Monday, July 31, 2017
Finding the Church in a Bach fugue
Finding the Church in a Bach Fugue - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: Many of you have likely read the classic description of the Church from the 1951 novel Dan England and the Noonday Devil, by Myles Connolly. It is a wonderful reminder that the Church is not an institution, but a Body, made up of members who, each in his own unique way, give witness to the one Body, which is Christ. Here is an excerpt from the book...
A note on the ‘ecumenism of hate’ and papal rhetoric
A note on the 'ecumenism of hate' and papal rhetoricDESOUZA: Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro and Reverend Marcelo Figueroa caused controversy by using the expression “ecumenism of hate” in a La Civiltà Cattolica article to describe the relations between Catholics and Evangelicals in the United States. It’s not fair to criticize Spadaro/Figueroa for inflammatory rhetoric without conceding that it is of a piece with the pontifical style which they are proposing as a model for Christian engagement. And it would be dismissive to consider that style to be just loose talk, without a pastoral purpose.
Catholic culture and men named Karl: The first, the last, and the truly great
The Karls and Catholic Culture: The First, the Last, and the Truly Great - Those Catholic MenSTAUDT: Karl is the German and original form of Charles and Carlos, which means “free man.” It is one of the great names of Christian history. It was the name of seven Holy Roman Emperors, ten kings of France, two kings of England, four kings of Spain, four kings of Hungary, one Austro-Hungarian Emperor, and the baptismal name of one pope. When I lived in South Florida, I learned that the local, Calusa Indian chief based at what is now Mound Key State Park took the name “Carlos” after encountering Ponce de Leon and later conquistadors to show he was a king, such as the Spaniards had. This seemingly random incident points to an important truth: Karl/Charles/Carlos is almost synonymous with Christian kingship.
Remembering Padre Pio’s stark warning about losing our horror of abortion
Remembering St. Padre Pio’s Words on Abortion | ncregister.comPENTIN: The decision to have the notorious abortionist Emma Bonino speak about immigration in an Italian church last week drew widespread condemnation.
But it also led some to argue, including the local Caritas representative who sponsored her talk, that Bonino’s atrocious abortion record, of which she has never repented, could be set aside to focus on this other aspect of Catholic Social Teaching. Yet effectively sidelining the gravity of abortion in favor of bringing a radical secularist to form a common front on immigration perhaps signifies how much the West, and some in the Church, have become numb to abortion and the gravity of the sin.
St. Padre Pio, for example, believed abortion was not just the murder of an innocent human being, but also a true suicide.
But it also led some to argue, including the local Caritas representative who sponsored her talk, that Bonino’s atrocious abortion record, of which she has never repented, could be set aside to focus on this other aspect of Catholic Social Teaching. Yet effectively sidelining the gravity of abortion in favor of bringing a radical secularist to form a common front on immigration perhaps signifies how much the West, and some in the Church, have become numb to abortion and the gravity of the sin.
St. Padre Pio, for example, believed abortion was not just the murder of an innocent human being, but also a true suicide.
Charlie Gard was baptized before he died
World Mourns Charlie Gard, Who Was Baptized Before He Died | ncregister.com: Charlie Gard, the 11-month-old British infant who made headlines around the world over a fierce legal battle on parental rights, was baptized the same week he died.
In April, a picture of his tiny fist clutching a St. Jude medal made the rounds on the internet.
The boy’s parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, on Friday issued a statement announcing his death, saying: “Our beautiful little boy has gone. We are so proud of you, Charlie.”
Family spokeswoman Alison Smith-Squire announced on Sunday that he will be buried with his toy monkeys, which were often pictured with him in viral photos.
“We should be planning Charlie’s first birthday, but instead we’re planning his funeral,” his mother said, according to The Sun.
In April, a picture of his tiny fist clutching a St. Jude medal made the rounds on the internet.
The boy’s parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, on Friday issued a statement announcing his death, saying: “Our beautiful little boy has gone. We are so proud of you, Charlie.”
Family spokeswoman Alison Smith-Squire announced on Sunday that he will be buried with his toy monkeys, which were often pictured with him in viral photos.
“We should be planning Charlie’s first birthday, but instead we’re planning his funeral,” his mother said, according to The Sun.
Meet the priest whose assignment is the Grand Canyon
ADOM :: A place for God in the Grand Canyon: Father Rafael Bercasio pastors perhaps the smallest parish in America — and the most uniquely situated.
A short walk away from the south rim of the Grand Canyon sits El Cristo Rey Chapel, a small wooden building that serves as the spiritual home of the Catholic families who work at the national park.
El Cristo Rey has 26 registered families, who are “always outnumbered by the tourists,” Father Bercasio said.
A short walk away from the south rim of the Grand Canyon sits El Cristo Rey Chapel, a small wooden building that serves as the spiritual home of the Catholic families who work at the national park.
El Cristo Rey has 26 registered families, who are “always outnumbered by the tourists,” Father Bercasio said.
A pilgrimage site in Rome for St. Maximilian Kolbe, the “Saint of Auschwitz”
A Pilgrimage Site in Rome for the “Saint of Auschwitz” | Quartermaster of the BarqueBOWERS: St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe is most keenly associated with where he met his end, as a martyr imprisoned by the Nazis at Auschwitz, who ultimately gave his life in exchange for the life of another man. But, if you happened to be on a pilgrimage to Rome rather than Poland, you could nevertheless bring your intentions to St. Maximilian.
Near the Spanish Steps, is the basilica of Sant’Andrea della Fratte (St. Andrew “of the bushes”). St. Maximilian said his first Mass there in the side chapel known as the “Chapel of the Miracle” or the “Chapel of the Miraculous Madonna” on April 29, 1918. The pews in the basilica are normally oriented in the direction of this Chapel, in honor of the miracle (story in greater detail found here) that occurred there.
Near the Spanish Steps, is the basilica of Sant’Andrea della Fratte (St. Andrew “of the bushes”). St. Maximilian said his first Mass there in the side chapel known as the “Chapel of the Miracle” or the “Chapel of the Miraculous Madonna” on April 29, 1918. The pews in the basilica are normally oriented in the direction of this Chapel, in honor of the miracle (story in greater detail found here) that occurred there.
Vatican financial reforms produce few results: Italian analyst
Vatican financial reforms produce few results: Italian analyst : News Headlines | Catholic Culture: The resuts of financial reforms undertaken by Pope Francis are “thin,” according to journalist Massimo Franco of Corriere della Sera.
Franco writes that Pope Francis was elected with a strong mandate to bring accountability to Vatican financial dealings, and the new Pontiff promised “shock therapy.” But ambitious plans for change have been set aside, and Vatican officials are returning to familiar patterns of behavior, with the Secretariat of State resuming control over administrative affairs.
Franco writes that Pope Francis was elected with a strong mandate to bring accountability to Vatican financial dealings, and the new Pontiff promised “shock therapy.” But ambitious plans for change have been set aside, and Vatican officials are returning to familiar patterns of behavior, with the Secretariat of State resuming control over administrative affairs.
Why do progressives hate the West so much?
Why Do Progressives Hate the West So Much? - The Imaginative ConservativePEARCE: In an essay for The Atlantic earlier this month, Peter Beinart, an associate professor of journalism and political science at the City University of New York, attacked President Trump’s Warsaw speech for its repeated reference to “the West” and to “our civilization.” According to Mr. Beinart, President Trump referred to “the West” ten times during his speech and to “our civilization” five times. For Mr. Beinart, who evidently shares the racial obsession of most “progressives,” all such references to the West and to “our civilization” are racist. He states that Mr. Trump’s “white nationalist supporters will understand exactly what he means” when he uses such terms and that, therefore, “it’s important that other Americans do, too.”
Incredibly, the rocks you see in this video aren't real
These Computer Rendered Rocks Look Insanely Realistic: To create these incredible virtual landscapes, de Boer first photographed the rocks he wanted to render in the real world. This step alone took five days. Then, using the rendering tool Unreal Engine, he went through a process called photogrammetry, which combines images taken from multiple angles to create the illusion of depth. "Plants and trees are built leaf by leaf, giving it depth that is needed to ensure realism and create a more believable world," de Boer told Motherboard.
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Give me Jesus: A sermon for the 17th Sunday of the Year
Give Me Jesus – A Sermon for the 17th Sunday of the Year - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The Gospel today asks a fundamental question: “What is it that you value most?” In other words, He’s asking us what we want most. We tend to answer questions like this the way we think we should, rather than genuinely. When we’re with the doctor (and Jesus is our doctor) our best bet is to answer honestly so that we can begin a true healing process. The fact is, we all need a heart transplant; we need a new heart, one that desires God and the things awaiting us in Heaven more so than any earthly thing.
Let’s take a look at this Gospel, which sets forth in three fundamental movements the picture and price of the Kingdom of God along with a peril that reminds us that we must make a choice.
Let’s take a look at this Gospel, which sets forth in three fundamental movements the picture and price of the Kingdom of God along with a peril that reminds us that we must make a choice.
New-old habits of the postmodern heart: ‘When people choose not to believe in God, they do not...’
New-old habits of the postmodern heart: 'When people choose not to believe in God, they do not ... ' — GetReligionMATTINGLY: It is without a doubt the most famous quotation that journalist and Christian apologist G.K. Chesterton either (a) said, (b) never said, (c) might have said or (d) said in pieces that were latter assembled by someone else into one memorable thought.
I am referring to this statement: “When men choose not to believe in God, they do not thereafter believe in nothing, they then become capable of believing in anything.”
You can click here for a fascinating investigation into the origins of this statement. The bottom line: There are all kinds of Chesterton statements that may have evolved into this quote. I liked this part
I am referring to this statement: “When men choose not to believe in God, they do not thereafter believe in nothing, they then become capable of believing in anything.”
You can click here for a fascinating investigation into the origins of this statement. The bottom line: There are all kinds of Chesterton statements that may have evolved into this quote. I liked this part
Was the Prayer to St. Michael after Mass suppressed by Vatican II?
ASK FATHER: Was St. Michael Prayer after Mass suppressed by Vatican II? | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: In a 1994 Regina Caeli Address, St. John Paul II – who should be named Doctor of the Church – recommended that people pray the St. Michael prayer for the Church.
This prayer is coming back far and wide. I’ll bet readers here know parishes where it is a regular feature after Mass.
If people are moved to pray such a prayer after Mass, why should they be stopped? Is there some other important official business that has to be conducted at that very moment? Other than the fact that Father wants to leave?
It isn’t as if people are attempting glossalalia. They aren’t babbling incoherently.
The St. Michael was written by Pope Leo XIII who had a frightening vision the battle between the Church and Satan. He wrote the prayer and ordered that it be added to the prayers Pius IX had commanded to be recited after Low Masses (Pius X added the three-fold invocation of the Sacred Heart), which continued until 1964.
This prayer is coming back far and wide. I’ll bet readers here know parishes where it is a regular feature after Mass.
If people are moved to pray such a prayer after Mass, why should they be stopped? Is there some other important official business that has to be conducted at that very moment? Other than the fact that Father wants to leave?
It isn’t as if people are attempting glossalalia. They aren’t babbling incoherently.
The St. Michael was written by Pope Leo XIII who had a frightening vision the battle between the Church and Satan. He wrote the prayer and ordered that it be added to the prayers Pius IX had commanded to be recited after Low Masses (Pius X added the three-fold invocation of the Sacred Heart), which continued until 1964.
Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in deserving them
Manners, Humility, and Dignity - The Imaginative ConservativeRUTLER: Accounts vary, and a few say that the story about our civil Founders is apocryphal, but it would seem that the story is true. As one of the more jovial national patriarchs, Gouverneur Morris, a native of New York City, but representing Pennsylvania, willingly accepted a challenge from Alexander Hamilton during the Constitutional Convention in 1787 to pat George Washington on his left shoulder and say “My dear General, how happy I am to see you look so well!” Having vowed, he did exactly that in front of surprised onlookers. The General was a formal man, even austere in manners, and had already assumed a sense of presence that would befit him two years later when he became president of the United States. Washington froze, and then removed Morris’s hand, casting an icy stare at him. The room fell silent save for the sound of the offender’s wooden leg as he withdrew in confusion. Hamilton rewarded him with the promised dinner with wine for a dozen friends, but Morris said: “I have won the bet, but paid dearly for it, and nothing could induce me to repeat it.”
How medieval chefs tackled meat-free days
How Medieval Chefs Tackled Meat-Free Days - Atlas Obscura: A riddle: When is a puffin not a puffin?
The answer: When it’s a fish.
The same applies for beavers’ tails, barnacle geese and tiny baby rabbits. All definitely, definitely fish. That is, if you’re a Medieval chef in Western Europe, and it’s a fast day, and you’re gearing up for yet another meal of almonds and salted cod.
Christians observed at least three fast days a week for much of the Middle Ages, usually on Wednesday, the day Judas betrayed Christ; Friday, in penance for His suffering; and Saturday, to commemorate the Virgin Mary. In addition to that, there were other periods of fasting throughout the year, the longest of which was the 40 days of Lent. Fasting was a form of self-discipline, writes Bridget Ann Henisch in Fast and Feast: Food in Medieval Society: “a spring-cleaning to freshen the soul and make it ready to receive God’s grace.”
The answer: When it’s a fish.
The same applies for beavers’ tails, barnacle geese and tiny baby rabbits. All definitely, definitely fish. That is, if you’re a Medieval chef in Western Europe, and it’s a fast day, and you’re gearing up for yet another meal of almonds and salted cod.
