In the Midst of Much Blood, God Extended a Rose - A Meditation on Guadalupe and Mother Mary - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: I’d like to reflect this evening on the first reading from today’s Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky
and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth.� She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne.
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Why a New Year's resolution to pray makes sense
Why a Resolution to Pray Makes Sense | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: The time honored ritual and tradition of making New Year’s resolution rests on trying to make our life more simpler and fulfilling in the coming year. One of the realities of making such resolutions is that what starts out as very promising tends to fade away by the middle of February. It’s not that we did not want to keep the resolutions we set for ourselves, quite the opposite our honest intent is to see these through. But one thing we tend to bypass when making resolutions is the value these resolutions hold not just for ourselves but for those who will be affected by them. In other words, do our resolutions aim at helping other as well?
The story behind Our Lady of Miracles
OUR LADY OF MIRACLES: Versions 1 and 2 – Seasons of GraceSCHIFFER: On June 21, 1547, some women from Alcamo were washing their laundry in a stream north of the town when they saw the Madonna and Child. There was a rush of wind, which sent a pile of pebbles flying through the air, striking the women. The pebbles didn’t hurt, though; instead, the women experienced a sense of wellbeing and recovered their health. One among them, a woman who was blind and deaf, recovered her full senses.
When the women told their husbands what had happened, the men of the town thought it was a joke. Believing that someone might be hiding in the bushes and tossing stones, the men went to the stream to search–but found no one.
When the women told their husbands what had happened, the men of the town thought it was a joke. Believing that someone might be hiding in the bushes and tossing stones, the men went to the stream to search–but found no one.
Vatican Radio ends 85 years of independent operations
Vatican Radio Ends 85 Years of Independent Operations | ncregister.comSCHIFFER: Guglielmo Marconi is considered to be the inventor of radio, and in 1909 he shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with Karl Ferdinand Braun "in recognition of their contributions to the development of wireless telegraphy." A Catholic, Marconi agreed to erect the first radio tower inside the walls of Vatican Gardens at no charge. He founded Vatican Radio, which broadcasts Catholic programming in 47 languages from a radio tower outside Rome.
Friday, December 30, 2016
The forgotten tradition of “churching”, the ancient postpartum blessing
The Forgotten Tradition of "Churching," the Ancient Post-Partum Blessing | ChurchPOP: Have you ever heard of “Churching“?
Churching, officially Benedictio mulieris post partum (The blessing of women after giving birth), is an old Catholic tradition to purify a mother after childbirth. Countless generations of women participated in it as ritual to be accepted back into the pew for Sunday mass.
But far from being a rite to diminish women, Churching is a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of a new life, a celebration of femininity, and a blessing for mother and child. Let me explain.
The tradition of Churching emerged in the early centuries of the Church. Pope Gregory the Great mentions it already in the 6th century. It was meant for the mother to return to church after a time of lying-in, for about 4 to 6 weeks, which matches the 40 days of the Levitical law for purification.
Churching, officially Benedictio mulieris post partum (The blessing of women after giving birth), is an old Catholic tradition to purify a mother after childbirth. Countless generations of women participated in it as ritual to be accepted back into the pew for Sunday mass.
But far from being a rite to diminish women, Churching is a prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of a new life, a celebration of femininity, and a blessing for mother and child. Let me explain.
The tradition of Churching emerged in the early centuries of the Church. Pope Gregory the Great mentions it already in the 6th century. It was meant for the mother to return to church after a time of lying-in, for about 4 to 6 weeks, which matches the 40 days of the Levitical law for purification.
The Creative Catholic: An interview with George Weigel
The Creative Catholic: George Weigel | Catholic World Report - Global Church news and viewsTURLEY: This the first installment of "The Creative Catholic", which will feature interviews with notable Catholic authors, artists, and thinkers.
CWR recently caught with author George Weigel in London, where he was giving some addresses. Weigel, who is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, is the author of several books on Catholicism, culture, and history, and is best known to many for his two biographies of Saint John Paul II: Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II (1999) and The End and the Beginning: Pope John Paul II—The Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy (2010).
CWR recently caught with author George Weigel in London, where he was giving some addresses. Weigel, who is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, is the author of several books on Catholicism, culture, and history, and is best known to many for his two biographies of Saint John Paul II: Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II (1999) and The End and the Beginning: Pope John Paul II—The Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy (2010).
Democrats have a religion problem
Democrats' Religion Problem - The Atlantic: There aren’t many people like Michael Wear in today’s Democratic Party. The former director of Barack Obama’s 2012 faith-outreach efforts is a theologically conservative evangelical Christian. He is opposed to both abortion and same-sex marriage, although he would argue that those are primarily theological positions, and other issues, including poverty and immigration, are also important to his faith.
During his time working for Obama, Wear was often alone in many of his views, he writes in his new book, Reclaiming Hope. He helped with faith-outreach strategies for Obama’s 2008 campaign, but was surprised when some state-level officials decided not to pursue this kind of engagement: “Sometimes—as I came to understand the more I worked in politics—a person’s reaction to religious ideas is not ideological at all, but personal,” he writes.
During his time working for Obama, Wear was often alone in many of his views, he writes in his new book, Reclaiming Hope. He helped with faith-outreach strategies for Obama’s 2008 campaign, but was surprised when some state-level officials decided not to pursue this kind of engagement: “Sometimes—as I came to understand the more I worked in politics—a person’s reaction to religious ideas is not ideological at all, but personal,” he writes.
This Sunday is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
The Sacred Page: Mary, Mother of GodBERGSMA: The confession of Mary as “Mother of God” presents a stumbling block for some non-Catholic Christians, but curiously it never did for me.
I think it was back in the Fall of 1992 when I was sitting in a course in Ancient Church History at one of the best Calvinist seminaries in America.� Our professor, a devout Dutch Calvinist (like most of us students), was lecturing on the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus AD 431, the council that recognized Mary as “Theotokos,” “Mother of God” (or more literally, “Bearer of God”).� He began to address the question, Can Calvinists confess Mary as “Mother of God”?� He answered in the affirmative, granted that one understood this not as a claim for Mary’s motherhood of divinity itself, but in the sense that Mary was mother of Jesus, who is truly God.� And that, of course, is precisely how the Catholic Church understands the term.
I think it was back in the Fall of 1992 when I was sitting in a course in Ancient Church History at one of the best Calvinist seminaries in America.� Our professor, a devout Dutch Calvinist (like most of us students), was lecturing on the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus AD 431, the council that recognized Mary as “Theotokos,” “Mother of God” (or more literally, “Bearer of God”).� He began to address the question, Can Calvinists confess Mary as “Mother of God”?� He answered in the affirmative, granted that one understood this not as a claim for Mary’s motherhood of divinity itself, but in the sense that Mary was mother of Jesus, who is truly God.� And that, of course, is precisely how the Catholic Church understands the term.
RNA poll: Trump dominates 2016, but was not (#Really) Religion Newsmaker of the Year
RNA poll: Trump dominates 2016, but was not (#Really) Religion Newsmaker of the Year — GetReligionMATTINGLY: So when did Citizen Donald Trump win the White House?
You could make a case that it was when Hillary Rodham Clinton kept going to see the musical "Hamilton" over and over, rather than taking her husband's advice and making a few campaign trips to visit with angry working-class, labor-union Catholic families in the deeply depressed corners of Rust Belt states like Wisconsin and Michigan.
Or maybe the key moment in the cultural earthquake that topped this year's Religion News Association Top 10 religion-stories poll – the subject of this week's Crossroads podcast – actually took place in 2015.
You could make a case that it was when Hillary Rodham Clinton kept going to see the musical "Hamilton" over and over, rather than taking her husband's advice and making a few campaign trips to visit with angry working-class, labor-union Catholic families in the deeply depressed corners of Rust Belt states like Wisconsin and Michigan.
Or maybe the key moment in the cultural earthquake that topped this year's Religion News Association Top 10 religion-stories poll – the subject of this week's Crossroads podcast – actually took place in 2015.
Four bloggers submit dubium to Eye of the Tiber concerning its status as satire
New Liturgical Movement: Four Bloggers Submit Dubium to Eye of the Tiber Concerning Its Status as SatireDIPIPPO: Four prominent members of the Catholic blogosphere – Fr John Zuhsldorf of Fr Z’s Blog (formerly called “What Does the Prayer Really Say?”), canonist Dr Edward Peters, author of the blog In the Light of the Law, Amy Welborn of Charlotte Was Both, and Matthew Archbold of Creative Minority Report – have presented a formal request to S.C. Naoum, the author of the blog Eye of the Tiber, asking him to clarify whether the items which he posts are in fact satirical.
On the Dark and the Light in Star Wars
On the Dark and the Light in Star Wars | Catholic World Report - Global Church news and viewsHARMON: The newest Star Wars movie is different. That is not a controversial observation. Many of the features that shout “Star Wars!” have been deliberately removed: the opening crawl, the John Williams score, the Jedi as on-screen characters, etc. Another difference is the title. Each previous movie led with “Star Wars”: Star Wars: A New Hope; Star Wars: The Phantom Menace; Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The latest installment is called Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The difference is subtle but important: the films that follow the Skywalker family are Star Wars. They are the Star Wars story. Rogue One, by contrast, is a Star Wars story. It is ancillary, perhaps even secondary. That means it will be different in other respects, too, that are more crucial to the story being told.
Children with Down syndrome bring Nativity to life, show all lives have meaning
Children with Down syndrome bring Nativity to life, show all lives have meaning: Speak Life, a Christian organization in the United Kingdom, has released a video and script of a Christmas pageant performed by children with Down syndrome. The video features the mother of a young girl with Down syndrome who talks about how her faith helped change the way she saw her daughter and the possibilities for her life.
John Paul the Great professor defends Rogue One
John Paul the Great professor defends Rogue One - Decent FilmsGREYDANUS: Thomas P. Harmon, professor of theology and culture at John Paul the Great Catholic University, has written a thoughtful essay for Catholic World Report responding to my critique of the moral murkiness of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Harmon argues that the new film better comports with the original series than I allow.
I thank Professor Harmon for his thoughtful response to my article.
We are in substantial agreement on a number of points. Harmon acknowledges that Rogue One is far from a perfect film, and sympathizes with with my concern about the general trend of moral murkiness in contemporary Hollywood retellings.
I thank Professor Harmon for his thoughtful response to my article.
We are in substantial agreement on a number of points. Harmon acknowledges that Rogue One is far from a perfect film, and sympathizes with with my concern about the general trend of moral murkiness in contemporary Hollywood retellings.
Apology for Rwandan genocide comes from Catholic Church
Apology for Rwandan Genocide Comes from Catholic Church | arcoftheuniverse.infoPHILPOTT: This past November 2oth, the Catholic bishops of Rwanda issued an apology for the Church’s complicity in the genocide in Rwanda in 1994. The apology and reactions to it are covered in this nice piece in the online Catholic journal, Millennial.
A Church apologizing? The phenomenon joins a global trend of the last quarter century, namely a sharp historical spike in apologies issued by heads of corporate entities – sovereign states, churches, business corporations – for misdeeds committed in the name of their organization. In the Catholic Church, it was John Paul II who practiced apology most famously, offering over 100 apologies concerning some 21 different historical episodes and people groups. This excellent book by journalist Luigi Accattoli covers it well.
A Church apologizing? The phenomenon joins a global trend of the last quarter century, namely a sharp historical spike in apologies issued by heads of corporate entities – sovereign states, churches, business corporations – for misdeeds committed in the name of their organization. In the Catholic Church, it was John Paul II who practiced apology most famously, offering over 100 apologies concerning some 21 different historical episodes and people groups. This excellent book by journalist Luigi Accattoli covers it well.
Why I became a Catholic in spite of everything I heard
Why I became a Catholic in spite of everything I heard - Spotlight - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.orgMILLS: I had told the story to illustrate some thoughts about mercy, but it was also a story that helped me into the Catholic Church. It’s the story of a small old-fashioned Baptist-y church I got to know as a secular-minded teenager, because friends brought me. It was the New England country church out of a fifties movie. A beautiful young woman started coming to the youth group, and because she had been abused by her father, some church members quickly drove her out. No one resisted very hard. People said, “She’s no better than she should be.” They worried that she might be promiscuous and might seduce the boys. I don’t remember hearing a merciful word said about her or to her. Out she went. It was a wicked thing to do.
Reflections on martyrdom
Reflections on Martyrdom | Parishable ItemsFELTES: I have not seen and cannot recommend the recently-released Martin Scorsese film Silence, but reviewers describe it as haunting and unsettling for believers and non-believers alike. It is set in Japan during a fierce persecution of Roman Catholics in the mid-1600’s. In one scene, a Jesuit missionary is forced to watch arrested Japanese Christians be cruelly tortured before him. The young priest is told that these men and women’s sufferings will cease if he would only step on an image of Christ and renounce his faith. What does Jesus want his followers to do if faced with such a choice?
A person might think there is little harm done in trampling the crude likeness of someone, or by insincerely mouthing a few words, but Jesus told his disciples, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.” (1) At the very start of his ministry it seems that Jesus himself was confronted with the film’s test; the temptation to deny God so that human suffering would end.
A person might think there is little harm done in trampling the crude likeness of someone, or by insincerely mouthing a few words, but Jesus told his disciples, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.” (1) At the very start of his ministry it seems that Jesus himself was confronted with the film’s test; the temptation to deny God so that human suffering would end.
