Friday, March 31, 2017
From cold to hot and high to remote, 7 of the most extreme towns on the planet
7 of the Most Extreme Towns on the Planet: In towns that have hundreds of citizens to cities that have hundreds of thousands, residents of Earth have found some extreme locations to call home. Let's take a tour of some of the coldest, most remote, or highest (in altitude, that is), and check out seven towns and cities that offer a new perspective on extreme living.
A review of ‘Ghost in the Shell’ with Scarlett Johansson
SDG Reviews ‘Ghost in the Shell’ | ncregister.comGREYDANUS: Scarlett Johansson is becoming — no, at this point it’s safe to say she is — the default Hollywood poster girl for transhumanism.
She has played a member of a clone community cultivated as organ donors to extend the lives of the wealthy and powerful (The Island); a seductive predator whose human appearance hides an alien body (Under the Skin); an artificial intelligence that evolves beyond humanity after a romantic fling with a human (Her); and a woman transformed by a superdrug into a superhuman who transcends human limitations and ultimately corporeal existence itself (Lucy).
Ironically, her biggest role to date is one of the few superheroes in Disney’s Marvel universe, Black Widow, who is not more than human (though who knows; Iron Man 3 temporarily gave superpowers to Gwyneth Paltrow’s very ordinary Pepper Potts, and a future installment could do the same for the Black Widow).
She has played a member of a clone community cultivated as organ donors to extend the lives of the wealthy and powerful (The Island); a seductive predator whose human appearance hides an alien body (Under the Skin); an artificial intelligence that evolves beyond humanity after a romantic fling with a human (Her); and a woman transformed by a superdrug into a superhuman who transcends human limitations and ultimately corporeal existence itself (Lucy).
Ironically, her biggest role to date is one of the few superheroes in Disney’s Marvel universe, Black Widow, who is not more than human (though who knows; Iron Man 3 temporarily gave superpowers to Gwyneth Paltrow’s very ordinary Pepper Potts, and a future installment could do the same for the Black Widow).
Video: Pope Francis drops in on Muslim Moroccan family in Milan
VIDEO: Pope Francis surprises Muslim Moroccan family in Milan - Al Arabiya English: Pope Francis focused his one-day visit last week to the wealthy northern Italian city of Milan on those marginalized by society, visiting families in a housing project and exhorting clergy and nuns gathered in a cathedral to minister to the peripheries.
During his visit to the housing project, the pope made private visits to three families: one couple in their 50s struggling with infirmity, members of a family in their 80s dealing with illness and a third family originally from Morocco that is engaged in teaching Arabic.
During his visit to the housing project, the pope made private visits to three families: one couple in their 50s struggling with infirmity, members of a family in their 80s dealing with illness and a third family originally from Morocco that is engaged in teaching Arabic.
‘Thank you for your work’: Benedict XVI meets EWTN team...
Benedict XVI tells EWTN: 'Thank you for your work' :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Members of EWTN’s Rome Bureau on Friday met Benedict XVI in the Vatican Gardens to explain their work and thank him for his service to the Church, while he in turn thanked them for their efforts.
“Thank you for your work,” the emeritus Pope said March 31 to the six persons present at the encounter, who represented the various programs produced at the bureau.
“Thank you for your work,” the emeritus Pope said March 31 to the six persons present at the encounter, who represented the various programs produced at the bureau.
How a Muslim-born Iraqi refugee found his way into the Catholic Church
Who Is This Man Called Jesus? - The Coming Home Network: My name is David, and I am the Lazarus of that Gospel passage. I was born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1979 to a Muslim family of nine — six boys and three girls. I was the eighth child.
However, my family was not a happy one. My father was an alcoholic, and my parents fought regularly. From time to time, my father would leave the house, then come back a couple of days later to turn over a new leaf. But it was always the same old story. Finally, when I was about 12, my parents got divorced.
I have almost no memory of my father teaching me right from wrong, giving me advice, or showing me how to do things. My mother did her best to raise us right, but with her huge family, it was never enough. To help with the family’s finances, I started working at age 10, carrying out merchandise to people’s cars at a nearby grocery store. I would also go with one or two of my brothers to sell a bag full of items at a curbside spot known as the “Friday Market.” This was how we put food on the table. As the years advanced, most of my brothers were sent off to do their mandatory eight-year military service, so I ended up being the flag bearer at home.
However, my family was not a happy one. My father was an alcoholic, and my parents fought regularly. From time to time, my father would leave the house, then come back a couple of days later to turn over a new leaf. But it was always the same old story. Finally, when I was about 12, my parents got divorced.
I have almost no memory of my father teaching me right from wrong, giving me advice, or showing me how to do things. My mother did her best to raise us right, but with her huge family, it was never enough. To help with the family’s finances, I started working at age 10, carrying out merchandise to people’s cars at a nearby grocery store. I would also go with one or two of my brothers to sell a bag full of items at a curbside spot known as the “Friday Market.” This was how we put food on the table. As the years advanced, most of my brothers were sent off to do their mandatory eight-year military service, so I ended up being the flag bearer at home.
Seton Home Study School is moving into the online realm
Exciting Online Development at Seton Home Study SchoolCLARK: Since I began homeschooling as a student in the early 1980’s, homeschooling methods have undergone significant changes.
We’ve gone from typewriters to Ipads, from notebooks to notebook computers, and from books to Kindles.
One of the most significant changes that has taken place over the past few years has been the prevalence of online education. This has been a great source of help to homeschooling parents, as they discover that the can find videos and classes online that do much of the heavy lifting for them.
We’ve gone from typewriters to Ipads, from notebooks to notebook computers, and from books to Kindles.
One of the most significant changes that has taken place over the past few years has been the prevalence of online education. This has been a great source of help to homeschooling parents, as they discover that the can find videos and classes online that do much of the heavy lifting for them.
So-called ‘sanctuary’ is not the solution, says Bishop Jorge Rodriguez
So-called sanctuary is not the solution, says bishop - Denver Catholic: Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez of Denver didn’t tell a group of Hispanic parishioners at St. Mary Parish in Greeley, Colo., that the Catholic Church would deny sanctuary to an individual who needed help, but he didn’t want that question to be the sole focus of the community, either.
Is the Catholic Church in de facto schism?
Is the Catholic Church in De Facto Schism? - Crisis MagazineBRUGGER: Why is there confusion in the Catholic Church over Amoris Laetitia, and what consequences does it have for Church unity? I argue here that the confusion is ultimately over two de fide dogmas of Christian faith and that one consequence of the confusion is de facto schism within the Catholic Church.
When de fide (“of the faith”) is used in Catholic theology to designate a doctrine, it signifies a truth that pertains to Divine Revelation. The term Divine Revelation refers to truths by which God chose to reveal himself and his will to humanity in order to reconcile the world to himself so men and women might live united with him imperfectly in this world and, after death and judgment, perfectly with him in the Kingdom. Thus, the Church considers de fide doctrines necessary for salvation. Their status in Catholic teaching is irreformable. And their mode of proclamation is infallible.
When de fide (“of the faith”) is used in Catholic theology to designate a doctrine, it signifies a truth that pertains to Divine Revelation. The term Divine Revelation refers to truths by which God chose to reveal himself and his will to humanity in order to reconcile the world to himself so men and women might live united with him imperfectly in this world and, after death and judgment, perfectly with him in the Kingdom. Thus, the Church considers de fide doctrines necessary for salvation. Their status in Catholic teaching is irreformable. And their mode of proclamation is infallible.
Bishop Tobin's cautious advice about panhandlers shakes up the internet
Bishop Tobin's Cautious Advice About Panhandlers Shakes Up the Internet | ncregister.comSCHIFFER: On Tuesday, March 28, the Internet lit up after Bishop Thomas J. Tobin posted a message on Facebook, encouraging people not to give to panholders.
Bishop Tobin, spiritual leader of the Diocese of Providence, was responding to a vote by the Cranston (R.I.) City Council to crack down on soliciting in the city. According to WPRI Eyewitness News, the ordinance, which was approved in a 5-4 vote, “...forbids a person from entering or standing in the road, or a median to receive money from drivers. This applies to panhandlers, student athletes raising money, firefighters 'filling the boot', etc. ... Proponents argued that soliciting in the streets causes car crashes and other safety hazards.”
Bishop Tobin, spiritual leader of the Diocese of Providence, was responding to a vote by the Cranston (R.I.) City Council to crack down on soliciting in the city. According to WPRI Eyewitness News, the ordinance, which was approved in a 5-4 vote, “...forbids a person from entering or standing in the road, or a median to receive money from drivers. This applies to panhandlers, student athletes raising money, firefighters 'filling the boot', etc. ... Proponents argued that soliciting in the streets causes car crashes and other safety hazards.”
Do. Not. Miss. This speech by Cardinal Sarah...
Do. Not. Miss. This speech by Cardinal Sarah | Catholic CultureLAWLER: Catholic World Report has done a great service by posting this address in its entirety, in an excellent English translation. And Cardinal Sarah has done a great service—again—by explaining how the degradation of the liturgy has led to a crisis in the Catholic faith.
This is a courageous and powerful speech. Cardinal Sarah must know that he is swimming against the prevailing tide, but he is not deterred. But he is looking to the longer term, and saying: “When you people are absent from the holy Liturgy, we must ask ourselves: Why?”
This is a courageous and powerful speech. Cardinal Sarah must know that he is swimming against the prevailing tide, but he is not deterred. But he is looking to the longer term, and saying: “When you people are absent from the holy Liturgy, we must ask ourselves: Why?”
Senate bill targeting Planned Parenthood passes 51-50, moves to Trump's desk
With Vice President’s Vote, Senate Passes Anti-Planned Parenthood Measure | ncregister.com: Vice President Mike Pence cast the deciding vote in the Senate Thursday to advance a measure allowing states to once more have the freedom to avoid funding Planned Parenthood businesses with federal “family-planning” grants. The vote was “a victory for all Americans who don’t want to see their tax dollars subsidizing the abortion industry and its ghoulish trafficking in aborted baby’s organs,” Maureen Ferguson, senior policy adviser with The Catholic Association, stated on Thursday.
Church Madness 2017 comes down to the Faithful Four
Church Madness 2017: Faithful Four – Art and Liturgy: Welcome to the Faithful Four, the penultimate round of Art & Liturgy’s Church Madness!
This year the last four competitors are worthy contenders but unlikely finalists, each having overcome more famous churches from bigger cities. In the end, that’s what this contest is all about — to take a lighthearted look at the incredible beauty of Holy Mother Church right here in the United States, and to spotlight some truly beautiful parishes that may be new to you.
This year the last four competitors are worthy contenders but unlikely finalists, each having overcome more famous churches from bigger cities. In the end, that’s what this contest is all about — to take a lighthearted look at the incredible beauty of Holy Mother Church right here in the United States, and to spotlight some truly beautiful parishes that may be new to you.
What death and burial were like at the time of Jesus
Death and Burial at the Time of Jesus - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The Jewish people took the burial of the dead quite seriously; this was the way a community paid their last dues to the one who had died. The Scriptures laid down quite firmly that no dead body was to be left unburied, even those of one’s worst enemies. Perhaps one of the stronger horrors that a Jewish person could envision was stated in Psalm 78: They have thrown the bodies of thy servants as food for the birds of heaven; wild beast feast on the corpses of the just.
Our current approach to Confession is more than a problem — it's a pastoral emergency
Whispers in the Loggia: "A Pastoral Priority" – For Lent, "The Light Is On"... or Is It?PALMO: Along with Friday fish-fries, the weekly Stations and giving up something (or doing something more), recent years have brought a new tradition of Lent: the Pope going into overdrive to plug his favorite sacrament.
Yet even as The World's Most Coveted Pitchman again devoted the better part of a week this month (and amid the high exposure of his election anniversary, at that) to another round of all-Confession, all-the-time messaging – topped as usual by taking his own turn as a penitent during the season's annual penance service in St Peter's – in at least a hefty chunk of the trenches, the takeup on that call is still running strangely thin, above all in terms of its widespread availability.
Yet even as The World's Most Coveted Pitchman again devoted the better part of a week this month (and amid the high exposure of his election anniversary, at that) to another round of all-Confession, all-the-time messaging – topped as usual by taking his own turn as a penitent during the season's annual penance service in St Peter's – in at least a hefty chunk of the trenches, the takeup on that call is still running strangely thin, above all in terms of its widespread availability.
What is the new Jesuit General saying about Holy Matrimony and the reliability of the Gospels?
On the Pope’s Desk, a "Memorandum" Against the General of the Jesuits. For Near Heresy - Settimo Cielo - Blog - L’EspressoMAGISTER: Among the priests born in the diocese of Carpi, that Pope Francis will visit on Sunday, April 2, there is one who is giving him a tough nut to crack.
His name is Roberto A. Maria Bertacchini. He was formed in the school of three Jesuits of the first rank: Frs. Heinrich Pfeiffer, an art historian and professor at the Gregorian, Francesco Tata, former provincial of the Society of Jesus in Italy, and Piersandro Vanzan, a prominent writer for “La Civilta Cattolica.” A scholar of Augustine, he is the author of books and of essays in theology journals.