Christians observed at least three fast days a week for much of the Middle Ages, usually on Wednesday, the day Judas betrayed Christ; Friday, in penance for His suffering; and Saturday, to commemorate the Virgin Mary. In addition to that, there were other periods of fasting throughout the year, the longest of which was the 40 days of Lent. Fasting was a form of self-discipline, writes Bridget Ann Henisch in Fast and Feast: Food in Medieval Society: “a spring-cleaning to freshen the soul and make it ready to receive God’s grace.”
Why Rome is doing battle with American culture
Why Rome is doing battle with American culture | CatholicHerald.co.ukSCHMITZ: In 1866, when Pope Pius IX’s secretary of state learned that the Habsburgs had lost the Battle of Sadowa, he exclaimed “Casca il mondo!” – the world is collapsing. “Good God,” he cried out as he struck his face, “what is to become of us?” For decades, the popes had positioned themselves as the spiritual support of European powers challenged by revolution. The defeat of the Habsburgs cast the Church’s very survival into doubt.
How do you restore sacred music? Here's a good start...
How Do You Restore Sacred Music? A Diocesan Directive Would Help. | Classical Catholic EducationLANGLEY: I have no idea how his pastoral directive was received, but a belated bravo to Bishop John F. Doerfler of the Diocese of Marquette! Although given on January 26, 2016, I had only become aware of his pastoral directive on sacred music today. Bishop Doerfler’s letter is bold and stunning.
And as the Director of Music at my parish I think his pastoral instruction represents the only effective method for ensuring that ordinary Catholics will receive the benefit of the Church’s teaching on sacred music. Here, in summary, are the five directives from Bishop Doerfler’s instruction Sing to the Lord, All the Earth
And as the Director of Music at my parish I think his pastoral instruction represents the only effective method for ensuring that ordinary Catholics will receive the benefit of the Church’s teaching on sacred music. Here, in summary, are the five directives from Bishop Doerfler’s instruction Sing to the Lord, All the Earth
The Industrial Revolution for galaxies
The Industrial Revolution for Galaxies (Part 1) - The Catholic Astronomer: When one looks at a deep image of the distant universe using the Hubble Space Telescope, a myriad of galaxies fill the field of view. Some galaxies sport elegant spiral shapes, others take on giant 3D oval (ellipsoidal) shapes, and still other have no discernible shape at all.
On small scales galaxies appear to be put down haphazardly with all possible orientations and distances away from us. It is only when one takes a step back to view this panoply of objects thousands or even millions at a time, that we see that the arrangement is far from random.
On larger scales, galaxies form a kind of 3D spider web which we call the “cosmic web.” These objects with 10 billion stars each have a tendency to collect at the junctures or “nodes” of the cosmic web. These galaxies that "grow up in the city" are seen to have a very different course of evolution compared to those that reside in more sparsely populated regions.
On small scales galaxies appear to be put down haphazardly with all possible orientations and distances away from us. It is only when one takes a step back to view this panoply of objects thousands or even millions at a time, that we see that the arrangement is far from random.
On larger scales, galaxies form a kind of 3D spider web which we call the “cosmic web.” These objects with 10 billion stars each have a tendency to collect at the junctures or “nodes” of the cosmic web. These galaxies that "grow up in the city" are seen to have a very different course of evolution compared to those that reside in more sparsely populated regions.
The 2016 Japanese movie ‘Shin Godzilla’ is surprisingly good
Shin Godzilla ReviewAKIN: The movie is a complete reboot of the Godzilla franchise, meaning that it is a first contact story.
In this continuity, Godzilla has never appeared in Japan before, so we get to see people struggling to come to terms with a giant kaiju attack in a world where one has never occurred before.
This is unusual in a Godzilla film, as all of the previous sequels have at least treated the original, 1954 movie as Japan’s first encounter with Godzilla.
In this continuity, Godzilla has never appeared in Japan before, so we get to see people struggling to come to terms with a giant kaiju attack in a world where one has never occurred before.
This is unusual in a Godzilla film, as all of the previous sequels have at least treated the original, 1954 movie as Japan’s first encounter with Godzilla.
Where's the blockbuster for the 'Dunkirk in reverse' in Iraq and Syria?
Where's the blockbuster for the 'Dunkirk in reverse' in Iraq and Syria?ALLEN: Right now, American movie theatres are featuring the summer blockbuster “Dunkirk,” written and directed by Christopher Nolan, about the famous WWII evacuation of trapped Allied troops which most Brits regard as among their finest hours.
That evacuation, in which hundreds of ordinary people joined an impromptu flotilla to bring the troops home, occasioned Winston Churchill’s famed 1940 speech: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”
Obviously, the WWII-era Dunkirk was a moment of high, world-changing drama, and it deserves to be memorialized. However, there’s an equally dramatic, but as-yet uncelebrated, Dunkirk going on right now before our eyes, in this case a moment of great Catholic heroism.
That evacuation, in which hundreds of ordinary people joined an impromptu flotilla to bring the troops home, occasioned Winston Churchill’s famed 1940 speech: “We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”
Obviously, the WWII-era Dunkirk was a moment of high, world-changing drama, and it deserves to be memorialized. However, there’s an equally dramatic, but as-yet uncelebrated, Dunkirk going on right now before our eyes, in this case a moment of great Catholic heroism.
Four years later, family reports 'silence' on kidnapped priest in Syria
Four years later, family reports 'silence' on kidnapped priest in SyriaSANMARTIN: In late July 2013, when Italian Jesuit Father Paolo Dall’Oglio entered a “rebel” territory of Syria, at the time under siege by the Islamic State, he knew something could happen. He want to Raqqa anyway, in hopes of brokering a deal for the release of kidnap victims.
As it turns out, he himself was kidnapped on the 29th. No one has heard of him since.
Four years later, his sister and Italian civil authorities are remembering him as a “bridge builder,” a man who served for 30 years in Deir Mar Musa, a 6th-century monastery 50 miles north of Damascus.
As it turns out, he himself was kidnapped on the 29th. No one has heard of him since.
Four years later, his sister and Italian civil authorities are remembering him as a “bridge builder,” a man who served for 30 years in Deir Mar Musa, a 6th-century monastery 50 miles north of Damascus.
How to tell if you’re truly one of God’s friends
Beginning to Pray: On Being a Friend of GodLILLES: Someone asked how we know whether the Lord has truly disclosed His presence in prayer. After all, given how hard hearted we are, even the most beautiful experiences in prayer could be nothing more than a figment of one's own imagination. History in fact is full of those who have mistaken a projection of their own bloated ego for God. Without guidance for prayer and careful discernment, our lack of openness and humility before the Lord makes us vulnerable to self-generated spiritual feelings or even demonic fabrications. Can the Lord really breakthrough our hardened hearts? Can we truly become His friends?
The Three Musketeers of the Court of Pope Francis
The Three Musketeers of the Court of Pope Francis - Settimo Cielo - Blog - L’EspressoMAGISTER: The classic communist parties had their “organic intellectuals.” But Pope Francis has them, too. Their names are Antonio Spadaro, Marcelo Figueroa, Víctor Manuel Fernández.
The first is an Italian and a Jesuit, director of “La Civiltà Cattolica.” The others are Argentine, and the latter is not even Catholic but a Presbyterian pastor, and in spite of this Francis has put him at the head of the Buenos Aires edition of “L'Osservatore Romano.”
Spadaro has turned “La Civiltà Cattolica” into the organ of Casa Santa Marta, meaning of the pope. And together with Figueroa he put his name to an article in the latest issue of the magazine that slammed into the United States like a hurricane, because it accused both Catholic and Protestant conservative circles of acting in that country “with a logic not different from that which inspires Islamic fundamentalism,” none less than that of Osama bin Laden and the Caliphate.
The first is an Italian and a Jesuit, director of “La Civiltà Cattolica.” The others are Argentine, and the latter is not even Catholic but a Presbyterian pastor, and in spite of this Francis has put him at the head of the Buenos Aires edition of “L'Osservatore Romano.”
Spadaro has turned “La Civiltà Cattolica” into the organ of Casa Santa Marta, meaning of the pope. And together with Figueroa he put his name to an article in the latest issue of the magazine that slammed into the United States like a hurricane, because it accused both Catholic and Protestant conservative circles of acting in that country “with a logic not different from that which inspires Islamic fundamentalism,” none less than that of Osama bin Laden and the Caliphate.
A Catholic World Report interview with Dawn Eden Goldstein
The Creative Catholic: Dawn Eden Goldstein – Catholic World ReportTURLEY: Dawn Eden Goldstein, the award-winning author whose pen name is Dawn Eden, is an assistant professor of dogmatic theology at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, Connecticut. Her books include Remembering God’s Mercy: Redeem the Past and Free Yourself from Painful Memories, The Thrill of the Chaste, and My Peace I Give You: Healing Sexual Wounds with the Help of the Saints.
Born into a Jewish family in New York City, Goldstein lost her faith as a teenager and became an agnostic. During her 20s, she was a rock journalist who interviewed artists such as Brian Wilson and Harry Nilsson. She went on to work in editorial positions for the New York Post and the Daily News.
At the age of 31, Goldstein underwent a dramatic conversion to Christianity that ultimately led her to enter the Catholic Church. Her books have been featured in the New York Times and L’Osservatore Romano and on EWTN.
Born into a Jewish family in New York City, Goldstein lost her faith as a teenager and became an agnostic. During her 20s, she was a rock journalist who interviewed artists such as Brian Wilson and Harry Nilsson. She went on to work in editorial positions for the New York Post and the Daily News.
At the age of 31, Goldstein underwent a dramatic conversion to Christianity that ultimately led her to enter the Catholic Church. Her books have been featured in the New York Times and L’Osservatore Romano and on EWTN.
Charlie Gard: Martyr of the culture of death
Charlie Gard: martyr of the culture of death – Mama Needs CoffeeUEBBING: Sorry, is that language too strong for you?
It must be the pregnancy hormones rendering me a raging, maternal she-bear grieved over the state-sanctioned murder of an innocent child.
But, but, he was going to die anyway. Extraordinary means! The Cathechism says! Etc. Etc. Etc.
True. All true. And yet, his parents wanted to pursue further treatment. His mother and his father, the two human beings who, entrusted by the God with whom they co-created an immortal soul, were tasked with the immense, universe-altering task of making decisions on his behalf.
It must be the pregnancy hormones rendering me a raging, maternal she-bear grieved over the state-sanctioned murder of an innocent child.
But, but, he was going to die anyway. Extraordinary means! The Cathechism says! Etc. Etc. Etc.
True. All true. And yet, his parents wanted to pursue further treatment. His mother and his father, the two human beings who, entrusted by the God with whom they co-created an immortal soul, were tasked with the immense, universe-altering task of making decisions on his behalf.
Pope’s Sunday Angelus: When we seek Christ, we gain much more than we lose
When we seek Christ, we gain much more than we lose, Francis says :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): On Sunday, Pope Francis said that when we seek out Christ, sacrificing everything in the process, in the end we find a joy that is worth far more than anything we may have lost. “The disciple of Christ is not one who is deprived of something essential; He is one who has found much more: he has found the fullness of joy that only the Lord can give,” the Pope said July 30.
“It is the evangelical joy of healed people; of forgiven sinners; of the thief to whom is opened the door of paradise.”
Speaking about the day’s reading from the Gospel of Matthew, which tells the parables of the “hidden treasure” and the “pearl of great price,” Pope Francis emphasized that “the attitude of searching is the essential condition for finding.”
“It is the evangelical joy of healed people; of forgiven sinners; of the thief to whom is opened the door of paradise.”
Speaking about the day’s reading from the Gospel of Matthew, which tells the parables of the “hidden treasure” and the “pearl of great price,” Pope Francis emphasized that “the attitude of searching is the essential condition for finding.”
Saturday, July 29, 2017
As Senate health care bill fails, pro-lifers vow to continue fighting
As Senate health care bill fails, pro-lifers vow to continue fighting :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): After attempts to block abortion funding in health care failed with the demise of the Senate’s health care bill early Friday morning, pro-life leaders vowed to keep fighting.
“Despite the Senate’s decision not to pass legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act last night, the task of reforming the healthcare system still remains,” Bishop Frank Dewane, chair of the U.S. bishops’ domestic justice and human development committee, said on Friday.
“The current healthcare system is not financially sustainable, lacks full Hyde protections and conscience rights, and is inaccessible to many immigrants,” he said. “Inaction will result in harm for too many people.”
The Senate’s efforts to pass a bill repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and replacing it met a narrow 51-49 defeat early Friday morning, with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) providing the decisive “no” vote.
“Despite the Senate’s decision not to pass legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act last night, the task of reforming the healthcare system still remains,” Bishop Frank Dewane, chair of the U.S. bishops’ domestic justice and human development committee, said on Friday.
“The current healthcare system is not financially sustainable, lacks full Hyde protections and conscience rights, and is inaccessible to many immigrants,” he said. “Inaction will result in harm for too many people.”
The Senate’s efforts to pass a bill repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and replacing it met a narrow 51-49 defeat early Friday morning, with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) providing the decisive “no” vote.
Friday, July 28, 2017
The dating game and St. Mark’s Gospel
The Dating Game and St. Mark’s Gospel | ncregister.comLONGENECKER: One of the most commonly held conclusions from modern New Testament scholarship is that the Gospel of Mark is the earliest gospel to have been written and that Luke and Matthew draw on Mark (and an earlier supposed document named ‘Q’) for their source material. Wikipedia asserts that most scholars believe Mark’s Gospel to have been written in the second half of the first century by an unknown Christian who took the name “Mark” to boost his authority.