The island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island
The Island in a Lake on an Island in a Lake on an Island | Amusing Planet: Lake Taal on the island of Luzon, in the northern end of the Philippines archipelago, holds a special distinction. It’s one of only two lakes in the world, as of now, to have a third order island within it —the lake itself being part of the order. In other words, Lake Taal, which is located within the island of Luzon, has an island (Volcano Island) that has a lake (Crater Lake) that contains its own small island called Vulcan Point.
Volcano Island is the location of Taal Volcano's historical eruptions and is responsible for the lake's sulfuric content. The crater at the top of the Volcano Island is now filled with water giving rise to Crater Lake. Vulcan Point is a small bump on Crater Lake.
Volcano Island is the location of Taal Volcano's historical eruptions and is responsible for the lake's sulfuric content. The crater at the top of the Volcano Island is now filled with water giving rise to Crater Lake. Vulcan Point is a small bump on Crater Lake.
Why do my children copy my vices but not my virtues?
Why Do My Children Copy My Vices, & Not My Virtues?CLARK: I honestly don’t remember what specifically prompted that question, but it was likely spurred by a night of them getting to bed late instead of getting a good night’s sleep, or spending too much time in front of the XBOX instead of coming to the living room for the Rosary, or arguing with each other about something silly instead of trying to get along more charitably.
Perhaps most parents go through some version of this question of lament. Why do they seem to have all my vices and none of my virtues?
But as the years go by, the more ironic—and frankly, embarrassing—that question becomes for me.
Perhaps most parents go through some version of this question of lament. Why do they seem to have all my vices and none of my virtues?
But as the years go by, the more ironic—and frankly, embarrassing—that question becomes for me.
The top 10 Journey Home episodes of 2016
The Top 10 Journey Home Episodes of 2016 - The Coming Home Network: This September saw the beginning of the 20th season of EWTN’s The Journey Home program. Hosted by the President and Founder of the Coming Home Network Marcus Grodi and produced in the CHNetwork Studio, The Journey Home program remains an important complement to the mission of our apostolate and is one of the main avenues by which people on the journey to Catholicism first reach out to us for help.
Number of pilgrims attending Vatican events up by 700,000 in 2016
Number of Pilgrims Attending Vatican Papal Events Up by 700,000 in 2016 | ncregister.com: The Vatican has released figures showing that just over 700,000 more pilgrims attended papal events at the Vatican in 2016 compared to last year.
In statistics released today by the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household, 3,952,140 people took part in the events. In 2015 the total figure was 3.2 million while in 2014, the total estimated number of faithful attending papal audiences and other engagements with the Holy Father was just over 5.9 million, believed to be largely boosted by the canonizations of Sts. John Paul II and John XXIII.
The other categories listed are (previous year in brackets): 43 general audiences 762,000 (704,100 attended 42 in 2015), special audiences 169,640 (407,760), liturgical celebrations 924,500 (513,000), and the Angelus/Regina Coeli, 1,650,000 (1,585,000). Meanwhile, 446,000 attended the Pope’s jubilee audiences which he held once a month during the Holy Year of Mercy that ran the entire year until Nov. 21.
In statistics released today by the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household, 3,952,140 people took part in the events. In 2015 the total figure was 3.2 million while in 2014, the total estimated number of faithful attending papal audiences and other engagements with the Holy Father was just over 5.9 million, believed to be largely boosted by the canonizations of Sts. John Paul II and John XXIII.
The other categories listed are (previous year in brackets): 43 general audiences 762,000 (704,100 attended 42 in 2015), special audiences 169,640 (407,760), liturgical celebrations 924,500 (513,000), and the Angelus/Regina Coeli, 1,650,000 (1,585,000). Meanwhile, 446,000 attended the Pope’s jubilee audiences which he held once a month during the Holy Year of Mercy that ran the entire year until Nov. 21.
Debating ‘Amoris Laetitia’: A look ahead
Debating ‘Amoris Laetitia’: A Look Ahead | ncregister.comDESOUZA: It was officially the Jubilee of Mercy, with its attendant graces. But 2016 was more the “Year of Amoris Laetitia” (The Joy of Love). Its ongoing reception may well produce a year ahead of increasing acrimony and division.
In the 1990s, St. John Paul II convened a series of continental synods to prepare for the Great Jubilee of 2000. The subsequent post-synodal apostolic exhortations took the titles Ecclesia in Africa, Ecclesia in America, Ecclesia in Oceania, etc. When the last one was released in 2003, Ecclesia in Europa, I joked in the Vatican press hall that perhaps a boxed set could be issued under the omnibus title Ecclesia ad Nauseam.
Amoris Laetitia has not even reached is first anniversary and yet a certain tedium is setting in. In the last months of the year, the debate over Amoris Laetitia became increasingly heated. How did it come to be that way? And what can be expected in 2017?
In the 1990s, St. John Paul II convened a series of continental synods to prepare for the Great Jubilee of 2000. The subsequent post-synodal apostolic exhortations took the titles Ecclesia in Africa, Ecclesia in America, Ecclesia in Oceania, etc. When the last one was released in 2003, Ecclesia in Europa, I joked in the Vatican press hall that perhaps a boxed set could be issued under the omnibus title Ecclesia ad Nauseam.
Amoris Laetitia has not even reached is first anniversary and yet a certain tedium is setting in. In the last months of the year, the debate over Amoris Laetitia became increasingly heated. How did it come to be that way? And what can be expected in 2017?
Thursday, December 29, 2016
When bad things happen to good people
When Bad Things Happen to Good People | ncregister.comLONGENECKER: Some time ago on my blog I posted a story about what seemed like a supernatural angelic intervention in our family. My little sister fell through the bleachers at a football game and was heading for the concrete foundations. My mom watched in helpless horror, and said at the last moment her little girl’s body moved sideways. It was as if unseen hands moved her two feet in the other direction, so she landed on the soft grass, thus sparing her life.
What we lose when ‘Star Wars’ goes to the dark side
What We Lose When ‘Star Wars’ Goes to the Dark Side | ncregister.comGREYDANUS: “If money is what Disney wants,” quipped a friend, borrowing a line from Princess Leia in the original 1977 Star Wars, “then that’s what they’ll receive.”
And, indeed, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is already a certified global hit, if not to the same record-breaking tune as last year’s The Force Awakens.
Both films have also been decently received by critics. It seems the magic touch guiding Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe — which has yet to produce a box-office or critical flop — is alive and well in the ongoing expansion of that galaxy far, far away.
And, indeed, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is already a certified global hit, if not to the same record-breaking tune as last year’s The Force Awakens.
Both films have also been decently received by critics. It seems the magic touch guiding Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe — which has yet to produce a box-office or critical flop — is alive and well in the ongoing expansion of that galaxy far, far away.
6 Marian anniversaries you may have missed
6 Marian Anniversaries You May Have Missed | ncregister.comCRAUGHWELL: Every saint has a feast day, but one could argue that the entire calendar belongs to Mary. Literally each day of the year marks a feast of Our Lady of Something or Other. If you are interested, there is a complete list circulating online, although every year or so the list migrates to a different website.
But a little digging in a good library reveals that Mary’s influence is even more pervasive. Every day of the year is not just a feast day of the Blessed Mother, it is also an anniversary of a Marian-related event in art, music, politics, film, education, literature, even sports. Of course, it’s not possible to list all 365 Marian anniversaries in one article, but we can look at some of the high points.
But a little digging in a good library reveals that Mary’s influence is even more pervasive. Every day of the year is not just a feast day of the Blessed Mother, it is also an anniversary of a Marian-related event in art, music, politics, film, education, literature, even sports. Of course, it’s not possible to list all 365 Marian anniversaries in one article, but we can look at some of the high points.
Two Canterbury martyrs — St. Thomas Becket and St. John Stone
Two Canterbury Martyrs — St. Thomas Becket and St. John Stone | ncregister.comMANN: St. Thomas of Canterbury’s memorial is on December 29 within the Octave of Christmas, and his story may be familiar to many Catholics because we’ve read Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales or T.S. Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral in school or have seen the movie Becket with Richard Burton and Peter O’Toole. There is another Canterbury martyr we should remember during this Christmastide, however, that most have probably never heard of: St. John Stone.
In remembrance of Carrie Fisher (1956-2016)
In Remembrance of Carrie Fisher (1956-2016) | ncregister.comMCAFEE: Carrie Fisher has died at the age of 60. The whole world knew her and loved her for the role she played as the courageous Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy, and the world watched later in life how difficult and consuming mental illness can be, even for someone so familiar.
Born in 1956 to a family that descended from Russian immigrants, her parents — Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds — divorced at an early age when her father left to marry the famous actress Elizabeth Taylor.
Born in 1956 to a family that descended from Russian immigrants, her parents — Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds — divorced at an early age when her father left to marry the famous actress Elizabeth Taylor.
Video: The world's highest bridge just opened — and it's like driving on a 200-story building
New Advent: The world's highest bridge just opened — and it's the height of a 200-story building: The world's highest bridge, rising nearly 570 meters above a valley, opened in southwest China on Thursday.
12 things to remember about Confession
Twelve Things to Remember About Confession - Standing on my HeadLONGENECKER: Catholics are expected to go to confession at least once a year. Maybe a good New Years resolution we should resolve to do at least that, but also to try to attend more frequently. Here are some things to remember about making a good confession. The first thing to remember about confession is that you should make a good examination of conscience. The best way to do this is to ask yourself some questions, and the questions can be found here.
This Denver couple is doing something amazing for the Church
Doing something amazing for the Church - LegatusFRAGA: Every serious Catholic wants their parish to be amazing.
But a vibrant parish that is on fire for the Catholic faith, that offers great opportunities for catechetical and adult faith formation, that cultivates a welcoming presence, and that provides important ministries does not just happen.
Denver’s Bishop-elect Jorge Rodriguez says a new program co-founded by Legatus members John and Mari Ann Martin is already setting new parishes — including his own — ablaze for Jesus and his Church.
For the last two years, Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila has been “promoting among the Catholic community the formation of disciples — and the Amazing Parish program — to revitalize parishes and bring back Catholics to our pews,” the bishop-elect told reporters at the Aug. 25 news conference announcing his appointment.
But a vibrant parish that is on fire for the Catholic faith, that offers great opportunities for catechetical and adult faith formation, that cultivates a welcoming presence, and that provides important ministries does not just happen.
Denver’s Bishop-elect Jorge Rodriguez says a new program co-founded by Legatus members John and Mari Ann Martin is already setting new parishes — including his own — ablaze for Jesus and his Church.
For the last two years, Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila has been “promoting among the Catholic community the formation of disciples — and the Amazing Parish program — to revitalize parishes and bring back Catholics to our pews,” the bishop-elect told reporters at the Aug. 25 news conference announcing his appointment.
Nigerian bishop describes new wave of Islamist terror; 16 churches destroyed since September
Nigerian bishop describes new wave of Islamist terror; 16 churches destroyed since September : News Headlines | Catholic Culture: A Nigerian prelate said that Islamist Fulani herdsmen are committing massive violence against Christians in his region. Bishop Joseph Bagobiri of Kafanchan told Aid to the Church in Need that since September, there have been "53 villages burned down, 808 people murdered and 57 wounded, 1,422 houses and 16 churches destroyed."
Whether on New Year's Eve or the Feast of St. John, this is the season to raise a festive glass
Raising a Festive Glass on the Feast of St. JohnSTAUDT: Can you drink the cup that I will drink? This is the question Jesus posed to St. John the Evangelist and his brother, James, as they and their mother petition for seats on his right and on his left. Though not a martyr, several traditions affirm that John did suffer from persecution, though he was preserved from death. One tradition says that he was offered a poisoned cup of wine and after blessing it was not harmed. If not the cup of martyrdom, John drank the cup of the Lord’s suffering and blessing, and through him God blesses our own drinking on the Apostle’s feast day through a blessing of wine following Mass. We see in the Evangelist's teaching how God uses the image of drinking and wine to symbolize the blessings he wants to bestow on us.
13 of the most incredible Boeing 747s
13 of the Most Incredible Boeing 747s: The "Queen of the Skies" has been in service since 1970, following its first test flight the year before. The decades have been good to this jumbo jet, as Boeing 747s are still some of the most flown aircraft in the world, with more than 1,500 built as passenger planes, cargo aircraft, military strategic hubs, and NASA science aircraft. Here are some of the most awe-inspiring 747s to ever soar through the skies.
The reality of Christmas as an antidote to unreal times
The Reality of Christmas as an Antidote to Unreal Times - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: At Christmas we celebrate the birth of the Word made flesh. All the Gospel writers (especially St. John) emphasize the reality of God present among us in a very tangible, physical way. This is a critical truth because one of the dangers is reducing our faith to a mere collection of ideas, setting aside the actual Jesus who took up our full nature, lived among us, and summoned us to a real encounter.
These Christmas themes are more important than ever for us who live in a post-nominalist, post-Cartesian, neo-Gnostic world. The effect of this is that many of us live increasingly “up in our heads.” More and more we are out of touch with reality. What matters is what we think, how we feel, what our opinion is. Such things increasingly overrule even obvious realities.
