither Jesus nor Satan. But if you do that, you’ve actually chosen the prince of this world, who loves compromise.
�
To be with Jesus—wherever He is—is paradise and victory. Soon enough, the heavens will be opened, but the victory is now and paradise begins now.
�
Thus the good thief claims the victory through his choice for Jesus Christ. Will you have the victory? That depends on whether you choose the prince of this world or the King of the Universe, Jesus. Some think that they can tread some middle path, choosing neither Jesus nor Satan. But if you do that, you’ve actually chosen the prince of this world, who loves compromise.
Saturday Night Live has finally found a way to mercilessly skewer clueless liberals
S.N.L. Has Finally Found a Way to Mercilessly Skewer Clueless Liberals | Vanity Fair: After several months of laughing at Saturday Night Live’s coverage of the 2016 presidential election, liberals are finding themselves the butt of the joke.
Leading up to election day, S.N.L. took the opportunity to nail a number of political players. Alec Baldwin had a take on Donald Trump so popular and cartoonish that it got under the president-elect’s own skin. Likewise, most of the show’s best work—“Racists for Trump,” “Black Jeopardy!,” “A Day Off,” or “Melanianade”—critiqued the right side of the aisle. While Kate McKinnon’s Hillary Clinton is flawed, she was also, ultimately, always sympathetic in the face of Baldwin’s Trump. It’s the same reason “Weekend Update”’s clumsy attempts at even-handedness always fell flat: you just couldn’t reasonably compare Clinton to Trump.
Leading up to election day, S.N.L. took the opportunity to nail a number of political players. Alec Baldwin had a take on Donald Trump so popular and cartoonish that it got under the president-elect’s own skin. Likewise, most of the show’s best work—“Racists for Trump,” “Black Jeopardy!,” “A Day Off,” or “Melanianade”—critiqued the right side of the aisle. While Kate McKinnon’s Hillary Clinton is flawed, she was also, ultimately, always sympathetic in the face of Baldwin’s Trump. It’s the same reason “Weekend Update”’s clumsy attempts at even-handedness always fell flat: you just couldn’t reasonably compare Clinton to Trump.
"King of the Universe": 6 truths about Jesus that confound the world
"King of the Universe": 6 Truths About Jesus that Confound the World | ChurchPOP: The full name for the Feast of Christ the King is “Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.” What a name!
One thing that is striking about it is how strange it sounds to modern ears. He’s the “King”? And “of the Universe”?
But that shouldn’t surprise us. As Scripture says, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1 Cor 1.27)
Here are 6 truths illuminated by the fact that Christ is the King of universe that the world just can’t understand
One thing that is striking about it is how strange it sounds to modern ears. He’s the “King”? And “of the Universe”?
But that shouldn’t surprise us. As Scripture says, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1 Cor 1.27)
Here are 6 truths illuminated by the fact that Christ is the King of universe that the world just can’t understand
The Jubilee is closed, but ‘the true door of mercy always remains wide open’
Whispers in the Loggia: The Jubilee Is Closed, But "The True Door of Mercy Always Remains Wide Open"PALMO: After 20 million pilgrims crossed its threshold at the Vatican – and tens of millions more engaged the observance across the globe – at 10am on this Roman Sunday, the Pope closed the Holy Door of St Peter’s, ending this Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. To mark the moment, Francis is taking to several forums to chart the path ahead from the Jubilee. Having given a major interview in print to the Italian bishops’ daily Avvenire on Friday, a 40 minute on-air chat is scheduled to air tonight on the Italian church’s broadcast outlet, TV2000.
Holy Father ends Year of Mercy, closes Holy Door, says ‘the heart of Christ remains open wide for us’
At close of Jubilee, Pope Francis says it's a reminder of what's essential :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): On Sunday Pope Francis closed the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica, officially marking the end of the Jubilee of Mercy, which he said is a reminder that love is at the core of God’s attitude, rather than power and prestige.
“This Year of Mercy invites us to rediscover the core, to return to what is essential,” the Pope said Nov. 20, the Feast of Christ the King.
The “time of mercy” lived during the Jubilee serves as a call to look to “the true face of our King,” and to rediscover “the youthful, beautiful face of the Church, the face that is radiant when it is welcoming, free, faithful, poor in means but rich in love, on mission.”