15 suggestions for literature that will feed your soul
15 Suggestions for Literature That Will Feed Your Soul | ncregister.comSPENCER: A couple of months ago I explained why fellow mothers in my situation in life (lots of little kids, lots of mundane tasks) should make an effort to exercise their brains through reading books on a regular basis. And while I was targeting moms in that post, all Christians need to take seriously the call to form our minds and seek truth. Yet, most of us do not realize the immense value we can draw from reading good literature in the form of novels and short stories.
I have always been a lover of novel reading, but as my reading has been largely self-directed I have always had trouble choosing good books to read. I came across a list of novels compiled by John Senior, a great professor of the humanities, which he called “the Good Books List” in the appendix of his book The Death of Christian Culture, and it is from this list that I have drawn most of my reading choices of late.
I have always been a lover of novel reading, but as my reading has been largely self-directed I have always had trouble choosing good books to read. I came across a list of novels compiled by John Senior, a great professor of the humanities, which he called “the Good Books List” in the appendix of his book The Death of Christian Culture, and it is from this list that I have drawn most of my reading choices of late.
How acting like a feminist can ruin your marriage
How Acting Like A Feminist Can Ruin Your MarriageGRESS: In the ongoing discussion about male and female relationships, several recent articles emphasize men’s failures for women’s discontent, such as “Childish Men are to Blame for Women Having Kids Late in Life.” Some articles pin the blame on behavior, while others look to economics, or education, such as this article in The Telegraph. It reports that, “A dearth of marriageable men has left an ‘oversupply’ of educated women taking desperate steps to preserve their fertility.” These “left-over women” are freezing their eggs for use later, should they finally meet someone suitable.
Should our seminarians learn about the sciences?
Should Our Seminarians Learn About the Sciences? | Catholic AnswersTRASANCOS: Why would seminarians need to be educated in the sciences? In short, because they will become shepherds in a world dominated by science and technology.
A priest today very well could be asked by a young student in his parish to explain what to make of dinosaurs, Neanderthals, macroevolution, or transitional species. A teen may need help understanding the beginning of human life. A mother may seek guidance about in vitro fertilization and embryonic stem cell research. A friend may need advice for talking with an atheist about neuroscience and free will. A college student may ask about cosmology and the Big Bang, and wonder where God fits in. A terminally ill parishioner may want answers about organ donation or what happens as the body dies.
A priest today very well could be asked by a young student in his parish to explain what to make of dinosaurs, Neanderthals, macroevolution, or transitional species. A teen may need help understanding the beginning of human life. A mother may seek guidance about in vitro fertilization and embryonic stem cell research. A friend may need advice for talking with an atheist about neuroscience and free will. A college student may ask about cosmology and the Big Bang, and wonder where God fits in. A terminally ill parishioner may want answers about organ donation or what happens as the body dies.
Why isn’t there a warning label on marijuana?
Why isn’t there a warning label on marijuana? | TheHillASCIK: The federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires all drugs in the United States to be shown safe and effective before being marketed in the United States.
Now that the manufacture and sale of marijuana is legal in Colorado, California, and six other states, why hasn’t the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required warning labels on marijuana?
The FDA has plenary powers, including the outright prohibition of the marketing of unsafe drugs. It has similar statutory authority to issue an order recalling drugs, although recalls are normally done voluntarily by drug manufacturers.
Now that the manufacture and sale of marijuana is legal in Colorado, California, and six other states, why hasn’t the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required warning labels on marijuana?
The FDA has plenary powers, including the outright prohibition of the marketing of unsafe drugs. It has similar statutory authority to issue an order recalling drugs, although recalls are normally done voluntarily by drug manufacturers.
‘A Ghost Story’ (RT 89%) is a meditation on love, loss and the meaning of life...
SDG Reviews ‘A Ghost Story’ | ncregister.comGREYDANUS: “At 50,” George Orwell opined, “everyone has the face he deserves.” But Orwell died still in his 40s. What if you never get the face you deserve? “How can the gods meet us face to face till we have faces?” asked the protagonist of C.S. Lewis’ Till We Have Faces.
The title character in David Lowrey’s A Ghost Story, starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara, has no face. It had a face once, though it was perhaps still a decade or so from full deserving. The last time we see it, chronologically at least, it is the face of a corpse lying on an embalming table.
A sheet is pulled up, covering the face, and it is never uncovered again. Yet the title character’s story is just beginning — no, it is not a story, nor a journey, nor anything else implying linear movement or progress. There is a story, but it is not the ghost’s; it goes on without him. He is the title character, but not the protagonist, for a protagonist is the primary contestant or combatant in some conflict, and his struggle is over.
The title character in David Lowrey’s A Ghost Story, starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara, has no face. It had a face once, though it was perhaps still a decade or so from full deserving. The last time we see it, chronologically at least, it is the face of a corpse lying on an embalming table.
A sheet is pulled up, covering the face, and it is never uncovered again. Yet the title character’s story is just beginning — no, it is not a story, nor a journey, nor anything else implying linear movement or progress. There is a story, but it is not the ghost’s; it goes on without him. He is the title character, but not the protagonist, for a protagonist is the primary contestant or combatant in some conflict, and his struggle is over.
Charlie Gard dies after life support is switched off
Charlie Gard Dies After Life Support is Switched Off: Mother Says "Our Beautiful Boy is Gone" | LifeNews.com: Charlie Gard has passed away after his life support was switched off today. His parents said in a post on social media that “our beautiful boy” is gone.
Charlie was at the center of a massive international debate after the hospital where he was receiving treatment for a rare disease refused to allow an experimental treatment to help him and also refused transferring him to another hospital that would allow the treatment.
Charlie’s parents took their fight to numerous courts to protect his life but to no avail. Each of the courts and a British judge argued that it was in Charlie’s best interest to be removed from the life support.
Charlie was at the center of a massive international debate after the hospital where he was receiving treatment for a rare disease refused to allow an experimental treatment to help him and also refused transferring him to another hospital that would allow the treatment.
Charlie’s parents took their fight to numerous courts to protect his life but to no avail. Each of the courts and a British judge argued that it was in Charlie’s best interest to be removed from the life support.
The battle for Venezuela, through a lens, helmet and gas mask
The Battle for Venezuela, Through a Lens, Helmet and Gas Mask - The New York Times: Motley throngs of masked antigovernment protesters hurl rocks, fireworks and Molotov cocktails. The police and soldiers retaliate with tear gas, water cannon blasts, rubber bullets and buckshot.
An uprising is brewing in Venezuela.
Nearly every day for more than three months, thousands have taken to the streets to vent fury at President Nicolás Maduro and his increasingly repressive leadership.
These confrontations often turn into lopsided and sometimes lethal street brawls — more than 90 people have been killed and more than 3,000 arrested.
An uprising is brewing in Venezuela.
Nearly every day for more than three months, thousands have taken to the streets to vent fury at President Nicolás Maduro and his increasingly repressive leadership.
These confrontations often turn into lopsided and sometimes lethal street brawls — more than 90 people have been killed and more than 3,000 arrested.
11 simple observations about the cultural terrain facing Catholics
Archbishop Chaput’s Address at the Napa Institute Conference—What’s Next: Catholics, America, and a World Made New – Archdiocese of PhiladelphiaCHAPUT: When you spend a couple of years writing a book like Strangers in a Strange Land, your brain ends up as a magnet. It starts collecting all sorts of data like little metal slivers that seem important, but don’t quite fit together as a whole.
Here’s an example. A third of American men will sooner or later have an anxiety disorder. So will 40 percent of women. More than 70 percent of American young people are now physically or mentally unfit for military service. At least a third of college seniors, even at our best schools and after years of elite education, can’t make a coherent argument. Nearly half of American men have genital infections caused by a sexually transmitted virus. And 16 percent of women in the Navy deployed to shipboard service come back to shore pregnant. That last item may not need a lot of explaining. Human nature is human nature.
Here’s an example. A third of American men will sooner or later have an anxiety disorder. So will 40 percent of women. More than 70 percent of American young people are now physically or mentally unfit for military service. At least a third of college seniors, even at our best schools and after years of elite education, can’t make a coherent argument. Nearly half of American men have genital infections caused by a sexually transmitted virus. And 16 percent of women in the Navy deployed to shipboard service come back to shore pregnant. That last item may not need a lot of explaining. Human nature is human nature.
What's behind that report of the Pope and the young priests? Fr. Z opines and tells a story...
Did Pope Francis insult some young priests? Fr. Z opines and tells a story. | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: This isn’t the sort of thing that should pull much of our attention or energy. However, I have been asked about it in email by a surprising number of people, including priests.
It seems that the site Messa in latino picked up on an anecdote recounted by a French site Benoit etmoi. Here’s my translation from the French, which seems to be the original of the anecdote. I’m cutting out the first part, just to get at the core of the anecdote itself. Mind you, we are dealing with something that happened recently, after this spring or early summers traditional round of diocesan ordinations to the priesthood. However, we are also dealing with something that it second hand at best.
It seems that the site Messa in latino picked up on an anecdote recounted by a French site Benoit etmoi. Here’s my translation from the French, which seems to be the original of the anecdote. I’m cutting out the first part, just to get at the core of the anecdote itself. Mind you, we are dealing with something that happened recently, after this spring or early summers traditional round of diocesan ordinations to the priesthood. However, we are also dealing with something that it second hand at best.
Is traditional courtship really “unrealistic” today?
Is Traditional Courtship Really "Unrealistic" Today? - Crisis MagazineESOLEN: My imaginary sparring partner Mike has come back with some trepidation, because he never wanted to be maneuvered into saying that he wants to allow the killing of a weak and innocent human being. But now he speaks the language of “realism.”
I have learned, and sometimes to my chagrin, that the Church is almost too realistic for us ordinary sinners to bear. The Church notices that language is for sharing truth, and therefore she forbids not only lying, which most people can avoid, but also that indispensable pleasure of community life, detraction, whereby you tell the truth or a piece of the truth but not for the sake of truth; you tell it to hurt your neighbor. The Church notices that the love of parents for their children is natural and salutary, and therefore she abominates any attempt by a state to sever or to supplant that relationship, and has gone so far as to declare the obvious—for it takes courage in a mad time to declare the obvious. She says that parents are the first and supreme educators of their children. Then we hear from educational bureaucrats that that isn’t “realistic” either.
I have learned, and sometimes to my chagrin, that the Church is almost too realistic for us ordinary sinners to bear. The Church notices that language is for sharing truth, and therefore she forbids not only lying, which most people can avoid, but also that indispensable pleasure of community life, detraction, whereby you tell the truth or a piece of the truth but not for the sake of truth; you tell it to hurt your neighbor. The Church notices that the love of parents for their children is natural and salutary, and therefore she abominates any attempt by a state to sever or to supplant that relationship, and has gone so far as to declare the obvious—for it takes courage in a mad time to declare the obvious. She says that parents are the first and supreme educators of their children. Then we hear from educational bureaucrats that that isn’t “realistic” either.
What does it mean to trust God? Maybe not what you think...
What Does It Mean to Trust God? Maybe Not What You Think - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: We are often told to trust in God, and many of us have counseled others who are anxious or downcast to do so. But what does that mean?
In some cases, when people give this counsel they mean this: Don’t worry, God will eventually give you what want. God will come around to your way of thinking at some point. Hang in there and wait for God to answer (your way). He’ll take care of things (in a way that pleases you).
This is not trust.
In some cases, when people give this counsel they mean this: Don’t worry, God will eventually give you what want. God will come around to your way of thinking at some point. Hang in there and wait for God to answer (your way). He’ll take care of things (in a way that pleases you).
This is not trust.
At his jubilee's end, why Padre Pio may be a perfect Francis-era saint
At his jubilee's end, why Padre Pio may be a perfect Francis-era saintALLEN: Friday marks the end of a special jubilee year devoted to Padre Pio, which began last July 28 on the 100th anniversary of his arrival in San Giovanni Rotondo. Despite some surface incongruities, Padre Pio may be a perfect Pope Francis-era saint in the way he incarnates popular religion, concern for the poor and the primacy of mercy -- showing that being a "Francis priest" isn't about politics but pastoring.
First time in the U.S.: Scientists use CRISPR technology to edit human embryos
Scientists Use CRISPR to Edit Human Embryos: A group of scientists in Oregon has successfully modified the genes of embryos using CRISPR, a cut-and-paste gene-editing tool.
The experiments, which have not yet been subject to peer review, were conducted by biologist Shoukhrat Mitalipov and colleagues at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, MIT Technology Review reported. Mitalipov conducted the experiments on dozens of single-celled embryos, which were discarded before they could progress very far in development, according to Technology Review.
The experiments, which have not yet been subject to peer review, were conducted by biologist Shoukhrat Mitalipov and colleagues at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, MIT Technology Review reported. Mitalipov conducted the experiments on dozens of single-celled embryos, which were discarded before they could progress very far in development, according to Technology Review.
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Why Father Jacques Hamel's legacy belongs to the whole Church
Why Father Jacques Hamel's legacy belongs to the whole ChurchALLEN: Wednesday marked the first anniversary of the slaying of Father Jacques Hamel in Normandy, France, on July 26, 2016. Today Hamel is a candidate for sainthood, and there are several powerful reasons why his legacy is important – among them, he's a reminder that old-school martyrdom still occurs in the here-and-now, and that even the simplest believers are capable of great heroism when push comes to shove.
No, there's no 'secret commission' on Humanae Vitae
No, Virginia, there's no 'secret commission' on Humanae VitaeSANMARTIN: Tuesday marked the 49th anniversary of Humanae Vitae, the encyclical on birth control by Pope Paul VI that generated so much controversy, he never wrote another one in the remaining ten years of his pontificate.
In recent months there have been rumors, mostly circulated by (conservative) blogs spinning a piece by a highly-respected Italian journalist, about a “secret” commission created by Pope Francis to reinterpret that document in light of the pontiff’s apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia.