These Christmas themes are more important than ever for us who live in a post-nominalist, post-Cartesian, neo-Gnostic world. The effect of this is that many of us live increasingly “up in our heads.” More and more we are out of touch with reality. What matters is what we think, how we feel, what our opinion is. Such things increasingly overrule even obvious realities.
Video: ‘60 Minutes’ offers a fascinating glimpse of the Sistine Chapel Choir
The Pope's Choir - CBS News: It is the oldest choir in the world. Evidence of its existence dates back to the 7th century. Today, it’s called the Sistine Chapel Choir, but is more commonly known as the “Pope’s Choir.” That’s because it’s at the pope’s side for all of the important papal celebrations.
This coming week, during the pope’s Christmas Eve mass, the choir will perform in St. Peter’s Basilica and just yesterday, the choir sang at a private mass at the Vatican honoring the 80th birthday of Pope Francis. The choir may be dedicated to the pope, but historically it has held concerts on its own, especially at its home base, the magnificent Sistine Chapel. It was here, beneath Michelangelo’s breathtaking frescoes in one of the world’s greatest wonders, where we recently attended a concert staged by the Pope’s Choir.
This coming week, during the pope’s Christmas Eve mass, the choir will perform in St. Peter’s Basilica and just yesterday, the choir sang at a private mass at the Vatican honoring the 80th birthday of Pope Francis. The choir may be dedicated to the pope, but historically it has held concerts on its own, especially at its home base, the magnificent Sistine Chapel. It was here, beneath Michelangelo’s breathtaking frescoes in one of the world’s greatest wonders, where we recently attended a concert staged by the Pope’s Choir.
Why you're probably wrong about medieval art
Why You’re Wrong About Medieval ArtMITSUI: Opinions about art are diverse, strongly held, and contentious. Facing such conflict, many hoist a flag of surrender and say that art is just a matter of personal taste. Some even fly that flag triumphantly. They heatedly argue that art is not a thing worth arguing; they insist that nothing about art is objectively true except its objective lack of objective truthfulness.
This idea is not entirely new; ‘de gustibus non est disputandum’ has been uttered for centuries, although I suspect that it has only recently been understood in an absolute sense. I see an error at the start of this line of reasoning: the assumption that in order for a thing to be real (and not just a product of the mind), it must be quantifiable. This is the perhaps the most popular error of modern thinking. At the end of this line of reasoning is a colorless, mechanical view of reality.
This idea is not entirely new; ‘de gustibus non est disputandum’ has been uttered for centuries, although I suspect that it has only recently been understood in an absolute sense. I see an error at the start of this line of reasoning: the assumption that in order for a thing to be real (and not just a product of the mind), it must be quantifiable. This is the perhaps the most popular error of modern thinking. At the end of this line of reasoning is a colorless, mechanical view of reality.
‘I Burned for Your Peace’ is a must-read book
I Burned for Your Peace: Augustine's Confessions UnpackedMCCLOSKEY: This is a must-read book. Even if you have read the Confessions before, Peter Kreeft will help you to go deeper in understanding the beauty of Augustine's conversion to Christianity — and how it relates to our times.
Our culture has no difficulty in following and even exceeding the sins of Augustine's youth and young adulthood. Look at legalized abortion and same-sex "marriage," the prevalence of pornography, falling rates of marriage and births, and on and on. Like St. Augustine, we as a culture need to embrace the teachings of the Catholic Church at any cost, which of course will only help us to grow in holiness and happiness and hopefully bring a new and better era.
Our culture has no difficulty in following and even exceeding the sins of Augustine's youth and young adulthood. Look at legalized abortion and same-sex "marriage," the prevalence of pornography, falling rates of marriage and births, and on and on. Like St. Augustine, we as a culture need to embrace the teachings of the Catholic Church at any cost, which of course will only help us to grow in holiness and happiness and hopefully bring a new and better era.
Netflix's ‘The Crown’ is unprecedented in cost — and quality
More Fascinating than Fiction | Fr. George W. Rutler | First ThingsRUTLER: Netflix announced its series The Crown as a “biopic” unprecedented in quality and cost—and that was not false advertising.
The ungainly term “biopic” apparently first appeared in 1951, but biographical films have represented some of the most solid achievements of the cinema from its early days—certainly for those who find history more fascinating than fiction, and who know enough of the past to make the distinction. George Arliss should rank as the master of the art, having portrayed Disraeli, Hamilton, Voltaire, Richelieu, and Wellington—and Mayer Rothschild and Nathan Rothschild in the same film. Thirty years ago, The Last Emperor, about Pu Yi, was a biopic on a gigantic scale, and was perhaps even more powerful and accurate than Lawrence of Arabia. For a convincing portrayal on a more modest budget, Marion Cotillard was perfect as Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose.
The ungainly term “biopic” apparently first appeared in 1951, but biographical films have represented some of the most solid achievements of the cinema from its early days—certainly for those who find history more fascinating than fiction, and who know enough of the past to make the distinction. George Arliss should rank as the master of the art, having portrayed Disraeli, Hamilton, Voltaire, Richelieu, and Wellington—and Mayer Rothschild and Nathan Rothschild in the same film. Thirty years ago, The Last Emperor, about Pu Yi, was a biopic on a gigantic scale, and was perhaps even more powerful and accurate than Lawrence of Arabia. For a convincing portrayal on a more modest budget, Marion Cotillard was perfect as Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose.
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Who was Marilyn Monroe?
Who Was Marilyn Monroe? - The Imaginative ConservativeTURLEY: When a death is reported, the first task is to identify the body. Who was the deceased? If, however, that somebody has deliberately left as few clues to her real identity as possible, then the identification is all but meaningless.
In the early hours of August 5, 1962, a woman was found dead in a house in the Los Angeles suburb of Brentwood. The name she was identified by was Marilyn Monroe. It was that name by which she had become known to the world. The world was, by then, well acquainted with the actress, the movie star, the gossip column favourite bearing that name. Like the name, however, much of this public persona was invented, changed, or manipulated in order to suit new surroundings, to alter a history, to obliterate a reality.
In the early hours of August 5, 1962, a woman was found dead in a house in the Los Angeles suburb of Brentwood. The name she was identified by was Marilyn Monroe. It was that name by which she had become known to the world. The world was, by then, well acquainted with the actress, the movie star, the gossip column favourite bearing that name. Like the name, however, much of this public persona was invented, changed, or manipulated in order to suit new surroundings, to alter a history, to obliterate a reality.
Make the faith thick and the Church expensive
Make the faith thick and the Church expensive - Spotlight - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.orgMILLS: This should worry us. A major Jewish sociologist reports that “non-Orthodox Jewish trend lines resemble the trend lines for American Catholics and Mainline Protestants.” Hebrew Union College’s Steven M. Cohen then explains: “They’re all marked by declining adherents and participation.”
Using data from Pew Foundation studies, Cohen has found that Orthodoxy is growing, and growing younger. The Orthodox movement has 230 ten-year-olds for every 100 fifty-year-olds. The non-Orthodox (Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist) have only 70 ten-year-olds for every 100 fifty-year-olds.
Using data from Pew Foundation studies, Cohen has found that Orthodoxy is growing, and growing younger. The Orthodox movement has 230 ten-year-olds for every 100 fifty-year-olds. The non-Orthodox (Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist) have only 70 ten-year-olds for every 100 fifty-year-olds.
Hollywood discovers God! Again! Seriously, this New York Times piece is worth reading...
Hollywood discovers God! Again! Seriously, this New York Times piece is worth reading — GetReligionMATTINGLY: I've been around the Godbeat scene so long that I can remember the days when journalists would wait four of five years before they would write the same Big Trend Story all over again.
You know the ones I'm talking about. Things like the whole "Death of the Religious Right" story or the latest update on "Why megachurches are getting bigger." And did you know that interfaith marriages are a big deal in modern Judaism?
Another one of the standards has been the "Hollywood discovers that religious people watch movies" story. Because of my longstanding interest in this topic (hint, hint), I have been watching journalists discover this trend over and over ever since "Field of Dreams" and "Home Alone"? Hey, do you remember Michael Medved? Then in 2009, The Los Angeles Times even interviewed me about the roots of this trend behind the hit movie, "The Blind Side."
You know the ones I'm talking about. Things like the whole "Death of the Religious Right" story or the latest update on "Why megachurches are getting bigger." And did you know that interfaith marriages are a big deal in modern Judaism?
Another one of the standards has been the "Hollywood discovers that religious people watch movies" story. Because of my longstanding interest in this topic (hint, hint), I have been watching journalists discover this trend over and over ever since "Field of Dreams" and "Home Alone"? Hey, do you remember Michael Medved? Then in 2009, The Los Angeles Times even interviewed me about the roots of this trend behind the hit movie, "The Blind Side."
Fr. August Musger: The Catholic priest and physicist who invented slow motion
August Musger: The Priest and Physicist Who Invented Slow Motion | Mental Floss: Pretend you’re the director of a movie. You want to indicate to the audience that something important is happening. Maybe your hero is facing off against his or her mortal enemy for the first time, or is reuniting with a long lost love after many years. Naturally, there are a number of cinematography techniques at your disposal, but should you choose slow motion, you'd be in good company; it’s a favorite technique of filmmakers like Akira Kurosawa, Sam Peckinpah, John Woo, and Wes Anderson.
Of course, time isn’t literally slowing down for your characters—it just feels that way for the audience. There are a few different techniques that a director or cinematographer can use to accomplish slow motion, each of which probably strays very far from what August Musger, the original inventor of the effect, could have imagined.
Of course, time isn’t literally slowing down for your characters—it just feels that way for the audience. There are a few different techniques that a director or cinematographer can use to accomplish slow motion, each of which probably strays very far from what August Musger, the original inventor of the effect, could have imagined.
10 types of Holy Innocents today
Ten Types of Holy Innocents Today - Standing on my HeadLONGENECKER: Invariably the Memorial of Holy Innocents gets swamped with post-Christmas celebrations. We’ve got a house to clean up, kids to amuse, relatives to visit, gifts to return AND most of us are supposed to get back to work.
Priests usually take a few days off. At our parish the office is closed this week and Father is maintaining a skeleton service of the sacraments.
Its a shame because this Memorial of the Holy Innocents is more important than ever.
We remember the slaughter of babies by Herod the (not so) Great. The children of Judea were slaughtered because they were a perceived threat to Herod. They were the victims of his violence, greed and lust. They were victims of his lunacy–his egomania, paranoia and delusions of grandeur.
Priests usually take a few days off. At our parish the office is closed this week and Father is maintaining a skeleton service of the sacraments.
Its a shame because this Memorial of the Holy Innocents is more important than ever.
We remember the slaughter of babies by Herod the (not so) Great. The children of Judea were slaughtered because they were a perceived threat to Herod. They were the victims of his violence, greed and lust. They were victims of his lunacy–his egomania, paranoia and delusions of grandeur.
Why is Christmas considered a nighttime event?
Why Is Christmas Considered a Nighttime Event? - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: O Holy night! Yes, a silent night! And it came upon a midnight clear! Christmas, it would seem, is a festival of the middle of the night. Jesus is born when it is dark, dark midnight. We are sure of it. And why shouldn’t we be?
Even though we are not told the exact hour of His birth, we are sure it must have been at night. Scripture does say that the Shepherds who heard the glad tidings were keeping watch over their flock “by night” (cf Luke 2:9). Further, the Magi sought Him by the light of a star, and stars are seen at night, deep midnight. None of this is evidence that Jesus was born at 12:00 midnight but it sets our clocks for night, deep midnight.
Even though we are not told the exact hour of His birth, we are sure it must have been at night. Scripture does say that the Shepherds who heard the glad tidings were keeping watch over their flock “by night” (cf Luke 2:9). Further, the Magi sought Him by the light of a star, and stars are seen at night, deep midnight. None of this is evidence that Jesus was born at 12:00 midnight but it sets our clocks for night, deep midnight.
Pope accepts sudden, early resignation of Cleveland's Bishop Richard Lennon
Whispers in the Loggia: In Cleveland, LeBishop Calls It A DayPALMO: While everyone's hopefully enjoying some Christmas downtime, even the Octave isn't stopping the US docket's most frenetic period of activity in nearly a decade.
At Roman Noon on this fourth day of Christmas, the Pope accepted the early retirement of Bishop Richard Lennon of Cleveland three months before the latter's 70th birthday. While the Boston-born prelate suffered a significant heart attack earlier this year – and has reportedly begun to struggle with "memory issues" – the move brings a rapid end to an extraordinarily fraught tenure marked by significant upheaval in the 700,000-member diocese, Ohio's largest local church (and once again a City of Champions).
At Roman Noon on this fourth day of Christmas, the Pope accepted the early retirement of Bishop Richard Lennon of Cleveland three months before the latter's 70th birthday. While the Boston-born prelate suffered a significant heart attack earlier this year – and has reportedly begun to struggle with "memory issues" – the move brings a rapid end to an extraordinarily fraught tenure marked by significant upheaval in the 700,000-member diocese, Ohio's largest local church (and once again a City of Champions).
Pope's Wednesday Audience: Imitate Abraham, “our father in faith and in hope”
Pope Francis: Like Abram, Christians must "hope against hope" - Vatican Radio: Dear brothers and sisters: Our continuing catechesis on Christian hope leads us in these Christmas days to consider the example of Abraham, who, as St. Paul tells us, “hoped against hope” in God’s promises.