“This Year of Mercy invites us to rediscover the core, to return to what is essential,” the Pope said Nov. 20, the Feast of Christ the King.
The “time of mercy” lived during the Jubilee serves as a call to look to “the true face of our King,” and to rediscover “the youthful, beautiful face of the Church, the face that is radiant when it is welcoming, free, faithful, poor in means but rich in love, on mission.”
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Why Catholics built secret astronomical features into churches to help save souls
Why Catholics Built Secret Astronomical Features Into Churches to Help Save Souls | Atlas Obscura: A disc of light moves across the cathedral floor. The marble in its path lights up, revealing deeply colored swirls, rich with hues of burgundy, plum, caramel, and ochre. It is ancient rock, stained by terrestrial chemistry and by the infernal pressures of the inner Earth. Its surface is smooth and nearly reflective, testament to extraordinary craftsmanship but also to the effects of hundreds of years’ worth of penitent feet processing through the looming shadows of the church interior. The air smells of smoke and candle wax, and the occasional perfume of a passing tourist.�
How will our digital supermen define what is and what is not 'fake news'?
God help us: How will our digital supermen define what is and what is not 'fake news'? — GetReligionMATTINGLY: We have two important journalism subjects – both linked to religious issues – that are currently generating lots of heat in the "America after 11/8 cultural meltdown" among America's chattering classes.
No. 1: What is "fake news" and how can it be stopped before it generates more help for Donald Trump?
No. 2: What, precisely, does the term "alt-right" mean and how can the enlightened powers that be in digital technology and mass media (think the gods at Twitter and Facebook) crack down on it to prevent dangerous people from continuing to pump their views into the body politic.
No. 1: What is "fake news" and how can it be stopped before it generates more help for Donald Trump?
No. 2: What, precisely, does the term "alt-right" mean and how can the enlightened powers that be in digital technology and mass media (think the gods at Twitter and Facebook) crack down on it to prevent dangerous people from continuing to pump their views into the body politic.
The other Gettysburg Address you probably haven't heard of
The Other Gettysburg Address You Probably Haven't Heard Of | Mental Floss: The greatest speech in American history had a tough act to follow.
On November 19, 1863, Abraham Lincoln delivered an address at the dedication of a new National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. As the president offered some brief remarks before a war-weary crowd of around 15,000 people, he modestly said, “the world will little note, nor long remember what we say here.”
Lincoln was only half right about that. Despite his humble prediction, the president's Gettysburg Address has shown remarkable staying power over the past 153 years. The unifying oration has been engraved onto monuments, memorized by countless schoolchildren, and painstakingly dissected by every Civil War historian under the sun. It’s even achieved international fame: Across the Atlantic, language from the speech was woven into the current constitution of France.
On November 19, 1863, Abraham Lincoln delivered an address at the dedication of a new National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. As the president offered some brief remarks before a war-weary crowd of around 15,000 people, he modestly said, “the world will little note, nor long remember what we say here.”
Lincoln was only half right about that. Despite his humble prediction, the president's Gettysburg Address has shown remarkable staying power over the past 153 years. The unifying oration has been engraved onto monuments, memorized by countless schoolchildren, and painstakingly dissected by every Civil War historian under the sun. It’s even achieved international fame: Across the Atlantic, language from the speech was woven into the current constitution of France.
Ernest Cardinal Simoni: “An extraordinarily holy priest who suffered in communist labor camps for 28 years”
Cardinal-Elect Simoni’s Appointment: Elevating Albania’s Martyrs | ncregister.comGAETAN: Standing on the street outside a towering cathedral in northern Albania one summer Saturday in 2008, I watched a narrow, nimble priest approaching passersby, his startlingly white hair reminiscent of Pope Benedict XVI.
Soon, he detached a woman with a young son from the crowd and walked with them through the giant door of St. Stefan’s Cathedral — used as a sports arena with a basketball court between 1967 and 1990 — in Shkoder, a county of some 215,000 people, where most Albanian Catholics live.
Catholics represent a little over 10% of the majority-Muslim nation.
Later, inside, I noticed the priest in an old wooden confessional, giving the sacrament of reconciliation to the family he met outside.
Soon, he detached a woman with a young son from the crowd and walked with them through the giant door of St. Stefan’s Cathedral — used as a sports arena with a basketball court between 1967 and 1990 — in Shkoder, a county of some 215,000 people, where most Albanian Catholics live.