Last week Fr. Bertacchini sent to Francis and to Cardinal Gerhard L. Mueller, prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, a six-page “memorandum” highly critical of the ideas presented in a recent interview with the new superior general of the Society of Jesus, the Venezuelan Arturo Sosa Abascal, who is very close to the pope.
His name is Roberto A. Maria Bertacchini. He was formed in the school of three Jesuits of the first rank: Frs. Heinrich Pfeiffer, an art historian and professor at the Gregorian, Francesco Tata, former provincial of the Society of Jesus in Italy, and Piersandro Vanzan, a prominent writer for “La Civilta Cattolica.” A scholar of Augustine, he is the author of books and of essays in theology journals.
Last week Fr. Bertacchini sent to Francis and to Cardinal Gerhard L. Mueller, prefect of the congregation for the doctrine of the faith, a six-page “memorandum” highly critical of the ideas presented in a recent interview with the new superior general of the Society of Jesus, the Venezuelan Arturo Sosa Abascal, who is very close to the pope.
Must-read article: How Utah's Mormons understand Catholic Social Teaching better than Catholics do
How Utah Keeps the American Dream Alive - Bloomberg View: There’s no getting around it: For a girl raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Salt Lake City is a very weird place.
I went to Utah precisely because it’s weird. More specifically, because economic data suggest that modest Salt Lake City, population 192,672, does something that the rest of us seem to be struggling with: It helps people move upward from poverty. I went to Utah in search of the American Dream.
Columnists don’t talk as much as they used to about the American Dream. They’re more likely to talk about things like income mobility, income inequality, the Gini coefficient — sanitary, clinical terms. These are easier to quantify than a dream, but also less satisfying. We want money, yes, but we hunger even more deeply for something else: for possibility. It matters to Americans that someone born poor can retire rich. That possibility increasingly seems slimmer and slimmer in most of the nation, but in Utah, it’s still achievable.
I went to Utah precisely because it’s weird. More specifically, because economic data suggest that modest Salt Lake City, population 192,672, does something that the rest of us seem to be struggling with: It helps people move upward from poverty. I went to Utah in search of the American Dream.
Columnists don’t talk as much as they used to about the American Dream. They’re more likely to talk about things like income mobility, income inequality, the Gini coefficient — sanitary, clinical terms. These are easier to quantify than a dream, but also less satisfying. We want money, yes, but we hunger even more deeply for something else: for possibility. It matters to Americans that someone born poor can retire rich. That possibility increasingly seems slimmer and slimmer in most of the nation, but in Utah, it’s still achievable.
Why Ireland needs more Rome, not less
Why Ireland needs more Rome, not less | CatholicHerald.co.uk: Pope Francis is due to visit Ireland in August 2018. His trip will probably include a historic journey north of the border. But what he is likely to find is that Irish Catholicism remains in serious long-term decline. Years of scandal have led to dwindling congregations, an increasingly hostile public climate and a Church that seems to have no clear idea of how to turn its fortunes around.
Francis’s personal popularity and celebrity should draw substantial crowds. But enormous crowds turned out for Pope John Paul II on his 1979 visit, and what seemed to be an affirmation of Ireland’s Catholic identity proved in retrospect to be the last hurrah of old-style Irish Catholicism.
Francis’s personal popularity and celebrity should draw substantial crowds. But enormous crowds turned out for Pope John Paul II on his 1979 visit, and what seemed to be an affirmation of Ireland’s Catholic identity proved in retrospect to be the last hurrah of old-style Irish Catholicism.
Senate 51-50 vote to block Planned Parenthood funding moves to Trump's desk
How the Senate vote to block abortion funding affects Planned Parenthood | PBS NewsHour: The debate over abortion and women’s health entered a new phase Thursday as Congressional Republicans delivered what’s arguably their first real blow in years to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers.
In a dramatic vote in the Senate, Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking 51st vote on a bill that would let states block more than $200 million in Title X funding from going to Planned Parenthood or any organization that provides abortions. “Title X” refers to the federal family planning program, established in that section of the 1970 Public Health Service Act.
In a dramatic vote in the Senate, Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking 51st vote on a bill that would let states block more than $200 million in Title X funding from going to Planned Parenthood or any organization that provides abortions. “Title X” refers to the federal family planning program, established in that section of the 1970 Public Health Service Act.
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Can you teach a preschooler the Summa? A review of Tiny Thomists...
Can You Teach a Preschooler About the Summa? A Review of Tiny Thomists - IGNITUM TODAY : IGNITUM TODAY: There’s a struggle that I experience when trying to teach young children about the Catholic faith. I want to teach little kids about God’s love, but I would like to take lessons beyond “God made the flowers and the birds and he made you!” This isn’t a bad lesson (it’s actually very important), but I think it is beneficial to get a little deeper. Young children have a capacity to encounter God, the saints, and the truths of the Catholic faith that we often do not give them credit for. How can deep truths be presented in kid-friendly ways? Figuring out how to bring substantial teachings to young children can be a daunting task, with many factors to consider.
LA Times editorial: Felony charges are a disturbing overreach for the duo behind the Planned Parenthood sting videos
Felony charges are a disturbing overreach for the duo behind the Planned Parenthood sting videos - LA Times: There’s no question that anti-abortion activist David Daleiden surreptitiously recorded healthcare and biomedical services employees across the state of California with the intent of discrediting the healthcare provider, Planned Parenthood — something his heavily edited videos failed to do. There’s also no question that it’s against state law to record confidential conversations without the consent of all the parties involved.
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Pope Francis prays for Iraq as civilian death toll rises
Pope Francis prays for Iraq as civilian death toll rises :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): With the battle for major ISIS strongholds heating up in Iraq, Pope Francis has voiced his closeness to the country, praying for the safety of people on the ground, particularly civilians caught in the crosshairs of the fighting.
“My thoughts go out to civilians trapped in the western districts of Mosul and displaced because of the war, to whom I feel united in suffering, through prayer and spiritual closeness,” he said during his March 29 general audience.
“While expressing deep sorrow for the victims of the bloody conflict, I renew to all the call to engage with every effort in the protection of civilians as an imperative and urgent requirement.”
“My thoughts go out to civilians trapped in the western districts of Mosul and displaced because of the war, to whom I feel united in suffering, through prayer and spiritual closeness,” he said during his March 29 general audience.
“While expressing deep sorrow for the victims of the bloody conflict, I renew to all the call to engage with every effort in the protection of civilians as an imperative and urgent requirement.”
David Daleiden, hit with 15 felony counts in California, responds with new video
David Daleiden, Hit With 15 Felony Counts in California, Responds With New Video | ncregister.comSCHIFFER: The pro-life activists who uncovered Planned Parenthood's sale of aborted baby body parts have been charged with 15 felony counts in California. Meanwhile, the abortionists and procurers of fetal tissue whose activity has been exposed in the videos continue to operate openly.
And as he has done in the past, David Daleiden responded to the new charges by releasing yet another undercover video, exposing a Planned Parenthood abortionist's callous disregard for human life.
And as he has done in the past, David Daleiden responded to the new charges by releasing yet another undercover video, exposing a Planned Parenthood abortionist's callous disregard for human life.
The Stations of the Cross and Blessed John Hambley
The Stations of the Cross and Blessed John Hambley | ncregister.comMANN: Each Lent I look forward to participating in the Way of the Cross at one particular parish in our diocese which also celebrates a half hour of Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction. This parish uses the reflections and prayer of St. Alphonsus Liguori. We sing the Stabat Mater verses between each station, using the translation by the Oratorian Edward Caswall, one of Blessed John Henry Newman’s converts.
Professional pianist wears eye-tracking glasses to show us what he sees when he plays
New Advent: Professional pianist wears eye-tracking glasses to show us what he sees when he plays: Featuring Daniel Beliavsky and lots of very cool technology...
How Poland shaped the soul of St. John Paul II
Poland Shaped the Soul of St. John Paul II | ncregister.comKOLINSKI: One cannot adequately speak about the inner spiritual life of Pope St. John Paul II without considering the complexity of his life and the large role that his native land played in the formation of his soul. His early life is well-known: Born in the small Polish town of Wadowice in 1920 to devout Catholic parents, who instilled a deep love of the faith, Karol Józef Wojtyła had his childhood shattered with the death of his mother when he was only 9 years old. His father, who never remarried, was a great influence on the spiritual life of his son, nicknamed by his mother “Lolek.” The image of his father as a man of constant prayer, a man whose example was “a kind of domestic seminary,” stayed with Karol for the rest of his life.
Church Madness 2017: We're down to the ‘Ecclesiastical 8’
Church Madness 2017: Ecclesiastical 8 – Art and Liturgy: Rejoice, Jerusalem: and come together all you that love Church Madness! We’ve reached the Ecclesiastical 8!
The basketball action has been hot the last few days (go Ducks) but the Church Madness action has been even hotter, and we’re down to eight very worthy contenders for the title of America’s Most Beautiful Church!*
* this year
In the interest of getting this post out on time, I’ll dispense with the banter and get right to the action. Remember to vote once for all the matchups, and then spread the word!
The basketball action has been hot the last few days (go Ducks) but the Church Madness action has been even hotter, and we’re down to eight very worthy contenders for the title of America’s Most Beautiful Church!*
* this year
In the interest of getting this post out on time, I’ll dispense with the banter and get right to the action. Remember to vote once for all the matchups, and then spread the word!
When it comes to Canada's culture of death, ‘the world needs less Canada’
A little less Canada | University of St. Michael's CollegeMULRONEY: Given the political turmoil and ugly nativist sentiment roiling the politics of so many countries, it is hard not to think that this is Canada’s moment. Could it be that our self-satisfied boast that “the world needs more Canada” is actually coming true?
In relative terms, this sense of Canadian exceptionalism does appear to be justified. We remain notable for political stability and for the civility of our media and public discourse (admittedly, a pretty low bar). Our society is also widely acknowledged as being welcoming and tolerant, and generally gets a better than passing grade for the social safety net woven by various levels of government. That said, these assessments tend to be somewhat selective. People working on the front lines of support to the most vulnerable argue that inequality is growing in Canada as our sense of connectedness, of shared responsibility, steadily disappears.
In relative terms, this sense of Canadian exceptionalism does appear to be justified. We remain notable for political stability and for the civility of our media and public discourse (admittedly, a pretty low bar). Our society is also widely acknowledged as being welcoming and tolerant, and generally gets a better than passing grade for the social safety net woven by various levels of government. That said, these assessments tend to be somewhat selective. People working on the front lines of support to the most vulnerable argue that inequality is growing in Canada as our sense of connectedness, of shared responsibility, steadily disappears.
Washington Post: Why one young man became a priest, for vaguely religious reasons
Washington Post: Why one young man became a priest, for vaguely religious reasons — GetReligionMATTINGLY: We live in an age in which a young Catholic man choosing the priesthood is news, the kind of news that produces a feature story in the trendy Style section of an elite newspaper like The Washington Post.
The headline gives you a clue about the content, as in, "This Life: He never imagined being a priest. But then he felt the call -- and it terrified him."
Now, I have read my share of these secular-press features over the past couple of decades. Most of them feel like features about men who decide to go into social work, only with a few artistic flourishes about the liturgy, vestments, etc. The priesthood is all about helping people wrestle with daily life.
You almost always – in the seminarian is straight – the obligatory reference to a previous girlfriend or even fiance, while leads to a discussion of celibacy. If the future priest is gay, then the sexuality angle is probably the reason the story is being written in the first place.
The headline gives you a clue about the content, as in, "This Life: He never imagined being a priest. But then he felt the call -- and it terrified him."
Now, I have read my share of these secular-press features over the past couple of decades. Most of them feel like features about men who decide to go into social work, only with a few artistic flourishes about the liturgy, vestments, etc. The priesthood is all about helping people wrestle with daily life.
You almost always – in the seminarian is straight – the obligatory reference to a previous girlfriend or even fiance, while leads to a discussion of celibacy. If the future priest is gay, then the sexuality angle is probably the reason the story is being written in the first place.
Sanctifying the Acela Corridor: My travels with St. Katharine Drexel
Sanctifying the Acela Corridor: My travels with St. Katharine Drexel | America MagazineLOPEZ: St. Katharine Drexel is stalking me. This is a thought that often crosses my mind. I travel frequently between the Big Apple and the nation’s capital. And as I look from my Amtrak window, or pass by in a cab at Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, I often have this feeling. The most obvious reason is the skyscraper building with her family name on it that you can see from the train.
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Pro-abortion AG charges Daleiden, Merritt with 15 felonies for exposing Planned Parenthood organ harvesting
Felony charges for 2 who secretly filmed Planned Parenthood: California prosecutors on Tuesday charged two anti-abortion activists who made undercover videos of themselves trying to buy fetal tissue from Planned Parenthood with 15 felonies, saying they invaded the privacy of medical providers by filming without consent.
The charges against David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt of the Center for Medical Progress come eight months after similar charges were dropped in Texas.
State Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a longtime Congressional Democrat who took over the investigation in January, said in a statement that the state "will not tolerate the criminal recording of conversations."