Trusting in the Lord’s word that a son would be born to him, Abraham left his home for a new land. Although the fulfilment of God’s promise was long delayed and seemed to be impossible, Abraham continued to hope.
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Scorsese’s ‘Silence’ and the Seaside Martyrs of Japan
Scorsese’s “Silence” and the Seaside Martyrs | Word On FireBARRON: I have long been an ardent fan of Martin Scorsese’s films. Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Aviator, Gangs of New York, The Last Waltz, Casino, etc. are among the defining movies of the last forty years. And The Departed, Scorsese’s 2007 crime drama, was the subject matter of the first YouTube commentary that I ever did. It is certainly the case, furthermore, that the director’s Catholicism, however mitigated and conflicted, comes through in most of his work. His most recent offering, the much-anticipated Silence, based upon the Shusaku Endo novel of the same name, is a worthy addition to the Scorsese oeuvre. Like so many of his other films, it is marked by gorgeous cinematography, outstanding performances from both lead and supporting actors, a gripping narrative, and enough thematic complexity to keep you thinking for the foreseeable future.
What’s up with the ‘penitential wand’ and indulgences?
ASK FATHER: What’s up with the ‘penitential wand’ and indulgences? | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: The penitential virga or ferula, bachetto penitenziario, wand, or rod, is sadly out of use … for now.
These were instruments – longish rods – used by special confessors with wider jurisdiction and my major and minor penitentiaries, especially the Major Penitentiary of the Church, whose jurisdiction when it comes to matter of confession or indulgences is second only to the Pope’s.
I suspect it’s use stemmed from Ps 23: “Virga tua et baculus tuus consolata sunt… Thy rod and thy staff they have comforted me.” The sight of these churchy gizmos would have given great confidence and consolation to the penitent or one seeking an indulgence; he would know that this confessor had greater jurisdiction.
These were instruments – longish rods – used by special confessors with wider jurisdiction and my major and minor penitentiaries, especially the Major Penitentiary of the Church, whose jurisdiction when it comes to matter of confession or indulgences is second only to the Pope’s.
I suspect it’s use stemmed from Ps 23: “Virga tua et baculus tuus consolata sunt… Thy rod and thy staff they have comforted me.” The sight of these churchy gizmos would have given great confidence and consolation to the penitent or one seeking an indulgence; he would know that this confessor had greater jurisdiction.
Christmas is full of paradoxes. Here are 12 of them...
Paradoxes of Christmas - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: In the ancient Church and up until rather recently, one genuflected at the two references to the Incarnation during the Mass: during the Creed and in the Last Gospel (John 1). Why was this done? It was explained to me that the mystery of the Incarnation is so deep, one can only fall in silent reverence.
There are many paradoxes and seeming impossibilities in the Incarnation. They cannot be fully solved, so they claim our reverence. We genuflected in the past, and today we bow at the mention of the Incarnation in the Creed, for it is a deep mystery.
As we continue to celebrate Christmas I would like to list some of the paradoxes of Christmas. I want to say as little about them as possible—just enough to make the paradox clear. This paucity of words (not common with me) is in reverence for the mystery and also to invite your reflection.
There are many paradoxes and seeming impossibilities in the Incarnation. They cannot be fully solved, so they claim our reverence. We genuflected in the past, and today we bow at the mention of the Incarnation in the Creed, for it is a deep mystery.
As we continue to celebrate Christmas I would like to list some of the paradoxes of Christmas. I want to say as little about them as possible—just enough to make the paradox clear. This paucity of words (not common with me) is in reverence for the mystery and also to invite your reflection.
Spherical video: Take a look at the Christmas tree in St. Peter's Square
New Advent: Spherical video: Take a look at the Christmas tree in St. Peter's Square: Drag around the video to have a look around...
The underestimated value of ‘Happy Holidays’ (or ‘Happy Holy Days’)
Christmas: ‘Happy Holidays’ Means ‘Happy Holy Days’ | National ReviewFRANKOVICH: ‘Happy holy days,” we hear at Christmas, if we have ears to hear. Do we?
If the sound of “Happy holidays!” or the sight of that salute in a store window upsets you, consider the magi. No one can accuse them of discounting the solemnity of Christmas. They followed the star of Bethlehem assiduously and arrived bearing appropriate gifts, including a couple of relatively humble botanical products, frankincense and myrrh, whose value was in their deep meaning, not their ostentation or cost. Commemorating the anniversary of the Nativity of Our Lord all these years later, we may feel that the occasion calls for a big old pine tree brightly lit and lavishly decorated, and against that backdrop the word “holidays” may seem puny, a mere sprig, but follow it down to its roots. There you hit gold.
If the sound of “Happy holidays!” or the sight of that salute in a store window upsets you, consider the magi. No one can accuse them of discounting the solemnity of Christmas. They followed the star of Bethlehem assiduously and arrived bearing appropriate gifts, including a couple of relatively humble botanical products, frankincense and myrrh, whose value was in their deep meaning, not their ostentation or cost. Commemorating the anniversary of the Nativity of Our Lord all these years later, we may feel that the occasion calls for a big old pine tree brightly lit and lavishly decorated, and against that backdrop the word “holidays” may seem puny, a mere sprig, but follow it down to its roots. There you hit gold.
3 fascinating things J.R.R. Tolkien said about the Incarnation
3 Fascinating Things Tolkien Said About the Incarnation | TRUE MYTHSCARSWELL: The Incarnation is one of the central mysteries of Christianity, and it’s the heart of the matter when it comes to Christmas. It is the teaching that the Son of God, being divine, loved us human beings so much that He became one of us in order to redeem us from sin and death.
Tolkien spoke a lot about “incarnation,” especially in reference to his Middle-earth works, where some of the “angelic” figures (the Ainur) would take on human form much like we’d put on clothing (for example: Gandalf). In a few specific cases, however, Tolkien spoke directly of his views on the Incarnation of Christ. These instances show how vitally important the holy mystery of the Incarnation was to Tolkien.
Tolkien spoke a lot about “incarnation,” especially in reference to his Middle-earth works, where some of the “angelic” figures (the Ainur) would take on human form much like we’d put on clothing (for example: Gandalf). In a few specific cases, however, Tolkien spoke directly of his views on the Incarnation of Christ. These instances show how vitally important the holy mystery of the Incarnation was to Tolkien.
The Nazis fought the original war on Christmas
The Nazis Fought the Original War on Christmas | History | Smithsonian: In 1921, in a Munich beer hall, newly appointed Nazi party leader Adolf Hitler gave a Christmas speech to an excited crowd.
According to undercover police observers, 4,000 supporters cheered when Hitler condemned “the cowardly Jews for breaking the world-liberator on the cross” and swore “not to rest until the Jews…lay shattered on the ground.” Later, the crowd sang holiday carols and nationalist hymns around a Christmas tree. Working-class attendees received charitable gifts.
For Germans in the 1920s and 1930s, this combination of familiar holiday observance, nationalist propaganda and anti-Semitism was hardly unusual. As the Nazi party grew in size and scope–and eventually took power in 1933–committed propagandists worked to further “Nazify” Christmas. Redefining familiar traditions and designing new symbols and rituals, they hoped to channel the main tenets of National Socialism through the popular holiday.
According to undercover police observers, 4,000 supporters cheered when Hitler condemned “the cowardly Jews for breaking the world-liberator on the cross” and swore “not to rest until the Jews…lay shattered on the ground.” Later, the crowd sang holiday carols and nationalist hymns around a Christmas tree. Working-class attendees received charitable gifts.
For Germans in the 1920s and 1930s, this combination of familiar holiday observance, nationalist propaganda and anti-Semitism was hardly unusual. As the Nazi party grew in size and scope–and eventually took power in 1933–committed propagandists worked to further “Nazify” Christmas. Redefining familiar traditions and designing new symbols and rituals, they hoped to channel the main tenets of National Socialism through the popular holiday.
What people talk about before they die
What people talk about before they die - CNN.com: As a divinity school student, I had just started working as a student chaplain at a cancer hospital when my professor asked me about my work. I was 26 years old and still learning what a chaplain did.
"I talk to the patients," I told him.
"You talk to patients? And tell me, what do people who are sick and dying talk to the student chaplain about?" he asked.
I had never considered the question before. "Well," I responded slowly, "Mostly we talk about their families."
"Do you talk about God?
"I talk to the patients," I told him.
"You talk to patients? And tell me, what do people who are sick and dying talk to the student chaplain about?" he asked.
I had never considered the question before. "Well," I responded slowly, "Mostly we talk about their families."
"Do you talk about God?
One Billion Stories: When God's plan makes no sense
When God's plan makes no sense - OneBillionStories.comDEMOOR: This is a story we wanted to film for years. We were about to film with the storyteller, Ursula, but then the car accident happened. Considering the difficult circumstances, we had to wait a few more years before we could finally film her story. The suffering that Ursula and her family have experienced over the last few years is more than many families experience in an entire lifetime. What makes Ursula’s story so special though, is how despite her suffering and pain, she remains faithful. And the hardships and suffering have actually deepened her faith. She is an amazing example of trusting in the Lord, even when His plan seems to make no sense.
In China's tiny Catholic community, hopes rise For Beijing-Vatican ties
In China's Tiny Catholic Community, Hopes Rise For Beijing-Vatican Ties : Parallels : NPR: There are around 12 million Catholics in China, less than 1 percent of China's population. It's a number that's felt at a weekday morning mass inside Shanghai's St. Peter's Church, where a small percentage of pew space is occupied by a few, mostly elderly loyal parishioners.
But however small the Catholic population is in China, a potential deal between the Vatican and China's government has been big news in recent weeks. After Communists took over China in 1949, Catholic missionaries were expelled. Eight years later, China's government established the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, which rejects the authority of the Holy See and appoints its own bishops.
But however small the Catholic population is in China, a potential deal between the Vatican and China's government has been big news in recent weeks. After Communists took over China in 1949, Catholic missionaries were expelled. Eight years later, China's government established the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, which rejects the authority of the Holy See and appoints its own bishops.
Why G.K. Chesterton loved Christmas carols (especially Dickens’)
Why Chesterton Loved Christmas Carols (Especially Dickens’) | ncregister.comMANN: Gilbert Keith and Frances Chesterton celebrated Christmas with poems and plays. Frances Chesterton wrote a poem every year for their Christmas card; one of her poems, “Here is the Little Door” was set to music by Herbert Howells and has been featured in the Nine Lessons and Carols from King’s College Chapel, Cambridge and elsewhere. Frances also wrote plays for the many godchildren and other children who celebrated with them. Nancy Carpentier Brown has collected these works in How Far Is It to Bethlehem.
How a Dutch Calvinist came home to the Catholic Church
How a Dutch Calvinist Came Home to the Catholic Church | ncregister.comEVINGER: Some days, I walk in my house – a remodeled rectory next to St. Clement's Oratory in North Dakota – and I can't believe what I see.
I marvel. I admire. A masterfully intricate wall rosary, handmade by my husband with over 10,000 beads, is nailed to the family room wall. A painting of the Holy Family hangs over my children's play kitchen set, and ultra-Catholic looking statues rest on the piano. A stack of Catholic devotionals and a rickety old chaplet sit next to my prayer chair. Wow. I'm definitely Catholic – and I'm raising a really Catholic family!
I marvel. I admire. A masterfully intricate wall rosary, handmade by my husband with over 10,000 beads, is nailed to the family room wall. A painting of the Holy Family hangs over my children's play kitchen set, and ultra-Catholic looking statues rest on the piano. A stack of Catholic devotionals and a rickety old chaplet sit next to my prayer chair. Wow. I'm definitely Catholic – and I'm raising a really Catholic family!
A vision of Our Lady of Fatima in London
A Vision of Our Lady of Fatima in London | ncregister.comTURLEY: It was a bright summer’s day. I had walked the streets of suburban London through the midday heat. Then I left the glare behind and entered a darkened room. Before me was Our Lady of Fatima; it seemed that she spoke directly to me. She talked of sin, penance and of the need for reparation.
Then a voice shouted: ‘Cut!’
It is not every day that one leaves the familiarity of London streets and meets a vision. But then it is not every day that one visits a sound stage where a film about the events that took place at Fatima nearly 100 years ago is being shot. That was precisely what I had come to observe on a hot summer’s day.
Then a voice shouted: ‘Cut!’
It is not every day that one leaves the familiarity of London streets and meets a vision. But then it is not every day that one visits a sound stage where a film about the events that took place at Fatima nearly 100 years ago is being shot. That was precisely what I had come to observe on a hot summer’s day.
‘Stand firm in hope’: Pope sends message to Taize youth gathering
Pope sends message to Taize youth gathering - Vatican Radio: Pope Francis has sent a message to young people from the ecumenical community of Taize, who are participating in a European Meeting of Young Adults taking place in Riga, Latvia, from 28 December to 1 January. It is the first time a European Meeting is taking place in a Baltic State.
The Holy Father’s letter to the young people dwelt especially on the virtue of hope. “The Pope is particularly close to you,” it said, “because he has often called you to not let anyone rob you of your hope.”
Pope Francis thanked them for leaving their “comfortable homes” to take part in the meeting in Riga. Their participation, he said, shows that they desire to be “protagonists of history,” and that they desire to not let others determine their future. He encouraged them “to stand firm in hope by letting the Lord live in your hearts and your daily lives,” saying, “with Jesus, the faithful friend who never disappoints, you will be able to walk along the path toward the future with joy, and devote your talents and abilities to the good of all.”