Catholics represent a little over 10% of the majority-Muslim nation.
Later, inside, I noticed the priest in an old wooden confessional, giving the sacrament of reconciliation to the family he met outside.
Profiles of the 17 men who received red hats today from the Holy Father
The College of Cardinals’ Class of 2016 | ncregister.comBUNSON: On Nov. 19, Pope Francis created 17 new cardinals, the newest members of the College of Cardinals, in a ceremony held in St. Peter’s Square.
Thirteen of the new members are cardinal electors, meaning that they are under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope should that happen. The cardinals come from 13 different countries, and several — such as Mauritius, Malaysia, Lesotho and New Guinea — are the first from their homelands to become members of the Sacred College.
There are now 121 cardinal electors. That is technically one more than the current limit of 120, although that number will decline quickly through several cardinals reaching the age of 80 in the next weeks. The average age for the new cardinals is 66. In all, Francis has appointed 44 cardinal electors. There are 21 electors named by St. John Paul II and 56 by Benedict XVI.
Thirteen of the new members are cardinal electors, meaning that they are under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope should that happen. The cardinals come from 13 different countries, and several — such as Mauritius, Malaysia, Lesotho and New Guinea — are the first from their homelands to become members of the Sacred College.
There are now 121 cardinal electors. That is technically one more than the current limit of 120, although that number will decline quickly through several cardinals reaching the age of 80 in the next weeks. The average age for the new cardinals is 66. In all, Francis has appointed 44 cardinal electors. There are 21 electors named by St. John Paul II and 56 by Benedict XVI.
Pope creates 17 new cardinals, warns them about the ‘virus of polarization’
Pope Francis to New Cardinals: Love Your Enemies | ncregister.comPENTIN: At a time of increasing "polarization and exclusion", Pope Francis recalled today Jesus' exhortation to love your enemy, do good to them and not "dismiss, discredit or curse them."
In his homily at a consistory for the creation of 17 new cardinals in St. Peter’s basilica, the Pope observed that “we live at a time in which polarization and exclusion are burgeoning and considered the only way to resolve conflicts.”
As an example, he pointed to the status of a stranger, an immigrant, or a refugee who can “become a threat, take on the status of an enemy" because they "think differently or even have a different faith.”
In his homily at a consistory for the creation of 17 new cardinals in St. Peter’s basilica, the Pope observed that “we live at a time in which polarization and exclusion are burgeoning and considered the only way to resolve conflicts.”
As an example, he pointed to the status of a stranger, an immigrant, or a refugee who can “become a threat, take on the status of an enemy" because they "think differently or even have a different faith.”
How the murder of three elderly nuns has rocked Burundi
Murder in Burundi: the man who knew too much | Jessica Hatcher-Moore | World news | The Guardian: On a Sunday afternoon in early September 2014, Sister Bernadetta Boggian drove into the compound of the Catholic convent where she lived in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, and called out to her fellow nuns. There was no sign of the other elderly sisters who lived in the convent, so Sister Bernadetta went to find Father Mario Pulcini, the head of the mission, to ask if he had seen them. He tried phoning them, but there was no reply. So they walked across the shady compound to the nuns’ quarters, where they found the curtains drawn.
American elections, bishops' edition: The numbers and the moves backstage
American Elections, Bishops’ Edition. The Numbers and the Moves BackstageMAGISTER: Seven days after the election of Donald Trump to the presidency, the more than two hundred bishops of the United States also went to vote. To elect the one who will preside over them for the next three years.
A vote to which they came “as for a referendum on Pope Francis,” in the plain statement of John L. Allen, the top vaticanista in the United States.
And indeed it was a bit like this, even if the new president, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, immediately made a point of saying that it is “crazy” even to think that he is not on the side of this pope, who is “doing some marvelous things for the Church.”
The fact is that when Francis visited the United States, in September of 2015, he ordered the bishops to change course and get into step with him.
A vote to which they came “as for a referendum on Pope Francis,” in the plain statement of John L. Allen, the top vaticanista in the United States.
And indeed it was a bit like this, even if the new president, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, immediately made a point of saying that it is “crazy” even to think that he is not on the side of this pope, who is “doing some marvelous things for the Church.”
The fact is that when Francis visited the United States, in September of 2015, he ordered the bishops to change course and get into step with him.