The charges against David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt of the Center for Medical Progress come eight months after similar charges were dropped in Texas.
State Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a longtime Congressional Democrat who took over the investigation in January, said in a statement that the state "will not tolerate the criminal recording of conversations."
What workers and trades were like in the time of Jesus
Workers and Trades in Jesus’ Time - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: Early each morning (except the Sabbath) farmers walked to reach their vineyards, wheat and barley fields, and olive groves. They might work as many as twelve acres. Unfortunately, it was not uncommon for these parcels of land to be in different areas, making the tending much more time-consuming. During periods of more intense cultivation or fieldwork, they might live in rudimentary tents or shacks out in the fields, especially if the fields were some distance away. However, they would always return home on Friday afternoon for Sabbath observances.
NYTimes photo essay: Engulfed in battle, Mosul civilians run for their lives
Engulfed in Battle, Mosul Civilians Run for Their Lives - The New York Times: The war to drive the Islamic State from its last strongholds in western Mosul has come to this: With every advance by Iraqi forces, every missile rained down by coalition aircraft, a flood of Iraqi civilians hits the streets.
It is no longer a question of waiting between salvos — there are few, if any, breaks that make it obvious when to run, so the people of Mosul are simply running whenever they can.
It is no longer a question of waiting between salvos — there are few, if any, breaks that make it obvious when to run, so the people of Mosul are simply running whenever they can.
5 myths about Confession that too many people still believe (maybe even you)
5 Myths About Confession that Too Many People Still Believe (Maybe Even You!) | ChurchPOP: Confession is definitely not optional for Catholics. It is, in fact, required in two ways.
First, according to the precepts of the Church, all Catholics are required to go to Confession at least once each year.
Second, the Sacrament of Confession (or the desire thereof with perfect contrition), is necessary for salvation for baptized individuals in a state of mortal sin (cf. Council of Trent.)
So the Sacrament of Confession isn’t just a nice, optional form of Catholic counseling if you want it. Rather, it is an essential part of being a practicing Catholic and attaining final salvation.
First, according to the precepts of the Church, all Catholics are required to go to Confession at least once each year.
Second, the Sacrament of Confession (or the desire thereof with perfect contrition), is necessary for salvation for baptized individuals in a state of mortal sin (cf. Council of Trent.)
So the Sacrament of Confession isn’t just a nice, optional form of Catholic counseling if you want it. Rather, it is an essential part of being a practicing Catholic and attaining final salvation.
The first requirement of Church renewal in our time
The first requirement of Church renewal in our time | Catholic CultureMIRUS: The Catholic Church has often been called “the Church of here comes everybody”. The reason is simple: You typically do not find the Church to be representative of just one ethnic group, nationality or social class. Membership in the Catholic Church is rarely based on encouraging people “just like us” to join, and discouraging those who are “different”. But what about distinguishing between those who accept the Church’s teachings and those who do not?
What James teaches us about early Christianity
What James Teaches Us About Early Christianity | ncregister.comAKIN: The Gospels and Acts are our best sources about Jesus and the early history of Christianity.
But suppose we didn’t have them?
What could we learn about early Christianity just by reading the other documents of the New Testament?
More than you might think!
The letter of James is one of the earliest books of the New Testament—perhaps the earliest.
So let’s look at what we could learn from the letter of James and how this material parallels (and thus confirms) what we find in the Gospels and Acts . . .
But suppose we didn’t have them?
What could we learn about early Christianity just by reading the other documents of the New Testament?
More than you might think!
The letter of James is one of the earliest books of the New Testament—perhaps the earliest.
So let’s look at what we could learn from the letter of James and how this material parallels (and thus confirms) what we find in the Gospels and Acts . . .
How do Adam and Eve fit with evolution?
How Do Adam and Eve Fit With Evolution? | ncregister.comTRASANCOS: Tell a Catholic kid about evolution—that there was a Big Bang and that in this expanding cosmos our sun is a star in a cluster of 200 billion stars in the arm of a spiral in a galaxy among thousands, and that eventually on our planet there appeared early life forms, single-celled bacteria, trilobites, mollusks, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, primates, and that from a common ape-like ancestor the Homo genus emerged, including Homo rudolfensis, Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, Homo floresiensis, Homo neanderthalensis, and last, Homo sapiens, or “wise man,” the hominin species that is modern human. The very next question that kid will ask is, “So where do Adam and Eve fit in?” (Ask me how I know!) It is a logical question.
Why airport runways should actually be circular
Why Airport Runways Should Actually Be Circular | Co.Design: When it comes to airport infrastructure, the design of terminals may have changed over the years, but the long, straight runway has stayed remarkably consistent. Dutch researcher Henk Hesselink thinks it’s time for a change. His radical ideas about runway design would transform the modern airport’s operations, layout, and efficiency—and even its architecture.
Requiring genetic tests violates fundamental human rights
FORUM: Requiring Genetic Tests Violates Fundamental Human Rights – ZENIT – EnglishSCHNEIDER: In recent days, the issue of whether employers and insurers can require genetic tests has come up in both Canada and the US. In Canada, Liberal backbenchers went against their Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, to join with the other parties in passing a bill that prohibits employers or insurance companies from forcing you to do a genetic test, or punishing you if you refuse. Now the US Congress is considering a bill that would allow companies to spike your insurance 30% if you refuse a genetic test.
Fr. James V. Schall on the art and vocation of writing
The Creative Catholic: Fr. James V. Schall S.J. on the art and vocation of writing | Catholic World Report - Global Church news and viewsTURLEY: Fr. James V. Schall, S.J. is no stranger to most readers of Catholic World Report, or readers of numerous other Catholic publications and sites as well. He is one of the most prolific Catholic authors of the past few decades, penning hundreds of essays and dozens of books, including The Mind That Is Catholic (CUA Press), Remembering Belloc (St. Augustine Press), Reasonable Pleasures (Ignatius Press), and perhaps his most famous book, Another Sort of Learning (Ignatius Press). After teaching political philosophy for many years at Georgetown University, he retired in 2012. He recently spoke with CWR about his life as a writer, how he goes about writing, and the nature of the writer's vocation.
How to save the soul of our Catholic schools
How to Save the Soul of Our Catholic Schools - Crisis MagazineSTAUDT: “How can we make our school more Catholic?” This is a real question schools ask, some with perplexity. Is it a new curriculum? Better religion classes? Having the kids come to Mass? The answer is vital for the future of Catholic education. The sociologist Christian Smith notes, from his extensive research on the life of young Catholics, that “we cannot report that Catholic schooling and youth group participation have robust effects on emerging adult faith and practice.”
It is obvious to just about everyone that Catholic education currently is sliding into free-fall. As Smith further reports: “Between 1964 and 1984, 40 percent of American Catholic high schools and 27 percent of Catholic elementary schools closed their doors” and the rate has not decreased. Those that remained open “proved less well grounded in the Catholic faith and therefore less capable of passing on a robust Catholicism to their students.” This reality should lead to some serious soul searching among Catholic educators and clergy. We need to do things differently!
It is obvious to just about everyone that Catholic education currently is sliding into free-fall. As Smith further reports: “Between 1964 and 1984, 40 percent of American Catholic high schools and 27 percent of Catholic elementary schools closed their doors” and the rate has not decreased. Those that remained open “proved less well grounded in the Catholic faith and therefore less capable of passing on a robust Catholicism to their students.” This reality should lead to some serious soul searching among Catholic educators and clergy. We need to do things differently!
Pope sends peace message to UN, says elimination of nuclear weapons is ‘moral and humanitarian imperative’
World peace cannot be achieved by maintaining nuclear weapons, Pope tells UN | CatholicHerald.co.uk: Today’s threats to global peace and security must be countered through dialogue and development, not nuclear weapons, Pope Francis told the United Nations.
“How sustainable is a stability based on fear, when it actually increases fear and undermines relationships of trust between peoples,” the Pope asked in a letter sent to a UN meeting on nuclear arms.
“International peace and stability cannot be based on a false sense of security, on the threat of mutual destruction or total annihilation, or on simply maintaining a balance of power,” he said in the message, released by the Vatican on March 28. The message was read aloud at the UN by Mgr Antoine Camilleri, Vatican undersecretary for relations with states.
“How sustainable is a stability based on fear, when it actually increases fear and undermines relationships of trust between peoples,” the Pope asked in a letter sent to a UN meeting on nuclear arms.
“International peace and stability cannot be based on a false sense of security, on the threat of mutual destruction or total annihilation, or on simply maintaining a balance of power,” he said in the message, released by the Vatican on March 28. The message was read aloud at the UN by Mgr Antoine Camilleri, Vatican undersecretary for relations with states.
‘Love your neighbor’ also means ‘love your country’. But the government? That's a different matter...
Mark Shea: National glory be damned – The duties of a Christian citizen, Part 2SHEA: Think of the law as the floor of our moral universe. You must not go below it because then you will wind up in the dirt and Caesar has the right and duty to punish you for breaking it (assuming the law is just).
So even when your ruler is a swine like Nero, you should not speed, deal drugs, key your neighbour’s car, commit murder, or cheat on your taxes because these are the bare minimum requirements of decency in a civilized world. It’s not a titanic act of heroism or holiness to refrain from breaking into your neighbour’s house and beating him to death with a baseball bat. It’s elementary human decency. That’s what the law addresses, whether it’s the law of Moses, the laws of Rome, or the laws of America or Australia.
So even when your ruler is a swine like Nero, you should not speed, deal drugs, key your neighbour’s car, commit murder, or cheat on your taxes because these are the bare minimum requirements of decency in a civilized world. It’s not a titanic act of heroism or holiness to refrain from breaking into your neighbour’s house and beating him to death with a baseball bat. It’s elementary human decency. That’s what the law addresses, whether it’s the law of Moses, the laws of Rome, or the laws of America or Australia.
6 sermons I could do without hearing again
Simcha Fisher: Six sermons I could do without hearing againFISHER: Priests baptize our children. They bury our dead. They forgive our sins. They anoint and bless and guide us. And they give us Christ.
The least we can do in return is give them some wiggle room! And so, when we are at Mass, I expect only the bare minimum from these men who are only human, but freighted with a superhuman responsibility. I expect my sacraments to be valid. I expect the liturgy to be licit. And I expect the sermons to be free of heresy.
The least we can do in return is give them some wiggle room! And so, when we are at Mass, I expect only the bare minimum from these men who are only human, but freighted with a superhuman responsibility. I expect my sacraments to be valid. I expect the liturgy to be licit. And I expect the sermons to be free of heresy.
Monday, March 27, 2017
The meaning of the strange birds hidden in Christian art around the world
The Meaning of the Strange Birds Hidden in Christian Art Around the World | ChurchPOP: So why have Christians been using pelicans so often in their art? It all goes back to a medieval misunderstanding.
In Europe and Asia, there was a widespread belief that pelican mothers had a unique relationship to their young. In one version, pelicans would could kill their young and then bring them back to life with their blood. In the more widespread version, pelicans were so devoted to caring for their young that, if there was no food, they would peck at their own breast and feed their blood to their children.
In Europe and Asia, there was a widespread belief that pelican mothers had a unique relationship to their young. In one version, pelicans would could kill their young and then bring them back to life with their blood. In the more widespread version, pelicans were so devoted to caring for their young that, if there was no food, they would peck at their own breast and feed their blood to their children.
What James teaches us about early Christianity
What James Teaches Us About Early Christianity | ncregister.comAKIN: The Gospels and Acts are our best sources about Jesus and the early history of Christianity.
But suppose we didn’t have them?
What could we learn about early Christianity just by reading the other documents of the New Testament?
More than you might think!
The letter of James is one of the earliest books of the New Testament—perhaps the earliest.
So let’s look at what we could learn from the letter of James and how this material parallels (and thus confirms) what we find in the Gospels and Acts . . .
But suppose we didn’t have them?
What could we learn about early Christianity just by reading the other documents of the New Testament?
More than you might think!
The letter of James is one of the earliest books of the New Testament—perhaps the earliest.
So let’s look at what we could learn from the letter of James and how this material parallels (and thus confirms) what we find in the Gospels and Acts . . .
Was the Catholic Church historically an enemy of the Bible?
Was the Catholic Church Historically an Enemy of the Bible? | ncregister.comDAVEARMSTRONG: We commonly hear accusations along these lines: such as that the Church for centuries provided only a few difficult-to-access “chained Bibles” and forbade Bible translations in the vernacular. This broad topic is one of the most cherished anti-Catholic myths, yet in point of fact it's an outrageous falsehood: easily overturned by fair-minded historical investigation. I shall attempt to briefly summarize the facts that run counter to this viewpoint.
We live at a time when a great battle for life is being played out
Beginning to Pray: The Gift of Hope and Battle for LifeLILLES: To stand firm under fire, we need a good reason for the hope we have inside - a truth by which to live. We need help from Someone whose life is above our own if we are to learn to ponder how astonishing and un-repeatable the drama of our own lives actually are. �To find this Someone, all that must be done is to cry out in prayer with faith. �For this Someone is not remote. �He has come for us. He has entered into the pain of humanity and has taken into His own heart; and has carried it with Him to the Cross.