Humane Vitae was the first papal document of its kind to speak about responsible parenthood, which infuriated several people. It also confirmed the Church’s decision not to allow artificial contraception, which was flat-out opposed in many quarters.
In recent months there have been rumors, mostly circulated by (conservative) blogs spinning a piece by a highly-respected Italian journalist, about a “secret” commission created by Pope Francis to reinterpret that document in light of the pontiff’s apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia.
Humane Vitae was the first papal document of its kind to speak about responsible parenthood, which infuriated several people. It also confirmed the Church’s decision not to allow artificial contraception, which was flat-out opposed in many quarters.
In Raleigh, the Church has arrived
Whispers in the Loggia: In Raleigh, The Church Has ArrivedPALMO: Over the decade ending next spring, the Stateside church will have opened four new cathedrals. The sign of the times, however, lies in the specifics – all but one have been built to serve Catholicism's epic emergence in the heart of the American South.
Though the cycle doesn't wrap up until early 2018, yesterday saw the dedication of the largest of the group: Raleigh's 2,000-seat, $46 million Cathedral of the Holy Name of Jesus – the new hub for a 550,000-member fold not only doubled in size over the last decade, but tripled since 1990 on the back of massive migration both from the Rust Belt and Latin America.
Impressive as the upgrade is on its own, that's all the more the case considering what the new structure replaces: the 250-seat downtown church dedicated to the Sacred Heart, designated as the diocesan seat upon Raleigh's founding in 1924, and until now the smallest cathedral in the continental United States.
Though the cycle doesn't wrap up until early 2018, yesterday saw the dedication of the largest of the group: Raleigh's 2,000-seat, $46 million Cathedral of the Holy Name of Jesus – the new hub for a 550,000-member fold not only doubled in size over the last decade, but tripled since 1990 on the back of massive migration both from the Rust Belt and Latin America.
Impressive as the upgrade is on its own, that's all the more the case considering what the new structure replaces: the 250-seat downtown church dedicated to the Sacred Heart, designated as the diocesan seat upon Raleigh's founding in 1924, and until now the smallest cathedral in the continental United States.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas to be nominated as religious freedom ambassador-at-large
Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas Will Be Nominated as Religious Ambassador - The New York Times: Sam Brownback, the beleaguered governor of Kansas whose aggressively conservative fiscal polices turned some fellow Republicans against him, will be nominated to serve as ambassador at large for international religious freedom, the White House said in a statement on Wednesday.
3 characteristics of the diabolic that are widely evident today
Three Characteristics of the Diabolic That Are Widely Evident Today - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The video at the bottom of this post is of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. It is a fascinating excerpt from a longer presentation he did. In it, he analyzes the diabolic (anything of or relating to the Devil) from several different perspectives. Archbishop Sheen identifies three characteristics of the diabolic by examining the story of the Gerasene demoniac, which is presented in the synoptic Gospels. Here is the beginning of the story as it appears in the Gospel of Luke
How Christ makes us friends (and it’s not by being all friendly at Mass)
Fellowship at Mass, you can't force it - AleteiaMILLS: Before he began the Mass, the priest said something about fellowship I didn’t catch. He had white-hair, and told us he was 75 and retired and just filling in for the pastor. We were away last weekend and visiting a church not our own. He told us to welcome the people around us and (I’m quoting from memory) “Ask them to tell you something about themselves!”
What followed, of course, was simply a bad imitation of the Peace. No one started a conversation, because you’re not at Mass to talk and you know you don’t have time, whatever the priest said. Everyone around me smiled, but some looked sheepish and some made the exchange as perfunctory as possible. No one asked me to tell them something about myself.
What followed, of course, was simply a bad imitation of the Peace. No one started a conversation, because you’re not at Mass to talk and you know you don’t have time, whatever the priest said. Everyone around me smiled, but some looked sheepish and some made the exchange as perfunctory as possible. No one asked me to tell them something about myself.
Pro-lifers are at a disadvantage because we just have a picture, and they have stories...
The Human Life Review We Just Have a Picture. They Have Stories - The Human Life ReviewMILLS: “Facts are the background noise of debate and analysis,” former Reagan media expert Merrie Spaeth explained in The Wall Street Journal. “Anecdotes are a message’s most powerful anchors. In the battle for public opinion, personal stories win.”
Stories decide whose claims feel more real to more people. They give our facts and our arguments a public face. The pro-life movement has a picture as its primary symbol. The pro-choice movement has a story. Stories win.
Stories decide whose claims feel more real to more people. They give our facts and our arguments a public face. The pro-life movement has a picture as its primary symbol. The pro-choice movement has a story. Stories win.
Lessons from the confessional on dealing with ‘cutting’
Lessons from the confessional on dealing with 'cutting': “I cut myself.”
It’s a bald statement, which I repeatedly hear in confessions of high school youth, one offered along with more mundane sins, such as disobeying one’s parents or stealing a jacket at school. Sometimes it’s followed by a specification. The young person behind the screen will add, “On my stomach.”
In one face-to-face confession, the young man showed me his arms.
In three decades of hearing confessions, I’d developed the attitude of Qoheleth, the author of Ecclesiastes: “There is nothing new under the sun.” But after twenty years of primarily scholastic ministry, I have returned to parochial ministry. Hearing so many confessions about “cutting” is new for me.
It’s a bald statement, which I repeatedly hear in confessions of high school youth, one offered along with more mundane sins, such as disobeying one’s parents or stealing a jacket at school. Sometimes it’s followed by a specification. The young person behind the screen will add, “On my stomach.”
In one face-to-face confession, the young man showed me his arms.
In three decades of hearing confessions, I’d developed the attitude of Qoheleth, the author of Ecclesiastes: “There is nothing new under the sun.” But after twenty years of primarily scholastic ministry, I have returned to parochial ministry. Hearing so many confessions about “cutting” is new for me.
Cardinal Pell will plead ‘not guilty’ to abuse charges in Australia
Cardinal Pell will plead not guilty to abuse charges in Australia :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): In a brief hearing in a court in Melbourne Wednesday morning, Cardinal George Pell said he will be pleading not guilty to charges of multiple counts of sexual abuse.
Cardinal Pell did not address the court, but his lawyer, Robert Richter, QC, told the Melbourne Magistrates Court July 26 that "for the avoidance of doubt..Cardinal Pell will plead not guilty to all charges, and will maintain the presumed innocence that he has."
In the less than 10-minute-long hearing, the judge, Magistrate Duncan Reynolds, read a prepared statement outlining the reason for the hearing and noted that it was purely administrative.
Cardinal Pell did not address the court, but his lawyer, Robert Richter, QC, told the Melbourne Magistrates Court July 26 that "for the avoidance of doubt..Cardinal Pell will plead not guilty to all charges, and will maintain the presumed innocence that he has."
In the less than 10-minute-long hearing, the judge, Magistrate Duncan Reynolds, read a prepared statement outlining the reason for the hearing and noted that it was purely administrative.
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
These World War II stories of heroism will make you see Dunkirk in a whole new light
These WWII Stories of Heroism Will Make You See Dunkirk in a Whole New Light | ncregister.comPRONECHEN: The story of Dunkirk — with all of its heroism and what many called the “Miracle of Dunkirk” — bolstered the hopes and morale of the British as defeat seemed behind the door closing on them in France in World War II’s early days. The movie Dunkirk is a tribute to the fortitude of the local people to snatch from the surrounding enemy and bring to the safety of the Britain as many soldiers as they could in a few days.
The eve before the operations began, on May 26, King George VI declared a national day of prayer. Miraculously, between then and June 4, the British saved 338,226 stranded in France — nearly 200,000 British Expeditionary Forces (BEF) and 140,000 Allied French, Polish and Belgian military.
The eve before the operations began, on May 26, King George VI declared a national day of prayer. Miraculously, between then and June 4, the British saved 338,226 stranded in France — nearly 200,000 British Expeditionary Forces (BEF) and 140,000 Allied French, Polish and Belgian military.
When you give a man money, you don’t own a share in his soul
When you give a man money, you don’t own a share in his soul – SIMCHA FISHERFISHER: Several years ago, my family went through a rotten patch, and we couldn’t scrape up enough money to pay our basic bills. A friend of the family got wind of our troubles and fired off a generous check. She did the same the next month, and then next as well, always with a little note saying she hoped it could help make a dent in our expenses.
One month, we miraculously found ourselves above water. One of the most miserable parts of poverty is having to deny your kids. It almost hurts worse when they learn so quickly not to ask for even the smallest treat. So when the mail came and there was yet another check from our friend for expenses from, the first thing I thought was, “Oh, I can buy the kids a swing!”
One month, we miraculously found ourselves above water. One of the most miserable parts of poverty is having to deny your kids. It almost hurts worse when they learn so quickly not to ask for even the smallest treat. So when the mail came and there was yet another check from our friend for expenses from, the first thing I thought was, “Oh, I can buy the kids a swing!”
The early Christian martyrs who refused to make pottery for a pagan festival
The Early Christian Martyrs Who Refused to Make Pottery for a Pagan Festival | ChurchPOP: These are saints for our times!
Ss. Justa and Rufina were sisters born to a poor Christian family in Seville, Spain in the 3rd century. They helped support their family and many of the city’s poor by making pottery.
Remember that this was before Constantine, so Christians were still a persecuted minority and paganism reigned. Which is why it wasn’t particularly strange that they were asked to make pottery for a local pagan festival.
What should they do? The festival was important for their town. But as Christians, they believed the pagan festivals were gravely immoral and they wanted nothing to do with them.
Ss. Justa and Rufina were sisters born to a poor Christian family in Seville, Spain in the 3rd century. They helped support their family and many of the city’s poor by making pottery.
Remember that this was before Constantine, so Christians were still a persecuted minority and paganism reigned. Which is why it wasn’t particularly strange that they were asked to make pottery for a local pagan festival.
What should they do? The festival was important for their town. But as Christians, they believed the pagan festivals were gravely immoral and they wanted nothing to do with them.
L’Osservatore Romano’s latest gambit: Preferring culture to truth?
L’Osservatore Romano’s latest gambit: Preferring culture to truth? | Catholic CultureMIRUS: To avoid choking, one can only smile at the latest essay in L’Osservatore Romano which claims that Pope Francis’s plan for renewal is accepted by the “people” but resisted by “priests and bishops”. Typical of Vatican periodicals during this pontificate, the article is long on cultural rhetoric and short on moral and doctrinal distinctions. Once again we see the Holy Spirit portrayed as the spirit of renewal at the expense of ceasing to be the spirit of truth.
The reader can hardly be surprised that the most recent example, an article by the Florentine theologian Giulio Cirignano, fails to identify particular issues on which anyone has advanced either a right or a wrong position. Instead, his approach is all smoke and mirrors.
The reader can hardly be surprised that the most recent example, an article by the Florentine theologian Giulio Cirignano, fails to identify particular issues on which anyone has advanced either a right or a wrong position. Instead, his approach is all smoke and mirrors.
The New York Times runs two Charlie Gard editorials, with one in the news pages
The New York Times runs two Charlie Gard editorials, with one in the news pages — GetReligionMATTINGLY: At the heart of the tragic Charlie Gard case are two clashing values.
On one side: Doctors and UK officials who argue that they have the power to rule that cutting life support, and ceasing an further experimental treatments, is in the child's best interest.
On the other side are the stricken infant's parents, who believe that they should have the right to care for their child with their own funds and with the help of other doctors who want to treat him.
Pope Francis, of course, issued a statement backing the rights of the parents...
On one side: Doctors and UK officials who argue that they have the power to rule that cutting life support, and ceasing an further experimental treatments, is in the child's best interest.
On the other side are the stricken infant's parents, who believe that they should have the right to care for their child with their own funds and with the help of other doctors who want to treat him.
Pope Francis, of course, issued a statement backing the rights of the parents...
Federal judge halts deportation of more than 1,400 Iraqi nationals, including Chaldean Christians
Federal judge halts deportation of more than 1,400 Iraqi nationals - ABC News: A federal judge in Michigan blocked the deportation of more than 1,400 Iraqi nationals on Monday, giving the immigrants time to make their cases in court before the government can attempt to deport them.
U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith entered a preliminary injunction that would give the immigrants at least three more months to argue their cases before the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the courts, before the government can attempt to send them back to Iraq.
In his ruling on Monday, Goldsmith said the potential deportees, many whom are Chaldean Christian, would face "grave harm and possible death" in Iraq because they are considered minorities there.
U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith entered a preliminary injunction that would give the immigrants at least three more months to argue their cases before the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the courts, before the government can attempt to send them back to Iraq.
In his ruling on Monday, Goldsmith said the potential deportees, many whom are Chaldean Christian, would face "grave harm and possible death" in Iraq because they are considered minorities there.
The precariousness of things, the upside-downness of them, is a strange sign of hope for us
Mark Shea: Upside DownSHEA: It is a wonderful thing to live in a world where half the population is upside down in relation to the other half. There’s something magical about it. At any moment, half of us might fall off the earth but for the divine choice to make gravity a universal constant pulling all of us toward the heart of the planet as a mother pulls her wandering children to her breast and holds them close in a place of danger. G.K. Chesterton, perhaps the wisest man of the 20th century, because he was one of the humblest and most grateful of men, remarked of St. Francis of Assisi
Take a walk through YOUCAT with this new online program
"LIT" is One of the Best Catholic Resources Available – EpicPew: You can reach the program at www.dominicaninstitute.com/lit where you will be greeted by an introduction video.