Friday, November 18, 2016
A God of more than the gaps
A God of More than the Gaps | Catholic AnswersAKIN: God causes some things directly and some indirectly, using created things as secondary causes. “The truth that God is at work in all the actions of his creatures is inseparable from faith in God the Creator. God is the first cause who operates in and through secondary causes” (CCC 308).
Scripture often attributes “actions to God without mentioning any secondary causes. This is not a ‘primitive mode of speech,’ but a profound way of recalling God’s primacy and absolute Lordship over history and the world” (CCC 304).
Scripture often attributes “actions to God without mentioning any secondary causes. This is not a ‘primitive mode of speech,’ but a profound way of recalling God’s primacy and absolute Lordship over history and the world” (CCC 304).
How casinos enable gambling addicts
How Casinos Enable Gambling Addicts - The Atlantic: On the morning of Monday, August 13, 2012, Scott Stevens loaded a brown hunting bag into his Jeep Grand Cherokee, then went to the master bedroom, where he hugged Stacy, his wife of 23 years. “I love you,” he told her.
Stacy thought that her husband was off to a job interview followed by an appointment with his therapist. Instead, he drove the 22 miles from their home in Steubenville, Ohio, to the Mountaineer Casino, just outside New Cumberland, West Virginia. He used the casino ATM to check his bank-account balance: $13,400. He walked across the casino floor to his favorite slot machine in the high-limit area: Triple Stars, a three-reel game that cost $10 a spin. Maybe this time it would pay out enough to save him.
Stacy thought that her husband was off to a job interview followed by an appointment with his therapist. Instead, he drove the 22 miles from their home in Steubenville, Ohio, to the Mountaineer Casino, just outside New Cumberland, West Virginia. He used the casino ATM to check his bank-account balance: $13,400. He walked across the casino floor to his favorite slot machine in the high-limit area: Triple Stars, a three-reel game that cost $10 a spin. Maybe this time it would pay out enough to save him.
“Strange stars” could be the weirdest objects in the universe
"Strange Stars" Could Be the Weirdest Objects in the Universe: When an incredibly massive star supernovas, it leaves behind one of two things: a neutron star or a black hole. Neutron stars are the leftover cores of massive stars after they have ejected all their other material. They are incredibly small, only about 20 kilometers in diameter, or 200 times smaller than the moon. But these objects have about 1.4 times the mass of our sun, making them incredibly dense (just one teaspoon of material from a neutron star would weigh a billion tons in Earth gravity).
Thursday, November 17, 2016
A populist election and its aftermath
A Populist Election and Its Aftermath - Crisis MagazineRUTLER: Considering how many crucial matters were at stake during the recent election, including the right to life and religious freedom, and confronting the preponderant bias in the media and opinion polls, it did not seem melodramatic to hope for a providential Hand to guide things. Without mistaking optimism for hope, and cautioned by the disappointment that can issue from placing trust in princes or any child of man, there could be much thanksgiving on Thanksgiving Day.
An advantage of living in the center of the universe is that one need not travel, since one is already there. Here on 34th Street in Manhattan, the Jacob Javits Convention Center where the Democratic Party met on election night is a five minute walk west of my rectory, and the Hotel New Yorker where Mrs. Clinton gave her delayed concession speech is five minutes to the east. On the pavement outside my door, party workers had stenciled images of Mrs. Clinton. The paint must have been thin, for one rain shower washed most of them away. When Mr. Podesta finally appeared in the convention hall to disperse the crowds, he seemed browbeaten as well he might, for witnesses said that upon being told that she had lost, Mrs. Clinton had to be restrained at the sight of Mr. Podesta’s face.
An advantage of living in the center of the universe is that one need not travel, since one is already there. Here on 34th Street in Manhattan, the Jacob Javits Convention Center where the Democratic Party met on election night is a five minute walk west of my rectory, and the Hotel New Yorker where Mrs. Clinton gave her delayed concession speech is five minutes to the east. On the pavement outside my door, party workers had stenciled images of Mrs. Clinton. The paint must have been thin, for one rain shower washed most of them away. When Mr. Podesta finally appeared in the convention hall to disperse the crowds, he seemed browbeaten as well he might, for witnesses said that upon being told that she had lost, Mrs. Clinton had to be restrained at the sight of Mr. Podesta’s face.
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