What marriage and family looked like at the time of Jesus
Marriage and Family at the Time of Jesus - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The word family had a wider meaning both in Aramaic and in Hebrew than it does in English. The Hebrew, ah, and the Aramaic, aha, could be used to refer to brothers, sisters, half-brothers, half-sisters, cousins, and even other near relations. Extended family networks were both insisted upon and essential for survival. It was every Jewish person’s duty to maintain and depend upon these ties.
A series of clues points to June as a possible turning point in Pope Francis’s pontificate
MondayVatican – Vatican � Pope Francis: will June be the turning point? | MondayVaticanGAGLIARDUCCI: That the Pope wanted June to be a free month can be noticed by the fact that the trip to Egypt was – according to sources – initially scheduled June 11-12. Then suddenly, the Pope moved it up to April 28-29. He will leave right after the 18th meeting of the Council of Cardinals, scheduled for April 24-26, and before the trip to Fatima, scheduled for May 12-13.
During the year, the Pope will make other international trips: the trip to Colombia has already been made official, and will take place September 6-11. The Pope wants to go to South Sudan in an ecumenical trip with Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and this trip might take place in mid-October, as requested by bishops (according to local sources, the first on site-inspections already took place, and the trip will likely take place October 15). In November, the Pope should go to India and Bangladesh, a “tour trip” the Pope already announced as imminent.
During the year, the Pope will make other international trips: the trip to Colombia has already been made official, and will take place September 6-11. The Pope wants to go to South Sudan in an ecumenical trip with Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and this trip might take place in mid-October, as requested by bishops (according to local sources, the first on site-inspections already took place, and the trip will likely take place October 15). In November, the Pope should go to India and Bangladesh, a “tour trip” the Pope already announced as imminent.
“She offered hope”: Remembering Mother Angelica on the anniversary of her death
"She Offered Hope": Remembering Mother Angelica on the Anniversary of Her Passing | ChurchPOP: On March 27th, 2016 (one year ago today), Easter Sunday, the incredible Mother Angelica passed away into eternity. She was 92 years old.
A nun of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration and founder of the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), most people knew her as a spunky TV personality who knew how to lead people closer to Jesus.
A nun of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration and founder of the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), most people knew her as a spunky TV personality who knew how to lead people closer to Jesus.
Mother One year after her death, Mother Angelica’s legacy lives on
Mother Angelica’s Legacy Lives: Raymond Arroyo Honors Her | National ReviewLOPEZ: Mother Angelica, the founder of a world-ranging media operation, EWTN, has been dead for a year. But she’s still changing lives. Her biographer, Raymond Arroyo, can testify to it — as he witnesses to it with his own life.
Mother Angelica, who died last year on Easter, which was March 27, was the founder of a cloistered community of women and a trailblazing nun who had no business starting a television network in Birmingham, Ala., save for being convinced that God was telling her to. A native Ohioan, she had a tug on her heart to go south and do prayerfully urgent work for racial healing.
Mother Angelica, who died last year on Easter, which was March 27, was the founder of a cloistered community of women and a trailblazing nun who had no business starting a television network in Birmingham, Ala., save for being convinced that God was telling her to. A native Ohioan, she had a tug on her heart to go south and do prayerfully urgent work for racial healing.
What happens if you accidentally break a piece of art in a museum?
What Happens If You Break an Artwork?: It’s the nightmare of many who set foot in an art museum: You trip, lose your balance, and fall right into a priceless work of art. Crash.
You don’t have to look far to find some haunting examples. In late February 2017, for instance, the art world took a certain joy at shaking its collective head when just two days into Yayoi Kusama’s major exhibition at the Hirshhorn, a selfie-snapping museum-goer broke a polka-dotted pumpkin in one of the artist’s famed “infinity rooms.”
Cautionary tales such as this have been covered in countless articles and immortalized in videos of surveillance footage, though it’s not often told what happens next—or what to do if this happens to you.
You don’t have to look far to find some haunting examples. In late February 2017, for instance, the art world took a certain joy at shaking its collective head when just two days into Yayoi Kusama’s major exhibition at the Hirshhorn, a selfie-snapping museum-goer broke a polka-dotted pumpkin in one of the artist’s famed “infinity rooms.”
Cautionary tales such as this have been covered in countless articles and immortalized in videos of surveillance footage, though it’s not often told what happens next—or what to do if this happens to you.
115 Spanish Civil War martyrs beatified in Almería
115 Spanish martyrs beatified : News Headlines | Catholic Culture: 115 martyrs from the Spanish Civil War, including 90 diocesan priests, were beatified in Almería on March 25.
Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, presided at the beatification Mass, which more than 5,000 attended.
“Yesterday in Almería (Spain), José Álvarez-Benavides y de la Torre and 114 companions, martyrs, were beatified,” Pope Francis said the following day after his Angelus address.
“These priests, religious and lay people have been heroic witnesses of Christ and his Gospel of peace and fraternal reconciliation,” he continued. “Their example and their intercession sustain the Church’s involvement in building the civilization of love.”
Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, presided at the beatification Mass, which more than 5,000 attended.
“Yesterday in Almería (Spain), José Álvarez-Benavides y de la Torre and 114 companions, martyrs, were beatified,” Pope Francis said the following day after his Angelus address.
“These priests, religious and lay people have been heroic witnesses of Christ and his Gospel of peace and fraternal reconciliation,” he continued. “Their example and their intercession sustain the Church’s involvement in building the civilization of love.”
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Pope's Sunday Angelus: Let go of 'false lights' that lead down the wrong path
Let go of 'false lights' that lead down the wrong path, Pope says :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): On Sunday Pope Francis said Lent is a key time to open ourselves to the light of Christ and let go of all the “false lights” that lead us away from him, taking us instead down a path of darkness marked by our own selfishness.
“If now I were to ask you, do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Do you believe that he can change your heart? Do you think you can see reality as he sees it, not as we do? Do you believe that he is light, that he gives us the true light?” the Pope asked March 26, telling pilgrims to respond in silence.
The walk in the light of Christ means to convert, he said, explaining that this transformation means above all “abandoning false lights.”
“If now I were to ask you, do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? Do you believe that he can change your heart? Do you think you can see reality as he sees it, not as we do? Do you believe that he is light, that he gives us the true light?” the Pope asked March 26, telling pilgrims to respond in silence.
The walk in the light of Christ means to convert, he said, explaining that this transformation means above all “abandoning false lights.”
I went, I washed, and now I can see
I Went, I Washed, and Now I Can See - A Homily for the 4th Sunday of Lent - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: In today’s Gospel, Jesus, the Light of the World, brings light to a man born blind. If you are prepared to accept it, you are the man born blind, for all of us were born blind and in darkness. It was our baptism and the faith it gave that rendered us able to see and to come gradually more fully into the light. The man in today’s Gospel shows forth the stages of the Christian walk, out of darkness and into the beautiful light of Christ. Let’s take a moment to ponder the stages of the blind man’s walk, for each of us is the man.
Saturday, March 25, 2017
Is the four-hymn Mass what the Church really wants?
Is the Four Hymn Mass What the Church Really Wants? | Classical Catholic EducationLANGLEY: What is Musicam Sacram?
Published on March 5th, 1967, Musicam Sacram is the official Instruction on Music in the Liturgy issued by the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. Musicam Sacram is the document that was most responsible for the sweeping changes in the liturgical music that ordinary Catholics have experienced over the last fifty years.
Published on March 5th, 1967, Musicam Sacram is the official Instruction on Music in the Liturgy issued by the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. Musicam Sacram is the document that was most responsible for the sweeping changes in the liturgical music that ordinary Catholics have experienced over the last fifty years.
A Chestertonian reflection on blasphemy and the Annunciation
A Chestertonian reflection on blasphemy and the AnnunciationSHEA: Blasphemy is the silliest of the sins and only diminishes the blasphemer. It sure can’t diminish God, because he already diminished himself as much as conceivably possible.
You want to stage an ‘abort Jesus” protest? Knock yourself out. The actual God has beaten you to your insults against Mary’s gynecology by actually spending nine months in her womb and dodging an abortion at the hands of Herod.
You want to hurl a string of profanities at God or declare a “Blaspheme the Holy Spirit” contest? He already put up with that from his enemies, who insulted him as he was gasping out his last breaths on the cross. The whole thing about the Incarnation is that what was the final taunt against God as a miserable failure has now been turned, not into a taunt back at us (the suckers of hell’s lies who killed him with extreme prejudice) but into our liberation.
You want to stage an ‘abort Jesus” protest? Knock yourself out. The actual God has beaten you to your insults against Mary’s gynecology by actually spending nine months in her womb and dodging an abortion at the hands of Herod.
You want to hurl a string of profanities at God or declare a “Blaspheme the Holy Spirit” contest? He already put up with that from his enemies, who insulted him as he was gasping out his last breaths on the cross. The whole thing about the Incarnation is that what was the final taunt against God as a miserable failure has now been turned, not into a taunt back at us (the suckers of hell’s lies who killed him with extreme prejudice) but into our liberation.
Meet Jan Tyranowski, the Polish mystic who mentored Pope St. John Paul II
This Holy Man Aided John Paul II’s Vocation | ncregister.com: In January, Pope Francis signed eight decrees. Seven of them recognized the heroic virtue of “Servants of God.” Among the new “Venerables” of 2017 is Jan Tyranowski (1901-1947), a Polish mystic inspired by Carmelite spirituality who played an enormous role in Pope St. John Paul II’s discovery of his vocation.
One verified miracle attributed to Tyranowski’s intercession is needed for his beatification, and another is needed for his canonization. Tyranowski shows how the lay faithful have an enormous role in the formation of priestly vocations.
One verified miracle attributed to Tyranowski’s intercession is needed for his beatification, and another is needed for his canonization. Tyranowski shows how the lay faithful have an enormous role in the formation of priestly vocations.
The Annunciation: When angels held their breath
The Annunciation: When Angels Held Their Breath | ncregister.comCLARK: Saint Bernard of Clairvaux writes that when Saint Gabriel announced to Mary that she had been chosen to be the Mother of God, it was as though the angels in Heaven held their breath waiting for her reply.
Prior to that moment, the angels in Heaven were well aware that the Incarnation was to occur. It is believed, however, that the angels did not know exactly how the Incarnation was to occur. Saint Maximus of Constantinople, for instance, writes: “There can be no question that the angels knew that Incarnation was to take place. But it was not given to them to trace the manner of our Lord’s conception...” Mary also knew that her Savior was coming, but like the angels, Mary did not know exactly how this was to occur.
Prior to that moment, the angels in Heaven were well aware that the Incarnation was to occur. It is believed, however, that the angels did not know exactly how the Incarnation was to occur. Saint Maximus of Constantinople, for instance, writes: “There can be no question that the angels knew that Incarnation was to take place. But it was not given to them to trace the manner of our Lord’s conception...” Mary also knew that her Savior was coming, but like the angels, Mary did not know exactly how this was to occur.
Wherein Fr. Z muses about Lady Day, 25 March
Wherein Fr. Z muses about Lady Day, 25 March | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: Sometimes in the history of our salvation the stars line up to portend amazing events. These stellar alignments are sometimes literally stellar, as in the case of the Star of Bethlehem. I, for one, buy the arguments for the Star made here, which also concerns what lined up with your planet’s yellow star on that first Good Friday.
Years line up, too. Take the curious situation we face this year, when many portentous anniversaries are coincident. It’s a bit unnerving.
But I digress. This is about Lady Day, the Feast of the Annunciation. This is the day when we celebrate the moment of the Incarnation. Mary says her “Fiat” and the Eternal Word takes our humanity into an indestructible bond with His divinity. From the instant of His conception, nothing would ever be the same again. And so we celebrate 25 March – nine months before the Feast of the Nativity – with great attention.
Years line up, too. Take the curious situation we face this year, when many portentous anniversaries are coincident. It’s a bit unnerving.
But I digress. This is about Lady Day, the Feast of the Annunciation. This is the day when we celebrate the moment of the Incarnation. Mary says her “Fiat” and the Eternal Word takes our humanity into an indestructible bond with His divinity. From the instant of His conception, nothing would ever be the same again. And so we celebrate 25 March – nine months before the Feast of the Nativity – with great attention.
The problem of evil and trusting in God
Trusting in God: Our emotions are good in themselves, and even Lord Christ, the very Creator of the Sun, and Moon, and Stars is an emotional Being. He wept when Lazarus died, He was very angry when He saw how the Pharisees were treating His Father's house, etc. But we have to use our intellect and will to order our passions and to see things in perspective, and it's that matter of perspective that is so crucial to our being able to deal effectively with -- and, sometimes, for the sensitive, to even literally survive -- the evils we're subject to as creatures who live in a fallen world.
To that child, his having dropped his ice cream cone may well be the worst thing ever. But we adults know that ice cream cones are easily replaced, or that not being able to eat a cone one day really isn't the end of the world. None of that makes that boy's pain any less real and heartbreaking, however. But, still, what "the big people" know is true.
