Thursday, January 31, 2019
Great evangelists do difficult things
Great Evangelists Do Difficult Things - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: 26.2 miles. It seemed like an impossible goal for someone who had never run more than a couple of miles. But, I determined I was going to run a marathon, even though I had little knowledge of what it would take to accomplish that goal. What I found out (months later) was that waking up at 4 AM to run for 3 hours in single digit weather was what it would take. It meant ice in my beard. It meant pain and fatigue in my body. It meant mental fatigue and struggle like I had never gone through before. It was hard. Really hard. Still, it was so very good for me. I had strengthened my body, mind, and even my soul as never before. Doing something very difficult changed me.
The left is shunning liberals with concerns about transgender agenda
The Left is Shunning Liberals With Concerns About Transgender Agenda | The StreamANDERSON: Recently, I heard from a woman who has a teenage daughter four years into the process of transitioning.
Throughout that time, this mom has been trying to get left-leaning media and think tanks and professional associations to take seriously the concerns coming from the left.
Instead she’s found herself and her colleagues essentially left behind by the left.
But her situation is hardly unique in today’s America.
Throughout that time, this mom has been trying to get left-leaning media and think tanks and professional associations to take seriously the concerns coming from the left.
Instead she’s found herself and her colleagues essentially left behind by the left.
But her situation is hardly unique in today’s America.
A Baptist minister’s journey to the Holy Eucharist
A Baptist Minister’s Journey to the Eucharist Part I: Facing the Fathers - The Coming Home NetworkHENSLEY: For many years I believed that what we Catholics refer to as the Holy Eucharist was something very different. It was the “Lord’s Supper” to Baptists and other Evangelicals. We viewed it as a simple meal of remembrance and recommitment.
Jesus had said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” St. Paul had written, “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” And in the thinking of essentially every Christian I knew, this was the sum of it: the Lord’s Supper was a time for calling to mind what our Lord had suffered for us, giving thanks, recommitting our lives to Him and by the sacred use of bread and wine proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes again.
Jesus had said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” St. Paul had written, “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” And in the thinking of essentially every Christian I knew, this was the sum of it: the Lord’s Supper was a time for calling to mind what our Lord had suffered for us, giving thanks, recommitting our lives to Him and by the sacred use of bread and wine proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes again.
Big news on New York's child sexual abuse law — buried in 22nd paragraph of the NYTimes story
Big news on New York's child sexual abuse law -- buried in 22nd paragraph of Gray Lady's story — GetReligionMATTINGLY: There is an important story — a change many years in the making — found in the reporting way down under this recent headline in The New York Times: “They Were Sexually Abused Long Ago as Children. Now They Can Sue in N.Y.”
As often happens with headlines, there’s a world of content hidden in that undefined pronoun — “they.” Who is included in that “they”?
Now here me say this. There are crucial facts are in this Times report. Readers just have to dig way, way down into the body of the story to find them.
But let’s start with this question: If legislators in New York have been struggling for years to pass the Child Victims Act, why did it suddenly pass with next to zero opposition? Also, in the final stages of this legal war, who were the final opponents to this bill and why, in the end, did some of them change their minds?
As often happens with headlines, there’s a world of content hidden in that undefined pronoun — “they.” Who is included in that “they”?
Now here me say this. There are crucial facts are in this Times report. Readers just have to dig way, way down into the body of the story to find them.
But let’s start with this question: If legislators in New York have been struggling for years to pass the Child Victims Act, why did it suddenly pass with next to zero opposition? Also, in the final stages of this legal war, who were the final opponents to this bill and why, in the end, did some of them change their minds?
Love Will End Abortion: An interview with Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas
Love Will End Abortion: Interview with Archbishop Joseph Naumann - Love Will End Abortion: On January 17, 2019, I was able to sit down for an interview with Archbishop Joseph Naumann, Archbishop of Kansas City, Kansas and Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America in Washington, D.C., on the eve of the March for Life.
Forget your network. Make some friends...
Forget Your Network. Make Friends.: As I was leaving college and entering the working world, the most common advice I received was, “It’s not what you know. It’s who you know.” This maxim emphasizes the importance of networking, but it’s problematic. There are many different levels of knowing, and networking often keeps our knowing at the most surface level. As Catholics we are called to pursue deep, authentic friendships. We must be careful to not let networking, or some such vague idea of pursuing connections motivated by self-gain, take priority over the friendships to which we are called.
The courageous honesty of Peter Steinfels
The courageous honesty of Peter Steinfels - Denver CatholicWEIGEL: Peter Steinfels’s long career in journalism included years of service as editor of Commonweal (from which perch he took me to the woodshed more than once), followed by a decade as senior religion correspondent of the New York Times. Steinfels has now done the Catholic Church in the United States — and American society as a whole — a tremendous service by telling some disturbing truths about the August 2018 Pennsylvania grand jury report on clerical sexual abuse in six Keystone State dioceses. His lengthy article, “The Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report: Not What It Seems,” was first published on Commonweal’s website this past January 9; it is required reading for those determined to grapple with the linked problems of sexual abuse and episcopal failure in the Church.
The real reason why Cuomo won’t be excommunicated
The real reason why Cuomo won’t be excommunicated | Catholic CultureLAWLER: As the Washington Post (!) reported on calls for the excommunication of New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo, who had strongly backed and applauded the state’s radical new abortion-on-demand legislation, Cardinal Timothy Dolan told CNN’s Daniel Burke why he didn’t think excommunication was a good idea. The cardinal made four points. One of those points made sense.
Let’s review. We’ll take Cardinal Dolan’s points out of order, since it’s his 2nd point that makes sense
Let’s review. We’ll take Cardinal Dolan’s points out of order, since it’s his 2nd point that makes sense
Wikileaks publishes crucial papal letter on Order of Malta affair
Wikileaks Publishes Crucial Papal Letter on Order of Malta AffairPENTIN: Wikileaks today published a confidential letter confirming that Pope Francis strongly opposed the Order of Malta distributing contraceptives as part of its humanitarian work and that he wished the issue be “completely resolved.” In the letter, dated Dec. 1, 2016, and addressed to Cardinal Raymond Burke, the patron of the Order of Malta, the Holy Father stressed that the Order “must ensure that the methods and means it uses in its initiatives and healthcare works are not contrary to the moral law.”
He added that if, “in the past, there has been a problem of this nature, I hope that it can be completely resolved.”
He added that if, “in the past, there has been a problem of this nature, I hope that it can be completely resolved.”
Pope’s allies bring fight against climate change to the big city
Pope's allies bring fight against climate change to the big cityALLEN: By the year 2050, according to the UN, more than two-thirds of the world’s population will live in urban areas, up from just 30 percent in 1950. In North America, including the United States, the urban share of the population is already a staggering 82 percent, and worldwide roughly 4.2 billion people are now city-dwellers.
By any measure, therefore, urbanization is among the mega-trends of the times. Among other things, that means the battle for stronger environmental protection will be won or lost in the big city.
That, in a nutshell, is the intuition behind a book presented on Wednesday at the headquarters of Vatican Radio titled Laudato Si’ and Big Cities, which is edited by Cardinal Lluís Martínez Sistach, the former archbishop of Barcelona in Spain.
By any measure, therefore, urbanization is among the mega-trends of the times. Among other things, that means the battle for stronger environmental protection will be won or lost in the big city.
That, in a nutshell, is the intuition behind a book presented on Wednesday at the headquarters of Vatican Radio titled Laudato Si’ and Big Cities, which is edited by Cardinal Lluís Martínez Sistach, the former archbishop of Barcelona in Spain.
“Legal infanticide”: Virginia Republicans defeat Democratic bill allowing abortions after labor begins
Virginia Republicans defeat Democratic bill allowing abortions up until birth - Washington Times: Virginia Republicans on Tuesday killed legislation that would have loosened abortion restrictions after the bill’s sponsor admitted it would allow the procedure even after a mother went into labor.
A House subcommittee voted 5-3 to table H.R. 2491, called the Repeal Act, with all Republicans voting to table it and all Democrats voting against.
“Virginia House Democrats proposed legislation to allow abortions up to just seconds before that precious child takes their first breath,” the Virginia House Republicans said on Facebook. “Watch for yourself. Thankfully, our strong conservative majority was able to defeat this bill.”
In a viral video, Democratic Delegate Kathy Tran acknowledged Tuesday that her bill would permit abortions at 40 weeks, the end of the third trimester, if deemed necessary to protect her mental or physical health.
A House subcommittee voted 5-3 to table H.R. 2491, called the Repeal Act, with all Republicans voting to table it and all Democrats voting against.
“Virginia House Democrats proposed legislation to allow abortions up to just seconds before that precious child takes their first breath,” the Virginia House Republicans said on Facebook. “Watch for yourself. Thankfully, our strong conservative majority was able to defeat this bill.”
In a viral video, Democratic Delegate Kathy Tran acknowledged Tuesday that her bill would permit abortions at 40 weeks, the end of the third trimester, if deemed necessary to protect her mental or physical health.
The atheistic tyranny of the abortionists
The Atheistic Tyranny of the Abortionists – Fr. Dwight LongeneckerLONGENECKER: It’s no wonder that the pro-abortionists have hit back during this month of January. It's the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. It’s the March for Life. It’s the Day of Prayer for the Unborn.
Satan bites back.
Social media is aflame with pro-life outcry against the law makers in New York, Virginia and other states where Democrats are seeking to push back against an increasing number of state legislatures that are enacting more and more restrictions on abortion.
The pro-aborts are fighting an incoming tide. Medical advances mean premature babies are able to survive at earlier and earlier stages. Ultrasound reveals the startling lives of the unborn and how advanced they are. Social media and increasingly expert pro life communicators are getting the message across about the barbarity of late term abortion and the threat of another conservative Supreme Court justice have them running scared.
Satan bites back.
Social media is aflame with pro-life outcry against the law makers in New York, Virginia and other states where Democrats are seeking to push back against an increasing number of state legislatures that are enacting more and more restrictions on abortion.
The pro-aborts are fighting an incoming tide. Medical advances mean premature babies are able to survive at earlier and earlier stages. Ultrasound reveals the startling lives of the unborn and how advanced they are. Social media and increasingly expert pro life communicators are getting the message across about the barbarity of late term abortion and the threat of another conservative Supreme Court justice have them running scared.
A question about Catholic marriages without Nuptial Masses
ASK FATHER: Catholic marriages without Nuptial Masses | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: The current practice of the Church is that, normally, the wedding of two baptized Catholics takes place during the context of the Holy Mass. This hasn’t always been so – in fact, prior to the Second Vatican Council, very few things were done within the Mass. Marriage, for example, between two Catholics would have been solemnized and then, after the wedding there would have been a Nuptial Mass. One of the (unintended) result of the post-Conciliar reforms was the inclusion of everything within the Mass – marriage, confirmation, graduations, May crowning, Bingo, potlucks, parish council elections, dance recitals… I exaggerate (but not too much), and the nearly complete elimination of many beautiful ceremonies of the Church that are not Mass.
A mysterious, never-before-seen type of mold is eating an 800-year-old cathedral in Portugal
A Mysterious Mold is Eating an 800-Year-Old Cathedral | Mysterious Universe: Mold can look like the stuff of nightmares, especially if it’s a never-before-seen type of black mold eating a cathedral. It’s creepy, but that’s precisely what’s happening to a cathedral in Portugal. The eight-century-old Sé Velha de Coimbra (Old Cathedral of Coimbra) is the only surviving Romanesque cathedral in Portugal and it’s being slowly devoured by a type of black mold that scientists say has never been seen before.
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Excommunicate Andrew Cuomo, for the sake of his soul and others
Excommunicate Cuomo | Ed Condon | First ThingsCONDON: Calls for Governor Andrew Cuomo’s excommunication have echoed across Catholic social media ever since he signed into law one of the most expansive abortion bills ever enacted. Bishops Richard Stika of Knoxville and Joseph Strickland of Tyler have joined the chorus. While noting that Cuomo is under the jurisdiction of Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Bishop Edward Scharfenberger of Albany has said, “Excommunication is a last resort, and as the governor continues to distance himself from our communion, it may unfortunately result in that.”
In 2022, World Youth Day will be held in Lisbon, Portugal — an hour’s drive from Fatima
For next 'Catholic Woodstock,' there's definitely something about Mary: At Sunday’s closing Mass for World Youth Day (WYD) in Panama, it was announced that the next edition of the international festival dubbed the “Catholic Woodstock” will take place in Lisbon, Portugal. While there are undoubtedly multiple reasons, it’s hard not to start with the fact Lisbon is less than an hour’s drive from Fatima - the site of what are, perhaps, the most famous Marian apparitions of all time.