Pope offers prayers for Charlie Gard and his parents as legal challenge ends
Pope Offers Prayers for Charlie Gard and His Parents as Legal Challenge Ends | ncregister.com: After a U.S. neurologist determined that an experimental therapy could no longer potentially be of aid to Charlie Gard, the British baby born with a disabling medical condition, his parents have given up a legal challenge to take him to the United States for the treatment.
British and European courts had sided with English hospital officials who sought to bar Gard’s parents from seeking treatment overseas.
Greg Burke, the Holy See press officer, said July 24: “Pope Francis is praying for Charlie and his parents and feels especially close to them at this time of immense suffering. The Holy Father asks that we join in prayer, that they may find God’s consolation and love.”
Charlie Gard, who is 11 months old, is believed to suffer from a rare genetic condition called mitochondrial depletion syndrome, which causes progressive muscle weakness. The disorder is believed to affect fewer than 20 children worldwide. Charlie has been in intensive care since October 2016. He has suffered significant brain damage due to the disease and is currently fed through a tube. He breathes with an artificial ventilator and is unable to move.
British and European courts had sided with English hospital officials who sought to bar Gard’s parents from seeking treatment overseas.
Greg Burke, the Holy See press officer, said July 24: “Pope Francis is praying for Charlie and his parents and feels especially close to them at this time of immense suffering. The Holy Father asks that we join in prayer, that they may find God’s consolation and love.”
Charlie Gard, who is 11 months old, is believed to suffer from a rare genetic condition called mitochondrial depletion syndrome, which causes progressive muscle weakness. The disorder is believed to affect fewer than 20 children worldwide. Charlie has been in intensive care since October 2016. He has suffered significant brain damage due to the disease and is currently fed through a tube. He breathes with an artificial ventilator and is unable to move.
Monday, July 24, 2017
Vatican turns off fountains as Rome gasps in drought
Vatican turns off fountains as Rome gasps in drought: Vatican authorities began on Monday to turn off some 100 fountains, including two Baroque masterpieces in St. Peter's Square, due to a prolonged drought affecting the tiny city state and the city of Rome which surrounds it.
Suffocating summer heat has followed two years of lower-than-average rainfall in Rome, forcing the Italian capital to close drinking fountains and consider the prospect of water rationing.
Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said it was the first time authorities in the spiritual home of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics could remember being forced to turn off the fountains.
Standing in St. Peter's Square, where two fountains by 17th-century sculptors Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini stood dry, Burke said the Vatican wanted to help.
"This is the Vatican's way of living solidarity with Rome, trying to help Rome get through this crisis," he told Reuters TV.
Suffocating summer heat has followed two years of lower-than-average rainfall in Rome, forcing the Italian capital to close drinking fountains and consider the prospect of water rationing.
Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said it was the first time authorities in the spiritual home of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics could remember being forced to turn off the fountains.
Standing in St. Peter's Square, where two fountains by 17th-century sculptors Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini stood dry, Burke said the Vatican wanted to help.
"This is the Vatican's way of living solidarity with Rome, trying to help Rome get through this crisis," he told Reuters TV.
Does God harden human hearts?
Does God Harden Human Hearts? - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: One of the more difficult biblical themes to understand is the concept of God hardening the hearts and minds of certain human beings. The most memorable case is that of Pharaoh wherein, before sending Moses to him, God said he would “harden Pharaoh’s heart” (Ex 4:21). But there are other instances in which biblical texts speak of God as hardening the hearts of sinners, even from among his own people.
Jesus also hinted at such a theme in the Sunday readings two weeks ago (Matt 13) when He said He spoke in parables (here understood more as “riddles”) in such a way as to affirm that the hearts of most people “outside the house” were hardened. He quotes Isaiah 6:9-10 as He does so. Jesus’ own apostles wondered why He spoke plainly only to them and a close company of disciples, but in riddle-like parables to the crowds outside. In His answer we are left to wonder if Jesus has not perchance written off the crowds and left them in the hardness of their hearts. To be fair, His remark is ambiguous and open to interpretation.
Jesus also hinted at such a theme in the Sunday readings two weeks ago (Matt 13) when He said He spoke in parables (here understood more as “riddles”) in such a way as to affirm that the hearts of most people “outside the house” were hardened. He quotes Isaiah 6:9-10 as He does so. Jesus’ own apostles wondered why He spoke plainly only to them and a close company of disciples, but in riddle-like parables to the crowds outside. In His answer we are left to wonder if Jesus has not perchance written off the crowds and left them in the hardness of their hearts. To be fair, His remark is ambiguous and open to interpretation.
This beautiful church in France is being demolished to make room for a parking lot
This Beautiful Church in France Is Being Demolished to Make Room for a Parking Lot | ChurchPOP: This is the Chapel of St.Martin in Sablé-sur-Sarthe, France. Built in the 1880s, the French government took control of the building in 1907, including all maintenance. Mass was still celebrated there though, until the 1970s, when it stopped being used.
And now the church is being demolished. What will be built in its place? Apparently, a parking lot.
So what happened? Well one part of the problem might be that even though more than 80% of the French population identifies as Catholic, only 5% of the population in France actually attends Mass on a regular basis.
And now the church is being demolished. What will be built in its place? Apparently, a parking lot.
So what happened? Well one part of the problem might be that even though more than 80% of the French population identifies as Catholic, only 5% of the population in France actually attends Mass on a regular basis.
The reality of spiritual adoption
The reality of spiritual adoption ~ The MotherlandsRENNER: At the African orphanage where I worked, children received photo albums from their new families early in the process. They got a snapshot of what their life would be like when the adoption was finalized, a first glimpse of adoptive parents, siblings, homes, and bedrooms. And while it might seem that an orphan growing up in Ethiopia would be thrilled by your average American home with central heating, consistent electricity, and clean, running water, the children often had a different opinion.
After all, the United States represented a promised land for them. They had lots of ideas about what such a mythical place would be like, and what their new life would look like.
After all, the United States represented a promised land for them. They had lots of ideas about what such a mythical place would be like, and what their new life would look like.
Pope St. Pius V did more than anyone to secure the Christian victory at the Battle of Lepanto
St. Pius V and the Battle of Lepanto - The Imaginative ConservativePEARCE: For those who are familiar with G. K. Chesterton’s glorious poem, “Lepanto”, St. Pius V will always be the pope who “called the kings of Christendom for swords about the Cross”. His heroic holiness during the crisis of 1571, when it looked as though the forces of Islam were once more threatening to overrun Europe, deserves to be branded on the conscience and consciousness of all civilized people. This aspect of Pius’ papacy, seen in the context of his other achievements, was summarized by his eighteenth century biographer
It’s refreshing to find a new generation of Bible scholars who are taking historical research seriously
On Mysteries and Miracles - The Imaginative ConservativeLONGENECKER: I have had a terrific time researching and writing my new book The Mystery of the Magi—The Quest for the True Identity of the Three Wise Men. My own attempt at Biblical sleuthing got started when Dr. Matthew Bunson asked for an article about the origins of the magi for a Christmas edition of The Catholic Answer.
Thinking that just maybe the Old Testament prophecies about the magi indicated their true origin, I began investigating to whom, where, what, and when the prophet Isaiah was referring when he wrote
Thinking that just maybe the Old Testament prophecies about the magi indicated their true origin, I began investigating to whom, where, what, and when the prophet Isaiah was referring when he wrote
Can anything burst Pope's media bubble? Nah, probably not...
Can anything burst Pope's media bubble? Nah, probably notALLEN: Right now there’s a fascinating drama unfolding in the Diocese of Ahiara in Nigeria, where Pope Francis has thrown down one of the most authoritarian gauntlets we’ve seen any pope fling in a long time. He’s threatened every priest of the diocese, no matter where they are in the world, with suspension unless they write to apologize for spurning a bishop appointed five years ago because he doesn’t come from the dominant ethnic and linguistic group.
Charlie Gard's parents end their fight to save his life, say it’s too late for experimental treatment
Charlie Gard's Parents End Their Fight to Save His Life, Say It's Too Late for Experimental Treatment | LifeNews.com: The parents of the little boy Charlie Gard, who had been fighting a hospital to save his life say they are ending their legal battle to get him an experimental treatment.
Chris Gard and Connie Yates wanted to take their son to the United States for an experimental treatment. They raised more than $1.5 million for his care. His parents said they know the chance of the experimental treatment working is slim, but they want to try anyway for Charlie’s sake.
But today, Charlie’s parents announced their decision at a hearing today at the British High Court. They made their announcement as a judge was prepared to oversee the latest round of a legal battle that a stressed over the last five months.
Chris Gard and Connie Yates wanted to take their son to the United States for an experimental treatment. They raised more than $1.5 million for his care. His parents said they know the chance of the experimental treatment working is slim, but they want to try anyway for Charlie’s sake.
But today, Charlie’s parents announced their decision at a hearing today at the British High Court. They made their announcement as a judge was prepared to oversee the latest round of a legal battle that a stressed over the last five months.
People to be allowed to pick their own gender without doctor's diagnosis, Britain’s government says
People to be allowed to pick their own gender without doctor's diagnosis, under Government plans | The Independent: The Government is planning to reform gender identity rules to make it easier for people to choose their own gender in law.
Under plans being considered by ministers, adults will be able to change their birth certificates at will without a doctor’s diagnosis, while non-binary gender people will be able to record their gender as “X”.
Changes to the law will be consulted on and will ultimately be included in a planned Gender Recognition Bill, set to be published in the autumn.
Under plans being considered by ministers, adults will be able to change their birth certificates at will without a doctor’s diagnosis, while non-binary gender people will be able to record their gender as “X”.
Changes to the law will be consulted on and will ultimately be included in a planned Gender Recognition Bill, set to be published in the autumn.
Texas archbishop: Deaths in smuggler's truck ‘an incomprehensible tragedy’
Deaths in smuggler's truck 'completely senseless,' Texas archbishop says :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): The deaths of at least nine people due to heat in an alleged immigrant smuggler’s truck parked in San Antonio are an occasion for tears, prayers, and action to end such situations, the local archbishop has said.
“There are no words to convey the sadness, despair, and yes, even anger, we feel today at learning of the completely senseless deaths of nine people who died as human smuggling or trafficking victims from heat exhaustion and suffocation in San Antonio overnight,” Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller said July 23. “This is an incomprehensible tragedy.”
“There are no words to convey the sadness, despair, and yes, even anger, we feel today at learning of the completely senseless deaths of nine people who died as human smuggling or trafficking victims from heat exhaustion and suffocation in San Antonio overnight,” Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller said July 23. “This is an incomprehensible tragedy.”
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Pope’ Sunday Angelus: ‘The line between good and evil passes through the heart of every person’
Pope: the choice between good, evil is one we all have to make :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): On Sunday Pope Francis said good and evil are often entwined, and that as sinners, we can't label any one group or institution as bad, since we all face temptation and have the ability to choose which path to follow.
“The Lord, who is wisdom incarnate, today helps us to understand that good and evil cannot identify with definite territories or determined groups of people,” the Pope said July 23.
Jesus tells us that “the line between good and evil passes through the heart of every person. We are all sinners,” he said, and asked for anyone who is not a sinner to raise their hand – which no one did.
“The Lord, who is wisdom incarnate, today helps us to understand that good and evil cannot identify with definite territories or determined groups of people,” the Pope said July 23.
Jesus tells us that “the line between good and evil passes through the heart of every person. We are all sinners,” he said, and asked for anyone who is not a sinner to raise their hand – which no one did.
Saturday, July 22, 2017
This is why church pews were invented
History of Church Pews --AleteiaKOSLOSKI: In the United States we see pews as a necessary and basic part of every Catholic church. However, pews are a rather recent invention and surprisingly didn’t even originate in Catholicism.
For most of Church history, worshipers stood during the celebration of Mass. There did exist a few scattered benches for the elderly to sit on, but in general the nave of the church was entirely void of places to sit.
This made practical sense, especially when kneeling became a common posture of the laity. Additionally, in medieval churches the pulpit was typically placed in the middle of the church, apart from the sanctuary. This meant the laity had to physically walk over to the pulpit to listen to the priest’s very brief homily.
There was so much movement during Mass that no one, including the priest, ever had a chance to sit down.
For most of Church history, worshipers stood during the celebration of Mass. There did exist a few scattered benches for the elderly to sit on, but in general the nave of the church was entirely void of places to sit.
This made practical sense, especially when kneeling became a common posture of the laity. Additionally, in medieval churches the pulpit was typically placed in the middle of the church, apart from the sanctuary. This meant the laity had to physically walk over to the pulpit to listen to the priest’s very brief homily.
There was so much movement during Mass that no one, including the priest, ever had a chance to sit down.
“Did you ever think you'd known a saint?”
“Did You Ever Think You’d Known a Saint?” - The Catholic ThingEBERSTADT: This morning, the funeral Mass for a priest named Fr. Arne Panula will be offered by Cardinal Donald Wuerl and others at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in downtown Washington, D.C. A former head of Opus Dei, U.S.A. who died of cancer earlier this week, and long one of the most influential spiritual figures inside the nation’s capital and out, this “Fr. Arne,” as he’s been known to many friends and admirers, was a priest in full. His is not – yet – a household name. But it would shock no one who knew him if that relative obscurity were someday to change.
New 360° videos reveal the beauty of Rome in a new way
Exclusive ChurchPOP 360 Videos Reveal the Beauty of Rome in a New Way | ChurchPOP: We hope you’ll enjoy this!
ChurchPOP team member Benjamin Crockett has been busy this summer working on sharing the beauty of the Church in Rome (and France, but mostly Rome!) to our followers in a new and exciting way: with 360 degree videos and images!