To that child, his having dropped his ice cream cone may well be the worst thing ever. But we adults know that ice cream cones are easily replaced, or that not being able to eat a cone one day really isn't the end of the world. None of that makes that boy's pain any less real and heartbreaking, however. But, still, what "the big people" know is true.
On Annunciation, Pope says God still seeks hearts like Mary
On Annunciation, Pope says God still seeks hearts like Mary :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Pope Francis celebrated the Feast of the Annunciation in Milan, telling mass-goers that even today God is still searching for hearts like Mary’s that are open to welcoming his invitation and providing hope, even when it’s hard.
As in the past, “God continues to look for allies, he continues to seek men and women capable of believing,” remembering and recognizing that they are part of his people and cooperating with the Holy Spirit, the Pope said March 25.
As in the past, “God continues to look for allies, he continues to seek men and women capable of believing,” remembering and recognizing that they are part of his people and cooperating with the Holy Spirit, the Pope said March 25.
A woman wrapped in silence: A meditation for the Feast of the Annunciation
A Woman Wrapped in Silence – A Meditation for the Feast of the Annunciation - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: In preparation for today’s Feast of the Annunciation I picked up Jesus of Nazareth, Vol. 3 (The Infancy Narratives), by Pope Emeritus Benedict. I was very moved by a brief reflection that he made on Mary as the Angel Gabriel left her. His remarks consider her faith in a very touching manner.
I must say that I have always been moved—and intrigued—by the faith of the Blessed Mother. She is “a woman wrapped in silence,” a phrase that forms the title of an excellent book by Fr. John Lynch. The pope’s words capture both her faith and her mystery
I must say that I have always been moved—and intrigued—by the faith of the Blessed Mother. She is “a woman wrapped in silence,” a phrase that forms the title of an excellent book by Fr. John Lynch. The pope’s words capture both her faith and her mystery
Pope travels to Milan, prays Angelus at Duomo
Pope speaks to Milan's religious, prays Angelus at Duomo - Vatican Radio: Pope Francis on Saturday is making a one day pastoral visit to Milan. This morning he paid a call on Milan’s Duomo and traveled to the peripheries of the city to meet with immigrant families.
Friday, March 24, 2017
These are the 3 biggest financial scams in America: What to know and how to fight back
These are the 3 biggest financial scams in America: What to know and how to fight back: Considering that you spend most of your waking hours earning money, it only makes sense to keep the cash you worked so hard for safe from scammers. You probably know by now that identity theft is a biggie. But that's not the only scam you need to avoid.
“We just pulled it”: ACA remains in place after reform effort fails
GOP health-care bill: House Republican leaders abruptly pull their rewrite of the nation’s health-care law - The Washington Post: House Republican leaders abruptly pulled a rewrite of the nation’s health-care system from consideration on Friday, a dramatic acknowledgment that they are so far unable to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
“We just pulled it,” President Trump told The Washington Post in a telephone interview.
In a news conference shortly after the decision, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) conceded that his party “came up short.”
“We just pulled it,” President Trump told The Washington Post in a telephone interview.
In a news conference shortly after the decision, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) conceded that his party “came up short.”
Insides that didn't decompose – and other stunning facts about Oscar Romero
Insides that didn't decompose – and other stunning facts about Oscar Romero :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): In his role as Vicar General, Monsignor Ricardo Urioste was one of the closest collaborators of Oscar Romero, the archbishop of San Salvador who was martyred for the faith in 1980 and beatified two years ago.
And this monsignor has some stories to tell.
Among the most fascinating involve details surrounding the day Romero was killed, what the late archbishop really thought about the controversial and problematic Liberation Theology, and the fact that the martyr’s insides hadn’t decomposed when they were exhumed three years after his death.
Archbishop Romero was brutally killed while celebrating Mass on March 24, 1980 – a time when El Salvador was on the brink of civil war. In February 2015, Pope Francis officially recognized his death as having been for hatred of the faith and gave the green light for his beatification.
And this monsignor has some stories to tell.
Among the most fascinating involve details surrounding the day Romero was killed, what the late archbishop really thought about the controversial and problematic Liberation Theology, and the fact that the martyr’s insides hadn’t decomposed when they were exhumed three years after his death.
Archbishop Romero was brutally killed while celebrating Mass on March 24, 1980 – a time when El Salvador was on the brink of civil war. In February 2015, Pope Francis officially recognized his death as having been for hatred of the faith and gave the green light for his beatification.
A ‘wounded healer’ offers guidance for wounded Catholics
A "Wounded Healer" Offers Guidance for Wounded Catholics | Catholic World Report - Global Church news and viewsEDPETERS: Two things will strike readers of Fr. Thomas Berg’s Hurting in the Church: first, that this book needed to be written at all, for who could have ever believed that so much hurt could have been inflicted so quickly on so many in the Church; second, that an effective response to such pain would not only help heal those hurting in the Church, but could also inspire others not wounded to become greater vessels of charity and justice within the Mystical Body of Christ.
Of doves and serpents, and pro-choice magic
The Human Life Review Of Doves and Serpents, and Pro-Choice Magic - The Human Life ReviewMILLS: One of the doves who come to our window feeder seems to be missing the skin on the back of his head. I’m pretty sure we see his skull when he looks away from the house. It’s a dangerous world out there when you’re prey.
They’re pretty birds, our doves, but they don’t look intelligent. They don’t have that “Hello, lunch!” look like the hawks and eagles at the Aviary. Doves always seem to be day-dreaming. They have a kind of “Hi! I’m your dinner!” look to them.
They’re pretty birds, our doves, but they don’t look intelligent. They don’t have that “Hello, lunch!” look like the hawks and eagles at the Aviary. Doves always seem to be day-dreaming. They have a kind of “Hi! I’m your dinner!” look to them.
Fatima, marriage, and the Theology of the Body
Fatima, Marriage, and the Theology of the Body - Crisis MagazineKRANICK: It has been reported that Sister Lucia of Fatima wrote a letter to Cardinal Caffarra predicting that “the final battle between the Lord and the reign of Satan will be about marriage and the family.” Not long after, Pope John Paul II was in the midst of his famous “Theology of the Body” talks on marriage and the family when a Turkish assassin attempted to kill him. The assassination attempt happened on May 13, 1981, the Feast day of Our Lady of Fatima, and the same day that Pope John Paul was going to announce the establishment of his Pontifical Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. John Paul credited “a mother’s hand,” Our Lady of Fatima, with saving his life that day, and consequently, allowing for the promulgation of his exegetical insights on the theology of the body.
To all those observing Lent: Remember your mortality and sinfulness, and suffer lovingly...
SEGELSTEIN: Our Essential Suffering: The first day of Lent is perhaps the busiest day of the year for Dahlgren Chapel. Far more Hoyas come to Mass on Ash Wednesday than attend weekly Sunday service, even though only the latter is morally obligated by the Catholic Church.
There are two ways to view this discrepancy. The first is with cynicism. People on campus and around the world come to Ash Wednesday mass because they “get something.” They receive a mark that distinguishes them as dutiful believers like voters sporting buttons on Election Day.
There are two ways to view this discrepancy. The first is with cynicism. People on campus and around the world come to Ash Wednesday mass because they “get something.” They receive a mark that distinguishes them as dutiful believers like voters sporting buttons on Election Day.
The Annunciation is a big deal
The Annunciation Is a Big Deal - Those Catholic Men, Inc.STAUDT: Easter, Christmas, then the Annunciation?
Although it’s not a holy day of obligation, the Annunciation is one of the central solemnities of the liturgical year. There are two main reasons why.
First, the Incarnation is absolutely central to our faith and salvation. Even though we celebrate Christmas with great solemnity to mark Jesus’ birth into the world, the Annunciation celebrates the moment of the Incarnation. When you visit Nazareth, a sign says it all: Hic Verbum Caro Factus Est – Here the Word became flesh.
The entire history of the world hinges on that moment and all the events of our Lord’s life flow from it.
Although it’s not a holy day of obligation, the Annunciation is one of the central solemnities of the liturgical year. There are two main reasons why.
First, the Incarnation is absolutely central to our faith and salvation. Even though we celebrate Christmas with great solemnity to mark Jesus’ birth into the world, the Annunciation celebrates the moment of the Incarnation. When you visit Nazareth, a sign says it all: Hic Verbum Caro Factus Est – Here the Word became flesh.
The entire history of the world hinges on that moment and all the events of our Lord’s life flow from it.
Why ‘the Marian Option’ is not optional today
Why “the Marian Option” is not optional today: Dr. Carrie Gress’ brand new book, The Marian Option: God’s Solution to a Civilization in Crisis, ably proves why “the Marian Option” is not optional today. Gress’ thesis consists in demonstrating that when the world and the Church teeter on the precipice of disaster, as they seem to be doing now, God wills to send needed aide through the Blessed Mother. As Gress substantiates through a fascinating survey of historical facts, Mary’s help has come swiftly and miraculously time and time again. And, oh, how we need her assistance now.
An eyewitness account of the devastation left behind by ISIS
The Long Lent of Iraq’s Christians | ncregister.comPENTIN: Rosaries and broken crucifixes strewn across the floor, upturned furniture and littered belongings greeted us as we entered the former rectory in Karemlash, an Iraqi Christian town liberated from the Islamic State (ISIS) last October.
The two-story house, only completed in 2012, had all the hallmarks of a place possessed, as though a demon had been unleashed to run right through it.
The two-story house, only completed in 2012, had all the hallmarks of a place possessed, as though a demon had been unleashed to run right through it.
Christians in northern Iraq ‘on verge of extinction’, says aid worker
Christians in northern Iraq ‘on verge of extinction’, says aid worker | CatholicHerald.co.uk: A senior aid worker within the Chaldean Catholic archdiocese in northern Iraq has described the Christian population there as “on the verge of extinction” and is appealing to the British and US governments for humanitarian assistance.
Stephen Rasche, legal counsel and head of resettlement programmes for the diocese, addressed both Houses of UK Parliament yesterday on the need for humanitarian support for Iraqi Christians.
Stephen Rasche, legal counsel and head of resettlement programmes for the diocese, addressed both Houses of UK Parliament yesterday on the need for humanitarian support for Iraqi Christians.
Is the buzz true? Did Pope Francis just condemn Communion for the remarried?
Analysis: Did Pope Francis just condemn Communion for the remarried? | CatholicHerald.co.uk: For the last couple of days Catholic social media and the blogosphere have been preoccupied with some reported remarks by Pope Francis.
The remarks carry weight because they come from an impeccable source – the president of the Chilean bishops’ conference, Bishop Santiago Silva, and its secretary Bishop Fernando Ramos – and because they relate to the great ecclesial controversy of the moment: over Communion for the remarried.
But as far as I can tell, the significance of the Pope’s comments has been greatly exaggerated. Headlines like “Chilean bishops: Pope against Communion for the remarried” go too far.
The remarks carry weight because they come from an impeccable source – the president of the Chilean bishops’ conference, Bishop Santiago Silva, and its secretary Bishop Fernando Ramos – and because they relate to the great ecclesial controversy of the moment: over Communion for the remarried.
But as far as I can tell, the significance of the Pope’s comments has been greatly exaggerated. Headlines like “Chilean bishops: Pope against Communion for the remarried” go too far.
6 great websites for training young apologists
6 Great Websites for Training Young ApologistsCLARK: In a world that peddles atheism and agnosticism to our kids, we homeschooling parents need to train our children to defend the Catholic Faith.
As our duty both to them and to the universal Church, we need to raise young apologists. If you’re looking for a few ways to accomplish that, here are a few ideas to help you get started.
As our duty both to them and to the universal Church, we need to raise young apologists. If you’re looking for a few ways to accomplish that, here are a few ideas to help you get started.
How did people tell time in Jesus' day?
How Did People Tell Time in Jesus’ Day? - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The modern person, especially in the West, thinks of time in a very mechanistic way. We watch the clock, which is in itself a mechanical device without intrinsic meaning. For shorter periods of time we look at the clock rather than the sun. For longer periods, we watch the crops, track our children’s growth, or more broadly chart the rise and fall of nations. For most of us, time is not the unfolding of eternity or the cycle of life; time is simply a span to be reckoned by its length, by the number of ticks on a device we have invented. We also tend to measure time by what we can do with it: if we have a lot of time we can get a lot done; if we don’t have much time we can’t much done.
Thursday, March 23, 2017
A Lenten lesson on I-80 about blinkers and rash judgment
A Lenten Lesson on I-80 About Blinkers and Rash Judgment | ncregister.comBECKER: We were heading home to Indiana from Omaha after a funeral. We’d made a later start than we’d hoped, so I was banking on making it to the Quad Cities before nightfall so we could have a relatively relaxed drive the next day to South Bend.
It had been pretty stormy in Nebraska as we started heading east on I-80 – pretty ominous, actually. Wind and hail, thunder and lightning – the kind that flashes horizontally across the sky, the kind that commands attention. My wife, a native Cornhusker, said, “Looks like tornado weather,” and I believed her. Our lumbering Chevy Express took the wind gusts like a champ, but I held tight to the steering wheel all the same.