The Holy Father’s letter to the young people dwelt especially on the virtue of hope. “The Pope is particularly close to you,” it said, “because he has often called you to not let anyone rob you of your hope.”
Pope Francis thanked them for leaving their “comfortable homes” to take part in the meeting in Riga. Their participation, he said, shows that they desire to be “protagonists of history,” and that they desire to not let others determine their future. He encouraged them “to stand firm in hope by letting the Lord live in your hearts and your daily lives,” saying, “with Jesus, the faithful friend who never disappoints, you will be able to walk along the path toward the future with joy, and devote your talents and abilities to the good of all.”
How to easily read the whole Bible in 2017
How to Easily Read the Whole Bible in 2017�|�Brandon VogtVOGT: As you prepare for the new year, why not commit to reading the entire Bible in 2017? It’s not as hard as you might think.
The Bible contains around 775,000 words. The average adult reads 250 words per minute. That means if you read the Bible for just 10 minutes per day, you’ll get through the whole thing in a year!
Everyone can find 10 minutes in their day, whether early in the morning, during a lunch break, or before going to bed.
But after committing to reading the whole Bible, most people have two questions: which translation should I use, and how should I do it?
The Bible contains around 775,000 words. The average adult reads 250 words per minute. That means if you read the Bible for just 10 minutes per day, you’ll get through the whole thing in a year!
Everyone can find 10 minutes in their day, whether early in the morning, during a lunch break, or before going to bed.
But after committing to reading the whole Bible, most people have two questions: which translation should I use, and how should I do it?
Secrets of the spiritual realm: 12 angelic facts every Christian must know
Secrets of the Spiritual Realm: 12 Angelic Facts Every Christian Must Know | ChurchPOP: Are humans alone in the universe as intelligent beings? The Catholic Church has always believed and taught that the answer is no: the universe is in fact filled with many kinds of intelligent, other-worldly beings that we call angels. And they are up to all sorts of amazing things!
Here are 12 important things for all Christians to know about these mysterious beings from another realm
Here are 12 important things for all Christians to know about these mysterious beings from another realm
Unless your car is 30 years old, warming it up in cold weather just harms the engine
Warming Up Your Car in the Cold Just Harms the Engine: In the thick of winter, the common wisdom is that when you are gearing up to take your truck out in the cold and snow, you should step outside, start up your engine, and let it idle to warm up. But contrary to popular belief, this does not prolong the life of your engine; in fact, it decreases it by stripping oil away from the engine's cylinders and pistons.
In a nutshell, an internal combustion engine works by using pistons to compress a mixture of air and vaporized fuel within a cylinder. The compressed mixture is then ignited to create a combustion event—a little controlled explosion that powers the engine.
In a nutshell, an internal combustion engine works by using pistons to compress a mixture of air and vaporized fuel within a cylinder. The compressed mixture is then ignited to create a combustion event—a little controlled explosion that powers the engine.
'A Child’s Christmas in Wales' and the Ghosts of Christmas Past
A Child’s Christmas in Wales and the Ghosts of Christmas Past - Crisis MagazineFITZPATRICK: Christmas Day is the feast day of childhood. It is the holy day presided over by children which is precisely what makes it the liveliest of the holidays. Though priests have their place and their purpose when it comes to liturgy, they are not the principal celebrants of Christ’s birthday and boyhood. It is to the little ones that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs and Christmas is for children. The excitement and happiness they experience during this time of giving and love is reflective of the wonder and joy at the heart of the season. Christmas is for children and to children it belongs. As they play and prance and pray, their quick and eager minds mold memories that last a lifetime. The memories of Christmas are central to the memory of childhood. All men share these memories; memories held in common, reflecting the common Savior that was born to save common men; memories given unique and universal voice in the prose poem “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Dylan Thomas.
Before-and-after photos of 13 beautiful church renovations worth celebrating
Before & After: 13 Beautiful Sanctuary Renovations Worth Celebrating | The Christian Review: The latter half of the 20th century brought its share of poor church architectural design, moving away from the ornate splendor and magnificence of the cathedral, toward (in many instances) the sterile, bland, and nondescript.
Fortunately, recent years have brought a renaissance in sacred architecture, with architects such as Duncan Stroik and James McCrery designing a collection of beautifully-designed, traditional churches. That trend is also manifest in the growing number of traditional renovations recently, a number of which can be seen below.
Fortunately, recent years have brought a renaissance in sacred architecture, with architects such as Duncan Stroik and James McCrery designing a collection of beautifully-designed, traditional churches. That trend is also manifest in the growing number of traditional renovations recently, a number of which can be seen below.
Beatification cause opens for French mystic of the Eucharist in England
Beatification Cause Opens for French Mystic of the Eucharist in England | ncregister.comONEEL: Pope Francis has set Adèle Garnier, a French foundress who established her order in England, on the road to sainthood, after being lobbied to open her beatification cause by Bishop Joseph de Metz-Noblat of Langres. (The Langres Diocese includes the village where Garnier grew up.)
Mother Xavier McMonagle of the Tyburn Nuns said the nuns had sought the opening of the cause for 20 years.
“It has been a long time, but that’s not such a bad thing,” she said. “It has given us time to research her writings.”
Mother Xavier McMonagle of the Tyburn Nuns said the nuns had sought the opening of the cause for 20 years.
“It has been a long time, but that’s not such a bad thing,” she said. “It has given us time to research her writings.”
Monday, December 26, 2016
6 tips on keeping Christmas contemplative
6 Tips on Keeping Christmas Contemplative | ncregister.comEVINGER: Any time you see the words “Christ” and “Mas(s)” listed together on a day on your calendar, you better take that day seriously. I mean, really, what could be more important than a day centered upon Jesus Christ and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass? As Padre Pio once said, “It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do so without the Holy Mass.”
With this in mind, just how do we give Christmas the honor it deserves, not to mention the Christ Child it is meant to raise up in sight of the whole world? On a spiritual adventure with this goal on my heart, I decided to roam around in cyberspace as well as in a few of my favorite Catholic books in search of some unique, profound quotes about what Christmas really means.
With this in mind, just how do we give Christmas the honor it deserves, not to mention the Christ Child it is meant to raise up in sight of the whole world? On a spiritual adventure with this goal on my heart, I decided to roam around in cyberspace as well as in a few of my favorite Catholic books in search of some unique, profound quotes about what Christmas really means.
Was Sherlock Holmes a nonbeliever or Christian, or even a Catholic?
The Faith of Sherlock Holmes | ncregister.com: The archetypical fictional sleuth Sherlock Holmes, who made his debut in the late Victorian age, is showing new life in the 21st century as the hero of a series of films and TV shows on both sides of the Atlantic. These latest incarnations of Holmes are different from each other and from the original character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Similarly, atheists and agnostics tend to see the faith life of the great detective much differently than do people of faith.
Similarly, atheists and agnostics tend to see the faith life of the great detective much differently than do people of faith.
Christians celebrate Christmas at Aleppo cathedral for first time since 2012
Aleppo Christians celebrate holiday in hope peace has returned | Reuters: Christians in Aleppo celebrated under a giant Christmas tree lit up for the first time in five years, hailing what many described as the return of peace to a city that came back under full government control last week.
The fall of rebel-held east Aleppo was the biggest victory of Syria's nearly six-year-old civil war for supporters of President Bashar al-Assad, and many in pro-government parts of the city have been jubilant.
However, the rebel defeat has also brought severe hardship on civilians who fled from insurgent-held areas, thousands of whom have been forced to camp in wilderness under the snow. Aid groups say many are in peril and children have died from exposure to severe winter weather.
The fall of rebel-held east Aleppo was the biggest victory of Syria's nearly six-year-old civil war for supporters of President Bashar al-Assad, and many in pro-government parts of the city have been jubilant.
However, the rebel defeat has also brought severe hardship on civilians who fled from insurgent-held areas, thousands of whom have been forced to camp in wilderness under the snow. Aid groups say many are in peril and children have died from exposure to severe winter weather.
Sunday, December 25, 2016
2016 Christmas Message and Urbi et Orbi Blessing
Pope Francis’ 2016 Christmas Message and Urbi et Orbi Blessing | ncregister.comCOATOFARMS: The power of this Child, Son of God and Son of Mary, is not the power of this world, based on might and wealth; it is the power of love. It is the power which created the heavens and the earth, which gives life to all creation: to minerals, plants and animals; it is the force which attracts man and woman, and makes them one flesh, one single existence; it is the power which gives new birth, pardons faults, reconciles enemies, and transforms evil into good. It is the power of God. This power of love led Jesus Christ to strip himself of his glory and become man; it led him to give his life on the cross and to rise from the dead. It is the power of service, which inaugurates in our world the Kingdom of God, a kingdom of justice and peace.
What's with the odd European replica towns all across the United States?
Now - HowStuffWorks: It's safe to say that Atlanta is a fairly American place. It's the home of Coca-Cola, the Ebenezer Baptist Church where Martin Luther King Jr. preached, and the house where Margaret Mitchell wrote "Gone with the Wind." The city is both the gateway to the south and itself a big of hunk of Americana pie. Just a 90-minute drive north, in the Chattahoochee National Forest section of the Appalachians, sits another Georgia town teeming with a certain distinct national aesthetic. Helen, Georgia is more of a nod to the German Alps than a testament to red, white and blue, but it sprouted up as a result of a very American instinct: capitalism.
How millions of secret silk maps helped Allied POWs escape their captors in World War II
How Millions Of Secret Silk Maps Helped POWs Escape Their Captors in WWII | Atlas Obscura: Imagine it’s 1942, and you’re a member of Britain’s Royal Air Force. In a skirmish above Germany, your plane was shot out of the sky, and since then you’ve been hunkered down in a Prisoner of War camp. Your officers have told you it’s your duty to escape as soon as you can, but you can’t quite figure out how—you’ve got no tools and no spare rations, and you don’t even know where you are.
One day, though, you’re playing Monopoly with your fellow prisoners when you notice a strange seam in the board. You pry it open—and find a secret compartment with a file inside. In other compartments, other surprises: a compass, a wire saw, and a map, printed on luxurious, easily foldable silk and showing you exactly where you are, and where safety is. You’ve received a package from Christopher Clayton Hutton—which means you’re set to go.
One day, though, you’re playing Monopoly with your fellow prisoners when you notice a strange seam in the board. You pry it open—and find a secret compartment with a file inside. In other compartments, other surprises: a compass, a wire saw, and a map, printed on luxurious, easily foldable silk and showing you exactly where you are, and where safety is. You’ve received a package from Christopher Clayton Hutton—which means you’re set to go.
War takes a holiday: World War I's Christmas truce
War Takes a Holiday: World War I’s Christmas Truce | ncregister.comCRAUGHWELL: On Christmas Eve 1914, Belgium’s cold was even colder in the wet and the mud of the trenches along the Flanders front. Capt. Charles Stockwell of the Fifth Welsh Fusiliers was pulling his coat tighter around him in a futile effort to get warm when he heard, floating across “No Man’s Land,” the Christmas carol Stille Nacht (Silent Night). Cautiously, he peered over the parapet of the trench, and he saw, about 100 yards away, the German trenches lit up with the soft glow of candlelight.
Glory to God in the highest! Christmas season 2016 begins
‘Christ Is Our Peace’ | ncregister.com: In one of the most beloved passages from the Gospel of Luke, the birth of Our Lord is announced at Bethlehem by an angel of the Lord, and a multitude of the heavenly host proclaim, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
As 2016 comes to an end, the passage from Luke seems never more urgent or relevant to our needs as a nation and a world. This is especially true for our suffering sisters and brothers in the Holy Land and across the Middle East, the place where Our Lord was born.
The end of the year brings some hope for the Christians there — but also great fear.
The Islamic State (ISIS) is being driven from the northern Iraqi city of Mosul and the nearby Nineveh Plain, home to Christians for some two millennia. Christians in northern Iraq hope to have the opportunity soon to return to their towns and cities, but many dread they will find only ruins and little safety. ISIS may be gone militarily, but its evil spirit remains.
As 2016 comes to an end, the passage from Luke seems never more urgent or relevant to our needs as a nation and a world. This is especially true for our suffering sisters and brothers in the Holy Land and across the Middle East, the place where Our Lord was born.
The end of the year brings some hope for the Christians there — but also great fear.
The Islamic State (ISIS) is being driven from the northern Iraqi city of Mosul and the nearby Nineveh Plain, home to Christians for some two millennia. Christians in northern Iraq hope to have the opportunity soon to return to their towns and cities, but many dread they will find only ruins and little safety. ISIS may be gone militarily, but its evil spirit remains.
Lessons in humility from the Nativity of Our Lord
Humility Lessons from the Nativity – A Homily for Christmas - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The Christmas Gospel from Luke provides us with many teachings. One thing that surely stands out, however, is the permeating theme of humility. Throughout the account, God confounds our prideful expectations and insists on being found in the lowest of places.
The newborn Christ is not found where we expect Him to be nor does His birth conform to any script we would design. Right from the start, He gives us many lessons in humility and begins His saving work of healing our wound of pride. Let’s look at these lessons in four stages.