The Lisbon gathering, set for 2022, will mark just the second time the event has focused so pointedly on the Virgin Mary. The previous record-holder for most “Marian” gathering was St. John Paul II’s Aug. 10-15, 1991, WYD at the shrine of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa, Poland.
The Lisbon gathering, set for 2022, will mark just the second time the event has focused so pointedly on the Virgin Mary. The previous record-holder for most “Marian” gathering was St. John Paul II’s Aug. 10-15, 1991, WYD at the shrine of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa, Poland.
God’s mercy and justice — balance or bust!
God’s Mercy and Justice - Balance or Bust! - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: One of the signs of orthodoxy is the ability to hold competing truths in tension, realizing that they are there to balance each other. For example, on the one hand God is sovereign and omnipotent, but on the other we are free to say no to Him. Both of these are taught in Scripture. Our freedom mysteriously interacts with God’s sovereignty and omnipotence, but how?
Why do people hate the “good person?” The 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time...
The Sacred Page: Why Do People Hate the "Good Person"? The 4th Sunday in OTBERGSMA: The Readings for this Sunday show both Jesus and Jeremiah facing opposition for speaking God’s truth to their contemporaries. They raise interesting questions about why it is that the “good person” so often suffers at the hands of others, and offer encouragement to those who experience this suffering.
The Presentation of the Lord: Our God is the God of abundant life
ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT’S WEEKLY COLUMN: THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD – Archdiocese of PhiladelphiaCHAPUT: February 2 each year marks the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, based on the Gospel of Luke 2:22-40. Formerly known as the “Feast of the Purification of Mary,” the day commemorates the Holy Family’s visit to the Temple in Jerusalem for Mary’s ritual purification 40 days after childbirth, and the presentation of Jesus as a first born son according to the Torah.
The Gospel passage has a special place in Catholic hearts. In my own (boomer) generation, mothers often brought their newborns to church privately, placed them on the steps of the altar, and asked for God’s protection for their infant daughters and sons. And over the years I’ve been surprised by the many faithful Catholic men and women I meet — leaders of character and skill in the Church and in the general public – who speak of that same, simple act of piety in their own lives by a mother or father. Every human soul is made for heaven, and the greatest act of love parents can give their newborn, beyond Baptism itself, is dedicating their child to God’s service and grace.
The Gospel passage has a special place in Catholic hearts. In my own (boomer) generation, mothers often brought their newborns to church privately, placed them on the steps of the altar, and asked for God’s protection for their infant daughters and sons. And over the years I’ve been surprised by the many faithful Catholic men and women I meet — leaders of character and skill in the Church and in the general public – who speak of that same, simple act of piety in their own lives by a mother or father. Every human soul is made for heaven, and the greatest act of love parents can give their newborn, beyond Baptism itself, is dedicating their child to God’s service and grace.
Sexual abuse against nuns: The other bomb that is about to explode...
Sexual Abuse Against Nuns. The Other Bomb That Is About To Explode - Settimo Cielo - Blog - L’EspressoMAGISTER: To judge by what Francis has written and said - most recently on the plane that brought him back from Panama to Rome - sexual abuse committed against minors by sacred ministers will be the main topic of the summit convened at the Vatican from February 21 to 24 between the pope and the presidents of the roughly 130 episcopal conferences of the world.
The risk is that of bypassing, however, that plague which statistically turns out to be prevalent among the perpetrators of abuse in Europe and in North and South America, meaning homosexual activity with the young and very young.
The risk is that of bypassing, however, that plague which statistically turns out to be prevalent among the perpetrators of abuse in Europe and in North and South America, meaning homosexual activity with the young and very young.
The Mario Cuomo Bridge is built on the bodies of innocents
Governor Cuomo's Bridge - Crisis MagazineRUTLER: There was a literary symbiosis between G.K. Chesterton and Henri Ghéon somewhat like the musical one between Rimsky-Korsakov and Mussorgsky. Ghéon’s biography of Saint John Vianney, The Secret of the Curé d’Ars, is enhanced by the brief commentary that Chesterton added to it. Chesterton mentions a mayor of some French town who not only commissioned a statue of the rationalist Emile Zola but, intent on further provocation, ordered that the bronze for it be forged from the bells of a church. This rings a bell, if you will, when thinking of how an ecstatic Governor Andrew Cuomo chose to sign into law our nation’s most gruesome abortion bill on January 22, the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, to raucous applause and cheering in the state capitol. In a fallen world, dancing on graves requires no instructors. Then Cuomo ordered that the One World Trade Center in Manhattan, and the Alfred E. Smith Building in Albany be illuminated in pink lights. The ancient Caesars dressed in red as the token of victory. Cuomo chose pink.
How could the bishops of Kentucky have gotten their Covington reaction so wrong?
Dallas Charter Culture and the Covington ControversyDESOUZA: It’s partly another consequence of the sexual-abuse crisis, wherein the protocols for handling allegations have created an environment where immediate action precedes investigation. That post-Dallas Charter culture is well-known inside the Church, but can be a bit surprising when encountered by the general public.
And it was only because there was video evidence to exonerate the students that the bishops were forced to reverse themselves. Otherwise, an investigation would have ground on for weeks or months while the students’ reputations were effectively destroyed. That would not have been an accident, but business that now is usual.
And it was only because there was video evidence to exonerate the students that the bishops were forced to reverse themselves. Otherwise, an investigation would have ground on for weeks or months while the students’ reputations were effectively destroyed. That would not have been an accident, but business that now is usual.
Pope Francis recalls trip to Panama during Wednesday Audience
Pope Francis Recalls Trip to Panama During General Audience (Full Text) - ZENIT - English: The January 30, 2019, General Audience was held at 9:30 in Paul VI Hall, where the Holy Father Francis met with groups of pilgrims and faithful from Italy and from all over the world.
In his address in Italian, the Pope focused his meditation on his Apostolic Journey to Panama, which just ended, on the occasion of the 34th World Youth Day (WYD) (Biblical passage from the Gospel according to Luke 1:38-39).
After summarizing his catechesis in several languages, the Holy Father expressed special greetings to groups of faithful present.
The General Audience ended with the singing of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.
In his address in Italian, the Pope focused his meditation on his Apostolic Journey to Panama, which just ended, on the occasion of the 34th World Youth Day (WYD) (Biblical passage from the Gospel according to Luke 1:38-39).
After summarizing his catechesis in several languages, the Holy Father expressed special greetings to groups of faithful present.
The General Audience ended with the singing of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.
Dutch art detective tracks down carvings stolen from 7th-century Spanish church. They were being used as lawn ornaments...
Dutch art detective tracks down stolen Spanish Visigoth carvings - DutchNews.nl: Dutch art detective Arthur Brand has tracked down two priceless Spanish reliefs stolen from a Visigoth church near Burgos in northern Spain to a garden in the United Kingdom, news agency AFP said on Tuesday.
Brand, who is known as the ‘Indiana Jones’ of the art world, first heard of the stones nine years ago after a tip-off from a man in Britain.
‘He told me there were two big reliefs being offered up for sale as garden ornaments,’ Brand told AFP. ‘But he said there was something about them and said I had better come over and investigate.’
Brand, who is known as the ‘Indiana Jones’ of the art world, first heard of the stones nine years ago after a tip-off from a man in Britain.
‘He told me there were two big reliefs being offered up for sale as garden ornaments,’ Brand told AFP. ‘But he said there was something about them and said I had better come over and investigate.’
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Of the glory and means of our salvation in Christ Jesus
Of the Glory and Means of our Salvation in Christ Jesus - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: As we continue to read the Letter to the Hebrews in daily Mass, we are reminded that although the Temple liturgies were glorious and elaborate, they merely pointed to the perfect sacrifice of Christ. All the shed blood of lambs could not save. Those offerings only pointed to the true Lamb of God and our Passover, Jesus Christ. Even the extravagant offering of a bull could never pay our debt of sin; only Jesus could redeem us, paying the price of our salvation. All those ancient sacrifices could only remind us that by our sins we had a debt we could not pay; they could only serve to symbolize our repentance.
11 nouns that have only a plural form
11 Nouns That Only Have a Plural Form | Mental Floss: Of all the grammar concepts we have, “plural” seems to be one of the most straightforward. You got one thing? It’s singular. Got more than one thing? It’s plural. But alas, language is always less straightforward than we expect. The way we conceptualize something—as one thing or many things—doesn’t always match up with the way our word for it behaves. There are some nouns that only have a plural form, regardless of how we think of them. They are known as pluralia tantum, Latin for “plural only.” Here are 11 of them.
She arrived as a tourist. The island’s beauty inspired her to return as an Eastern Orthodox nun...
Meet the tourist who became the only nun on Amorgos, Greece: It’s 3:30 a.m. when I disembark the ferry in a trance after a 10-hour sail from Athens. The air is soft and warm in Amorgos, a pristine island off the coast of Greece. Wooden fishing boats rock against their moors, lit villages dot the high hills, and a sweet scent of sage laces the morning air. Once the day starts, it’s on to the reason I came here: to look for Sister Irini.
Here’s a little quiz to see if you really understand what Confirmation is all about
Errors in Confirmation Catechesis Are Today PrevalentHARVEY: An undergraduate professor of mine once said during a course on the sacraments: “The Church is still figuring out what Confirmation is all about.” At the time, I trusted these words of my professor. Then I discovered her error and the wealth of information provided by the Church and realized that the Church was clear about her doctrinal understanding of Confirmation.
I am often recruited to speak at Confirmation events around the Midwest and in the past, I would offer a “test” to check their understanding of Confirmation. Students were asked to provide their best definition for the Sacrament of Confirmation. They would then vote on the best definition by a student. Nearly each student would provide an incorrect definition. To make matters more awkward, the Priest and Catechist in some communities would sometimes also get it wrong. You can imagine why I no longer do this activity.
I am often recruited to speak at Confirmation events around the Midwest and in the past, I would offer a “test” to check their understanding of Confirmation. Students were asked to provide their best definition for the Sacrament of Confirmation. They would then vote on the best definition by a student. Nearly each student would provide an incorrect definition. To make matters more awkward, the Priest and Catechist in some communities would sometimes also get it wrong. You can imagine why I no longer do this activity.
Discovering Giovanni Gasparro, an amazing new Catholic artist
Introducing a Modern MasterAPARICIO: Discovering Giovanni Gasparro’s work last year—it was brought to my attention by our managing editor, Karen Ullo—has been one of the most exciting moments of my tenure as publisher of Dappled Things. Since founding the journal more than a decade ago, it has been largely my responsibility to seek out and select the visual art we publish. In fulfilling this task, one of my guiding convictions has been that popular notions of what innovation means in the visual arts usually tend toward self-indulgence and mediocrity. Though there are notable exceptions, the modern rejection of past forms and artistic traditions has not led to an explosion of creativity, but to a dead end that has made much of what passes for high art irrelevant to ordinary people—not because it is too demanding or too shocking for them to stomach, but because it is too boring. To compensate for the aesthetic deficiencies of the works themselves, “artist statements” laden with jargon or political banalities have proliferated. Dappled Things has almost always avoided publishing them, because if an image lacks the resources to powerfully affect the viewer simply by virtue of what it is, then it has no business calling itself visual art and is probably something closer to a stunt. Rather, our view has been that true innovation not only isn’t in opposition or even in tension with tradition, but rather depends upon it, just as new technologies become possible thanks to earlier advancements.
9-year-old Bailey Cooper had terminal cancer — but he refused to die until he could embrace his newborn sister
Bailey refused to die until he could embrace his newborn sister Aleteia: This is the story of a little boy named Bailey Cooper, a boy from Bristol, UK, who faced his death at the age of 9 with great courage and love.
In August 2017, when doctors told Bailey’s parents that there was nothing more they could do for him in his cancer — stage 3 Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, with which he was diagnosed in 2016 — they gave their son the news with complete honesty. He cried, but shortly took it into stride. Before they knew it, he was talking about his own funeral, and his desire not to die until being able to hold his unborn sister. He faced his suffering with fortitude and hope.
In August 2017, when doctors told Bailey’s parents that there was nothing more they could do for him in his cancer — stage 3 Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, with which he was diagnosed in 2016 — they gave their son the news with complete honesty. He cried, but shortly took it into stride. Before they knew it, he was talking about his own funeral, and his desire not to die until being able to hold his unborn sister. He faced his suffering with fortitude and hope.