360 degree videos and images are a fairly new technology and are unique because they allow the viewer to immerse himself and look around like he’s really there. If you’re on a computer, you can use your mouse to click and drag the video around; if you’re on your phone, you can just move your phone. It’s that easy!
ChurchPOP team member Benjamin Crockett has been busy this summer working on sharing the beauty of the Church in Rome (and France, but mostly Rome!) to our followers in a new and exciting way: with 360 degree videos and images!
360 degree videos and images are a fairly new technology and are unique because they allow the viewer to immerse himself and look around like he’s really there. If you’re on a computer, you can use your mouse to click and drag the video around; if you’re on your phone, you can just move your phone. It’s that easy!
Rome, the city of the emperors, is now the city of the Queen
New Advent: Rome, the city of the emperors, is now the city of the Queen: For your Sunday enjoyment, images of Mary from Rome, Assisi, Orvieto and Subiaco.
Saint or ain’t? A homily for the 16th Sunday of the Year...
Saint or Ain’t? A Homily for the 16th Sunday of the Year - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: We live in difficult times for the Church; from many sectors the very legitimate cry for reform goes up frequently. Beyond the sexual abuse scandal there are also deep concerns regarding the uncertain trumpet of Catholic preaching, lukewarm and nominal Catholics, an overall lack of self-discipline among Catholics, and a lack of disciplining by the bishops and clergy of those Catholics (lay and clergy) who cause scandal. The list of concerns is long, and in general I have been sympathetic on this blog to the need for reform and greater zeal in the Church.
How Holy Hours and intentional prayer are transforming this parish in Panama City, Florida
Parish Spotlight: Intentional Prayer - The Amazing Parish: The parish leadership team at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Panama City, Florida, is taking our challenge of incorporating intentional prayer very seriously. Fr. Michael Nixon is the pastor at St. Dominic, and he’s brought his leadership team to two Amazing Parish conferences.
We interviewed AP Ambassador Mark Gutcher, who told us about some of the creative ways their team prays intentionally for the parish.
We interviewed AP Ambassador Mark Gutcher, who told us about some of the creative ways their team prays intentionally for the parish.
Even if a million deaths is a statistic, a single death is still a tragedy
Even if a Million Deaths is a Statistic, a Single Death is a Tragedy | ncregister.comTRASANCOS: One of the most jarring statistics in the abortion debate is that between 30 to 80 percent of fertilized eggs never survive to birth. These numbers come from medical studies. Some embryos fail to implant in the womb. Some miscarry after implantation. The rest die later as the fetus develops. If the upper estimates are true, then relatively few conceptions lead to newborn babies, and it is entirely possible that most humans are never born. That is difficult to imagine.
Yet as Catholics we honor the dignity of human life, and our logic is unflinching. If there is a human organism, there is a human life, and if human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception, then from the first moment of existence a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person, among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life (CCC 2270). Therefore, abortion is gravely contrary to the moral law. Considering the high miscarriage rate, however, the Church’s reasoning can seem extreme or unreasonable.
Yet as Catholics we honor the dignity of human life, and our logic is unflinching. If there is a human organism, there is a human life, and if human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception, then from the first moment of existence a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person, among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life (CCC 2270). Therefore, abortion is gravely contrary to the moral law. Considering the high miscarriage rate, however, the Church’s reasoning can seem extreme or unreasonable.
St. Mary Magdalene—A patron saint for hairstylists
St. Mary Magdalene—A Patron Saint for Hairstylists | ncregister.comCRAUGHWELL: In his Gospel, St. Luke tells how one day a woman who was a notorious sinner entered a house where Jesus was dining with friends, and, to the astonishment of everyone in the room, knelt, bathed his feet with her tears, then dried them wit her hair. Luke does not give the penitent’s name, but a tradition that dates back at least to Pope St. Gregory the Great asserts that she is St. Mary Magdalene. Ever since, artists have shown St. Mary with a luxurious head of hair, usually red or auburn in color. That is why hairstylists have taken Mary Magdalene as their patron saint.
Who is the patron saint of altar servers?
Who is the Patron Saint of Altar Servers? | ncregister.comCLARK: There are many ways to increase our love and devotion for Jesus in the Eucharist, and one of them is to consider the great love that many of the saints have expressed for the Blessed Sacrament. In his General Audience address of August 4, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI related the story of one such saint to a crowd of altar servers.
During Roman Emperor Valerian’s brutal persecution of Catholics in the Third Century, the faithful went underground to the catacombs to meet in secret for Mass and the sacraments. Yet, just as happens today, some people were sick and unable to go to Mass, so priests and their trusted helpers would take Communion to their fellow Catholics. One day after Mass, a priest asked who could take Communion to the sick. The duty of transporting the Eucharist was usually reserved to mature and strong men, but that day, a young altar server stepped forward and asked for the mission, saying: “Send me!”
During Roman Emperor Valerian’s brutal persecution of Catholics in the Third Century, the faithful went underground to the catacombs to meet in secret for Mass and the sacraments. Yet, just as happens today, some people were sick and unable to go to Mass, so priests and their trusted helpers would take Communion to their fellow Catholics. One day after Mass, a priest asked who could take Communion to the sick. The duty of transporting the Eucharist was usually reserved to mature and strong men, but that day, a young altar server stepped forward and asked for the mission, saying: “Send me!”
Was the ‘Miracle of Dunkirk’ really a miracle?
God and miracles in Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk"--Aleteia: Director Christopher Nolan is considered one of the best, most innovative directors today. He inspired us with Interstellar, weirded us out with Inception and created what most people consider the best superhero movie ever in The Dark Knight.
Now the auteur has released a new film, opening this week: Dunkirk. Some people are saying it’s his best movie yet.
But then again, he had a pretty good story to work with.
Now the auteur has released a new film, opening this week: Dunkirk. Some people are saying it’s his best movie yet.
But then again, he had a pretty good story to work with.
Adoring Christ with St. Mary Magdalene
Adoring Christ with Mary MagdaleneLOPEZ: We celebrate Saint Mary Magdalene as a feast day on July 22, a liturgical dignity Pope Francis made official last year. Explaining her significance to a good Catholic life, Father Sean Davidson, with the Missionaries of the Most Holy Eucharist, presents her as “a true model of adoration” who “provides us with examples of the four pillars of Eucharistic prayer,” that is “adoration, thanksgiving, reparation and intercession.” She shows, us, in other words, how to live a truer, more prayerful Catholic life. He spoke to Kathryn Jean Lopez about her and his book Saint Mary Magdalene: Prophetess of Eucharistic Love.
Pope begins answering priests from troubled Nigerian diocese
Pope begins answering priests from troubled Nigerian diocese: Days after time ran out for the priests of an entire Nigerian diocese to write and apologize for having refused to accept their bishop for the past five years, Pope Francis, through some of his closest advisers, has begun to respond to each of them.
“The pope promised he would write back, and he’s doing so,” said Cardinal John Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria.
The prelate, who’s been the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Ahiara, also said that the letters “are not passing though me,” so he doesn’t know their content, and added that he probably won’t until the process of delivering the letters is over.
“The pope promised he would write back, and he’s doing so,” said Cardinal John Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria.
The prelate, who’s been the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Ahiara, also said that the letters “are not passing though me,” so he doesn’t know their content, and added that he probably won’t until the process of delivering the letters is over.
Unlocking the secrets behind the hummingbird’s frenzy
Unlocking the Secrets Behind the Hummingbird's Frenzy: In pursuit of the world’s smallest bird, we’ve come to the backyard of a flamingo pink house in Palpite, Cuba. Ornithologist Christopher Clark has a car full of gear to unload: cameras, sound equipment, a sheer cube-shaped cage. Within minutes of arriving this May morning, Clark is spinning around in circles. He’s trying to follow the path of a bullet with wings as it whizzes from one clump of orange fire bush blossoms to the next. When the hummingbird pauses to draw sugary fuel from the flowers, his wings continue to beat a grayish blur too fast for the human eye to resolve.
Fifty years ago, a “declaration of independence” in Catholic education transformed the Church (and not for the better)
A Faithful Renewal: Reflections on Land O’Lakes and Catholic Liberal Education - Cardinal Newman SocietyCONLEY: Fifty years ago this month, in July of 1967, a group Catholic university presidents and administrators met together at a retreat center in Land O’Lakes, Wisconsin, in Wisconsin’s northern forest, along the border with the upper peninsula of Michigan. There were 26, invited by Father Theodore Hesburgh, then the president of Notre Dame, gathered to discuss the future of Catholic higher education in the United States.
Their gathering represented the North American summit for the International Federation of Catholic Universities, which was working to develop a vision for Catholic higher education that responded to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, Gravissimum Educationis.
Their gathering represented the North American summit for the International Federation of Catholic Universities, which was working to develop a vision for Catholic higher education that responded to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, Gravissimum Educationis.
Exactly fifty years ago, fads ran wild at the “Land O’Lakes Conference” in Wisconsin
The Idea of a Catholic University 50 Years After Land O’Lakes - Crisis MagazineRUTLER: William Inge (1860-1954), Professor of Divinity at Cambridge University and Dean of Saint Paul’s Cathedral, was frequently in the literary crosshairs of G.K. Chesterton for his anti-Catholic polemics and strident promotion of eugenics. Fortunately, Chesterton also rejected his advocacy of nudism. Given Dean Inge’s eclectic version of progressivism, one is struck by his cynicism about faddish thinking: “Whoever marries the spirit of this age will find himself a widower in the next.”
Did you know Disney animated a beautiful prayer to Our Lady?
Did You Know Disney Animated A Beautiful Prayer To Our Lady? | uCatholic: Nearly 77 years ago, the first screening of the Walt Disney feature film Fantasia took place in the Broadway Theatre of New York. Since its first opening night on Broadway, it has gone down in history as a masterpiece and the pinnacle of animated film. The film is over two hours in length that was incredibly ambitious for its time and includes eight animated segments set to different pieces of classical music. The final segment, featuring Schubert’s “Ave Maria,” is a beautiful prayer to Our Lady, that came close to never being shown in theaters.
Venezuelan bishops offer day of prayer, fasting as riots continue
Venezuelan bishops offer day of prayer, fasting as riots continue :: Catholic News Agency (CNA): Venezuela's bishops have organized a day of prayer and fasting amid ongoing riots throughout the country as opposition to President Nicolas Maduro hardens.
They have called on the people to use the penitential practices July 21 to ask God “to bless the efforts of Venezuelans for freedom, justice and peace.”
With the help of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, they voiced their hope in a July 13 statement which could be dubbed their manifesto on the current crisis that the effort would help so that “peace and fraternal coexistence may continue being built in the country.”
They have called on the people to use the penitential practices July 21 to ask God “to bless the efforts of Venezuelans for freedom, justice and peace.”
With the help of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, they voiced their hope in a July 13 statement which could be dubbed their manifesto on the current crisis that the effort would help so that “peace and fraternal coexistence may continue being built in the country.”
Friday, July 21, 2017
’Cause it’s a bittersweet symphony of humility...
Symphony of humility // News // Notre Dame Magazine // University of Notre DameBECKER: One night at dinner ages ago, I abruptly announced that I wanted to go to nursing school.
Nancy, my beloved, looked up from feeding our infant daughter and said, “You’re crazy.” She added, “You have no background in science or healthcare, and nursing school is really hard.”
I shrugged and replied, “How hard can it be?”
Boy, did I ever come to regret that comment. Nursing school about knocked me out and I developed a deep respect for those who survive. Now that I’m a nursing instructor myself, I feel obliged to eat my words on a regular basis.
Becker Band Lentz FanfaraStanislaw Lentz, Fanfara - Serenada, oil on canvas, c. 1910
Last year, after attending the Notre Dame Summer Band’s free concert on the Irish Green, I made another abrupt decision. Since the band is open to amateurs from the area, I determined to join up next go around, which happened this past June. I hadn’t really played concert percussion since high school — oh, some 35 years ago — and the only time I pick up sticks these days is when I sneak in a few fills on my son’s drum kit.
Nancy, my beloved, looked up from feeding our infant daughter and said, “You’re crazy.” She added, “You have no background in science or healthcare, and nursing school is really hard.”
I shrugged and replied, “How hard can it be?”
Boy, did I ever come to regret that comment. Nursing school about knocked me out and I developed a deep respect for those who survive. Now that I’m a nursing instructor myself, I feel obliged to eat my words on a regular basis.
Becker Band Lentz FanfaraStanislaw Lentz, Fanfara - Serenada, oil on canvas, c. 1910
Last year, after attending the Notre Dame Summer Band’s free concert on the Irish Green, I made another abrupt decision. Since the band is open to amateurs from the area, I determined to join up next go around, which happened this past June. I hadn’t really played concert percussion since high school — oh, some 35 years ago — and the only time I pick up sticks these days is when I sneak in a few fills on my son’s drum kit.
Pope donates €25 thousand to East Africa famine relief efforts
Pope Francis donates €25 thousand to ease East Africa famine - Vatican Radio: Pope Francis has donated €25 thousand to the efforts of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, in support of people facing famine and food insecurity in East Africa.
The Holy Father had pledged personal assistance in a message to FAO's Conference on 3 July 2017, in which he said he was "inspired also by the desire to encourage Governments".
The Holy Father had pledged personal assistance in a message to FAO's Conference on 3 July 2017, in which he said he was "inspired also by the desire to encourage Governments".
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Cathedral of Córdoba in Spain targeted for reversing the Reconquista
Spanish Cathedral Targeted for Reversing the Reconquista | ncregister.comBUNSON: The Cathedral of Córdoba, officially titled the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption and also commonly known as the Mosque-Cathedral, has been the ecclesiastical heart of the Diocese of Córdoba since 1236.