The newborn Christ is not found where we expect Him to be nor does His birth conform to any script we would design. Right from the start, He gives us many lessons in humility and begins His saving work of healing our wound of pride. Let’s look at these lessons in four stages.
Saturday, December 24, 2016
Vatican and Italy on Christmas high alert after truck attack in Berlin
Europe on Christmas high alert after truck attack in Berlin | Reuters: Security was heightened for the Christmas weekend in Italy and at the Vatican on Saturday after Italian police killed the man believed to be responsible for the Berlin market truck attack while other European cities kept forces on high alert.
In France, Britain and Germany, which have all been targets of Islamist militant attacks, police increased their presence at tourist spots in major cities and other densely populated areas.
Anis Amri, a 24-year-old Tunisian suspected of carrying out the truck attack which killed 12 people, was shot dead in a town near Milan early on Friday after he pulled a gun on police during a routine check.
In France, Britain and Germany, which have all been targets of Islamist militant attacks, police increased their presence at tourist spots in major cities and other densely populated areas.
Anis Amri, a 24-year-old Tunisian suspected of carrying out the truck attack which killed 12 people, was shot dead in a town near Milan early on Friday after he pulled a gun on police during a routine check.
Friday, December 23, 2016
Pope donates 6 million euro to Ukraine relief efforts for Christmas
Pope donates 6 million euro to Ukraine relief efforts for Christmas :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): After taking up a collection earlier this year to aid families affected by the ongoing crisis in Eastern Ukraine, Pope Francis has decided to distribute an initial sum of 6 million euros to different charity projects as a Christmas gift.
“In the name of the Holy Father, at Christmas the first installment of the aid for the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine will be paid,” a Dec. 23 communique from the Pontifical Council Cor Unum read.
The sum of nearly 6 million euro is only part of the 12 million that’s been collected since April, and is destined for more than 2 million people “without distinction of religion, faith or ethnic background.”
“In the name of the Holy Father, at Christmas the first installment of the aid for the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine will be paid,” a Dec. 23 communique from the Pontifical Council Cor Unum read.
The sum of nearly 6 million euro is only part of the 12 million that’s been collected since April, and is destined for more than 2 million people “without distinction of religion, faith or ethnic background.”
Thursday, December 22, 2016
A chart of bed sizes around the world
Bed Sizes Around the World | FlowingData: When you book a hotel in the United States, you know what size bed you’re going to get, based on the description. But when you travel to other countries, the bed size in the place you visit is often different from what you’re used to, despite having a description as such.
In some places, a king bed is actually smaller than a queen bed here, or a twin/single bed might seem more like a double.
In some places, a king bed is actually smaller than a queen bed here, or a twin/single bed might seem more like a double.
At Christmas “greeting,” Pope talks Curia reform and “resistance”
Whispers in the Loggia: "A Sign of Life" – At Christmas "Greeting," Pope Talks Curia Reform... and "Resistance"PALMO: Over the last two pontificates, the Pope's traditional Christmas "greeting" to the cardinals and bishops of the Roman Curia has taken on an outsize significance, serving under Benedict XVI by turns as a "Year in Review" or theological showcase, and for Francis as an incisive meditation on best practice in church administration... or the lack thereof.
Keeping with the decade-old thread, this morning the pontiff unleashed another whopper at his dicastery-chiefs – not an indictment of the "15 diseases" kind, but laying out in unprecedented detail his rationale and principles for the ongoing reform of the Roman Curia.
Intended as the most sweeping overhaul of the Holy See's apparatus since Paul VI's post-Conciliar engagement of the Vatican's entities with the wider world, while 2016 saw the lengthy process make significant strides with the consolidation of most of the Pontifical Councils into two Super-Dicasteries, the governing document delineating the roles and responsibilities of each of the 40-odd offices remains in the works.
Keeping with the decade-old thread, this morning the pontiff unleashed another whopper at his dicastery-chiefs – not an indictment of the "15 diseases" kind, but laying out in unprecedented detail his rationale and principles for the ongoing reform of the Roman Curia.
Intended as the most sweeping overhaul of the Holy See's apparatus since Paul VI's post-Conciliar engagement of the Vatican's entities with the wider world, while 2016 saw the lengthy process make significant strides with the consolidation of most of the Pontifical Councils into two Super-Dicasteries, the governing document delineating the roles and responsibilities of each of the 40-odd offices remains in the works.
Pope Francis creates commission to investigate Order of Malta crisis
Pope Francis creates commission to investigate Order of Malta crisis – CatholicHerald.co.uk: Pope Francis has appointed a high-powered commission to investigate a sacking at the Order of Malta, a lay order founded in the 11th century.
The order’s grand chancellor, Albrecht von Boeselager, was forcibly ousted earlier this month after the Order of Malta said “an extremely grave and untenable situation” came to light. Italian daily Il Messaggero said the scandal concerned von Boeselager’s tenure as health minister and claims that he didn’t prevent the order’s workers in Africa from distributing condoms.
The order has not provided details, but said the scandal involved von Boeselager’s tenure as health minister and said he had concealed the problems until an internal investigation uncovered them last year.
The order’s grand chancellor, Albrecht von Boeselager, was forcibly ousted earlier this month after the Order of Malta said “an extremely grave and untenable situation” came to light. Italian daily Il Messaggero said the scandal concerned von Boeselager’s tenure as health minister and claims that he didn’t prevent the order’s workers in Africa from distributing condoms.
The order has not provided details, but said the scandal involved von Boeselager’s tenure as health minister and said he had concealed the problems until an internal investigation uncovered them last year.
O Little Town of Bethlehem: Keeping Christmas local
O Little Town of Bethlehem: Keeping Christmas Local - The Imaginative ConservativePEARCE: One of the most discouraging things about small-town America is the way that corporate gigantism has ripped its heart out. This is made all too painfully evident when I drive on the back roads to Charlotte from my home in South Carolina, which is my preferred route when time permits. Taking these country roads, I pass through several small towns that have become like the ghost towns of the legendary west. People still live there, in an impoverished state, but the downtown areas are deserted. Indeed, to put no finer point upon it, the downtowns are deserts devoid of all commercial activity. One sees old buildings, dignified even in their dilapidated state, empty and neglected, standing like tombstones commemorating the passing of a healthier culture. What is missing is the neighbourly heart of local community and local commerce that once beat there, and the pulsing of family life.
Toronto's Sister Susan Moran dedicated her life to helping the homeless
Sister Susan Moran dedicated her life to helping the homeless | Toronto Star: This winter, like she did every winter for most of her adult life, Sister Susan Moran would certainly have been spending her days and nights making sure people were out of the cold.
She was driven, she explained in one of the many stories chronicling her remarkably selfless life, by a singular mission to create a welcome, loving and warm place for those who struggled to do it for themselves.
“I knew my mission, my calling was here with the homeless,” Moran told the Star, in 2007. “We have to take better care of our vulnerable. There has to be better affordable housing.”
This winter, three decades after she co-founded Out of the Cold — a program where faith-based organizations including churches, synagogues and mosques open their doors and offer a safe place to warm up and sleep — the people who shared her mission will have to carry on without her.
She was driven, she explained in one of the many stories chronicling her remarkably selfless life, by a singular mission to create a welcome, loving and warm place for those who struggled to do it for themselves.
“I knew my mission, my calling was here with the homeless,” Moran told the Star, in 2007. “We have to take better care of our vulnerable. There has to be better affordable housing.”
This winter, three decades after she co-founded Out of the Cold — a program where faith-based organizations including churches, synagogues and mosques open their doors and offer a safe place to warm up and sleep — the people who shared her mission will have to carry on without her.
Pope Francis lays out 12 guiding principles for reform of the Roman Curia
Pope Francis Lays Out 12 Guiding Principles for Reform of the Roman Curia | ncregister.com: In a lengthy, in-depth speech to members of the Roman Curia Thursday, Pope Francis dug into what he said are the key guideless of his ongoing reform, which in his view ought to focus primarily on conversion, unity and streamlining the old process in order to meet modern needs.
Francis opened his annual Dec. 22 speech reflecting on how God humbled himself, making himself small and becoming a servant to mankind.
“At Christmas we are called to say ‘Yes’ with our faith, not to the master of the universe, and not even to the most noble ideas, but precisely to this God who is the humble lover,” he said.
With this “gentle and impressive” image of the Christ child in mind, the Pope delved into his reflections on the curial reform, touching not only on the functions of the curial offices, but also the importance of a constant personal conversion and the different types of resistance — both good and bad — that inevitably pop up during processes of change.
Francis opened his annual Dec. 22 speech reflecting on how God humbled himself, making himself small and becoming a servant to mankind.
“At Christmas we are called to say ‘Yes’ with our faith, not to the master of the universe, and not even to the most noble ideas, but precisely to this God who is the humble lover,” he said.
With this “gentle and impressive” image of the Christ child in mind, the Pope delved into his reflections on the curial reform, touching not only on the functions of the curial offices, but also the importance of a constant personal conversion and the different types of resistance — both good and bad — that inevitably pop up during processes of change.
Would Jesus have come if Adam had not sinned? And why did He wait so long?
Would Jesus Have Come If Adam Had Not Sinned? Why Did He Wait So Long Before Coming? - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: Continuing our series of questions related to the Incarnation, we next ponder whether Jesus would have come at all had we not sinned in the Garden. We also wonder why He waited thousands of years before coming to our rescue.
Regarding the question of whether Christ would have come if Adam had not sinned, St. Thomas Aquinas (in his Summa Theologica) first states that there are different opinions on the matter. He also notes that God’s power is not limited and therefore God could have become incarnate even if sin had not existed. However, St. Thomas believes that if man had not sinned then the Son would not have become incarnate. As I often do, I’ve presented St. Thomas’ words in bold italics, while my commentary appears in red.
Regarding the question of whether Christ would have come if Adam had not sinned, St. Thomas Aquinas (in his Summa Theologica) first states that there are different opinions on the matter. He also notes that God’s power is not limited and therefore God could have become incarnate even if sin had not existed. However, St. Thomas believes that if man had not sinned then the Son would not have become incarnate. As I often do, I’ve presented St. Thomas’ words in bold italics, while my commentary appears in red.
Celebrating Christmas at Christmastime
Celebrating Christmas at Christmastime - The Imaginative ConservativeAHLQUIST: About a hundred years ago, the usual jolly G.K. Chesterton can be found lamenting two things that are still a problem today: First, that as a writer, he has to write about Christmas long before Christmas in order for it to be published at Christmas. Second, the rest of the world seems to celebrate Christmas long before Christmas and then when Christmas comes, everyone stops celebrating. Should be just the opposite.
Though we love Christmas for the traditions that it entails, we have forgotten one of the most important traditions. For several centuries people waited until Christmas to celebrate Christmas. And then they celebrated it for twelve days. There was a fast leading up to the feast, and then there were many days of feasting. But in recent years, in spite of official attempts to deflate Christmas altogether, the festival lasts for over a month leading up to the actual feast, and then it vanishes instantly and all evidence of it is erased.
Though we love Christmas for the traditions that it entails, we have forgotten one of the most important traditions. For several centuries people waited until Christmas to celebrate Christmas. And then they celebrated it for twelve days. There was a fast leading up to the feast, and then there were many days of feasting. But in recent years, in spite of official attempts to deflate Christmas altogether, the festival lasts for over a month leading up to the actual feast, and then it vanishes instantly and all evidence of it is erased.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
New stats on why young people leave the Church
New Stats on Why Young People Leave the Church�|�Brandon VogtVOGT: In my book, RETURN: How to Draw Your Child Back to the Church, I pour through all the data about why young people leave the Church, where they go, and what they believe. Most of the analysis stemmed from surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center, CARA, the Barna Group, and Dr. Christian Smith’s team at Notre Dame.
However, a new survey was just released by PRRI entitled “Exodus: Why Americans are Leaving Religion—and Why They’re Unlikely to Come Back”. The survey was conducted in August 2016, in partnership with Religion News Service (RNS), and involved a random sample of 2,201 adults in the United States. It’s not as comprehensive as Pew’s regular national religious landscape surveys, which sample more than 30,000 Americans, but it’s still helpful in many ways.
However, a new survey was just released by PRRI entitled “Exodus: Why Americans are Leaving Religion—and Why They’re Unlikely to Come Back”. The survey was conducted in August 2016, in partnership with Religion News Service (RNS), and involved a random sample of 2,201 adults in the United States. It’s not as comprehensive as Pew’s regular national religious landscape surveys, which sample more than 30,000 Americans, but it’s still helpful in many ways.
The true story of pain and hope behind “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”
The True Story of Pain and Hope Behind “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” | TGC: In March of 1863, 18-year-old Charles Appleton Longfellow walked out of his family’s house on Brattle Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and—unbeknownst to his family—boarded a train bound for Washington, D.C., traveling over 400 miles across the eastern seaboard in order to join President Lincoln’s Union army to fight in the Civil War. Charles (b. June 9, 1844) was the oldest of six children born to Fannie Elizabeth Appleton and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the celebrated literary critic and poet. Charles had five younger siblings: a brother (aged 17) and three sisters (ages 13, 10, 8—another one had died as an infant).