Supreme Court of Pakistan upholds Asia Bibi’s acquittal in blasphemy case
Pakistan’s Supreme Court Dismisses Challenge to Asia Bibi Blasphemy Acquittal: A petition to overturn last year’s acquittal of blasphemy charges against Catholic wife and mother Asia Bibi was dismissed by Pakistan’s Supreme Court Tuesday.
The challenge was dismissed Jan. 29 by a three-member Supreme Court panel led by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa.
Bibi, who has been in hiding since shortly following the initial verdict overturning her death sentence late last October, is expected to leave Pakistan if granted asylum abroad, the BBC reports.
The mother of five had spent eight years on death row in Pakistan on blasphemy charges after she was accused of making disparaging remarks about the Islamic prophet Muhammad after an argument stemming from a cup of water.
The challenge was dismissed Jan. 29 by a three-member Supreme Court panel led by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa.
Bibi, who has been in hiding since shortly following the initial verdict overturning her death sentence late last October, is expected to leave Pakistan if granted asylum abroad, the BBC reports.
The mother of five had spent eight years on death row in Pakistan on blasphemy charges after she was accused of making disparaging remarks about the Islamic prophet Muhammad after an argument stemming from a cup of water.
CDF priest steps down following accusations of sexual harassment in confessional
CDF Priest Steps Down Following Accusations of Sexual Harassment in Confession: An Austrian priest and theologian has resigned from his position at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), amid charges that he made sexual advances toward a woman in the confessional several years ago.
The priest maintains his innocence.
Father Hermann Geissler, 53, has been an official within the CDF since 1993, and in 2009, he became the head of the congregation’s teaching office.
A statement released Jan. 29 said that Father Geissler “affirms that the accusation made against him is untrue and asks that the canonical process already initiated continue. He also reserves the right for possible civil legal action.”
The priest maintains his innocence.
Father Hermann Geissler, 53, has been an official within the CDF since 1993, and in 2009, he became the head of the congregation’s teaching office.
A statement released Jan. 29 said that Father Geissler “affirms that the accusation made against him is untrue and asks that the canonical process already initiated continue. He also reserves the right for possible civil legal action.”
Irish politician reportedly denied Communion because of support for abortion
Report: Pro-choice Irish pol denied Eucharist: A pro-choice Irish legislator has been denied the reception of Holy Communion, after he announced that he had voted in favor of measures that allow for abortion in Ireland.
Robert Troy, the member of parliament, or Teachta Dala, for the Irish constituency of Longford-Westmeath, revealed in a December interview that he voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment to Ireland’s constitution, which prohibited abortion in the nation. The amendment was repealed after a May 2018 referendum on the issue.
Troy had previously identified as pro-life.
Robert Troy, the member of parliament, or Teachta Dala, for the Irish constituency of Longford-Westmeath, revealed in a December interview that he voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment to Ireland’s constitution, which prohibited abortion in the nation. The amendment was repealed after a May 2018 referendum on the issue.
Troy had previously identified as pro-life.
Population decline is a big thing. It’s time to look it in the eye...
What goes up: are predictions of a population crisis wrong? | World news | The Guardian: She is a well-educated, professional woman, working in an office tower in central Nairobi, Kenya. Because of her status and education, the price required to marry her is bound to be high. Although dowries are often now paid in cash, she expects hers will be paid in the traditional method of cows and goats, and that the wedding will take place in the village she came from.
“I’m a traditional girl,” she explains.
It could take a long time for any suitor to accumulate the capital needed to pay – or at least down-pay – her dowry. She’s fine with that.
“I’m a traditional girl,” she explains.
It could take a long time for any suitor to accumulate the capital needed to pay – or at least down-pay – her dowry. She’s fine with that.
Monday, January 28, 2019
The key question to answer about any Mass
The Key Question of Every Liturgy - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: There is a legend that explains how the liturgy and the faith took hold in Rus (Russia):
Prince Vladimir of Kiev, seeking a right worship for his people, sent representatives to look into various faiths as well as liturgies. When emissaries went south to observe the Greek Christian Liturgy, they returned saying that they were not sure if they had been in Heaven or on Earth, so beautiful was what they had seen in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. They were sure that God dwelt there among men.
The roots of Christian faith among the Russians are obviously a lot more complicated. However, the legend does capture the fact that the Byzantine Liturgy of the Eastern Church was a significant factor in advancing Christianity among the people who populate what is today Russia, the Ukraine, Georgia, and other nearby lands.
Prince Vladimir of Kiev, seeking a right worship for his people, sent representatives to look into various faiths as well as liturgies. When emissaries went south to observe the Greek Christian Liturgy, they returned saying that they were not sure if they had been in Heaven or on Earth, so beautiful was what they had seen in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. They were sure that God dwelt there among men.
The roots of Christian faith among the Russians are obviously a lot more complicated. However, the legend does capture the fact that the Byzantine Liturgy of the Eastern Church was a significant factor in advancing Christianity among the people who populate what is today Russia, the Ukraine, Georgia, and other nearby lands.
Of driving lessons, fatherhood and the moral life
Of Driving Lessons, Fatherhood and the Moral LifeBECKER: We always start in a deserted parking lot. On a Sunday. When nobody is around, and the risks of major catastrophe are limited.
The parking lot just north of Jackson Middle School is ideal. There’s plenty of room, and the yellow parking grid in the middle creates a natural oval lane on the outside for those tentative, jerky accelerations and decelerations that every beginning driver will make. It’s where I started with Meg and Crispin, now both accomplished drivers, and it’s where I started with Cecilia a year or so ago.
The parking lot just north of Jackson Middle School is ideal. There’s plenty of room, and the yellow parking grid in the middle creates a natural oval lane on the outside for those tentative, jerky accelerations and decelerations that every beginning driver will make. It’s where I started with Meg and Crispin, now both accomplished drivers, and it’s where I started with Cecilia a year or so ago.
Did Archbishop Fulton Sheen prophesy about these times?
Did Fulton Sheen Prophesy About These Times?PRONECHEN: In a talk 72 years ago, Bishop Fulton Sheen appeared as visionary as prophets of old.
“We are at the end of Christendom.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen said during a talk in 1974. Making clear he didn’t mean Christianity or the Church, he said, “Christendom is economic, political, social life as inspired by Christian principles. That is ending — we’ve seen it die. Look at the symptoms: the breakup of the family, divorce, abortion, immorality, general dishonesty.”
Prophetic then, he was already a visionary and forewarning in a Jan. 26, 1947 radio broadcast.
“Why is it that so few realize the seriousness of our present crisis?” he asked 72 years ago. Then gave the answer: “Partly because men do not want to believe their own times are wicked, partly because it involves too much self-accusation, and principally because they have no standards outside of themselves by which to measure their times… Only those who live by faith really know what is happening in the world. The great masses without faith are unconscious of the destructive processes going on.”
“We are at the end of Christendom.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen said during a talk in 1974. Making clear he didn’t mean Christianity or the Church, he said, “Christendom is economic, political, social life as inspired by Christian principles. That is ending — we’ve seen it die. Look at the symptoms: the breakup of the family, divorce, abortion, immorality, general dishonesty.”
Prophetic then, he was already a visionary and forewarning in a Jan. 26, 1947 radio broadcast.
“Why is it that so few realize the seriousness of our present crisis?” he asked 72 years ago. Then gave the answer: “Partly because men do not want to believe their own times are wicked, partly because it involves too much self-accusation, and principally because they have no standards outside of themselves by which to measure their times… Only those who live by faith really know what is happening in the world. The great masses without faith are unconscious of the destructive processes going on.”
New York, abortion, and a short route to chaos
New York, Abortion, and a Short Route to Chaos | Word on FireBARRON: It was the celebration that was particularly galling. On the 46th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, the governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, signed into law a protocol that gives practically unrestricted access to abortion, permitting the killing of an unborn child up until the moment of delivery. In the wake of the ratification, the legislators and their supporters whooped, hollered, and cheered, a display depressingly similar to the jubilation that broke out in Ireland when a referendum legalizing abortion passed last year. Of course, all of the rhetoric about women’s rights and reproductive health and empowerment was trotted out, but who can fail to see what was at stake? If an infant, lying peacefully in a bassinet in his parents’ home, were brutally killed and dismembered, the entire country would rightfully be outraged and call for an investigation of the murder. But now the law of New York confirms that that same child, moments before his birth, resting peacefully in his mother’s womb, can be, with utter impunity, pulled apart with forceps. And the police won’t be summoned; rather, it appears, the killing should be a matter of celebration.
This 100-year-old deacon still serves 8 Masses a week
Centenarian of Faith: 100-Year-Old Deacon Still Serves 8 Masses a WeekARMSTRONG: Woodrow Wilson was president, people drove their Model Ts to see Charlie Chaplin movies, and World War I had just ended when Deacon Lawrence Girard was born on Nov. 21, 1918. Since his birth a century ago, the world has not slowed down, and neither has he — or at least not much for a century-old deacon.
Deacon Girard serves eight Masses a week at St. Sebastian Church in Dearborn Heights, Michigan — one a day and two on Sundays — reading the Gospel and intentions and helping distribute Holy Communion. According to his pastor, Father Walter Ptak, “He’s not only 100, but he is full of life and so active.”
Deacon Girard serves eight Masses a week at St. Sebastian Church in Dearborn Heights, Michigan — one a day and two on Sundays — reading the Gospel and intentions and helping distribute Holy Communion. According to his pastor, Father Walter Ptak, “He’s not only 100, but he is full of life and so active.”
Pope says he is against making priestly celibacy optional in the Latin rite
Pope says he is against making priestly celibacy optional in the Latin rite: Pope Francis said Monday he is opposed to the idea of optional priestly celibacy in the Latin rite, and he would consider it only for very remote places if a serious need existed. “Personally, I think that celibacy is a gift to the Church,” the pope said Jan. 28. “I would say that I do not agree with allowing optional celibacy, no.” Speaking aboard the papal plane from Panama to Rome, Pope Francis said he does think there is room to consider an exceptions for married clergy in the Latin rite in “very far places” “when there is a pastoral necessity” due to a lack of priests, such as in the Pacific islands.
God can bring wonders from our limitations
God Can Bring Wonders From Our LimitationsBECKER: Earlier in January, as the Christmas season progressed, we heard from the First Letter of John during the weekday Mass readings. One morning, out of curiosity, I grabbed a handy New American Bible at home to refresh my memory about the Epistle’s backstory. I read the Introduction, and then, my curiosity further stirred, I turned to the Introduction for the Second Letter of John. “Written in response to similar problems,” it began, “the Second and Third Letters of John are of the same length, perhaps determined by the practical consideration of the writing space on one piece of papyrus” (emphasis added).
5 remedies for anxiety and sadness from St. Thomas Aquinas
Five Remedies for Sorrow from St. Thomas Aquinas - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: One doesn’t usually go to the St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica for advice on emotional matters. But for the feast of St. Thomas we shall indeed go there to seek advice on sorrow and consider some of St. Thomas’ remedies for it. His advice is contained primarily in the Prima Secundae questions 35 – 37.
St. Thomas follows some of the Eastern fathers in naming four kinds of sorrow: anxiety, torpor, pity, and envy. Let’s look at each before examining some of the remedies he suggests...
St. Thomas follows some of the Eastern fathers in naming four kinds of sorrow: anxiety, torpor, pity, and envy. Let’s look at each before examining some of the remedies he suggests...
Sunday, January 27, 2019
At World Youth Day closing Mass, Pope says youth are the ‘now’ of God
At WYD Closing Mass, Francis Says Youth Are the ‘Now’ of God: Serving God and his mission is not a passing thing, but can and should be pursued in the present, with one’s entire life, Pope Francis said Sunday at the closing Mass for World Youth Day in Panama City.
“Brothers and sisters, the Lord and his mission are not a ‘meantime’ in our life, something temporary; they are our life!” the pope said Jan. 27. “Not tomorrow but now, for wherever your treasure is, there will your heart also be.”
Jesus “wants to be our treasure, because he is not a ‘meantime,’ an interval in life or a passing fad; he is generous love that invites us to entrust ourselves,” he continued. “You, dear young people, are not the future but the now of God.”
“Brothers and sisters, the Lord and his mission are not a ‘meantime’ in our life, something temporary; they are our life!” the pope said Jan. 27. “Not tomorrow but now, for wherever your treasure is, there will your heart also be.”