It had been pretty stormy in Nebraska as we started heading east on I-80 – pretty ominous, actually. Wind and hail, thunder and lightning – the kind that flashes horizontally across the sky, the kind that commands attention. My wife, a native Cornhusker, said, “Looks like tornado weather,” and I believed her. Our lumbering Chevy Express took the wind gusts like a champ, but I held tight to the steering wheel all the same.
Here's what happens if you get too close to a neutron star
New Advent: Here's what happens if you get too close to a neutron star: A neutron star is one of the most dangerous objects in the universe. Neutron stars are the densest things besides black holes. A stone sized piece of this star would weigh 100 million metric tons.
Neil Gorsuch is a proponent of natural law — which says a lot
Neil Gorsuch and Natural Law | ncregister.comKENGOR: Neil Gorsuch, the Trump administration’s nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, is a proponent of natural law. What does that say about Gorsuch and about issues of high interest to faithful Catholics? It says a lot, and what it says is very good.
First, what is natural law?
Natural law affirms that we do what we ought to do according to nature, to our very nature. “What we ought to do is based on what we are,” writes Boston College theologian Peter Kreeft. The natural law, notes Kreeft, is naturally known, by natural human reason and experience. You need not be a religious believer to know the natural law, even if that law (many of us believe) was written into nature by a Creator.
First, what is natural law?
Natural law affirms that we do what we ought to do according to nature, to our very nature. “What we ought to do is based on what we are,” writes Boston College theologian Peter Kreeft. The natural law, notes Kreeft, is naturally known, by natural human reason and experience. You need not be a religious believer to know the natural law, even if that law (many of us believe) was written into nature by a Creator.
The beauty of women will save the world
The Beauty of Women Will Save the World | ncregister.comGRESS: There is a well-known Dostoevsky trope that says, “beauty will save the world.” The famous Russian is usually taken to mean the beauty found in the material arts. Music, architecture, and sculpture are rightfully being plumbed for their world-saving abilities, particularly how they lead a soul back to God. But there is one stone that has yet to be unturned when considering the role beauty plays in saving the world: women.
10 delicious and simple Lenten dinners for Fridays
10 Delicious and Simple Lenten Dinners for Fridays | ncregister.comSPENCER: After eight and a half years straight of have a child dependant on me for nutrition through pregnancy and/or breastfeeding, I have window of time where I can practice a stricter form of fasting. I am learning firsthand how my soul is affected by my voluntary bodily Lenten practices so much so that I related to the collect in the Extraordinary Form Mass for Monday of the Third Week in Lent
How to make the most of your workday
How to Improve Your Productivity at Work - Business Guides - The New York Times: Do you often find your workday spiraling out of control? You start each day with a plan to get so much done, but soon find yourself becoming distracted, focusing on low-priority tasks and, simply, procrastinating. So how can you regain control of your time? One-size-fits-all lists on how to be more productive don't work; we’ll outline productivity techniques that can be adapted to your personality and working style.
St. Patrick, St. Joseph, and the conversion that makes all the difference
St. Patrick, St. Joseph, and the Conversion that Makes All the Difference | Word On FireBARRON: I am always pleased when the feasts of St. Patrick and St. Joseph roll around every year, the first on March 17th and the second on March 19th. Joseph is especially dear to the Italian people, who celebrate him with festive meals, and Patrick, of course, is specially reverenced by my own people, the Irish, who celebrate him with parades, parties, and (often) too much drinking. Though separated by four centuries and though hailing from extremely different cultures, Patrick and Joseph have a great deal in common, spiritually speaking. For both stubbornly situated their lives in the context, not of the ego-drama, but the theo-drama, and therein lies their importance for the universal church.
Pope Francis sends message of “prayerful solidarity” with London victims
Pope Francis Sends Message of "Prayerful Solidarity" With London Victims | ChurchPOP: Pope Francis has sent a message of “prayerful solidarity” with the victims of the recent London attack.
Sent as a telegram from the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin to Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the message says Pope Francis is “deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and of the injuries caused by the attack in central London.”
“Commending those who have died to the loving mercy of Almighty God,” the message concludes, “His Holiness invokes divine strength and peace upon their grieving families, and he assures the nation of his prayers at this time.”
Sent as a telegram from the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin to Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the message says Pope Francis is “deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and of the injuries caused by the attack in central London.”
“Commending those who have died to the loving mercy of Almighty God,” the message concludes, “His Holiness invokes divine strength and peace upon their grieving families, and he assures the nation of his prayers at this time.”
An urgent plea: Pray for the people of Peru
An Urgent Plea: Pray for Peru. - The Catholic Astronomer: Originally, I had planned this post to be a light-hearted reflection on stargazing in the southern hemisphere. The parish of which I am Pastor, St. Joseph Parish in Menomonie, Wisconsin, took a ten-day mission trip to our Diocesan Orphanage, Casa Hogar Juan Pablo II, in Lurin, Peru. In light of my past mission trips to Casa, I was already mapping out a post for the The Catholic Astronomer before departure. However, events from the trip forced a change of theme.
One afternoon, I was offering spiritual direction to a Casa staff volunteer. We were sitting outside underneath the shade of a tree when a low flying helicopter caught our attention. It was so low that it sounded like it was going to land on the orphanage grounds. It was blaring a loud siren while slowly hovering over the city of Lurin. We began to wonder what this warning was about? We had heard earlier of flooding in parts of Peru, but since there was no message with the sirens we presumed it was a local policing matter.
One afternoon, I was offering spiritual direction to a Casa staff volunteer. We were sitting outside underneath the shade of a tree when a low flying helicopter caught our attention. It was so low that it sounded like it was going to land on the orphanage grounds. It was blaring a loud siren while slowly hovering over the city of Lurin. We began to wonder what this warning was about? We had heard earlier of flooding in parts of Peru, but since there was no message with the sirens we presumed it was a local policing matter.
Pope Francis may shine a light on famine and genocide in South Sudan
Pope Francis & South Sudan -- Visit Would Expose Famine and Genocide | National ReviewLOPEZ: Pope Francis is reportedly considering a trip to South Sudan, after ecumenical pleas from religious leaders who hope that his visit might draw attention to the plight of the people there, suffering famine and genocide. Melinda Henneberger, editorial writer and columnist for the Kansas City Star, recently went to South Sudan, on a trip sponsored by the Sudan Relief Fund. She wrote several pieces about it for her newspaper as well as for USA Today. In this interview, she discusses what she saw during her trip.
What was the climate like at the time of Jesus?
What Was the Climate Like at the Time of Jesus? - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The climate in Palestine, both today and at the time of Jesus, has two distinct seasons. The wet or rainy season runs from the mid-October to the mid-April while the dry season lasts from the mid-June to mid-September. During the dry season rainfall is rare. Although it can get very hot during summer, it often does not feel that way. Cool breezes and low humidity are typical, making the summers quite pleasant, especially in areas directly on the coast or on the higher slopes of the hills. During these months it is almost always sunny and the sky cloudless. Rain rarely falls during the summer because of the dominance of high-pressure zones. This provides challenges for farmers, who have to develop special methods for trapping water during the rainy season. During rainy season, although it does not rain every day, there can be significant rains that cause periodic flooding. While it gets cool in the winter and at higher altitudes (areas near Jerusalem and Bethlehem can even see snow), this is rare and usually limited to brief periods during December and January. Although the Bible refers snow in the area, it is mostly mentioned as occurring in the mountains to the north near Mt. Hermon.
The Last Prince of Baltimore: William Cardinal Keeler dies at 86
Whispers in the Loggia: The Last Prince of Baltimore, Cardinal Keeler Dies at 86PALMO: In the annals of the Premier See of these United States, two figures form the center of a legend born alongside the Constitution. Yet even for all John Carroll and James Gibbons would bequeath to posterity, it’d fall to yet another to bring the Maryland Tradition of American Catholicism into the 21st century.
And this morning, the cleric who made that mission his own has been called to his rest.
The only man ever to wear both the badge of an Eagle Scout and the scarlet of a Roman prince, William Henry Keeler – 14th archbishop of Baltimore, ninth President of the nation’s bench, only the third of Carroll’s heirs to be raised to the papal Senate – died overnight at 86 after a long, gradual illness.
And this morning, the cleric who made that mission his own has been called to his rest.
The only man ever to wear both the badge of an Eagle Scout and the scarlet of a Roman prince, William Henry Keeler – 14th archbishop of Baltimore, ninth President of the nation’s bench, only the third of Carroll’s heirs to be raised to the papal Senate – died overnight at 86 after a long, gradual illness.
Pope to canonize Fatima visionaries Francisco and Jacinta Marto
Pope: Fatima Visionaries Francisco and Jacinta Marto Will Be Proclaimed Saints | ncregister.com: On Thursday Pope Francis approved the second and final miracle needed to canonize Blesseds Francisco and Jacinta Marto, two of the shepherd children who witnessed the Fatima Marian apparitions.
The Pope approved the miracle in a March 23 audience with Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, during which he advanced six other causes, approving one other miracle, two causes for martyrdom and three causes of heroic virtue.
In addition, the Pope also approved a positive vote from members of the canonization for six martyrs who are already “Blessed” but do not yet have a second miracle for their cause.
The Pope approved the miracle in a March 23 audience with Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, during which he advanced six other causes, approving one other miracle, two causes for martyrdom and three causes of heroic virtue.
In addition, the Pope also approved a positive vote from members of the canonization for six martyrs who are already “Blessed” but do not yet have a second miracle for their cause.
Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Behold, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, the hidden gem of the Midwest
Behold, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, Hidden Gem of the Midwest | ChurchPOP: You’ve probably heard of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, NY, and maybe the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. But perhaps the most beautiful (certainly one of the most beautiful) churches in the United States is one many people haven’t even heard of – and it’s located in Missouri (and yes, Missouri is a part of the mid-west).
The history of Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis goes back 1871 when a formal organization for promoting the building of a new cathedral was formed in St. Louis, MO. Planning stalled and groundbreaking didn’t begin until 1907. Seven years later, enough of the church was complete for a dedication ceremony, and the church was consecrated in 1926. However, the church’s incredible mosaics weren’t completed until 1988.
The history of Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis goes back 1871 when a formal organization for promoting the building of a new cathedral was formed in St. Louis, MO. Planning stalled and groundbreaking didn’t begin until 1907. Seven years later, enough of the church was complete for a dedication ceremony, and the church was consecrated in 1926. However, the church’s incredible mosaics weren’t completed until 1988.
The horrific dream of the wife of Pontius Pilate (about the Nicene Creed)
The Horrific Dream of the Wife of Pontius Pilate (about the Nicene Creed) - Taylor MarshallMARSHALL:
Pontius Pilate’s name is in the Creeds because it anchors the life of Christ into human history, specifically Roman history.
There is a “tradition” that Pontius Pilate’s wife Claudia Procula had a dream of billions of people chanting “sub Pontio Pilato” over and over and over.
What she was hearing was the billions of Christians who recite “He was crucified under Pontius Pilate.”
Most woman would be honored to know that their husband’s name would be on the lips of billions over a period of 20 centuries. But in the case of this Prefect of Judaea, it is the notorious reputation of being the remote efficient cause of Christ’s crucifixion.
Pontius Pilate’s name is in the Creeds because it anchors the life of Christ into human history, specifically Roman history.
There is a “tradition” that Pontius Pilate’s wife Claudia Procula had a dream of billions of people chanting “sub Pontio Pilato” over and over and over.
What she was hearing was the billions of Christians who recite “He was crucified under Pontius Pilate.”
Most woman would be honored to know that their husband’s name would be on the lips of billions over a period of 20 centuries. But in the case of this Prefect of Judaea, it is the notorious reputation of being the remote efficient cause of Christ’s crucifixion.
Day three: Exasperation for Senate Democrats as Gorsuch defends judicial independence
Day Three: Exasperation for Senate Dems as Gorsuch Defends Judicial Independence | ncregister.comBUNSON: Day three of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court brought a continuation of the marathon session of questions and answers that took place on day two. Gorsuch spent eleven hours on Tuesday being tested and interrogated, and then he spent another ten hours facing the same process on Wednesday. �
As with day two, the Democrat Senators sought to pin down the nominee regarding his views on wide-ranging issues while the Republicans continued to assert his worthiness for a seat on the high court. As also as on day two, Judge Gorsuch once more proved himself more than capable of answering everything posed to him with both knowledge and courtesy. By the end of the day, the judge seemed well on his way to becoming an Associate Justice.
As with day two, the Democrat Senators sought to pin down the nominee regarding his views on wide-ranging issues while the Republicans continued to assert his worthiness for a seat on the high court. As also as on day two, Judge Gorsuch once more proved himself more than capable of answering everything posed to him with both knowledge and courtesy. By the end of the day, the judge seemed well on his way to becoming an Associate Justice.
Watch this little girl steal Pope Francis' hat
Watch this little girl steal Pope Francis' hat :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): A cute moment was captured on camera Wednesday, as a 3-year-old girl “stole” Pope Francis’ zucchetto – or skull cap – at the papal general audience.
Italian layman who defied the Nazis deemed ‘blessed’
Italian Layman Who Defied the Nazis Deemed ‘Blessed’ | ncregister.com: Italian layman Joseph Mayr-Nusser — who refused to take the Hitler oath — was beatified March 18 in his hometown of Bolsano.