For women with no place to turn, today’s Bronx outshines ancient Bethlehem
Room at the Inn - WSJMCGURN: Just a few evenings from now, children badly costumed as shepherds and angels and wise men will appear in nativity pageants the world over. Even the worst of these performances will underscore the hope and humbleness of that first Christmas, when a Jewish woman with child brought forth her son in a stable because there was no room for her at the inn.
More than two millennia later, the Bronx has improved on ancient Bethlehem. Here at Fulton Avenue and 167th Street, in one of New York’s toughest neighborhoods, a pregnant woman with nowhere else to turn will always find what she needs most: an open door and a caring heart.
More than two millennia later, the Bronx has improved on ancient Bethlehem. Here at Fulton Avenue and 167th Street, in one of New York’s toughest neighborhoods, a pregnant woman with nowhere else to turn will always find what she needs most: an open door and a caring heart.
How a Division I volleyball player got sober, returned to the Church and became a nun...
When Everything You Thought You Wanted Isn't Enough - The Coming Home Network: I was raised Catholic. My dad converted to marry my mom, who came from a South Texas German farming community, so I was very Catholic, right from the start. We went to Mass every Sunday — every Sunday — and prayed the rosary together. My parents were very faithful. They had a deeper conversion when I was older, but even when I was small, they were faithful.
There is something beautiful and honest about that 'painfully awkward' Jerry Lewis interview
There is something beautiful & honest about that 'awkward' Jerry Lewis interview (VIDEO) – For HerSCALIA: By now you’ve probably seen the video being billed as a most “painfully awkward” interview with Jerry Lewis. The Hollywood Reporter sent young Andy Lewis (no relation) to Las Vegas to query the nonagenarian at his home. Jerry Lewis is famously caustic when annoyed, and the THR team—for whatever reason—seems to have brought out his inner Ron Swanson. The resulting video shows its subject in full “get off my lawn” mode, and one cannot look away from the carnage.
At 90, Jerry Lewis is fully in his wits, and clearly a man who, once he has decided someone is a fool, does not suffer gladly.
At 90, Jerry Lewis is fully in his wits, and clearly a man who, once he has decided someone is a fool, does not suffer gladly.
God is not the author of confusion
God is Not the Author of Confusion - Crisis MagazineESOLEN: Two “diversity consultants” recently visited my college to instruct the administrators about, among other things, the harm of assuming what is now called “heteronormativity.”
“Have you not read,” says the Lord to the Pharisees who had wanted to catch him saying something erroneous about divorce, “that in the beginning God made them male and female? And said, for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man put asunder.”
“Have you not read,” says the Lord to the Pharisees who had wanted to catch him saying something erroneous about divorce, “that in the beginning God made them male and female? And said, for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man put asunder.”
Canonization process opens for Julia Greeley, ex-slave known for heroic charity and mercy
Canonization Process Opens for Ex-Slave Known for Heroic Charity, Mercy | ncregister.com: She was a former slave who was known as Denver’s “Angel of Charity” and “Apostle of the Sacred Heart.”
Permitted to be called “Servant of God” since August, the late laywoman Julia Greeley may someday be called “Saint.”
During a Dec. 18 Mass at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Archbishop Samuel Aquila officially opened the cause for canonization for Greeley, who as a child lost an eye to a slavemaster’s whip and due to racism and a lack of education lived a life of menial jobs and poverty. A Catholic convert and daily communicant, Greeley transcended injustice through faith and became known for her heroic works of charity and mercy.
Permitted to be called “Servant of God” since August, the late laywoman Julia Greeley may someday be called “Saint.”
During a Dec. 18 Mass at the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Archbishop Samuel Aquila officially opened the cause for canonization for Greeley, who as a child lost an eye to a slavemaster’s whip and due to racism and a lack of education lived a life of menial jobs and poverty. A Catholic convert and daily communicant, Greeley transcended injustice through faith and became known for her heroic works of charity and mercy.
Pope's Wednesday Audience: ‘Hope entered the world’ at Jesus’ birth
Pope: ‘Hope Entered the World’ at Jesus’ Birth | ncregister.com: While hope can often be viewed as the desire for things out of our reach, Pope Francis has said that the birth of Jesus offers us a new kind hope — one which, thanks to the Incarnation, is attainable and leads to a different goal.
“When we speak of hope, we often refer to that which man is not able to do and that which is not visible. In effect, what we hope for goes beyond our strength and gaze,” the Pope said Dec. 21.
However, the birth of Christ “speaks of a different hope, a trustworthy, visible and understandable hope, because it is founded on God.”
“When we speak of hope, we often refer to that which man is not able to do and that which is not visible. In effect, what we hope for goes beyond our strength and gaze,” the Pope said Dec. 21.
However, the birth of Christ “speaks of a different hope, a trustworthy, visible and understandable hope, because it is founded on God.”
Martin Scorsese's ‘Silence’ was worth the wait
SDG Reviews ‘Silence’ | ncregister.comGREYDANUS: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church,” Father Sebastião Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) tells the magistrate and grand inquisitor Inoue (Issey Ogata) in Martin Scorsese’s shattering adaptation of Shusaku Endo’s Silence.
Rodrigues is quoting, of course, the famous boast of the early Christian writer Tertullian, which epitomizes the Christian idealization of martyrdom, so near the center of Christian self-understanding.
This sensibility — often blending piety and defiance, inspiration and bravado, even self-sacrificing devotion and self-promoting PR — was rooted in pre-Christian Jewish memory as well as Christian experience of persecution, first under Jewish authorities and especially under pagan Rome. Above all, of course, it was rooted in the passion and crucifixion of Jesus.
Rodrigues is quoting, of course, the famous boast of the early Christian writer Tertullian, which epitomizes the Christian idealization of martyrdom, so near the center of Christian self-understanding.
This sensibility — often blending piety and defiance, inspiration and bravado, even self-sacrificing devotion and self-promoting PR — was rooted in pre-Christian Jewish memory as well as Christian experience of persecution, first under Jewish authorities and especially under pagan Rome. Above all, of course, it was rooted in the passion and crucifixion of Jesus.
Vatican speaks out on unapproved bishop ordinations in China
Vatican speaks out on unapproved bishop ordinations in China :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): After the recent unauthorized ordination of bishops in China, which falls just ahead of a major meeting for Chinese Catholic representatives, the Vatican has issued a statement reaffirming their position on the matter.
“Some journalists have asked for the Holy See's thoughts regarding both the recent episcopal ordinations in Chengdu and Xichang and the Ninth Assembly of Representatives of Chinese Catholics,” a Dec. 19 communique from Vatican spokesman Greg Burke read.
“Some journalists have asked for the Holy See's thoughts regarding both the recent episcopal ordinations in Chengdu and Xichang and the Ninth Assembly of Representatives of Chinese Catholics,” a Dec. 19 communique from Vatican spokesman Greg Burke read.
You are a child of God, dignified by His love
You Are a Child of God, Dignified by His Love | ncregister.comBOWMAN: When I began my 30-plus year teaching career in public education long ago, all I wanted was a steady job with good benefits. But after only a couple of years, instead of burning me out, my job morphed into God’s call, a sacred vocation to love, to teach, and to let go of my students – like any good parent substitute.
For my vocation prep, all I received was a call from a worried black mother with a heads up: Her daughter “might be acting kind of crazy tomorrow.” The next day, that same seventh grader called me “Daddy.” In that moment, I saw what I didn’t see coming: our plague of lost childhoods that crosses all racial, economic and social boundaries. God’s call demanded that I help in the field hospital called Family.
For my vocation prep, all I received was a call from a worried black mother with a heads up: Her daughter “might be acting kind of crazy tomorrow.” The next day, that same seventh grader called me “Daddy.” In that moment, I saw what I didn’t see coming: our plague of lost childhoods that crosses all racial, economic and social boundaries. God’s call demanded that I help in the field hospital called Family.
While millennials look to ‘adulting’, we can't forget spiritual adulthood
While Millennials look to Adulting, We Can't forget Spiritual Adulthood | ncregister.comGRESS: In the coming weeks as Christmas unfolds, Catholics will hear about the Wise Men and the shepherds who sought out the infant Jesus. In the case of the Wise Men, they traveled quite a distance guided only by a glimmering star that pointed the way. They had no navigation, no Waze, or even a simple map to follow. They continually had to trust and allow themselves to be led to Christ. In their wisdom, they became child-like, not childish, to find the Christ child.
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Cardinal Burke: ‘No, I am not saying that Pope Francis is in heresy’
Cardinal Burke: "No, I am not saying that Pope Francis is in heresy." | Catholic World Report - Global Church news and viewsOLSON: Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke was made a bishop by Pope John Paul II in 1994. In 2010 he was named a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI and soon thereafter become Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. In 2014 Pope Francis removed Cardinal Burke from his position as Prefect and named him chaplain to the Order of Malta. During the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops, held in Rome in October 2014, Cardinal Burke strongly criticized the mid-term report (Relatio post disceptationem), stating that it "lacks a solid foundation in the Sacred Scriptures and the Magisterium" and that it "gives the impression of inventing a totally new ... revolutionary, teaching on marriage and the family." He added that he thought a statement of clarification from Pope Francis "is long overdue."
Are you ‘Christian’ or ‘Catholic’? How to avoid feeding into an old prejudice...
Are You Christian or Catholic? | ncregister.comLONGENECKER: Soon after I converted to the Catholic faith a dear old Dominican sister gave me a word of advice, “I think it is generally a good idea,” she said, “to not refer to yourself any longer as a ‘Christian’ but use ‘Catholic'.”
I was rather flabbergasted by her suggestion since to my mind in becoming a Catholic I was becoming the most fulfilled and complete Christian. What she meant, however, was that in many people’s minds to be a Christian means to be a Protestant. To be a Catholic is, well, something else.
I understood that she was only seeking clarity for my witness as a Catholic, but unfortunately, such a distinction plays into the hands of non-Catholics who have hijacked the term “Christian”.
I was rather flabbergasted by her suggestion since to my mind in becoming a Catholic I was becoming the most fulfilled and complete Christian. What she meant, however, was that in many people’s minds to be a Christian means to be a Protestant. To be a Catholic is, well, something else.
I understood that she was only seeking clarity for my witness as a Catholic, but unfortunately, such a distinction plays into the hands of non-Catholics who have hijacked the term “Christian”.
Don't become blind to the blind
Don't Become Blind to the Blind | ncregister.comWAYNESMITH: Since I became Catholic 20 years ago, I have gone to many different places throughout the United States, traveling alone with my white cane. It has been interesting (and frustrating) to discover how so many Catholics and Catholic organizations are blind to the blind. I can’t tell you how many times I have attended an unfamiliar parish or a seminar or devotion when I enter (or attempt to enter) the building and tap around looking for stairs, doors, meeting rooms and so on. There are people all around me but none of them comes up to offer any sort of help.
Pope Francis grants conditional pardon to convicted Vatileaks priest
Pope Francis Grants Conditional Pardon to Convicted Vatileaks Priest | ncregister.com: Just a few days before Christmas, Pope Francis has granted a "conditional pardon" to Msgr. Lucio Ángel Vallejo Balda, sentenced in August to 18 months in jail for stealing and passing on documents to two Italian journalists.
In a brief statement released this evening, the Vatican said: “Considering that the Rev. Vallejo Balda has already served more than half of the sentence, the Holy Father Francis has given him the benefit of conditional release.”
It added: “It is a measure of clemency which allows him to regain freedom. The penalty is not settled, but he has the benefit of parole.”
The statement continued: “As of this evening the priest leaves the prison and all ties of employment with the Holy See ceases; he falls within the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Astorga (Spain), his home diocese.”
In a brief statement released this evening, the Vatican said: “Considering that the Rev. Vallejo Balda has already served more than half of the sentence, the Holy Father Francis has given him the benefit of conditional release.”
It added: “It is a measure of clemency which allows him to regain freedom. The penalty is not settled, but he has the benefit of parole.”
The statement continued: “As of this evening the priest leaves the prison and all ties of employment with the Holy See ceases; he falls within the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Astorga (Spain), his home diocese.”
U.S. Army veteran buys Christmas presents for family of man who shot and paralyzed him
Veteran Buys Christmas Presents for Family of Man Who Shot and Paralyzed Him | The Stream: An Army veteran was shot and paralyzed last year by a guy who robbed him and his girlfriend — and he’s showing Christ-like forgiveness to the shooter’s family this Christmas.
Chris Sanna was shot in September, 2015, after he and his girlfriend were robbed at gunpoint while they walking back to his car from a Cardinal’s game, KMOV reported. A black sedan pulled up beside them and the driver got out and demanded his girlfriend’s purse. “After she gave him her purse, he pulled a gun,” said Candis Sanna, Chris’ mother. “That’s when they turned to run, and he shot at them twice.”
Chris Sanna was shot in September, 2015, after he and his girlfriend were robbed at gunpoint while they walking back to his car from a Cardinal’s game, KMOV reported. A black sedan pulled up beside them and the driver got out and demanded his girlfriend’s purse. “After she gave him her purse, he pulled a gun,” said Candis Sanna, Chris’ mother. “That’s when they turned to run, and he shot at them twice.”