Jesus “wants to be our treasure, because he is not a ‘meantime,’ an interval in life or a passing fad; he is generous love that invites us to entrust ourselves,” he continued. “You, dear young people, are not the future but the now of God.”
Death toll in bombing of southern Philippines cathedral rises to 27
Death toll in Jolo cathedral twin bombing rises to 27 | Philstar.com: At least 27 people were killed when two bombs hit a cathedral in Jolo, Sulu, a stronghold of Islamist militants, the military said Sunday, days after voters backed the creation of a new Muslim autonomous region.
The first explosion occurred inside the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at around 8:15 a.m. when mass was about to begin.
It was followed by a second explosion at the cathedral's parking area as troops from the 35th Infantry Battalion responded. The Western Mindanao Command said the improvised explosive device was placed inside the utility box of a motorcycle.
The first explosion occurred inside the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at around 8:15 a.m. when mass was about to begin.
It was followed by a second explosion at the cathedral's parking area as troops from the 35th Infantry Battalion responded. The Western Mindanao Command said the improvised explosive device was placed inside the utility box of a motorcycle.
At prayer vigil with youth, Pope goes full-on hipster and techie
At prayer vigil with youth, pope goes full-on hipster and techieSANMARTIN: Though the sloth is considered one of Panama’s national animals, no one could accuse Pope Francis of being one this week during his visit to this Central American country, which now included a four-hour long vigil on Saturday where he broke out into hipster language, using words such as “app,” “influencer,” “cloud,” and “tutorial.”
He also told the thousands gathered that God loves everyone, with their sins and imperfections, and that salvation comes through this love. The worst fall, Francis said, the one that “can ruin our lives, is to remain down and not allow ourselves to be helped up.”
He also told the thousands gathered that God loves everyone, with their sins and imperfections, and that salvation comes through this love. The worst fall, Francis said, the one that “can ruin our lives, is to remain down and not allow ourselves to be helped up.”
Saturday, January 26, 2019
19 dead as bombs target cathedral in southern Philippines
19 dead as bombs target cathedral in southern Philippines: Two bombs exploded outside a Catholic cathedral on a southern Philippine island where Muslim militants are active, killing at least 19 people and wounding nearly 50 during a Sunday Mass, officials said.
The first bomb went off in or near the Jolo cathedral in the provincial capital, followed by a second blast outside the compound as government forces were responding to the attack, security officials said.
Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde said that at least 19 people died and 48 were wounded. Police and military reports said the casualties included both troops and civilians.
The first bomb went off in or near the Jolo cathedral in the provincial capital, followed by a second blast outside the compound as government forces were responding to the attack, security officials said.
Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde said that at least 19 people died and 48 were wounded. Police and military reports said the casualties included both troops and civilians.
Here’s why you can’t tickle yourself
Here's why you can't tickle yourself | Popular Science: Run a hand down your forearm, or press your fingers together—now imagine someone else taking the same actions. The two sensations feel different, even though the touch is the same. The reason why makes intuitive sense: someone else is touching you, and you have no direct information about whether the touch will continue or change. It’s why most people can’t tickle themselves, because there’s no element of surprise. But a new study from researchers at Sweden’s Linköping University reveals that there’s more going on than suspense.
On the wonder of the Word of God – A homily for the 3rd Sunday of the Year
On the Wonder of the Word of God – A Homily for the 3rd Sunday of the Year - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: The Gospel for this Sunday is continued next week, so I will postpone its analysis until then. Instead, I will focus on the first reading, which is from Nehemiah chapter 8. It is a wonderful meditation on the glory and wonder of the Word of God, and it deserves our attention.
The background of the text is that in 587 B.C., Israel had been conquered by the Babylonians and the survivors of the war led into exile in Babylon. After 80 years, the Persians conquered the Babylonians. Cyrus, the king of Persia, permitted the Jews to return to the Promised Land. Sadly, only a small number chose to return and rebuild the ruined land and city. Among them was Nehemiah, a Jew and a royal official, who led the small band back and oversaw the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
The background of the text is that in 587 B.C., Israel had been conquered by the Babylonians and the survivors of the war led into exile in Babylon. After 80 years, the Persians conquered the Babylonians. Cyrus, the king of Persia, permitted the Jews to return to the Promised Land. Sadly, only a small number chose to return and rebuild the ruined land and city. Among them was Nehemiah, a Jew and a royal official, who led the small band back and oversaw the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
What happens to our guardian angels after we die?
ASK FATHER: What happens to Guardian Angels after we die? | Fr. Z's BlogZUHLSDORF: Thanks for the question about angels. Angels are fantastic and fascinating. Yes, all the angels who exist, existed before material creation. When we profess that God created all that invisible, “unseen”, that means the angelic realm. There are two kinds of persons, created and uncreated. The uncreated Persons are obviously the three Persons of God, the Holy Trinity. The created persons are in two categories, those who are individuated in matter and those who are not. Because we human beings are individuated in matter, we all belong to one species, the human race. Because angels are not individuated in matter, each angel is his own species, as different from each other as alligators are from giraffes.
Steve Jobs never wanted us to use our iPhones like this
Opinion | Steve Jobs Never Wanted Us to Use Our iPhones Like This - The New York Times: Smartphones are our constant companions. For many of us, their glowing screens are a ubiquitous presence, drawing us in with endless diversions, like the warm ping of social approval delivered in the forms of likes and retweets, and the algorithmically amplified outrage of the latest “breaking” news or controversy. They’re in our hands, as soon as we wake, and command our attention until the final moments before we fall asleep.
Speak now when it matters, or forever shut up
Speak Now, or Forever Shut Up | The StreamMILLS: He’s preaching to young men who might be maimed or dead in three months. Leave the future in God’s hands because He’ll keep it anyway, says C. S. Lewis in that too little known sermon “Learning in War Time.” We can only do what we can do at the moment.
Lewis is not giving easy, armchair advice, that evening in 1941, preaching from the pulpit of Oxford’s university church. He had been wounded on the front in World War I himself. “Happy work is best done by the man who takes his long-term plans somewhat lightly and works from moment to moment ‘as to the Lord,’” he explains. “It is only our daily bread that we are encouraged to ask for. The present is the only time in which any duty can be done or any grace received.”
The present is also the only time when courage can be shown. You can only speak for someone who needs your help now, when he needs it, not tomorrow. Especially as tomorrow never comes. Or only rarely.
Lewis is not giving easy, armchair advice, that evening in 1941, preaching from the pulpit of Oxford’s university church. He had been wounded on the front in World War I himself. “Happy work is best done by the man who takes his long-term plans somewhat lightly and works from moment to moment ‘as to the Lord,’” he explains. “It is only our daily bread that we are encouraged to ask for. The present is the only time in which any duty can be done or any grace received.”
The present is also the only time when courage can be shown. You can only speak for someone who needs your help now, when he needs it, not tomorrow. Especially as tomorrow never comes. Or only rarely.
President Trump nominates deacon to U.S. Court of Appeals
President Trump nominates deacon to U.S. Court of Appeals | Deacon Greg KandraKANDRA: My friend and legal eagle Tom Zampino alerted me to this bit of news: President Trump this week nominated a deacon from the Diocese of Rockville Centre, Judge Joseph Bianco to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit. I’ve posted on Deacon Bianco in the past
Chinese priests abandon the ministry out of opposition to the Patriotic Association
CHINA – VATICAN Chinese priests abandon the ministry out of opposition to the Patriotic Association: According to Fr Peter, a priest who belongs to the official community, many fellow clergymen feel "betrayed" by the Vatican, especially after the interim agreement between Beijing and the Holy See on the appointment of bishops. The Patriotic Association (CPCA) is still working to set up a Church that is "independent" (from the Holy See). Its role should be addressed in future talks between Vatican and Chinese delegations.
“This is not fair; this is not just”: Covington bishop apologizes to Covington Catholic students
Covington Bishop Apologizes to Covington Catholic Students: Bishop Roger Foys of Covington, Kentucky, issued an apology Friday for a Jan. 19 diocesan statement that condemned the actions of some Covington Catholic High School students following a widely publicized incident after last week’s March for Life in Washington, D.C.
“We apologize to anyone who has been offended in any way by either of our statements, which were made with goodwill based on the information we had,” said Bishop Foys in the letter, which was addressed to the parents of Covington Catholic students.
“We apologize to anyone who has been offended in any way by either of our statements, which were made with goodwill based on the information we had,” said Bishop Foys in the letter, which was addressed to the parents of Covington Catholic students.
Friday, January 25, 2019
12 old-timey ways of saying “nonsense”
12 Old-Timey Ways of Saying “Nonsense” | Mental Floss: Balderdash. Codswallop. Bunkum. Poppycock. The English language has dozens of weird ways of calling out someone for talking utter rubbish—and these aren’t even the strangest. But as ridiculous-sounding as some of these words are, they all still have their own histories and etymologies behind them. Balderdash is thought to have once been a mixture of frothy liquors, or the foamy water used by a barber to shave a customer. Codswallop was probably originally a nickname for poor-quality beer, perhaps named after bottle manufacturer Hiram Codd. Bunkum comes from a pointless speech given by the Congressman for Buncombe County, North Carolina, in 1820. And poppycock either comes from a Dutch dialect word for “soft poop,” or from the old Dutch expression zo fijn als gemalen poppekak—literally “as fine as powdered doll’s excrement.” (No, really.)
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Tennessee bishop: If I were in New York, ‘I would excommunicate Cuomo’
Tennessee bishop: I would excommunicate Cuomo : News Headlines | Catholic Culture: Bishop Rick Stika of Knoxville, Tennessee, said on his Twitter account that he would excommunicate a governor who supported legislation similar to the bill recently enacted in New York, and he “might do it for any Catholic legislator under my jurisdiction who voted for the bill.” The bishop’s Twitter remark appeared as the Washington Post carried an account of Catholics demanding the excommunication of New York’s Governor Cuomo.
Catholics call for New York’s Gov. Cuomo to be excommunicated for his abortion policy
Catholics want New York’s Gov. Cuomo to be excommunicated for his abortion policy - The Washington Post: After New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed into law Tuesday one of the most expansive abortion rights bills in U.S. history, some prominent Catholics have urged Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York to declare Cuomo excommunicated.
Jesus proclaims the Jubilee: The 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
The Sacred Page: Jesus Proclaims the Jubilee: The 3rd Sunday of OTBERGSMA: The past three Sundays have focused on the three early “manifestations” or “epiphanies” of Jesus’ divine nature recorded in the Gospels: the Visit of the Magi, the Baptism, and the Wedding at Cana. Now the Lectionary “settles in” to Ordinary Time, which this year involves reading through the Gospel of Luke. This Sunday, we pick up the introduction to Luke’s Gospel (Lk 1:1-4), but then skip to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry (Luke 4:14-21) because we’ve already heard all the accounts of Jesus’ childhood and early life (Luke 1–3) during Advent, Christmas and Epiphany.
Many titles of Christ from Scripture
Many Titles of Christ from Scripture - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: There are many, many different titles of Christ in both the New and Old Testaments. If one studies them carefully, they can provide a “mini-catechesis” of the Lord Jesus.
Presented below are more than 150 different titles of Christ. For each title, I have included a link to the Scripture from which it was drawn. The list was compiled from various sources, but most come from The Catholic Source Book, which was compiled and edited by Fr. Peter Klein. In addition, some years ago my readers helped me to expand the list to its current state.
Presented below are more than 150 different titles of Christ. For each title, I have included a link to the Scripture from which it was drawn. The list was compiled from various sources, but most come from The Catholic Source Book, which was compiled and edited by Fr. Peter Klein. In addition, some years ago my readers helped me to expand the list to its current state.
There’s a real pleasure in sharing a story with a friend
Good Books, Community, and Real Investment of Time | Word on FireLIBRESCO: I’ve been a part of three long-haul book clubs so far: Middlemarch, Kristin Lavransdatter, and (presently) The Brothers Karamazov. Together with a group of anywhere from six to forty friends (and friends of friends) we’ve been working through these classics over five or six months. We set up a group on Facebook, so we can discuss as we read (always careful not to touch on plot beyond this week’s section).
Thursday, January 24, 2019
The media botched the Covington Catholic story — and the damage to their credibility will be lasting [language warning]
The Media Must Learn From the Covington Catholic Story - The Atlantic: On Friday, January 18, a group of white teenage boys wearing maga hats mobbed an elderly Native American man on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, chanting “Make America great again,” menacing him, and taunting him in racially motivated ways. It is the kind of thing that happens every day—possibly every hour—in Donald Trump’s America. But this time there was proof: a video. Was it problematic that it offered no evidence that these things had happened? No. What mattered was that it had happened, and that there was video to prove it. The fact of there being a video became stronger than the video itself.