Ranked as one of the most impressive architectural wonders of the world, and honored since 1984 as part of a UNESCO World Heritage site and visited by more than 1.5 million tourists every year, the cathedral’s ownership is now also a target of protest from both the Spanish left and Muslim activists.
The dispute is part of a long-running campaign to seize the church on the basis that it should not belong to Catholics, but to the whole world. While the civil government’s claim to the church is legally tenuous and the Muslim claim hearkens to a legendary golden age of Moorish Spain, the campaign is testing the religious freedom for Christians in a still-majority Catholic country and should be of concern to Catholics everywhere.
Ranked as one of the most impressive architectural wonders of the world, and honored since 1984 as part of a UNESCO World Heritage site and visited by more than 1.5 million tourists every year, the cathedral’s ownership is now also a target of protest from both the Spanish left and Muslim activists.
The dispute is part of a long-running campaign to seize the church on the basis that it should not belong to Catholics, but to the whole world. While the civil government’s claim to the church is legally tenuous and the Muslim claim hearkens to a legendary golden age of Moorish Spain, the campaign is testing the religious freedom for Christians in a still-majority Catholic country and should be of concern to Catholics everywhere.
‘Dunkirk’ (Rotten Tomatoes 93%) is an improbable wonder of a film
SDG Reviews ‘Dunkirk’ | ncregister.comGREYDANUS: Dunkirk is the first film Christopher Nolan has made that feels bigger than the director’s preoccupations and obsessions. There is something ironically liberating about this sprawling yet frequently claustrophobic war movie about soldiers trapped by the sea, crowded in long queues on a great concrete and wooden jetty waiting for ships, or hunkered in the bellies of destroyers, all awaiting the bullets or bombs that could rain down at any moment.
Greed: A meditation on an underreported sin
Greed: A Meditation on an Underreported Sin - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: One of the more underreported sins is greed. It is easy to conclude that greed is something manifested by “that other person,” who has more than I do. Yes, that rich guy over there, the one who earns a dollar more per hour than I do; he’s greedy, but I’m not.
But honestly, does any one of us ever come to a point in our life when we say, “I earn more than enough money. I’ll just give the rest away”? Not on your life!
Almost never would such a thought even occur to the average person. Instead, most of us respond to a pay increase, for example, by expanding our lifestyle and continuing to complain that we don’t have enough. At some point, we ought to admit that we do cross over into greed.
But honestly, does any one of us ever come to a point in our life when we say, “I earn more than enough money. I’ll just give the rest away”? Not on your life!
Almost never would such a thought even occur to the average person. Instead, most of us respond to a pay increase, for example, by expanding our lifestyle and continuing to complain that we don’t have enough. At some point, we ought to admit that we do cross over into greed.
What you shouldn’t do in a disaster
BBC - Future - What not to do in a disaster: “I’ll never forget the sound. The sound of metal crunching,” says George Larson, a passenger on Indian Airlines Flight 440 from Chennai (Madras) to New Delhi in 1973. It was 22:30 – pitch black outside. A storm was raging, and the plane was flying low. The rear end slammed into the ground first. Larson was thrown from his seat. Meanwhile, the plane kept moving. Electric cables sparked and fellow passengers screamed as the fuselage began to split in half.
The next thing Larson knew he was awake, lying on his back on some wreckage. He tried to move his legs, but he was stuck. Soon there was an explosion as the heat ignited fuel tanks by the wings.
The next thing Larson knew he was awake, lying on his back on some wreckage. He tried to move his legs, but he was stuck. Soon there was an explosion as the heat ignited fuel tanks by the wings.
How my branch of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s family converted to Catholicism
How My Branch of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Family Converted to Catholicism | ChurchPOP: Edith Florence Ingalls is mentioned only in passing by her nickname, Dolly, in The Little House in the Big Woods, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. She was only a baby in the chapter entitled “Christmas.” But that’s a thrill enough for this great-great-grandchild of hers! But what’s even more amazing is the story of how that branch of the Ingalls family converted to Catholicism, which gave me my Catholic faith.
Edith grew up to marry Heil Nelson Bingham and together they raised 6 children in Oakes, ND. Although not a Catholic family, they chose to send all their daughters to the Catholic school in town. Something must have struck Edith’s husband about the Catholic faith because eventually he converted to the Catholic Church, but Edith resisted. They were married for 38 years before he passed on.
Edith grew up to marry Heil Nelson Bingham and together they raised 6 children in Oakes, ND. Although not a Catholic family, they chose to send all their daughters to the Catholic school in town. Something must have struck Edith’s husband about the Catholic faith because eventually he converted to the Catholic Church, but Edith resisted. They were married for 38 years before he passed on.
Catholic cathedral shelters 2,000 Muslims as violence flares in Central African Republic
Catholic cathedral shelters 2,000 Muslims as violence flares in Central African Republic | CatholicHerald.co.uk: Bullet-riddled roofs line the “boulevard of death” in Central African Republic’s southeastern town of Bangassou, where almost everyone who enters is seen as an enemy.
The city, spared sectarian bloodshed until May, now has more than 2,000 Muslim residents forced to take refuge at St Peter Claver cathedral after attacks by the mostly Christian anti-Balaka militia.
More than 300 people have been killed and 100,000 displaced since May as violence that began in 2013 moves into the impoverished country’s central and southeastern regions, prompting warnings of a national conflict roaring back to life.
The city, spared sectarian bloodshed until May, now has more than 2,000 Muslim residents forced to take refuge at St Peter Claver cathedral after attacks by the mostly Christian anti-Balaka militia.
More than 300 people have been killed and 100,000 displaced since May as violence that began in 2013 moves into the impoverished country’s central and southeastern regions, prompting warnings of a national conflict roaring back to life.
As the latest Vatican trial opens, is it time to dust off the 'About Doctrine'?
As latest Vatican trial opens, is it time to dust off 'About Doctrine'?ALLEN: As the latest Vatican trial opened on Tuesday for alleged criminal shenanigans, it occurred to me that you really have to go all the way back to the 1800s to find the last time the “courthouse beat” formed any part of covering the Vatican for most reporters in Rome.
In that era, the pope still ruled over a swath of territory in central Italy known as the “Papal States,” and criminal trials were a regular event. The pope even had his own executioner, the most famous of which was “Mastro Titta,” a nickname that was a corruption of the Italian phrase maestro di giustizia, or “master of justice.”
So famous was he in the mid-19th century that Roman mothers sang their little ones to sleep with a rhyme that goes, “Sega, sega, Mastro Titta.” Segare is the Italian verb “to saw,” so the mental image is ghoulishly accurate.
In that era, the pope still ruled over a swath of territory in central Italy known as the “Papal States,” and criminal trials were a regular event. The pope even had his own executioner, the most famous of which was “Mastro Titta,” a nickname that was a corruption of the Italian phrase maestro di giustizia, or “master of justice.”
So famous was he in the mid-19th century that Roman mothers sang their little ones to sleep with a rhyme that goes, “Sega, sega, Mastro Titta.” Segare is the Italian verb “to saw,” so the mental image is ghoulishly accurate.
Is Catholicism too casual about sin, salvation and mercy?
Is Catholicism too casual about God? - AleteiaMILLS: In the Protestant world of my youth, nearly everything was a matter of life or death. The Evangelicals made your salvation a drama that depended on you making a decisive commitment. They loved the drama of a sobbing sinner stumbling forward at the altar call.
The mainliners didn’t sweat salvation the same way, but they made your social conscience almost as crucial. God expected you to respect picket lines, protest the war, protect the environments, eat union-grown grapes.
The mainliners didn’t sweat salvation the same way, but they made your social conscience almost as crucial. God expected you to respect picket lines, protest the war, protect the environments, eat union-grown grapes.
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Hopes rise as Yemen confirms kidnapped Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil is still alive
Hopes Rise as Yemen Confirms Kidnapped Indian Priest Is ‘Alive’ | ncregister.comAKKARA: Hope and expectation are rising after Yemen confirmed that missionary Salesian Father Tom Uzhunnalil, who was kidnapped in Yemen more than a year ago, is “alive.”
The heartening news was communicated to the Indian government July 12 by Abdulmalik Abduljalil Al-Mekhlafi, deputy prime minister of Yemen, when he called on Sushma Swaraj, external affairs (foreign) minister of India, in New Delhi.
During the meeting, the External Affairs Ministry said in a press statement that Swaraj asked the visiting Yemeni deputy prime minister “to secure the safe and early release” of Father Uzhunnalil.
The heartening news was communicated to the Indian government July 12 by Abdulmalik Abduljalil Al-Mekhlafi, deputy prime minister of Yemen, when he called on Sushma Swaraj, external affairs (foreign) minister of India, in New Delhi.
During the meeting, the External Affairs Ministry said in a press statement that Swaraj asked the visiting Yemeni deputy prime minister “to secure the safe and early release” of Father Uzhunnalil.
Land O’Lakes at 50: Catholic universities have caved to the culture
Land O’Lakes at 50: Catholic Universities Cave to Culture | ncregister.comESOLEN: Fifty years ago this summer, a group of prominent Catholic university presidents and professors put forth a “Statement on the Nature of the Contemporary Catholic University,” now commonly known by its provenance as the “Land O’Lakes Statement.” As is typical of the work of committees, the statement consists wholly of vague abstractions. Most of these were meant to sound notes of confidence.
The signatories were sure they and their institutions would meet the unspecified challenges of the time. They wished to affirm the distinctive yet undefined character of a Catholic university and to celebrate with benign satisfaction the wonderful development of said university, from its humble beginnings under the tutelage of the Church to its current adulthood, ready to stand alongside its secular counterparts and to be recognized for its seriousness and its independence.
The signatories were sure they and their institutions would meet the unspecified challenges of the time. They wished to affirm the distinctive yet undefined character of a Catholic university and to celebrate with benign satisfaction the wonderful development of said university, from its humble beginnings under the tutelage of the Church to its current adulthood, ready to stand alongside its secular counterparts and to be recognized for its seriousness and its independence.
Robert George on US society: ‘Our divisions are very deep’
Robert George on US Society:� ‘Our Divisions Are Very Deep’ | ncregister.comBUNSON: Robert George is one of the United States’ leading political philosophers and commentators. He serves as the McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, and he has also taught at Harvard Law School.
He has served as chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and as a presidential appointee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. He has also served on the President’s Council on Bioethics and as the U.S. member of UNESCO’s World Commission on the Ethics of Science and Technology.
He has served as chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and as a presidential appointee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. He has also served on the President’s Council on Bioethics and as the U.S. member of UNESCO’s World Commission on the Ethics of Science and Technology.
Look up! For the next month, this new Russian satellite will be the second-brightest object in the sky...
This New Satellite Is the Brightest in the Sky: If you look up tonight, you might see a new light in the sky. The new Russian satellite Mayak—meaning "lighthouse"—was launched into orbit on Friday. Mayak wears a reflective surface that makes it the second brightest object in the night sky, after the moon.
Mayak is a small cubesat, only measuring a few inches across. It contains a large reflective membrane that was stretched out in the shape of a pyramid almost 10 feet on each side. This pyramid catches the sunlight and sends it toward Earth, making the Mayak one of the brightest objects in orbit.
Part of Mayak's mission is to test new ways of measuring the brightness of satellites. The other part is to test a new method of slowing down a satellite for reentry. If the braking system is successful, it could enable future satellites to reenter the Earth's atmosphere more easily and burn up there, potentially reducing the clutter in orbit.
Mayak is a small cubesat, only measuring a few inches across. It contains a large reflective membrane that was stretched out in the shape of a pyramid almost 10 feet on each side. This pyramid catches the sunlight and sends it toward Earth, making the Mayak one of the brightest objects in orbit.
Part of Mayak's mission is to test new ways of measuring the brightness of satellites. The other part is to test a new method of slowing down a satellite for reentry. If the braking system is successful, it could enable future satellites to reenter the Earth's atmosphere more easily and burn up there, potentially reducing the clutter in orbit.
It's time to decide—A reflection on a question from Elijah
Time to Decide - A Reflection on a Question from Elijah - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The Baals were the gods of the Canaanites. It had become expedient and popular to worship them because the ruling political leaders, the apostate King Ahab and his wicked wife Jezebel, had set forth the worship of the Baals by erecting altars and sacred columns. All who wished their life to go well and to have access to the levers of prosperity were surely “encouraged” to comply. Jezebel funded hundreds of prophets of Baal and the goddess Asherah. She also had many of the prophets of Israel killed and forced others into hiding. Through a policy of favoritism and fear, the true faith was being suppressed and false ideologies were being promoted.
Charlie Gard and his parents granted U.S. permanent resident status to fly him to America for treatment
Charlie Gard and His Parents Given U.S. Citizenship to Fly Him to America for Treatment | LifeNews.com: Pro-life Congressmen gave Charlie Gard new hope this week when they granted the British infant and his parents permanent residence in the United States.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, a pro-life Republican from Nebraska, announced the news Tuesday on Twitter.
“We just passed amendment that grants permanent resident status to #CharlieGard and family so Charlie can get the medical treatment he needs,” Fortenberry wrote.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry, a pro-life Republican from Nebraska, announced the news Tuesday on Twitter.
“We just passed amendment that grants permanent resident status to #CharlieGard and family so Charlie can get the medical treatment he needs,” Fortenberry wrote.
How to keep your soul intact while investigating Planned Parenthood: An interview with David Daleiden
How to Keep Your Soul Intact While Investigating Planned Parenthood: An Interview with David Daleiden | The StreamZMIRAK: Yesterday I had the pleasure and privilege of stepping in for Eric Metaxas. I guest-hosted his deservedly popular national radio show on Salem. I’ll be recording six segments this week, each with a guest whom I’ve chosen. I didn’t pick them lightly. Because each has something important to say, I’m devoting the next few columns to unpacking what they offer.