How an 18th-century defense of the Resurrection revolutionized brain science
How a Defense of Christianity Revolutionized Brain Science - Facts So Romantic - Nautilus: Presbyterian reverend Thomas Bayes had no reason to suspect he’d make any lasting contribution to humankind. Born in England at the beginning of the 18th century, Bayes was a quiet and questioning man. He published only two works in his lifetime. In 1731, he wrote a defense of God’s—and the British monarchy’s—“divine benevolence,” and in 1736, an anonymous defense of the logic of Isaac Newton’s calculus. Yet an argument he wrote before his death in 1761 would shape the course of history. It would help Alan Turing decode the German Enigma cipher, the United States Navy locate Soviet subs, and statisticians determine the authorship of the Federalist Papers. Today it has helped unlock the secrets of the brain.
Christmas on a Sunday doesn't feel exactly right, and that's exactly how it should be...
Christmas on a Sunday feels wrong - Church - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.orgHOOPES: “Christmas won’t feel right this year,” said one of the people who share my surname and address.
“Yikes. Why not?” I asked.
“Because it’s on a Sunday. We always dress up and go to a long Mass on Sunday.”
“Ah,” I said. “But you need to realize that Christmas never feels right, no matter what day of the week it falls on.”
“How so?”
“Think of the absurdity of Christmas on a Monday,” I said.
“Umm ... not feeling it,” said my offspring.
“How long will Week 4 of Advent be this year?” I asked.
“Duh. A week long.”
“Yikes. Why not?” I asked.
“Because it’s on a Sunday. We always dress up and go to a long Mass on Sunday.”
“Ah,” I said. “But you need to realize that Christmas never feels right, no matter what day of the week it falls on.”
“How so?”
“Think of the absurdity of Christmas on a Monday,” I said.
“Umm ... not feeling it,” said my offspring.
“How long will Week 4 of Advent be this year?” I asked.
“Duh. A week long.”
Longing for the silent night
Longing for the silent night ~ The MotherlandsRENNER: I’m not sure what my thoughts were on the subject of sleep before having children. I do remember setting my alarm a little bit early so I could hit snooze a few times before getting up. I remember complaining about being so tired due to jet lag, exams, or a late night with friends. But since becoming a mother, there is a gravity to sleep that was never there before.
I now spend a considerable amount of time talking about sleep. How are your kids sleeping? Are they still napping? Do they go to bed on their own? There is research; there are tactics employed. I have read books on the subject of sleep, and they were page turners.
I now spend a considerable amount of time talking about sleep. How are your kids sleeping? Are they still napping? Do they go to bed on their own? There is research; there are tactics employed. I have read books on the subject of sleep, and they were page turners.
The pro-choice abuse of logic
The Human Life Review The Pro-Choice Abuse of Logic - The Human Life ReviewMILLS: I suspect the popularity among pro-choicers of this claim that the pro-lifers fail in logic comes from a simple fact: They don’t want people thinking about that creature in the womb. That’s when their argument is weakest, because the commonsense answer most people give is that that creature is a human being. The embryonic me was the same creature as the me watching the Giants beat the Cowboys. Some portion of those will then insist that he has the right to live. You can’t kill me, don’t kill the embryonic me.
How much easier for the pro-choicer not to argue but simply to declare that we’re talking nonsense and making claims with no logical value. Anything to keep people from looking at the unborn and seeing a child.
How much easier for the pro-choicer not to argue but simply to declare that we’re talking nonsense and making claims with no logical value. Anything to keep people from looking at the unborn and seeing a child.
That remarkable photo from the Grotto at Notre Dame
That remarkable photo from the Grotto at Notre Dame – Thoughts from the Side of the House…: I posted something 8 days ago on my Facebook page that has kept me busy with correspondence all week. It’s been shared and re-shared over 500 times and I’ve heard from people from all around the world. Up to this point, I have not shared any thoughts about it. I’ve simply shared the photo without much comment. However, since this image was entrusted to me, I feel a responsibility to say a few things. First, let me rehash the story:
A week ago Sunday, due to my poor shower time management (1 shower for 6 people), we experienced a “shower production bottleneck” and couldn’t get everyone through in time to make our customary 11:00 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral. So I bailed out and hit the 11:45 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart Basilica at Notre Dame. Afterwards, it was snowing that wet and heavy snow. On my way to the parking lot, I instinctively stopped at the Grotto where I was touched by the presence of one lone student kneeling devoutly in prayer. I decided to take a photo because this guy – he looked like some kind of athlete – didn’t move the whole time. Snow was piling up on him. As soon as I took the photo, my iPhone suddenly shut down despite the fact that I had a 42% charge. It was 1:50 p.m.
A week ago Sunday, due to my poor shower time management (1 shower for 6 people), we experienced a “shower production bottleneck” and couldn’t get everyone through in time to make our customary 11:00 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral. So I bailed out and hit the 11:45 a.m. Mass at Sacred Heart Basilica at Notre Dame. Afterwards, it was snowing that wet and heavy snow. On my way to the parking lot, I instinctively stopped at the Grotto where I was touched by the presence of one lone student kneeling devoutly in prayer. I decided to take a photo because this guy – he looked like some kind of athlete – didn’t move the whole time. Snow was piling up on him. As soon as I took the photo, my iPhone suddenly shut down despite the fact that I had a 42% charge. It was 1:50 p.m.
This classic comparison test shows why you need to get winter tires
This Classsic Comparison Test Shows Exactly How Much Better Winter Tires Perform on Ice: Any place where winter temperatures are regularly below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, winter tires area valuable part of driver safety. Yes, all-season tires work better in the winter than summer tires, but we still highly recommend dedicated winter tires.
Recently, we featured a great video from Engineering Explained that went in-depth into explaining the differences in each type of tire. But for anyone who's more of a visual learner, check out the comparison test in the video below.
Recently, we featured a great video from Engineering Explained that went in-depth into explaining the differences in each type of tire. But for anyone who's more of a visual learner, check out the comparison test in the video below.
How to act like a man: 5 tips from St. Thomas Aquinas
Act Like a Man: 5 Tips with St. Thomas Aquinas | Word On Fire: In the face of gender theory and feminist ideologies which challenge the notion of manhood, the Church needs real men. We need to respond to the Biblical command viriliter agite found frequently in the Vulgate. The phrase translates as “act like a man” in one form or another in Scripture (1 Cor 16:13, Dt 31:6, Ps 30(31):25, 2 Chr 32:7, 1 Mac 2:64). One man who obeyed was St. Andrew, and his very name suggests it. St. Thomas Aquinas explains, “Andrew is interpreted ‘manly’; for as in Latin, ‘virilis‘ [“manly”] is derived from ‘vir’ [man], so in Greek, Andrew is derived from ανηρ [anēr: man]. Rightly is he called manly, who left all and followed Christ, and manfully persevered in His commands.”
You too can be a Catholic apologist
You Too Can Be an Apologist | Catholic AnswersKEATING: When someone mentions the word apologist, the image that comes to mind probably is of someone (almost always a male) speaking at a parish seminar, autographing books at a large conference, or answering questions on the radio.
You likely don’t imagine yourself doing any of these things. You may cringe at the thought of having to speak in public. You may enjoy attending conferences but would pale if asked to be a presenter. You may get the heebie jeebies just thinking of how your tongue would get tangled if you were placed behind a radio microphone.
You likely don’t imagine yourself doing any of these things. You may cringe at the thought of having to speak in public. You may enjoy attending conferences but would pale if asked to be a presenter. You may get the heebie jeebies just thinking of how your tongue would get tangled if you were placed behind a radio microphone.
How should we pray (and suffer) for our children?
How Should We Pray for Our Children? : The Integrated Catholic Life™: Some people like to pray the Rosary when they walk, hike or ride a bike outside. I find that my mind wanders. When I walk or ride, I mostly simply look at awe and wonder at God’s magnificent designs in nature, His divine artwork, stopping to peer at a flower that catches my attention, to listen to the call of a juvenile hawk or to admire a cloud formation in the sky. Other times when I am a little more focused, I will pray simply in time to my steps. “My Jesus Mercy. My Jesus Mercy…” as I take each step, imagining His love and mercy and a different child each step.
Saudi Arabia resets government calendar to follow birthdate of Jesus Christ (warning: autoplay video)
Saudi Arabia Resets Calendar To Follow Birth Date Of Jesus Christ | Christian News on Christian Today: Saudi Arabia has changed its official calendar so that the Islamic kingdom is now being run on a timeline based on the birth of Jesus Christ.
Saudi Arabia has used the Islamic Hijri calendar since the kingdom was founded in 1932. The lunar Hijri calendar dates its first year in AD 622, when Muhammad made his pilgrimage from Mecca to Medina.
It has 12 months but each year is 11 days shorter than a year of the Gregorian calendar.
Saudi Arabia has used the Islamic Hijri calendar since the kingdom was founded in 1932. The lunar Hijri calendar dates its first year in AD 622, when Muhammad made his pilgrimage from Mecca to Medina.
It has 12 months but each year is 11 days shorter than a year of the Gregorian calendar.
Why did the Second Person of the Trinity become incarnate rather than the Father or the Holy Spirit?
Why Did the Second Person of the Trinity Become Incarnate Rather Than the Father or the Holy Spirit? - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: As we continue to await the fast-approaching Feast of Holy Christmas, it is good to ponder some aspects of the Incarnation. Among the questions for us to consider is why it was the Son, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, that became incarnate, rather than the Father or the Holy Spirit.
Most people have never even thought of this question let alone sought to answer it. God could have chosen many different ways to save us; He chose to act as He did not because it was required, but because it was fitting. It falls to us to ponder, using Scripture and our own reason, why God’s chosen way was fitting, and what we can learn from this.
Most people have never even thought of this question let alone sought to answer it. God could have chosen many different ways to save us; He chose to act as He did not because it was required, but because it was fitting. It falls to us to ponder, using Scripture and our own reason, why God’s chosen way was fitting, and what we can learn from this.
Pope Francis pleads for end to 'homicidal madness' of terrorism
Pope Francis pleads for end to 'homicidal madness' of terrorism :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): What are being called two major acts of terrorism in just the past 24 hours have prompted Pope Francis to again beg for an even stronger commitment to putting such bloody attacks, which have marred many parts of the world over the past 18 months, to an end.
“Pope Francis unites to all men and women of good will who commit so that the homicidal madness of terrorism no longer finds space in our world,” a Dec. 20 telegram from the Vatican read.
“In this sense, His Holiness implores God the merciful Father for consolation, protection and his comforting blessing.”
“Pope Francis unites to all men and women of good will who commit so that the homicidal madness of terrorism no longer finds space in our world,” a Dec. 20 telegram from the Vatican read.
“In this sense, His Holiness implores God the merciful Father for consolation, protection and his comforting blessing.”
Monday, December 19, 2016
Bad omen? San Gennaro’s blood fails to liquefy for first time since 1980...
Bad Omen? San Gennaro’s blood did not liquify - World - Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.org: La Stampa reports that the dried blood of San Gennaro (Saint Januarius failed) to liquefy in a ceremony in Naples, and that failure is being taken by some as a harbinger of bad news.
While Catholics are always urged to have faith and pray, and not dwell on “disasters and calamities”, the failure of the relic to liquefy on December 16 (the first failure on any devotional occasion since 1980) will cause consternation for some.
While Catholics are always urged to have faith and pray, and not dwell on “disasters and calamities”, the failure of the relic to liquefy on December 16 (the first failure on any devotional occasion since 1980) will cause consternation for some.
14 things you might not know about ‘The Sound of Music’
14 Things You Might Not Know About 'The Sound of Music' | Mental Floss: The opening scene of Andrews twirling on the mountaintop may look effortless, but it was anything but. Not only was it raining and cold throughout production, the helicopter kept knocking Andrews over. “This was a jet helicopter,” she said. “And the down draft from those jets was so strong that every time … the helicopter circled around me and the down draft just flattened me into the grass. And I mean flattened. It was fine for a couple of takes, but after that you begin to get just a little bit angry… And I really tried. I mean, I braced myself, I thought, ‘It’s not going to get me this time.’ And every single time, I bit the dust.”
Archdiocese of Denver launches cause for beatification of ex-slave Julia Greeley
Ex-slave who served Colorado territorial governor will be investigated as possible saint by Archdiocese of Denver – The Denver Post: The Catholic archdiocese in Denver on Sunday launched an investigation of a former slave who worked as a housekeeper for Colorado’s first territorial governor for possible canonization as a saint.
The New York Times pays a timely visit to the ancient, threatened home of the real St. Nicholas
New York Times plays timely visit to ancient, threatened home of the real St. Nicholas — GetReligionMATTINGLY: Let us now pause to offer a word of thanksgiving and modest praise for a New York Times story about religion.
Of course, this particular news report has nothing to do with sexuality or religious liberty, so the editorial bar was set a bit lower. However, this story does have a few kind words to say about Russian Orthodox believers, which is a kind a miracle in and of itself right now.
The dateline for this report is the city of Demre, in southern Turkey, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Taurus Mountains. In other words, this comes from a region that is absolutely crucial to the history of the early church and the people of the New Testament, although most readers (the story takes this into account) would not know that.
Of course, this particular news report has nothing to do with sexuality or religious liberty, so the editorial bar was set a bit lower. However, this story does have a few kind words to say about Russian Orthodox believers, which is a kind a miracle in and of itself right now.
The dateline for this report is the city of Demre, in southern Turkey, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Taurus Mountains. In other words, this comes from a region that is absolutely crucial to the history of the early church and the people of the New Testament, although most readers (the story takes this into account) would not know that.
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