Do women regret giving birth when the baby is doomed to die?
Do Women Regret Giving Birth When the Baby is Doomed to Die? - Public DiscourseKACZOR: Imagine you go in for what you think is a routine ultrasound exam. With a grim face, the doctor says, “I’m so sorry to have to tell you this about the pregnancy. We ran several tests, and unfortunately, a fatal condition has been diagnosed and confirmed. There is a medical certainty that this child will die a month or two after birth, if not sooner. We can schedule a termination for you on Tuesday morning.”
If you want to be a great evangelist, you have to be a saint
To Be A Great Saint You Must Evangelize! - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: If you want the TLDR (too long didn’t read) version of this story - if you want to be a saint, then become a great evangelist and if you want to be a great evangelist, you have to be a saint. Holiness and mission are inseparable. Now, if you want the longer version, continue reading.
I got the evangelization bug as a young adult. Right after my initial conversion, I thought I was going to go out, tell my story, and then everyone I knew was going to follow Jesus out of sheer momentum.
I got the evangelization bug as a young adult. Right after my initial conversion, I thought I was going to go out, tell my story, and then everyone I knew was going to follow Jesus out of sheer momentum.
“The sheer inhumanity”: Prof. Robert George’s powerful response to viral video of lawmakers cheering abortion
"The Sheer Inhumanity": This Prof's Powerful Response to Viral Video of Lawmakers Cheering Abortion | ChurchPOP: Maybe you’ve already seen it? New York state recently passed legislation that expands access to abortion in that state – and there’s a video going viral of the lawmakers standing and actually cheering its passage.
Yes, cheering the fact that more children will be legally killed in their state (you can view the video below).
The video has inspired many strong reactions from pro-lifers, including Dr. Robert P. George, law professor at Princeton and well-known Catholic.
“Until a few minutes ago, I had never felt physically ill as a result of watching something on television,” he wrote on Facebook. “But the video footage of New York legislators applauding and cheering the monstrous late-term abortion bill they passed yesterday on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade literally nauseated me.”
Yes, cheering the fact that more children will be legally killed in their state (you can view the video below).
The video has inspired many strong reactions from pro-lifers, including Dr. Robert P. George, law professor at Princeton and well-known Catholic.
“Until a few minutes ago, I had never felt physically ill as a result of watching something on television,” he wrote on Facebook. “But the video footage of New York legislators applauding and cheering the monstrous late-term abortion bill they passed yesterday on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade literally nauseated me.”
From Msgr. Pope’s lips to the bishops’ ears
From Msgr Pope’s lips to the bishops’ ears | In the Light of the LawEDPETERS: Msgr. Charles Pope, on no one’s Top Ten List of Catholic Hot-Heads, captures the sense of faithful Catholics everywhere when he writes, regarding the major role that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo played in pushing, signing, and celebrating that state’s new, gruesome abortion law, that Cuomo-qua-Catholic must now face ecclesiastical consequences for his egregious actions. Pope acknowledges, though, that he is not a canon lawyer and seems implicitly to ask for input from those who are regarding possible consequences. My thoughts follow.
Pope Francis: Panama will be ‘hub of hope’ during World Youth Day
Pope Francis: Panama Is ‘Hub of Hope’ During World Youth Day: Upon arriving in Panama for World Youth Day 2019, Pope Francis met with politicians, diplomats and civil society leaders, extending a message of hope for “a more humane world.”
“In these days, Panama … will turn into a hub of hope,” Pope Francis told leaders gathered outside Panama City’s Bolivar Palace Jan. 24.
“Young people demand a commitment in which all — beginning with those of us who call ourselves Christians — have the audacity to build an authentically human politics that makes the person the center and heart of everything,” he said.
In his first public appearance since his arrival in Panama, Pope Francis emphasized that “it is possible to defend the common good above the interests of a few or for few only when there is a firm decision to share with justice one’s goods.”
“In these days, Panama … will turn into a hub of hope,” Pope Francis told leaders gathered outside Panama City’s Bolivar Palace Jan. 24.
“Young people demand a commitment in which all — beginning with those of us who call ourselves Christians — have the audacity to build an authentically human politics that makes the person the center and heart of everything,” he said.
In his first public appearance since his arrival in Panama, Pope Francis emphasized that “it is possible to defend the common good above the interests of a few or for few only when there is a firm decision to share with justice one’s goods.”
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
Catholic abortion supporters like N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo must face Church penalties
sCatholic Abortion Supporters Like Cuomo Must Face PenaltiesPOPE: There comes a time when something is so egregious and boldly sinful that it must be met with strong ecclesial and canonical penalties and remedies. We have certainly seen this in the Church with the McCarrick case, and other matters and scandals of a similar nature. And, as we have seen, too often these matters were not dealt with forthrightly and promptly — or in some cases, at all.
A similar situation has set up in New York where one of the most permissive and callous state abortion laws was not only passed, but was also greeted with applause by the New York state senators as it passed.
A similar situation has set up in New York where one of the most permissive and callous state abortion laws was not only passed, but was also greeted with applause by the New York state senators as it passed.
Who was Melchizedek?
Who Was Melchizedek? - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: Who was Melchizedek? Abraham paid tithes to him—something that rightly belongs to God—so he must have been pretty important!
From a worldly point of view, Melchizedek was the king of Salem (later called Jerusalem). Not only was he a king, but he was a priest who worshiped “The Most High God” (EL-ELYON). Although some claim that this likely was a Canaanite God, at this point early in revelation the later textual distinctions and names for God were not yet as clear.
From a secular point of view, we see that Melchizedek, even if he was a Canaanite Priest-King, honored Abraham for his conquests.
From a worldly point of view, Melchizedek was the king of Salem (later called Jerusalem). Not only was he a king, but he was a priest who worshiped “The Most High God” (EL-ELYON). Although some claim that this likely was a Canaanite God, at this point early in revelation the later textual distinctions and names for God were not yet as clear.
From a secular point of view, we see that Melchizedek, even if he was a Canaanite Priest-King, honored Abraham for his conquests.
Earth-Moon-Mars distances to scale, at light speed...
New Advent: Earth-Moon-Mars distances to scale, at light speed...: This is the distance between Earth, the Moon and Mars with the correct distances but with Earth, Moon and Mars 20 times bigger (so you can see them)...
The case of the disappearing cardinals
The Case of the ‘Disappearing’ CardinalsDESOUZA: That it happened so quickly and so smoothly does not make it any less remarkable.
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the apostolic administrator of Washington, was not the main celebrant at the largest Mass on the calendar of the archdiocese, the “Mass for Life,” held on the morning of the March for Life at an arena where some 20,000 young people gathered. Cardinal Wuerl had been the main celebrant of the Mass for years.
But on the Tuesday before Friday’s Mass, Cardinal Wuerl wrote to the priests of Washington explaining that when he had repeatedly denied that he had even “heard rumors” about Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, he had not “intended to be imprecise,” but had simply forgotten that he had reported allegations against the cardinal to the apostolic nunciature in 2004.
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the apostolic administrator of Washington, was not the main celebrant at the largest Mass on the calendar of the archdiocese, the “Mass for Life,” held on the morning of the March for Life at an arena where some 20,000 young people gathered. Cardinal Wuerl had been the main celebrant of the Mass for years.
But on the Tuesday before Friday’s Mass, Cardinal Wuerl wrote to the priests of Washington explaining that when he had repeatedly denied that he had even “heard rumors” about Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, he had not “intended to be imprecise,” but had simply forgotten that he had reported allegations against the cardinal to the apostolic nunciature in 2004.
The cause of Christ is ever in its last agony
The Cause of Christ is Ever in its Last AgonyRUTLER: The nineteenth-century churchman John Henry Newman has shaped many of my views and how to apply them. With the credit of a second miracle to his intercession, it is likely that he will be canonized in short order.
Our culture as a whole is conflicted about the course of events and moral failing in dealing with them, and this is glaringly so in the Church, which is made by God to be a beacon and ballast for all people. Newman reminds us in one of his letters (Vol. XXV, p. 204) not to be surprised by this, as it fits the predictable strategy of the Anti-Christ: “Where you have power, you will have the abuse of power—and the more absolute, the stronger, the more sacred the power, the greater and more certain will be its abuse.”
Our culture as a whole is conflicted about the course of events and moral failing in dealing with them, and this is glaringly so in the Church, which is made by God to be a beacon and ballast for all people. Newman reminds us in one of his letters (Vol. XXV, p. 204) not to be surprised by this, as it fits the predictable strategy of the Anti-Christ: “Where you have power, you will have the abuse of power—and the more absolute, the stronger, the more sacred the power, the greater and more certain will be its abuse.”
A poem and a piano: Robert Louis Stevenson’s gifts to Sister Marianne Cope
A Poem and a Piano: Robert Louis Stevenson's Gifts to Sister Marianne CopeSCHIFFER: Life was bleak for people with leprosy at the Branch Hospital in Kakaako, Oahu, in the mid-1800s. Many were far advanced in the disease – with blinded eyes, parts of faces eaten away, leaving gaping holes where their noses had been. Many had lost fingers and toes; their hands were contracted into claws, and their legs ended in painful stumps. The hospital had been built to house 100 patients, but more than 200 were squeezed into the rooms under deplorable conditions.
Intrinsic evil: Some things are just plain wrong
Intrinsic Evil: Some Things Are Just Plain WrongAKIN: Fallen human beings are really good at rationalizing. All of us are. We find ingenious ways of telling ourselves that things we want to do are really okay, even when they’re not.
One of our favorite tools is appealing to the fact that we have a good end in view. This kind of rationalization is often used to justify abortion and contraception. Couples will say that these are justified because it “isn’t the right time” to have a baby.
And they may be right about that. There are many reasons why a given couple shouldn’t have a baby — e.g., they’re not married; it would jeopardize the mother’s life or health; it would involve severe hardship.
One of our favorite tools is appealing to the fact that we have a good end in view. This kind of rationalization is often used to justify abortion and contraception. Couples will say that these are justified because it “isn’t the right time” to have a baby.
And they may be right about that. There are many reasons why a given couple shouldn’t have a baby — e.g., they’re not married; it would jeopardize the mother’s life or health; it would involve severe hardship.
World Youth Day kicks off in Panama with message: ‘Have the courage to be saints’
World Youth Day kicks off with message: Have the courage to be saints: At the opening Mass of World Youth Day 2019, Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta of Panama told young people from across the globe that a life of holiness is really possible, with the help of God’s grace.
“The Church is looking forward to this springtime of young people. We have confidence in you, we expect a lot from you, because we are fully convinced that...the changes and transformations that humanity and the Church require are in your hands,” he said.
“The Church is looking forward to this springtime of young people. We have confidence in you, we expect a lot from you, because we are fully convinced that...the changes and transformations that humanity and the Church require are in your hands,” he said.
Basilica confirms Nathan Phillips protest attempted Mass disruption
Basilica confirms Nathan Phillips protest attempted Mass disruption: The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception has confirmed that protesters led by the Native American activist Nathan Phillips attempted to disrupt the celebration of Mass on the evening of Jan. 20.
New Oxford Review’s Dale Vree was a true Catholic contrarian
Made in LA: A Catholic contrarian - Angelus News - Multimedia Catholic NewsERLANDSON: Dale Vree was not your typical Catholic.
A Marxist who at one point moved to East Germany looking for a worker’s paradise but found Christ instead, he became the editor of a Christian journal that was both bracingly orthodox in its doctrine and for much of its time social democratic in its economics.
He was an intellectual with a working-class scorn of many intellectuals, a tobacco-chewing Raiders fan who wrote a book called “On Synthesizing Marxism and Christianity.” Of course, he was from California.
A Marxist who at one point moved to East Germany looking for a worker’s paradise but found Christ instead, he became the editor of a Christian journal that was both bracingly orthodox in its doctrine and for much of its time social democratic in its economics.
He was an intellectual with a working-class scorn of many intellectuals, a tobacco-chewing Raiders fan who wrote a book called “On Synthesizing Marxism and Christianity.” Of course, he was from California.
A nod to the World Youth Day you won’t hear about in Panama
A nod to the World Youth Day you won't hear about in PanamaALLEN: Pope Francis heads for Panama today to celebrate World Youth Day, the global Catholic youth festival launched by St. Pope John Paul II in 1986. Given his experience working with young people in his native Poland, John Paul had a sort of “Field of Dreams” intuition that if you build it, they will come … and come they have, in the millions, every two or three years for more than three decades now.