On Tuesday I was honored to interview David Daleiden. You’ll remember him as the man whom the State of California is torturing its laws to try to imprison. Why? Because he committed a kind of blasphemy. He criticized one of the few institutions still held as sacred by that state’s elites: Planned Parenthood.
On Tuesday I was honored to interview David Daleiden. You’ll remember him as the man whom the State of California is torturing its laws to try to imprison. Why? Because he committed a kind of blasphemy. He criticized one of the few institutions still held as sacred by that state’s elites: Planned Parenthood.
All those mysteriously banned Catholic pages have now been restored by Facebook
All Banned Catholic Facebook Restored by Facebook Across Languages | ChurchPOP: It now appears that all previously banned Catholic Facebook pages have been restored by Facebook.
Large English-language Catholic pages like Father Rocky, Catholic and Proud, Jesus and Mary, and others are now restored, as are large Portuguese- and Spanish-language pages that had been banned.
Facebook has so far given no explanation for the bans or the restorations. Owners weren’t even notified that their pages were restored, they simply discovered that they were restored by checking the link to their page.
Large English-language Catholic pages like Father Rocky, Catholic and Proud, Jesus and Mary, and others are now restored, as are large Portuguese- and Spanish-language pages that had been banned.
Facebook has so far given no explanation for the bans or the restorations. Owners weren’t even notified that their pages were restored, they simply discovered that they were restored by checking the link to their page.
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz pens pastoral letter on immigration—first from a U.S. bishop since 2008
Home: “Sorrow and Mourning Flee Away: Pastoral Letter on Migration to the People of God in the Diocese of El Paso”
Visualizing how marriage trends have changed in the last century
Marrying Later, Staying Single Longer | FlowingData: Everyone has their own timeline for marriage (if at all), and a number of factors can play a part, whether it be finishing an education, establishing a career, or finding the right person. But looking over the past century, as a whole, people are staying single longer and marrying later.
Using data from the decennial census and the American Community Survey, you can see this shift.
The charts that follow show the timelines in animated form. Each line represents the percentage of people with a certain marital status, given their age. The time span is every 10 years, from 1900 to 2010 and ending at 2015.
Using data from the decennial census and the American Community Survey, you can see this shift.
The charts that follow show the timelines in animated form. Each line represents the percentage of people with a certain marital status, given their age. The time span is every 10 years, from 1900 to 2010 and ending at 2015.
How a group of Hare Krishnas came to kneel before the Blessed Sacrament
Saturday night “Fever” with the Sisters of Life – Catholic World ReportTURLEY: If you had visited Soho Square in the center of London on a recent Saturday night, you would have seen something unusual.
There is a Hare Krishna monastery just off the square. Each weekend, the monks march around it with drums and cymbals, chanting to honor their founder. They are as loud and raucous as the other, less spiritual, visitors to Soho—a quarter most Londoners associate far more with vice than virtue.
That night, awaiting the marchers, were two Catholic religious—two Sisters of Life, to be exact.
The sisters stood on the square, holding lighted lanterns, as the crowd of chanting Hare Krishna approached. The sisters stood praying quietly as the noise of the oncoming throng grew steadily louder and nearer. By this point, the Hare Krishna had spotted the two sisters. The saffron-robed figures drew closer still; and, observing all this from a short distance away, I also knew that the chanting would soon fall silent.
There is a Hare Krishna monastery just off the square. Each weekend, the monks march around it with drums and cymbals, chanting to honor their founder. They are as loud and raucous as the other, less spiritual, visitors to Soho—a quarter most Londoners associate far more with vice than virtue.
That night, awaiting the marchers, were two Catholic religious—two Sisters of Life, to be exact.
The sisters stood on the square, holding lighted lanterns, as the crowd of chanting Hare Krishna approached. The sisters stood praying quietly as the noise of the oncoming throng grew steadily louder and nearer. By this point, the Hare Krishna had spotted the two sisters. The saffron-robed figures drew closer still; and, observing all this from a short distance away, I also knew that the chanting would soon fall silent.
How much of the Earth can you see at once?
New Advent: How much of the Earth can you see at once?: As you can see, Everest's monumentality quickly disappears against Earth's planetary ginormosity.
“Allow your kid to experience the world”: How exposure to dirt and dog spit can make children healthier
'Dirt Is Good': New Book Explores Why Kids Should Be Exposed To Germs : Shots - Health News : NPR: As a new parent, Jack Gilbert got a lot of different advice on how to properly look after his child: when to give him antibiotics or how often he should sterilize his pacifier, for example.
After the birth of his second child, Gilbert, a scientist who studies microbial ecosystems at the University of Chicago, decided to find out what's actually known about the risks involved when modern-day children come in contact with germs.
"It turned out that most of the exposures were actually beneficial," Gilbert says. "So that dirty pacifier that fell on the floor — if you just stick it in your mouth and lick it, and then pop it back in little Tommy's mouth, it's actually going to stimulate their immune system. Their immune system's going to become stronger because of it."
After the birth of his second child, Gilbert, a scientist who studies microbial ecosystems at the University of Chicago, decided to find out what's actually known about the risks involved when modern-day children come in contact with germs.
"It turned out that most of the exposures were actually beneficial," Gilbert says. "So that dirty pacifier that fell on the floor — if you just stick it in your mouth and lick it, and then pop it back in little Tommy's mouth, it's actually going to stimulate their immune system. Their immune system's going to become stronger because of it."
Report finds hundreds of abuse instances spanning six decades in famous Regensburger Domspatzen choir
Regensburg Domspatzen choir: More than 500 boys abused | News | DW | 18.07.2017: A total of 547 young boys from the famous Regensburger Domspatzen ("cathedral sparrows") choir were subjected to physical and sexual abuse at the hands of priests and teachers, according to the attorney tasked with investigating the alleged abuse.
Presenting his 450-page report into the findings, attorney Ulrich Weber, said he found 500 cases of physical abuse and 67 instances of sexual abuse spanning over six decades.
Read more: Regensburg choir abuse victim: 'I have found my peace'
Of the 49 church officials and teachers implicated in the report, nine were found to have been sexually abusive. Church officials had fostered a "culture of silence," which allowed them to carry out such abuses for decades, Weber said.
Presenting his 450-page report into the findings, attorney Ulrich Weber, said he found 500 cases of physical abuse and 67 instances of sexual abuse spanning over six decades.
Read more: Regensburg choir abuse victim: 'I have found my peace'
Of the 49 church officials and teachers implicated in the report, nine were found to have been sexually abusive. Church officials had fostered a "culture of silence," which allowed them to carry out such abuses for decades, Weber said.
“Extremely heartbreaking”: Owners of suspended Catholic Facebook pages speak out
"Extremely Heartbreaking": Owners of Banned Catholic Pages Speak Out | ChurchPOP: “It is extremely heartbreaking,” Kenneth Alimba explained. “It’s too horrible.”
Alimba, a Catholic who lives in Nigeria, was the owner of the Facebook page titled “Catholic and Proud.” It had over 6 million Likes when it was removed by Facebook today without explanation. He had another page titled “Holy Mary Mother of God,” which had around 200,000 Likes and was also removed. His pages are just two of possibly dozens of Catholic Facebook pages simultaneously removed around the world in the last day or so, including the “Father Rocky” page (3.3 million Likes) and a popular Portuguese-langauge Pope Francis page called “Papa Francisco Brasil” (3.8 million Likes).
Alimba, a Catholic who lives in Nigeria, was the owner of the Facebook page titled “Catholic and Proud.” It had over 6 million Likes when it was removed by Facebook today without explanation. He had another page titled “Holy Mary Mother of God,” which had around 200,000 Likes and was also removed. His pages are just two of possibly dozens of Catholic Facebook pages simultaneously removed around the world in the last day or so, including the “Father Rocky” page (3.3 million Likes) and a popular Portuguese-langauge Pope Francis page called “Papa Francisco Brasil” (3.8 million Likes).
What's in the sky this week: Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and a waning crescent Moon
What's in the Sky July 18, 2017 - The Catholic Astronomer: Venus continues to dominate the morning sky in the east, but appears slightly lower in the sky each morning as it pulls ahead of us in its orbit. The waning crescent Moon will appear near Venus the the star Aldebaran on the mornings of July 19th and 20th. The New Moon will be on the 23rd.
On the necessity of friendship and the loss of it in our times
On the Necessity of Friendship and the Loss of It In Our Times - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: One of the many troublesome aspects of the modern age is the demise of friendship. While the terms “friend” and “friendship” might be bandied about rather easily today, they do not usually mean friendship in its deeper and original sense. Rather, we use the terms to refer to acquaintances rather than friends. True friendship has a depth, history, and stability. It involves some sort of commonality of life and a deeper knowledge of the other.
There are interesting parallels between Jewish synagogue services and the Catholic Mass
Interesting parallels in Jewish customsFINIGAN: Some time ago, at an academic conference on Liturgy that featured contributions from people of various different faiths, I was interested to chat to a Reformed (or Liberal) Rabbi who was frank about some similarities between the controversy within Judaism over liturgy and some of the things he had heard about the reaction to traditional Catholic liturgy. He also lamented wistfully that it was his younger worshippers who wanted him to offer the prayers in Hebrew and face the same way as them when praying.
A Catholic purge? Unverified reports say Facebook has removed some big Catholic Facebook pages worldwide
A Catholic Purge? Facebook Removes Big Catholic Facebook Pages Worldwide | ChurchPOP: In the last day or so, Facebook has removed a large number of very popular Catholic Facebook pages worldwide, without explanation.
Cardinal Marx says anti-gay discrimination, not same-sex marriage, is defeat for Church
Cardinal Marx says anti-gay discrimination, not same-sex marriage, is defeat for Church - La Croix International: Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich has distanced himself from the apocalyptic scenarios some Catholics have voiced over Germany’s new same-sex marriage law, saying the Church should be more concerned over its historic complicity in demonizing gay people.Marx, who is head of the German bishops’ conference and one of Pope Francis’ chief advisors and allies, stated clearly that he firmly upholds the Church’s view on marriage. But in a lengthy interview published on July 14th, he said the Church must also express its regret that it did nothing historically to oppose the prosecution of homosexuals.
La Civiltà Cattolica is wrong. Catholic/Evangelical religious freedom defenders are heroes, not “haters”...
Archbishop Chaput’s Weekly Column: A Word About Useful Tools – Archdiocese of PhiladelphiaCHAPUT: History is full of great quotations that people never said. One of the best lines comes from Vladimir Lenin. He described Russian progressives, social democrats, and other fellow travelers as “useful idiots” – naïve allies in revolution whom the Bolsheviks promptly crushed when they took power. Or so the legend goes. In fact, there’s no evidence Lenin actually spoke those words, at least in public. But no one seems to care. It’s a compelling line, and in its own way, entirely true. The naïve and imprudent can very easily end up as useful tools in a larger conflict; or to frame it more generously, as useful innocents. The result is usually the same. They’re discarded.
Two Catholic priests kidnapped in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Two Catholic priests kidnapped in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo - Vatican Radio: Gunmen in restive eastern Democratic Republic of Congo kidnapped two Catholic priests in an area at the center of over two years of massacres by unknown assailants, the country's conference of bishops said on Monday.
The two priests -- Charles Kipasa and Jean-Pierre Akilimali -- were taken from Our Lady of the Angels parish in Bunyuka, located between the towns of Butembo and Beni, by a group of around 10 assailants just before 10 p.m. (2000 GMT) on Sunday.
"Priests are men of God who devote their lives to the good of the population without a political agenda. To hurt them is to harm the community they serve," the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) said in a statement.
The two priests -- Charles Kipasa and Jean-Pierre Akilimali -- were taken from Our Lady of the Angels parish in Bunyuka, located between the towns of Butembo and Beni, by a group of around 10 assailants just before 10 p.m. (2000 GMT) on Sunday.
"Priests are men of God who devote their lives to the good of the population without a political agenda. To hurt them is to harm the community they serve," the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) said in a statement.
Monday, July 17, 2017
From Florida to Virginia, between 1549 and 1763, more than 1,000 Catholics shed their blood for the faith
Hundreds of Martyrs Sow the Seeds of Faith in the United States | ncregister.com: A small group of Catholic faithful in Florida never imagined that a simple inquiry into a mysterious plot of land in Tallahassee would reinvigorate a dream shared over three centuries by the king of Spain, two popes and U.S. bishops: the canonization of a great treasury of native and missionary martyrs in the U.S.
More than 1,000 Catholics, priests, religious and lay faithful — both European and Native American — associated with the Spanish mission territory of La Florida shed their blood for the Catholic faith from Florida all the way to Virginia from 1549 to 1763.
The cause of the La Florida Mission martyrs has passed its own May 31 deadline to gather the historical evidence documenting 43 martyrdom events, which include Jesuits, Dominicans, Franciscans, but also more than 100 Native American laymen, women and children whose final testimony to Jesus Christ is as noble and heroic as the martyrs of the early Church — these known individuals could end up recognized as canonized martyrs.
More than 1,000 Catholics, priests, religious and lay faithful — both European and Native American — associated with the Spanish mission territory of La Florida shed their blood for the Catholic faith from Florida all the way to Virginia from 1549 to 1763.
The cause of the La Florida Mission martyrs has passed its own May 31 deadline to gather the historical evidence documenting 43 martyrdom events, which include Jesuits, Dominicans, Franciscans, but also more than 100 Native American laymen, women and children whose final testimony to Jesus Christ is as noble and heroic as the martyrs of the early Church — these known individuals could end up recognized as canonized martyrs.
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