In 1944, Mayr-Nusser, a Catholic husband and father, refused to take the oath of allegiance to Hitler, after being drafted into the German army. He died on the way to the Nazis’ Dachau concentration camp, to which he had been sentenced.
On Sunday, Pope Francis said that Blessed Joseph is a model for all laymen and fathers, “on account of his great moral and spiritual stature.”
In 1944, Mayr-Nusser, a Catholic husband and father, refused to take the oath of allegiance to Hitler, after being drafted into the German army. He died on the way to the Nazis’ Dachau concentration camp, to which he had been sentenced.
On Sunday, Pope Francis said that Blessed Joseph is a model for all laymen and fathers, “on account of his great moral and spiritual stature.”
Ongoing messages at ‘Medjugorje of Argentina’ will be kept private, local bishop says
Local Bishop: Ongoing Messages at Argentine Apparition Will Be Kept Private | ncregister.com: It has been called the Medjugorje of Argentina.
A now widely popular apparition of Mary began in the early 1980s, when rosaries began to glow in multiple homes in the town of San Nicolás de los Arroyos, a city of 138,000 people about 150 miles from Buenos Aires.
After seeing this phenomenon, local wife and mother Gladys Quiroga de Motta began praying to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary first allegedly appeared to Motta on Sept. 25, 1983, as a glowing figure wearing a blue crown and veil.
A now widely popular apparition of Mary began in the early 1980s, when rosaries began to glow in multiple homes in the town of San Nicolás de los Arroyos, a city of 138,000 people about 150 miles from Buenos Aires.
After seeing this phenomenon, local wife and mother Gladys Quiroga de Motta began praying to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary first allegedly appeared to Motta on Sept. 25, 1983, as a glowing figure wearing a blue crown and veil.
The saints and sinners who shaped America
The Saints and Sinners Who Shaped America | ncregister.comSCHIFFER: Over the centuries, people of faith have come to American shores in search of freedom, prosperity, and hope. At a time when religious liberty and conscience rights are under attack, Brian Burch, president of Catholic Vote, and author Emily Stimpson Chapman wanted to remind Americans of our heritage. Together they wrote The American Catholic Almanac: A Daily Reader of Patriots, Saints, Rogues and Ordinary People Who Changed the United States. The book is an ambitious collection of 365 stories about saints and sinners, priests and politicians and ordinary citizens who helped to shape American history.
Associated Press flunks Christianity 101 yet again
Associated Press Flunks Christianity 101 (Again) | ncregister.comGREYDANUS: How important are the 40 days between Easter Sunday and Ascension Thursday? Crucially important.
In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say those 40 days are responsible for the Christian faith being what it is and not something completely different.
The foundational Christian claim is that Jesus returned bodily to life after his dead by crucifixion. He wasn’t simply translated into Heaven or glorified at the right hand of the Father.
The aftermath of the crucifixion involves three distinct phases:
On Friday evening and Saturday he was dead, buried, in the tomb, like anyone else who ever died.
In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say those 40 days are responsible for the Christian faith being what it is and not something completely different.
The foundational Christian claim is that Jesus returned bodily to life after his dead by crucifixion. He wasn’t simply translated into Heaven or glorified at the right hand of the Father.
The aftermath of the crucifixion involves three distinct phases:
On Friday evening and Saturday he was dead, buried, in the tomb, like anyone else who ever died.
What if Jesus played basketball? Would He automatically be the best player ever?
What if Jesus Played Basketball? | ncregister.comAKIN: Would Jesus have been the all-time, all-history MVP if he played basketball?
Did he have to learn his craft of carpentry? Did he have to learn table manners?
There are all kinds of questions one can ask about the way Jesus’ divine and human natures related in his earthly life, and we can’t know the answers to all of them.
But looking at the principles involved can be instructive.
Let’s talk about that.
Did he have to learn his craft of carpentry? Did he have to learn table manners?
There are all kinds of questions one can ask about the way Jesus’ divine and human natures related in his earthly life, and we can’t know the answers to all of them.
But looking at the principles involved can be instructive.
Let’s talk about that.
Prayers go out amid confusion, chaos following London attack
Prayers go out amid confusion, chaos following London attack :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Church and government leaders offered prayers in the aftermath of an attack in London on Wednesday afternoon.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the incident in Westminster this afternoon,” read a post on Twitter from the news page of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the incident in Westminster this afternoon,” read a post on Twitter from the news page of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.
The ‘Edicule’, the shrine over Our Lord's tomb, is in danger of ‘catastrophic’ collapse
Shrine Over Jesus' Tomb in Danger of 'Catastrophic' Collapse: A shrine built over a cave that is revered as the tomb of Jesus is in danger of "catastrophic" collapse, according to a report by National Geographic.
The shrine (or the "Edicule," as it is often called) is located within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. According to legend, Helena, the mother of emperor Constantine the Great (A.D. 272-337) visited Jerusalem in the fourth century and discovered the cave where Jesus was buried after being crucified. Whether Jesus was actually buried in the cave is unknown, and many scholars doubt that Helena actually discovered it; nevertheless, the cave has been a place of Christian pilgrimage for many centuries.
The shrine (or the "Edicule," as it is often called) is located within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. According to legend, Helena, the mother of emperor Constantine the Great (A.D. 272-337) visited Jerusalem in the fourth century and discovered the cave where Jesus was buried after being crucified. Whether Jesus was actually buried in the cave is unknown, and many scholars doubt that Helena actually discovered it; nevertheless, the cave has been a place of Christian pilgrimage for many centuries.
How can you invoke God in a proper way?
How does one invoke God in a proper way? | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: Within the annals of secular expression “God” is often evoked in a disrespectful manner e.g. “Oh my God,” or “damming God” and so on. Nevertheless, the Second Commandment clearly tells us not to pronounce the Lord’s name in vain i.e. in an unholy way. Unfortunately, our demeanor tends to succumb to the temptation of sin opening the door to say the Lord’s name in unholy ways.
Pregnancies, prayer intentions and Spanish water
Pregnancies, prayer intentions & Spanish water ~ The MotherlandsRENNER: Catholic pregnancy tip: well water from the Abbey of Santo Domingo in Spain where Blessed Jane of Aza prayed for another child—a prayer heard and answered in the person of Saint Dominic. I was told that someone in the parish usually had some, but warned to drink only a small amount. Had I noticed the number of twins running around after Mass?
Just a few short years ago, this advice would have struck me as insane.
Water from a well in Spain? A 12th-century woman desperate for another baby, dreaming about a dog with a torch in its mouth? The most ridiculous thing ever. I remember reading infertility forums and, in addition to suggestions ranging from sweet potatoes to ovulation predictor kits to giving up coffee, some (crazy loony) Catholic suggested a novena to Saint Gerard. I read that and thought, “How on earth is that going to accomplish anything?”
Just a few short years ago, this advice would have struck me as insane.
Water from a well in Spain? A 12th-century woman desperate for another baby, dreaming about a dog with a torch in its mouth? The most ridiculous thing ever. I remember reading infertility forums and, in addition to suggestions ranging from sweet potatoes to ovulation predictor kits to giving up coffee, some (crazy loony) Catholic suggested a novena to Saint Gerard. I read that and thought, “How on earth is that going to accomplish anything?”
Authentic Catholic feminists reject the lies of this present age
Jenny Uebbing: Catholic Feminism � EndowUEBBING: Women in our culture are angry – and rightfully so. Our bodies have become a different kind of currency, greasing the wheels in an economy that runs on sex and outrage. We are told that we are strong, capable, and equal in every way to men, and then simultaneously degraded in every way, our parts dissected to sell products and our hearts numbed with the lie that “what you do with your body has no consequences, no deeper meaning, and you have no business believing otherwise.”
Theologian says ‘Amoris’ Communion debate is settled in Africa — in favor of Catholic tradition
Theologian says 'Amoris' Communion debate is settled in Africa: A gathering in Rome this week aims to bring the voices of Africa to the world, and even before it begins the main organizer is doing just that, saying Monday that the debate over Communion for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics unleashed by Amoris Laetitia is already settled in Africa - and that the answer is “no.”
“If you go to the ordinary parishes in most of Africa, you will find that people who are in the situation you’re talking about would not present themselves for Communion because they already accept that these are the rules,” said Father Paulinus Odozor, a Nigerian theologian who teaches at the University of Notre Dame.
“If you go to the ordinary parishes in most of Africa, you will find that people who are in the situation you’re talking about would not present themselves for Communion because they already accept that these are the rules,” said Father Paulinus Odozor, a Nigerian theologian who teaches at the University of Notre Dame.
The Holy Spirit option is no longer optional
The Holy Spirit option | AngelusLOPEZ: On the fourth anniversary of his election, Pope Francis tweeted “May the Holy Spirit lead us on a true journey of conversion, so that we can rediscover the gift of God’s word.”
Yes, I’m writing a column on a tweet — and one by someone who has a lot more power than his Twitter account — but such are our times. He tweets because he understands our attention spans and the distractions that weigh on our souls, keeping us in anxiety and darkness.
He knows, too, that there is a cult of personality about him. That people will use what he says for their own designs instead of God’s designs. He knows, too, that people are confused and sometimes his words or how they are reported add to it all. So he tends to repeat themes — about God’s mercy and our weakness and the glory of what God wants us to know and see about the beauty of humanity and all of creation. He wants to draw us into the Word of Jesus Christ and away from our worldly ways. He wants us to encounter the beauty we were born to see and live and return to.
Yes, I’m writing a column on a tweet — and one by someone who has a lot more power than his Twitter account — but such are our times. He tweets because he understands our attention spans and the distractions that weigh on our souls, keeping us in anxiety and darkness.
He knows, too, that there is a cult of personality about him. That people will use what he says for their own designs instead of God’s designs. He knows, too, that people are confused and sometimes his words or how they are reported add to it all. So he tends to repeat themes — about God’s mercy and our weakness and the glory of what God wants us to know and see about the beauty of humanity and all of creation. He wants to draw us into the Word of Jesus Christ and away from our worldly ways. He wants us to encounter the beauty we were born to see and live and return to.
‘Church Madness 2017’: From Newark to Nampa, Idaho, 16 beautiful churches left in this year's bracket
Church Madness 2017: Stunning 16 – Art and Liturgy: Last round’s voting finally gave us what I’ve been secretly wishing for since last year: a St. Mary vs. St. Joseph showdown! The only thing better would be a St. Jerome vs. St. Ambrose battle royale.
Watch this astonishing time lapse video of cell division
New Advent: Watch this astonishing time lapse video of cell division: This looks like CGI, but it's real. The video's creator says: it was done with a custom designed microscope based on the ‘infinity optical design’. It is not available by any manufacturer. I built it. I used LEDs and relevant optics to light the egg. They too were custom designed by me. The whole microscope sits on anti-vibration table. I have to say that it doesn't matter too much what microscope people use to perform this. There are countless other variables involved in performing this tricky shot, such as for example: the ambient temperature during shooting; the time at which the eggs were collected; the handling skills of the operator; the type of water used; lenses; quality of camera etc.
Set during WWII, ‘Foyle's War’ is about the war against the encroaching doom of the modern world
"Foyle's War": Against the Modern World - The Imaginative ConservativeLONGENECKER: From time to time I am asked, “Father, how do you get so much done? You write books and essays, maintain a blog, run a parish, build a church, lead pilgrimages, and go on speaking tours and have a wife and kids. How do you do it?”
“I don’t watch TV.”
It’s true. We don’t have television. In fact, not having a television was one of the greatest decisions my parents made while they brought up the five of us children in the countryside of Pennsylvania in the 1960s and 70s. Once in a while over the years we have had a television, but we rarely watched it.
“I don’t watch TV.”
It’s true. We don’t have television. In fact, not having a television was one of the greatest decisions my parents made while they brought up the five of us children in the countryside of Pennsylvania in the 1960s and 70s. Once in a while over the years we have had a television, but we rarely watched it.
I'm a married Catholic priest who thinks priests shouldn't get married
I'm a married Catholic priest who thinks priests shouldn't get married | Commentary | Dallas News: My wife and I, we have four children, all younger than 7. Ours is not a quiet house.
A house of screaming and a house of endless snot, it's also a house of love, grown and multiplied every few years. In a house of little sleep, my hobby these days is simply to sit down; fellow parents know what I mean. Just like that loud and beautiful Kelly family gone viral out of South Korea recently, ours is a perfectly normal family, "normal" understood, of course, in relative terms. It's both exhausting and energizing, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. It is the form and gift of my life, my family.
A house of screaming and a house of endless snot, it's also a house of love, grown and multiplied every few years. In a house of little sleep, my hobby these days is simply to sit down; fellow parents know what I mean. Just like that loud and beautiful Kelly family gone viral out of South Korea recently, ours is a perfectly normal family, "normal" understood, of course, in relative terms. It's both exhausting and energizing, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. It is the form and gift of my life, my family.