Of course, most people won’t be in Panama, so to the extent they have any sense of what’s going on it will be through the press.
Of course, most people won’t be in Panama, so to the extent they have any sense of what’s going on it will be through the press.
Great moral capital is being squandered, in a world that desperately needs a moral compass
Squandering moral capital - Denver CatholicWEIGEL: The morality of tyrannicide is not much discussed in today’s kinder, gentler Catholic Church. Yet that difficult subject once engaged some of Catholicism’s finest minds, including Thomas Aquinas and Francisco Suárez, and it was passionately debated during the Second World War by German officers — many of them devout Christians — who were pondering the assassination of Adolf Hitler.
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
‘Christian’ abortionist lectures at Georgetown
‘Christian’ Abortionist Lectures at GeorgetownREILLY: Last Wednesday—as pro-lifers from around the country began pouring into Washington, D.C., for the annual March for Life, including thousands of Catholic high school students and college students—Georgetown University hosted a lecture by abortionist Willie Parker.
According to College Fix, the event was co-sponsored by H*yas for Choice, a pro-abortion student club that Georgetown does not officially recognize but nevertheless gives almost free rein on campus. It was also sponsored by the University’s officially recognized Lecture Fund and College Democrats.
According to College Fix, the event was co-sponsored by H*yas for Choice, a pro-abortion student club that Georgetown does not officially recognize but nevertheless gives almost free rein on campus. It was also sponsored by the University’s officially recognized Lecture Fund and College Democrats.
More questions surface regarding Argentinian bishop appointed to Vatican post
More Questions Surface Regarding Argentinian Bishop Appointed to Vatican PostPENTIN: The Vatican has reiterated an earlier statement in which it said it did not know until fall 2018 about sexual abuse and other misconduct allegedly perpetrated by an Argentine bishop close to Pope Francis, who was appointed to a Vatican post in 2017 after resigning from his Argentinian diocese.
In a short communiqué issued Jan. 22, Holy See spokesman Alessandro Gisotti criticized “some misleading reconstructions” about the case of Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta, adding that he “resolutely” repeated what he had said in a statement issued Jan. 4.
In a short communiqué issued Jan. 22, Holy See spokesman Alessandro Gisotti criticized “some misleading reconstructions” about the case of Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta, adding that he “resolutely” repeated what he had said in a statement issued Jan. 4.
After Covington Catholic controversy, Nathan Phillips rally attempted to disrupt basilica Mass, security guard says
After Covington Catholic controversy, Nathan Phillips rally attempted to disrupt basilica Mass: While chanting and playing ceremonial drums, a group of Native American rights activists reportedly led by Nathan Phillips attempted Jan. 19 to enter Washington, D.C.’s Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception during a Saturday evening Mass.
The group of 20 demonstrators was stopped by shrine security as it tried to enter the church during its 5:15 pm Vigil Mass, according to a shrine security guard on duty during the Mass.
The group of 20 demonstrators was stopped by shrine security as it tried to enter the church during its 5:15 pm Vigil Mass, according to a shrine security guard on duty during the Mass.
“I failed the Covington Catholic Test. Next time there’s a viral story, I’ll wait for more facts to emerge...”
Julie Irwin Zimmerman: I Failed the Covington Catholic Test - The Atlantic: Like many people who spend too much time on Twitter, I watched with indignation Saturday morning as stories began appearing about a confrontation near the Lincoln Memorial between students from Covington Catholic High School and American Indians from the Indigenous Peoples March. The story felt personal to me; I live a few miles from the high school, and my son attends a nearby all-boys Catholic high school. I texted him right away, ready with a lesson on what the students had done wrong.
News in an age of rage tweets: Who needs to repent, after the Covington Catholic acid storm?
News in an age of rage tweets: Who needs to repent, after the Covington Catholic acid storm? — GetReligionMATTINGLY: As this past weekend’s March for Life controversy began to escalate, I did what legions of other journalists and pundits did — I aimed a tweet at the young men of Covington Catholic High School and their leaders.
It was a rather mild tweet, as these things go. I said: “We can hope the young men repent and change. #MarchForLife holds out hope for repentance and healing.”
Later on, I also said that I thought it was time for politicians to take a lower profile at this annual pro-life event. I’m OK, with political leaders marching, but I’m worried about the high-profile speeches.
It was a rather mild tweet, as these things go. I said: “We can hope the young men repent and change. #MarchForLife holds out hope for repentance and healing.”
Later on, I also said that I thought it was time for politicians to take a lower profile at this annual pro-life event. I’m OK, with political leaders marching, but I’m worried about the high-profile speeches.
Sanctity under fire: Fr. Willie Doyle and the rest of us
Sanctity under fire: Fr. Willie Doyle and the rest of us | Catholic CultureMIRUS: Sometimes we benefit from practical examples of how to grow in holiness. That’s why we turn to the lives of the saints. But one drawback is that so many of those who are canonized followed particular paths of life to which the vast majority of us are not called. A gap in understanding arises between the commitment represented by an extraordinary vocation, on the one hand, and the spiritual dispositions and hard-won habits which are the keys to holiness, on the other.
12 (or so) things that caught my eye at the March for Life 2019
Twelve (or So) Things that Caught My Eye at the March for Life 2019 | National ReviewLOPEZ: On today — what some of us call the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children — a few people and signs that caught my eye on Friday at the March for Life... The painful reality... Not a statistic, not a theoretical debate... The pro-life generation... So many families... They walked even if it wasn't easy... Some call themselves feminists, reclaiming a word...
When Planned Parenthood bullies try to push your buttons
When Planned Parenthood Bullies Try to Push Your Buttons | The StreamMILLS: He’s a very nice guy, Peter Wolfgang. And a lot more patient than I am. Which is good, because when they have to deal with him, pro-choicers act like the jerk in the third grade who keeps flicking the back of your ear.
You may remember what happens. I do. You bear it patiently. You’re not going to complain to the teacher. That’s against the code. So you put up with it. He flicks. He flicks again. And then … you turn around and deck the jerk.
Your teacher freaks. To the principal’s office you go. The teacher knows you don’t randomly deck students. She knows the kid behind you provoked you into it. But you’re the one in trouble. You got caught, he didn’t.
You may remember what happens. I do. You bear it patiently. You’re not going to complain to the teacher. That’s against the code. So you put up with it. He flicks. He flicks again. And then … you turn around and deck the jerk.
Your teacher freaks. To the principal’s office you go. The teacher knows you don’t randomly deck students. She knows the kid behind you provoked you into it. But you’re the one in trouble. You got caught, he didn’t.
What is time?
What Is Time? - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: So often in funerals I hear proclaimed the familiar lines from the Book of Ecclesiastes, which speaks to the great mystery we call time; more on its text, in a moment.
If I were to ask you to define time, could you do it in a way that really satisfies? For example, some have defined as “the measure of change.” Well, OK, but that doesn’t satisfy, does it? Ultimately time is deeply mysterious; our attempts to nail it down in words betray its depths more so than reveal it.
The ancient Greeks had at least three different words for time...
If I were to ask you to define time, could you do it in a way that really satisfies? For example, some have defined as “the measure of change.” Well, OK, but that doesn’t satisfy, does it? Ultimately time is deeply mysterious; our attempts to nail it down in words betray its depths more so than reveal it.
The ancient Greeks had at least three different words for time...
Inside a Brazilian chapel made out of wine
Inside a Brazilian Chapel Made Out of Wine - Gastro Obscura: Within the state of Rio Grande do Sul, at the southernmost tip of Brazil, is the Vale dos Vinhedos: the Valley of Vineyards. With its landscape of rolling green hillsides dotted with family farms, the vista could easily be mistaken for Tuscany. The state produces 90 percent of the nation’s wine, with more than 30 wineries in the Vale dos Vinhedos alone. At the heart of this community stands a chapel called the Capela Nossa Senhora das Neves, or the chapel of Our Lady of the Snow. Though small and unassuming, this building is distinguished in a particularly appropriate way: It was constructed out of wine.
The devil, a protagonist throughout the millennia, has clearly upped his game
Civilization in CrisisSTEELE: As future Pope Karol Wojtyla prophesied when visiting the United States in 1976, “We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-Church, between the Gospel and the anti-Gospel, between Christ and the anti-Christ.” He said this when delivering a bicentennial address at the Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia. If I take a tally of early 2019, it’s clear to me that Pope Saint John Paul II was quite the prophesier. More on that in a minute.
Notre Dame to cover prominent murals of Christopher Columbus
Notre Dame to cover prominent Columbus murals: A series of murals depicting Christopher Columbus' life and exploration displayed at the University of Notre Dame will be covered up, the university's president announced Sunday.
“Painted in 1882-84 … they reflect the attitudes of the time and were intended as a didactic presentation, responding to cultural challenges for the school’s largely immigrant, Catholic population,” Fr. John Jenkins, C.S.C., wrote in his Jan. 20 letter announcing the decision.
“In recent years, however, many have come to see the murals as at best blind to the consequences of Columbus’s voyage for the indigenous peoples who inhabited this 'new' world and at worst demeaning toward them.”
“Painted in 1882-84 … they reflect the attitudes of the time and were intended as a didactic presentation, responding to cultural challenges for the school’s largely immigrant, Catholic population,” Fr. John Jenkins, C.S.C., wrote in his Jan. 20 letter announcing the decision.
“In recent years, however, many have come to see the murals as at best blind to the consequences of Columbus’s voyage for the indigenous peoples who inhabited this 'new' world and at worst demeaning toward them.”
Monday, January 21, 2019
What I tell my altar servers
What I Tell My Altar Servers – Fr. Dwight LongeneckerLONGENECKER: Boys, before we get down to particulars, I want you to know why we have altar servers at all. Do the deacons and I need you to bring the bread and the water and wine to the altar? No, we could do that ourselves. Do we need you to carry candles and the cross and hold the book? Not really. The priest is supposed to extend his hands in prayer, so he can’t hold the book, but we could just put it on the altar. Do we need you to ring the bell and turn the page and wash our hands? No. We could do all that without you.
Give your children back to Christ, through Mary
Giving Children Back to Christ Through Mary – Catholic East TexasTRASANCOS: Just like that, my husband and I were sitting in the pew alone. For over fifteen years we managed children during Mass, but suddenly one Sunday the girls were helping with their jobs and our youngest boy was assisting as an altar server. I could hear all those times other women said to me: “Oh honey, don’t worry about your babies making noise. Enjoy it! One day they will be grown and you will be alone longing for the chaotic days of their childhood.”
We have nuclear ships and subs. So why are there no nuclear airplanes?
Why There Are No Nuclear Airplanes - The Atlantic: The U.S. Navy recently asked Congress for $139 billion to update its fleet of nuclear-powered submarines. Unlike “conventional” submarines, which need to surface frequently, nuclear submarines can cruise below the sea at high speeds for decades without ever needing to refuel. Defense planners expect that the new submarines will run on one fueling for the entirety of deployment—up to a half century.
The Covington Catholic dust-up was a brief, weird situation. So why are we all talking about it?
What is truth? | Charlotte was BothWELBORN: Well, that was quite the weekend on the Internets, wasn’t it?
When the Covington Catholic photo flashed across one of my feeds, I freely admit that my first reaction was, “Expel him!” accompanied by several tweets/posts that mercifully existed only in my head.
And then... as it does... a fuller picture started emerging. As it does.
I won’t rehash the whole thing. I wasn’t really intending to add to the verbiage, either, but here I am. If you want to know where I stand on the sequence of events, check out Robby Soave’s piece at Reason. He captures most of my sense of it. I’ve watched other videos out there of the moment, which make one thing very clear to me: that initial narrative of “Boys in MAGA hats surround and taunt Native American protester” is false.
When the Covington Catholic photo flashed across one of my feeds, I freely admit that my first reaction was, “Expel him!” accompanied by several tweets/posts that mercifully existed only in my head.
And then... as it does... a fuller picture started emerging. As it does.
I won’t rehash the whole thing. I wasn’t really intending to add to the verbiage, either, but here I am. If you want to know where I stand on the sequence of events, check out Robby Soave’s piece at Reason. He captures most of my sense of it. I’ve watched other videos out there of the moment, which make one thing very clear to me: that initial narrative of “Boys in MAGA hats surround and taunt Native American protester” is false.
The time Bill Murray gave David Letterman a baptismal gown
The time Bill Murray gave David Letterman a christening gown: Bill Murray may not act much these days, but his off-screen antics have kept him in the public’s eye. The Ghostbusters actor has been known to pop up in the strangest places to do all sorts of things you’d never expect from a successful household name; like dropping in to a stranger’s bachelor party to give a toast or chauffeuring a taxi driver so he can practice the saxophone. The famed actor doesn’t take on many big roles in cinema anymore, but instead he has taken on the part of a community man.
A real look at the (notoriously under-reported) March for Life
Happy March for Life, Thanks to Young Marchers | National ReviewLOPEZ: “Happy March for Life!” More than a few people said that to me as I arrived here for the annual March for Life. The march is really a few days of events. And it’s weird, in a way. It’s in fact a protest of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions, which legalized abortion in all three trimesters of pregnancy and codified a war that cruelly and unnecessarily pitted women against their unborn children. It took the most natural thing in the world, pregnancy and birth, and inserted the most intimate violence into it. It’s a poison that is relentless. It touches probably just about everything, if you really start to consider it.
Martin Luther King Jr. stands firmly on the shoulders of Augustine and Aquinas
Martin Luther King Jr. Stands Firmly on the Shoulders of Augustine and AquinasSCHIFFER: Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., leader of the nonviolent Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and '60s, helped Americans to understand that while obedience to the law is important, one is not required to obey an unjust law. In his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” on April 16, 1963, he drew on the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas to explain the difference between just and unjust laws:
Lax news: Catholic teens, plus Native elder, plus Hebrew Israelites, equals volatile video mess
Lax news: Catholic teens, plus Native elder, plus Hebrew Israelites equals volatile video mess — GetReligionDUIN: No doubt the religion story of the month involved a feisty aftermath of Friday’s March for Life in Washington, D.C. where a group of Catholic high school kids from Kentucky, a handful of Black Hebrew Israelite protestors and Native American activists met on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
Black, Native, white: A perfect storm. What all three groups did or were alleged to have done during a two-hour period provoked a shrill media response on Saturday, resulting in a social media hatefest as local officials, their school and even their diocese immediately spoke out against the boys.
The digital attacks were so bad, the kids' Catholic school had to take down its website and Facebook page on Saturday afternoon.
Black, Native, white: A perfect storm. What all three groups did or were alleged to have done during a two-hour period provoked a shrill media response on Saturday, resulting in a social media hatefest as local officials, their school and even their diocese immediately spoke out against the boys.
The digital attacks were so bad, the kids' Catholic school had to take down its website and Facebook page on Saturday afternoon.
Panama, Vatican make final preparations for papal visit, World Youth Day this week
Pope visit to CentAm highlights church ministry to migrants: When Pope Francis visits Panama this week, he arrives not only as the first Latin American pontiff to visit Central America but as perhaps the world’s most prominent advocate for migrants at a time when migration has become a pressing political issue in the region and elsewhere.
The Argentine-born son of Italian immigrants has long held the issue dear to his heart and has signaled that it will be a central theme during the trip, which comes as the latest caravan of Central Americans is wending its way toward the U.S.-Mexico frontier and President Donald Trump’s promised border wall has led to the longest government shutdown in the country’s history.
The Argentine-born son of Italian immigrants has long held the issue dear to his heart and has signaled that it will be a central theme during the trip, which comes as the latest caravan of Central Americans is wending its way toward the U.S.-Mexico frontier and President Donald Trump’s promised border wall has led to the longest government shutdown in the country’s history.
Sunday, January 20, 2019
A reflection on a sermon of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., refuting atheistic materialism
A Reflection on a Sermon of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Refuting Atheistic Materialism - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose birthday we commemorate on Monday, is best known as a civil rights leader who worked to end racial injustice, but he had other things to say as he preached each Sunday, first in his own assembly and later as he spoke around the country.
Among his recorded sermons is one in which Dr. King addressed the problem of unbelief, of materialism and atheism. His reflections are well worth pondering today because the problem is even more widespread now than it was when he made these remarks in 1957. A complete transcript of the sermon is available here: The Man Who Was a Fool.
Among his recorded sermons is one in which Dr. King addressed the problem of unbelief, of materialism and atheism. His reflections are well worth pondering today because the problem is even more widespread now than it was when he made these remarks in 1957. A complete transcript of the sermon is available here: The Man Who Was a Fool.
Why is the night sky dark?
Why is the night sky dark? | Popular Science: You might have wondered why the sky is blue. Or what gives sunsets their brilliant red. These bright colors stick out in the natural world and beg for an explanation. But have you ever wondered why the night sky is black?
In search of non-toxic manhood
Opinion | In Search of Non-Toxic Manhood - The New York TimesDOUTHAT: One of the frustrating tics of our society’s progressive vanguard is the assumption that every evil it discovers was entirely invisible in the past, that this generation is the first to wrestle with dominance and cruelty.
This forgetting of human experience, this perpetual present-tenseness, pervades the latest flashpoint in the culture war over the sexes — the new guidelines for treating male pathology from the American Psychological Association.
This forgetting of human experience, this perpetual present-tenseness, pervades the latest flashpoint in the culture war over the sexes — the new guidelines for treating male pathology from the American Psychological Association.
There seems to be more to the Steubenville kerfuffle than meets the eye
The Likely Reason Prof. Lewis was Demoted by Steubenville - Crisis Magazine: It is hard to believe that Franciscan University at Steubenville demoted Stephen Lewis from his English Department chairmanship over a single porny book about the Blessed Mother that he assigned to students. You might suspect there was more to it than that, and so your mind turns to Lewis’s judgment over time and from there to Rebecca Bratten Weiss. Lewis probably exhibited other lapses in judgment, but his promotion of Weiss must be high on the list.
Where did Jesus’ first miracle really take place?
Where did Jesus’ first miracle really take place?ESPARZA: Cana is known for being the scene of Jesus’ first miracle, the changing of water into wine at a wedding feast (John 2:1-11). Some commentators claim the wedding might have possibly been that of a close relative of Jesus’ mother. As they ran out of wine, Mary turned to her Son to avoid any potential embarrassment. The Gospel says Jesus replied asking his mother “what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” But Mary persisted and Jesus turned six jars holding more than 550 liters of water (the equivalent of approximately 730 bottles) into fine wine.
There seems to be more to the Covington Catholic kerfuffle than meets the eye
The Catholic Bonfire At The Stake | The American ConservativeDREHER: Good morning from Dublin. It is really interesting to observe US public controversies from outside the American bubble. I am startled by the massive controversy that has erupted over the Covington (KY) Catholic school boys and the Native American man, Nathan Phillips, in the aftermath of the March For Life. Several video clips of the confrontation between an elder of the Omaha tribe and a large group of Catholic high school boys wearing MAGA hats have gone viral. Here’s a news story about the video, summing up the basics of the controversy.
Covington Catholic students at the Indigenous Peoples March: What we know
Covington Catholic students at the Indigenous Peoples March: What we know: Covington Catholic High School has said that students could be expelled after a video went viral, showing an incident where students who were in Washington D.C. for the March for Life interacted with indigenous marchers at a different event. Multiple videos have gained popularity, including a longer version that shows the start of the incident. Many people said the longer videos show that the students were initially provoked.
Covington Catholic, rage and civil war
Covington Catholic, Rage and Civil War – Fr. Dwight LongeneckerLONGENECKER: The incident with the boys from Covington Catholic at March for Life echoes ominously in our culture. It indicates the fragility of our society and the divisions that run deep in our country.
It reveals the levels of rage and blame in our society and there are several problems with what happened:
First of all, the mainstream media jumped on the story and promoted the anti-Catholic, anti-white, anti-right wing narrative. It’s hard not to do this in the age of instant news. It’s also difficult not to do this when the “evidence” is a video. However, we have since learned not only that pictures lie (they are easily manipulated with photoshop) but videos lie even more effectively. They lie not so much in what they show, but what they don’t show. When the “evidence” confirms your bias it is natural to want to publish it and shout it to the housetops. If you were a progressive, left wing secularist chances are you were already pretty annoyed at the mostly conservative, religious March for Life with its annual huge turnout. A video appears that seems to support your own bias? Shout it out.
It reveals the levels of rage and blame in our society and there are several problems with what happened:
First of all, the mainstream media jumped on the story and promoted the anti-Catholic, anti-white, anti-right wing narrative. It’s hard not to do this in the age of instant news. It’s also difficult not to do this when the “evidence” is a video. However, we have since learned not only that pictures lie (they are easily manipulated with photoshop) but videos lie even more effectively. They lie not so much in what they show, but what they don’t show. When the “evidence” confirms your bias it is natural to want to publish it and shout it to the housetops. If you were a progressive, left wing secularist chances are you were already pretty annoyed at the mostly conservative, religious March for Life with its annual huge turnout. A video appears that seems to support your own bias? Shout it out.
Why March for Life? “They’re only babies...”
Why March for Life? They're Only Babies...ZMIRAK: A right-wing atheist I knew at Yale liked to get under believers’ skins. At 22, he sported a prophet’s hipster John Brown beard. He taught some younger members of the Party of the Right to channel Nietzsche, swig bourbon, and target shoot beer bottles just off campus.
I thought him pernicious. As an angry Catholic culture warrior from Queens, I used to parry wits with him. Once in the men’s room, he posed a musing question: “Didn’t you ever wonder, if God really exists, why did he make [human solid waste] so smelly and gross?”
I thought him pernicious. As an angry Catholic culture warrior from Queens, I used to parry wits with him. Once in the men’s room, he posed a musing question: “Didn’t you ever wonder, if God really exists, why did he make [human solid waste] so smelly and gross?”
Watch the March for Life from beginning to end in a one-minute time lapse...
Amazing! Watch the March for Life from Beginning to End in a One-Minute Time Lapse! | ChurchPOP: Yesterday, hundreds of thousands stood up for the life in Washington, D.C. at the 46th annual March for Life.
This amazing event featured speakers such as Vice President Mike Pence, Second Lady Karen Pence, Ben Shapiro, Abby Johnson, Lila Rose, Dr. Alveda King, and many more!
Not only that, but hundreds of thousands of participants braved the freezing-cold weather to show our country that human life begins at conception and abortion should never be an option.
This amazing event featured speakers such as Vice President Mike Pence, Second Lady Karen Pence, Ben Shapiro, Abby Johnson, Lila Rose, Dr. Alveda King, and many more!
Not only that, but hundreds of thousands of participants braved the freezing-cold weather to show our country that human life begins at conception and abortion should never be an option.
Rumors of the death of detente with traditionalists may be exaggerated
Rumors of the death of detente with traditionalists may be exaggeratedALLEN: As expected, Pope Francis on Saturday formally abolished the “Ecclesia Dei” commission, ending its over thirty-year run as the Vatican’s primary forum for relations with the Society of St. Pius X, founded by the late French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, and the broader traditionalist galaxy in the Church.
First reported by a series of traditionalist blogs in December, the new move came in the form of a motu proprio, meaning a legal ruling by the pope, decreeing that from here on relations with the society will be handled directly by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which will also absorb the commission’s modest budget.
First reported by a series of traditionalist blogs in December, the new move came in the form of a motu proprio, meaning a legal ruling by the pope, decreeing that from here on relations with the society will be handled directly by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which will also absorb the commission’s modest budget.
The readings for this Lord’s Day highlight Jesus as our spiritual bridegroom
The Sacred Page: The Bridegroom Revealed: The 2nd Sunday of OTBERGSMA: This Sunday we remain in the afterglow of Epiphany, the celebration of the “manifestation” of Jesus’ divine glory. [Greek epi – phaino = “shine upon” = “reveal, manifest.”] Epiphany, which once was its own season (like Advent or Christmas), has often been associated with three events from the Gospels: the Magi, the Baptism, and the Wedding at Cana. These are the first events that reveal or “manifest” Jesus’ glory in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John, respectively. Certain well-known Epiphany hymns (e.g. “Songs of Thankfulness and Praise”) make reference to all three events, and in antiquity the celebration of all three was clustered around January 6 in many rites. Eventually, the different rites separated out the liturgical celebration of the different events and placed them on separate days.
Biblical basics about Mother Mary
Biblical Basics about Mother Mary – A Homily for the Second Sunday of the Year - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: In this Sunday’s Gospel passage of the wedding feast at Cana, there is a theological portrait of both Mother Mary and prayer. Let’s look at the Gospel along five lines: The place that Mary has, the prayer she makes, the portrait of Mary, and the power and product of her prayer.