Day 2 of confirmation hearing: Dems balk with Bork ‘softballs,’ Gorsuch gains a base
Day Two: Dems Balk With Bork ‘Softballs,’ Gorsuch Gains a Base | ncregister.comBUNSON: The second day of the confirmation hearing for Judge Neil Gorsuch to become the next associate justice of the Supreme Court began with a question by Sen. Charles Grassley. The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee asked if he would be willing to rule against the president who appointed him to the Supreme Court. Gorsuch laughed, saying that this was a softball question and added, “I have offered no promises on how I would rule on any case to anyone.” His answer was a textbook reply, but for rest of the day almost everything else tossed at him seemed to be softballs.
Pope’s Wednesday Audience: ‘Ours is a God of steadfastness and encouragement’
New Advent: Pope’s Wednesday Audience: ‘Ours is a God of steadfastness and encouragement’: Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our continuing catechesis on Christian hope, today we reflect on two words used by Saint Paul in the opening reading: steadfastness and encouragement. Paul says that both are contained in the message of the Scriptures, but even more, that ours is a God of steadfastness and encouragement (cf. Rom 15:4-5). In the Christian life, we are called to spread hope by supporting and encouraging one another, especially those in danger of faltering. But we do so with the strength provided by the Lord, who is our unfailing source of hope. Faithful to the Apostle’s injunction, may we always live in harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus.
Fr. Louis Bouyer and the gift of good teachers
Beginning to Pray: Louis Bouyer and the Gift of Good TeachersLILLES: All these years later, it is nearly impossible to imagine the excitement and enthusiasm of the period immediately after the council. The hope was that the teachings of Vatican II would spur a deeper renewal of the faith in the Church and strengthen Catholics in their witness in the modern world. Louis Bouyer's familiarity with some of the discussions of the council offered an insider's view of its teaching. In another course in ecclesiology that he went on to audit, Fr. Dimock came to see Bouyer's theology of the Church as speaking into the contemporary need to better connect with the tradition of the Church
What is the geography of the Holy Land like?
What Is the Geography of the Holy Land Like? - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The land today called Israel or the Holy Land, was known to the Greeks and Romans in Jesus’ day as Palestine. This name came from the Philistines, who had lived there some 2000 years before Christ.
The Jewish people, however, never called their land Palestine, although they did use that name to refer to an area near the Mediterranean. They tended to refer to their land is the “Promised Land,” or the “Land of Canaan.” They also spoke of it as the “Land of Judah.” The Talmud simply calls it “The Land.”
The Jewish people, however, never called their land Palestine, although they did use that name to refer to an area near the Mediterranean. They tended to refer to their land is the “Promised Land,” or the “Land of Canaan.” They also spoke of it as the “Land of Judah.” The Talmud simply calls it “The Land.”
‘In unsettled times,’ US bishops make fresh call to immigrants, refugees
Whispers in the Loggia: "We Are With You" – "In Unsettled Times," US Bench Makes Fresh Call to Immigrants, RefugeesPALMO: Amid a roiled political environment – and capping off a remarkable across-the-board protest of President Trump's signature policy commitment – the top leadership of the US bishops has used its first meeting of the year in Washington to issue a significant call that "It is necessary to safeguard the United States in a manner that does not cause us to lose our humanity."
As reports around the country indicate a broad spike in arrests and detainments by federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and with the new administration's ban on travel from seven Muslim-majority countries stalled in the courts, the statement from the USCCB Administrative Committee' signals a further doubling-down of advocacy for the undocumented and at-risk refugees on the part of the nation's largest religious body, which has spent recent months ramping up numerous local initiatives ranging from very public prayer services in solidarity to programs informing parishioners of their rights and how to respond should they find themselves or their families targeted.
As reports around the country indicate a broad spike in arrests and detainments by federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and with the new administration's ban on travel from seven Muslim-majority countries stalled in the courts, the statement from the USCCB Administrative Committee' signals a further doubling-down of advocacy for the undocumented and at-risk refugees on the part of the nation's largest religious body, which has spent recent months ramping up numerous local initiatives ranging from very public prayer services in solidarity to programs informing parishioners of their rights and how to respond should they find themselves or their families targeted.
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Here we go again: Associated Press erroneously says Jesus “rose to heaven” from His tomb
Here we go again: Will someone please explain Christianity to the Associated Press? — GetReligionMATTINGLY: Maybe it's time to cue the theme from "Jaws" at copy desks in major newsrooms.
We are halfway through the season of Lent, and you know what that means. Once again, we are approaching the most important days on the Christian calendar, as in Holy Week and Easter. Editors should note that Easter in the West (Gregorian calendar) and Pascha in the churches of the East (the older Julian calendar) are on the same date this year.
This time of year is dangerous for editors because the odds rise that they will need to handle news stories that are supposed to contain accurate references to church history and basic Christian beliefs. This has, in the past, been a challenge in some newsroom, even at the most elite levels of the news food chain. Take, for example, the New York Times and its ongoing struggle with the details of the Resurrection.
We are halfway through the season of Lent, and you know what that means. Once again, we are approaching the most important days on the Christian calendar, as in Holy Week and Easter. Editors should note that Easter in the West (Gregorian calendar) and Pascha in the churches of the East (the older Julian calendar) are on the same date this year.
This time of year is dangerous for editors because the odds rise that they will need to handle news stories that are supposed to contain accurate references to church history and basic Christian beliefs. This has, in the past, been a challenge in some newsroom, even at the most elite levels of the news food chain. Take, for example, the New York Times and its ongoing struggle with the details of the Resurrection.
Monday, March 20, 2017
What were houses like at the time of Jesus?
What Were Houses Like at the Time of Jesus? - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The smallest homes of the very poor might be little better than a square, stone structure, covered with a whitewashed sort of stucco. There would typically be one larger multi-purpose room and a smaller back room for the animals. Some houses in hilly regions were partial cave dwellings, built up against the limestone rock face, perhaps with the front section built on to it. The traditional site at the house of the Annunciation (in Nazareth) seems to have been built this way. However we need not conclude from this that Joseph and Mary were destitute. Many homes employed the hillside strategy that made use of hollowed out caves. Such structures were easy to build and there was a certain natural coolness to them.
A charming 15th century view of St. Joseph
A charming 15th century view of St. Joseph | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: Today is the transferred Feast of St. Joseph. Yesterday, a Sunday in Lent, “outweighed” the feast. St. Joseph has many titles in his beautiful litany. We will sing them tonight after our Pontifical Mass at the Throne. Joseph is the Foster-father of the Son of God, Protector of Holy Church, Glory of domestic life.
Speaking of “Glory of domestic life”, I recently saw at the Metropolitan Museum in NYC a marvelous French 15th century limestone relief with painting and gilding produced by the circle of Antoine Le Moiturier.
Speaking of “Glory of domestic life”, I recently saw at the Metropolitan Museum in NYC a marvelous French 15th century limestone relief with painting and gilding produced by the circle of Antoine Le Moiturier.
Brunch your way around the globe
Brunch Your Way Around the Globe | Mental Floss: Many international cities offer up their own uniquely delicious versions of brunch, both savory and sweet. Work up your appetite by checking out the infographic below, courtesy of travel website lastminute.com. It lists popular brunch foods from a variety of countries, along with local etiquette tips so you’ll blend in while touring—and eating—your way across the globe.
Deacon, look East: Serving my first Mass ad orientem
Deacon, look East: serving my first Mass ad orientem – Aleteia.org – Worldwide Catholic Network Sharing Faith Resources for those seeking Truth – Aleteia.orgKANDRA: found myself this weekend in Central City, Pennsylvania, somewhere west of Harrisburg, in the diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, speaking on behalf of CNEWA. While there, I served and preached at a parish, Our Lady Queen of the Angels, with two worship sites—and one of the Masses was celebrated ad orientem.
The pastor is a dynamic young fireball by the name of Father Aron Maghsoudi—he’s the only priest in town and had to handle two churches and three Masses and did it all, somehow, without breaking a sweat.
The pastor is a dynamic young fireball by the name of Father Aron Maghsoudi—he’s the only priest in town and had to handle two churches and three Masses and did it all, somehow, without breaking a sweat.
Agreement with SSPX is close, says Archbishop Pozzo of Ecclesia Dei
Vatican official confirms: agreement with SSPX is close : News Headlines | Catholic Culture: The secretary of the Ecclesia Dei commission has confirmed that the Vatican is close to an agreement with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) that would regularize the status of the traditionalist group.
Archbishop Guido Pozzo told the German newspaper Die Tagespost that the Vatican will ask the SSPX to endorse a formal declaration, resolving some remaining doctrinal issues. However, confirming what SSPX leaders have said, the Archbishop Pozzo acknowledged that the SSPX would not be allowed to continue raising questions about some teachings of Vatican II. Over the years, the archbishop observed, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has answered a number of questions about conciliar documents, and “I do not see why this work of clarification and answers to doubts and reservations... could not be carried forward.”
Archbishop Guido Pozzo told the German newspaper Die Tagespost that the Vatican will ask the SSPX to endorse a formal declaration, resolving some remaining doctrinal issues. However, confirming what SSPX leaders have said, the Archbishop Pozzo acknowledged that the SSPX would not be allowed to continue raising questions about some teachings of Vatican II. Over the years, the archbishop observed, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has answered a number of questions about conciliar documents, and “I do not see why this work of clarification and answers to doubts and reservations... could not be carried forward.”
What Josephus really said about reincarnation
What Josephus Really Said About Reincarnation | ncregister.comAKIN: Recently we began looking at claims that the Jewish historian Josephus (A.D. 37-c. 100) said that his people believed in reincarnation.
This is not true.
As we’ve already seen, there were two general views of the afterlife among Jews in his day.
One view—which was a minority position held by the Sadducees—claimed that there was no afterlife at all.
The other view—which was the majority position and which was held by Pharisees, Christians, and other Jews—claimed the dead would be resurrected on the last day.
For a discussion of evidence regarding these views, see my previous blog post.
This is not true.
As we’ve already seen, there were two general views of the afterlife among Jews in his day.
One view—which was a minority position held by the Sadducees—claimed that there was no afterlife at all.
The other view—which was the majority position and which was held by Pharisees, Christians, and other Jews—claimed the dead would be resurrected on the last day.
For a discussion of evidence regarding these views, see my previous blog post.
If you neglect this gift, you will go to hell
If You Neglect This Gift, You Will Go to Hell | ncregister.comARMSTRONG: You don’t need coffee to wake up when there’s a rousing homily at morning Mass. Msgr. Tom Richter, rector of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck, North Dakota, was especially fired up one morning. He warned us about “going to hell” not once, but twice.
The Gospel was Luke 16:19-31. Lazarus lay dying outside the rich man’s house, ignored, except for the dogs that licked his wounds. When both men died, Lazarus went to heaven but the rich man did not.
The Gospel was Luke 16:19-31. Lazarus lay dying outside the rich man’s house, ignored, except for the dogs that licked his wounds. When both men died, Lazarus went to heaven but the rich man did not.
In this age of relativism, we must speak the truth
In This Age of Relativism, We Must Speak the Truth | ncregister.comWORNER: It’s okay.
It’s okay to say that something is True. That it is Right. That it is Good.
Now, if you would have said this to me in my childhood, I likely would likely have furrowed my brow, squinted my eyes and said, “Duh.”
Not anymore.
To assert something as True, Right and Good today is almost scandalous. After all, we live in the Great Age of Relativism. This is where the unjudging open-mind reigns supreme. It is where we are to uncontroversially float amongst diametrically opposed, fiercely contradictory orthodoxies and dreamily nod in agreement that all are true and good and equal at the same time.
It’s okay to say that something is True. That it is Right. That it is Good.
Now, if you would have said this to me in my childhood, I likely would likely have furrowed my brow, squinted my eyes and said, “Duh.”
Not anymore.
To assert something as True, Right and Good today is almost scandalous. After all, we live in the Great Age of Relativism. This is where the unjudging open-mind reigns supreme. It is where we are to uncontroversially float amongst diametrically opposed, fiercely contradictory orthodoxies and dreamily nod in agreement that all are true and good and equal at the same time.
Ask for the intercession of Saint Joseph
“Mondays with Mary” – Asking for the Intercession of Saint Joseph | TOM PERNAPERNA: Last week I said I would return to the series, Mary in the Old Testament, but again I am going to suspend that series for one more week to focus on the Intercession of Saint Joseph by providing you some prayers and litanies that ask for his intercession. I can write about Saint Joseph as part of my “Mondays with Mary” series since he is so closely connected with Mary, most especially through their marital vows. Although Saint Joseph never utters a single word in the Sacred Scriptures, his presence is never forgotten and his heroic fortitude is never shaken. He listens to the Lord and in turn is obedient to Him.
9 facts about St. Joseph (and the debate about his age)
9 Facts about Saint Joseph (Plus Old vs Young Joseph Debate) - Taylor MarshallMARSHALL: Saint Joseph is described in Greek as a τέκτων or “tekton,” which is translated as “carpenter,” but it is better translated as “artisan.” A tekton is anyone involved in physical construction and repair. Joseph may have worked with stone, wood, metal, cement, clay, and other substances. The words “technology” and “architecture” are related to the Indo-European root for tekton.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)