Vatican knew about Bishop Zanchetta’s “obscene” selfies in 2015, say Argentine Church officials
AP Exclusive: Vatican knew of Argentine bishop misconduct: The Vatican received information in 2015 and 2017 that an Argentine bishop close to Pope Francis had taken naked selfies, exhibited “obscene” behavior and had been accused of misconduct with seminarians, his former vicar general told The Associated Press, undermining Vatican claims that allegations of sexual abuse were only made a few months ago.
Saturday, January 19, 2019
The age of deference by bishops toward the Holy Father has taken a decisive turn
Sexual Abuse and the End of Papal DeferenceDESOUZA: As depicted in the television series The Crown, a member of the House of Lords publicly criticizes the Queen’s old-fashioned and “priggish” ways as out of keeping with a “new” Britain. In a bit of creative license, the Queen meets secretly with Lord Altrincham to seek his counsel. What is it that has changed? What is part of the old Britain that no longer holds?
“The age of deference, Ma’am,” Lord Altrincham replies, speaking in 1957.
That may well describe what is going on now in regard to the Supreme Pontiff and bishops, driven by the handling of sexual-abuse scandals by Pope Francis. The extraordinary visit of the leadership of the Chilean episcopate to Rome this week indicated that.
“The age of deference, Ma’am,” Lord Altrincham replies, speaking in 1957.
That may well describe what is going on now in regard to the Supreme Pontiff and bishops, driven by the handling of sexual-abuse scandals by Pope Francis. The extraordinary visit of the leadership of the Chilean episcopate to Rome this week indicated that.
Former athlete Katrina Gallic found strength in her paralysis — and call to join the March for Life
Former Athlete Found Strength in Her Paralysis — and Call to Join March for LifeBEALE: When Katrina Gallic was entering high school, one of the things the future pro-life advocate was most excited about was being a sprinter for the track team.
“The thrill of being able to run very quickly — I loved it when I was a kid. I thought it was so fun,” said Gallic, now 23.
Running was one of the few constants Gallic had. Gallic had grown up in New Jersey, but, at the start of her freshman year, in 2009, her family moved to Colorado, where her father would be working as a principal at Holy Family High School in Broomfield.
One Friday in September Gallic started to notice shooting pains in her legs in advance of a track meet she was set to run at later that day. During the race the pain in her legs only worsened. “By the time I finished the 5K, I thought I was going to pass out,” Gallic said.
“The thrill of being able to run very quickly — I loved it when I was a kid. I thought it was so fun,” said Gallic, now 23.
Running was one of the few constants Gallic had. Gallic had grown up in New Jersey, but, at the start of her freshman year, in 2009, her family moved to Colorado, where her father would be working as a principal at Holy Family High School in Broomfield.
One Friday in September Gallic started to notice shooting pains in her legs in advance of a track meet she was set to run at later that day. During the race the pain in her legs only worsened. “By the time I finished the 5K, I thought I was going to pass out,” Gallic said.
St. Sebastian, pray for us!
St. Sebastian – Pray for Us! | God-Haunted LunaticBECKER: If you have (or ever have had) children in Catholic schools around here, chances are good that they played sports at some point. And if that’s the case, then the chances are even better that you know the Inter-City Catholic League (ICCL) Athlete’s Prayer by heart. It’s recited before every Catholic school match-up, and it ends with this enthusiastic invocation: “Saint Sebastian, pray for us!”
Why St. Sebastian? If you didn’t already know, your student-athletes would’ve filled you in long ago: Sebastian is the patron saint of athletes, of course!
We know very little about the real St. Sebastian except that he was a martyr and that he was buried in the Roman catacombs. St. Ambrose, the 4th- century bishop of Milan, confidently wrote that Sebastian originally hailed from his city and that he perished under Emperor Diocletian, but all other stories about Sebastian date from the 5th century, and, while edifying, are entirely fictitious. Fictitious as well are the many depictions of a muscular St. Sebastian riddled with arrows – a popular Renaissance artistic theme.
Why St. Sebastian? If you didn’t already know, your student-athletes would’ve filled you in long ago: Sebastian is the patron saint of athletes, of course!
We know very little about the real St. Sebastian except that he was a martyr and that he was buried in the Roman catacombs. St. Ambrose, the 4th- century bishop of Milan, confidently wrote that Sebastian originally hailed from his city and that he perished under Emperor Diocletian, but all other stories about Sebastian date from the 5th century, and, while edifying, are entirely fictitious. Fictitious as well are the many depictions of a muscular St. Sebastian riddled with arrows – a popular Renaissance artistic theme.
A layman’s guide to the Roe vs. Wade decision
ACTS Apologist Blog: How Did the Roe vs Wade Decision Work?OKEEFE: Last December I posted an analysis of the Obergefell decision which changed the definition of “marriage” in the United States. Today I thought I’d give the same treatment to another landmark decision: What was in that decision? How was it decided? Did it make any sense? Let’s find out. The decision begins with the background of the law being challenged. In this case it was a Texas law banning abortion except to save the life of the mother. But all abortion bans nationwide are brought in by implication.
Father James Schall reflects on life and death
Father James Schall Reflects on Life and Death | National ReviewLOPEZ: A few weeks ago, the word was that Father James V. Schall, S. J., was in his final days. At 91, that’s not too shocking. At the same time, the “retired,” storied Georgetown politics professor remains more productive than many of us.
So I sent him a few questions the other day about life and death, and he answered. It’s a mediation on everything — all of the things we really ought to be thinking about more. Death is inescapable. Why don’t we live more fully? Here’s a man who does.
So I sent him a few questions the other day about life and death, and he answered. It’s a mediation on everything — all of the things we really ought to be thinking about more. Death is inescapable. Why don’t we live more fully? Here’s a man who does.
How to watch Sunday night’s lunar eclipse
When Is the Next Lunar Eclipse — Super Blood Wolf Moon 2019: Americans will soon have another chance to stare at something amazing in the sky. Starting late at night on Sunday, January 20, and continuing into the wee hours of Monday morning, a total lunar eclipse will be visible over the United States, turning the moon an eerie red color for just more than an hour.
This total lunar eclipse (nicknamed the "Super Wolf Blood Moon") should be visible everywhere in the U.S. but Hawaii, and people there should see a pretty good partial eclipse. Here’s what you need to know.
This total lunar eclipse (nicknamed the "Super Wolf Blood Moon") should be visible everywhere in the U.S. but Hawaii, and people there should see a pretty good partial eclipse. Here’s what you need to know.
Franciscan University of Steubenville Prof. Stephen E. Lewis: “Why I assigned ‘The Kingdom’”
Why I Assigned “The Kingdom” | Stephen E. Lewis | First Things: Last week, a controversy erupted over a book I assigned in a five-student advanced literature seminar at the Franciscan University of Steubenville (FUS) during the Spring 2018 semester. Not wishing to further divide our university community, I trusted that my superiors at FUS would handle the matter appropriately and I refrained from public comment. But many observers have assumed that Franciscan University’s decision to remove me from my role as chair of the English Department confirms that I assigned the book out of hostility to orthodox Catholic belief. Because nothing could be further from the truth, many friends have urged me to explain why I put Emmanuel Carrère’s The Kingdom on my syllabus in the first place. Now that some time has passed, I feel a duty to the Franciscan University community and others concerned by the uproar to provide an account.
Pope Francis suppresses Ecclesia Dei, transfers duties to CDF
Pope Francis Suppresses Ecclesia Dei, Transfers Duties to CDFPENTIN: As had been widely expected, Pope Francis has issued a papal decree suppressing the pontifical commission charged with bringing separated traditional Catholics linked to the Society of St. Pius X back into full communion. In a motu proprio signed Jan. 17 and published today, the Pope decreed that the Pontifical Commission ‘Ecclesia Dei’ is to be abolished but that its work will continue in a “special section” of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Francis said he decided to issue the decree after “ample reflection,” and having considered what he called the “changed conditions” today compared to those that led Pope St. John Paul II creating the body in 1988.
Friday, January 18, 2019
A closer look at the Holy Veil of Manoppello
New Advent: A closer look at the Holy Veil of Manoppello: The Holy Veil of Manoppello is an image-bearing piece of cloth that some believe is Veronica's veil.
14 of the best signs at March for Life 2019
14 Mind-Blowing Signs at March for Life 2019 | Matthew SchneiderSCHNEIDER: On Friday, January 18, thousands in the pro-life movement marched in DC for an end to abortion. I took pictures of some of the best signs. Here you go (titles link to Tweets).
Sister resigns from Detroit seminary after sex abuse allegations
Sister resigns from Detroit seminary after sex abuse allegations: Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit announced this week the resignation of Sr. Mary Finn, 84, a long-time faculty member and assistant professor of theology, after allegations surfaced that she had sexual contact with young adult novices under her charge in the 1970s.
“In recent days, information came to my attention regarding inappropriate conduct over fifty years ago by Sr. Mary Finn,” Msgr. Todd J. Lajiness, the rector and president of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, said in a statement published Wednesday.
“In recent days, information came to my attention regarding inappropriate conduct over fifty years ago by Sr. Mary Finn,” Msgr. Todd J. Lajiness, the rector and president of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, said in a statement published Wednesday.
An incorrupt heart, 17,000 youth, and the hope of SEEK19
An incorrupt heart, 17,000 youth, and the hope of SEEK19BRISCOE: At the same time that the bishops of the United States gathered at Mundelein Seminary at the behest of Pope Francis for a week of prayer and reflection concerning the clergy sexual abuse crisis, 17,000 young people met just 200 miles away in Indianapolis, Indiana. While the shepherds of the Church were on retreat, the Indiana Convention Center was transformed for the biennial Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) SEEK Conference. Only God’s Providence could have arranged such timing.
Uncle Screwtape is delighted with our social cowardice
Uncle Screwtape Is Delighted with Our Social Cowardice | Word on FireSCALIA: My Dear Wormwood,
Forgive my tardy response to your last flaming missive (or—if you really want to impress me—don’t) in which you attempt to berate me for insufficiently appreciating your efforts at sowing discord within the venue of American Politics. As they say in your circles, “Goon, get over yourself.” Political discord, especially in America, where headlines and soundbite analyses are accepted even when they are false or as penetrating as prop knives, is easy stuff, and I am surprised at how needy was your grasping for approval. By now you should know that one does not applaud a smoker for striking a match. Moreover, your bratty insistence that I pay you notice seemed to me to border on a cartoonish-hell of calumny, and I have been so busy not reading or answering ersatz calumnies directed my way that I simply haven’t had time to not read or respond to yours.
Forgive my tardy response to your last flaming missive (or—if you really want to impress me—don’t) in which you attempt to berate me for insufficiently appreciating your efforts at sowing discord within the venue of American Politics. As they say in your circles, “Goon, get over yourself.” Political discord, especially in America, where headlines and soundbite analyses are accepted even when they are false or as penetrating as prop knives, is easy stuff, and I am surprised at how needy was your grasping for approval. By now you should know that one does not applaud a smoker for striking a match. Moreover, your bratty insistence that I pay you notice seemed to me to border on a cartoonish-hell of calumny, and I have been so busy not reading or answering ersatz calumnies directed my way that I simply haven’t had time to not read or respond to yours.
From the Book of Proverbs, here are 3 proverbs for pro-lifers
Proverbs for Pro-Lifers - Community in Mission : Community in MissionPOPE: We who participate in the March for Life are always in need of the Lord’s strength and guidance, His grace and mercy, in order to see our goal of ending legalized abortion. To that end, I offer some lessons drawn from the 24th chapter of the Book of Proverbs. If you remain indifferent in times of adversity, your strength will depart from you. Rescue those who are being dragged to death, and from those tottering to execution withdraw not. If you say, “I know not this man!” does not he who tests hearts perceive it? He who guards your life knows it, and he will repay each according to his deeds...
At crisis’ Ground Zero, a muted March for the bishops
Whispers in the Loggia: At Crisis' Ground Zero, A Muted MarchPALMO: In a normal year, these days would see the Stateside church storm the nation's capital with bells on to carry out American Catholicism's most prominent act of advocacy in the public square.
For the millionth time, however, these days are anything but normal.
That tomorrow's March for Life was destined to unfold in the epicenter of this season of scandal was always bound to make for a tricky confluence. And that was before the last week turned Washington's Catholic scene even more roiled, battered and irate than it had already been.
For the millionth time, however, these days are anything but normal.
That tomorrow's March for Life was destined to unfold in the epicenter of this season of scandal was always bound to make for a tricky confluence. And that was before the last week turned Washington's Catholic scene even more roiled, battered and irate than it had already been.
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