Mindfulness in Therapy: Is That All There Is?BRINKMANN: The rise of the modern practice of mindfulness into the field of therapy has posed a conundrum for many Catholics who want the therapy, but without the Buddhist roots. What are their options and how do they find them?
For many Christians, it may seem like the modern mindfulness movement is the only game in town. It seems as if wherever they go, therapists are touting either the eight-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) model, pioneered by Jon Kabat-Zinn, or some derivative of it. When a Christian client expresses concerns about it, too many counselors are insisting that the practice has been “secularized” for use by the general public with no religious baggage.
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Religious liberty report highlights China’s repression of Muslims, Christians
Religious liberty report highlights China's repression of Muslims, Christians: The majority of the world’s worst violators of religious freedom are found in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, according to a report from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom released Monday. The report's introduction focused on abuses against China's Uyghur Muslims.
USCIRF released April 29 its 20th annual report documenting the world’s worst violators of religious freedom. With the exception of Cuba— the only majority Chirstian country listed, other than Russia— all the countries identified as the worst offenders are located in the eastern hemisphere.
“Our goal is not only to call out the offenders, but to provide concrete actions for the U.S. government to take in working with these countries to get off our lists,” USCIRF Chair Tenzin Dorjee said in a release accompanying the report.
USCIRF released April 29 its 20th annual report documenting the world’s worst violators of religious freedom. With the exception of Cuba— the only majority Chirstian country listed, other than Russia— all the countries identified as the worst offenders are located in the eastern hemisphere.
“Our goal is not only to call out the offenders, but to provide concrete actions for the U.S. government to take in working with these countries to get off our lists,” USCIRF Chair Tenzin Dorjee said in a release accompanying the report.
Why did Christ’s glorified body still have wounds?
Why Did Christ’s Glorified Body Still Have Wounds? - Community in MissionPOPE: Several of the Resurrection accounts stress that Jesus showed the disciples His wounds. On one level we can understand that He was trying to make clear to them that the same Christ who was crucified stood before them; He was not a ghost or an apparition or simply someone who looked like Jesus.
When Christ rose, He took up His same, true body, but it now manifested a perfected glory. When we rise on the last day, the same will be true of our bodies. Why, then, were Christ’s wounds visible in His glorified body? Are not wounds and scars inconsistent with a glorified body?
When Christ rose, He took up His same, true body, but it now manifested a perfected glory. When we rise on the last day, the same will be true of our bodies. Why, then, were Christ’s wounds visible in His glorified body? Are not wounds and scars inconsistent with a glorified body?
Monday, April 29, 2019
Watch a debate over whether Pluto should get its planet status back
Watch a debate over whether Pluto should get its planet status back - The Verge: If you’re someone who is still upset about Pluto’s planetary demotion from more than a decade ago, then an upcoming debate about the definition of the word “planet” may be of interest to you.
One of Pluto’s biggest defenders, Alan Stern, will be debating Ron Ekers, who used to be the president of the International Astronomical Union — the global organization responsible for redefining the term “planet.” It was ultimately the IAU’s decision to designate Pluto and other small worlds like it as “dwarf planets,” a title distinct from the term “planet.” The change triggered a lot of angst and upheaval over the loss of Pluto’s planet status. Perhaps the biggest critic of the new definition has been Stern, the principal investigator on NASA’s New Horizons mission which sent a spacecraft to Pluto for the first time in July of 2015.
One of Pluto’s biggest defenders, Alan Stern, will be debating Ron Ekers, who used to be the president of the International Astronomical Union — the global organization responsible for redefining the term “planet.” It was ultimately the IAU’s decision to designate Pluto and other small worlds like it as “dwarf planets,” a title distinct from the term “planet.” The change triggered a lot of angst and upheaval over the loss of Pluto’s planet status. Perhaps the biggest critic of the new definition has been Stern, the principal investigator on NASA’s New Horizons mission which sent a spacecraft to Pluto for the first time in July of 2015.
‘Strollerville’ trends: Religion ghosts in epic quest by New Yorkers to find that extra bedroom?
'Strollerville' trends: Religion ghosts in epic quest by New Yorkers to find that extra bedroom? — GetReligionMATTINGLY: As a part-time New York City resident — lower Manhattan, to be precise — I am learning how to read between the lines when people talk about their adventures trying to find affordable places to live.
Basically, if your family and/or set of roomies can live with one bedroom, you’re in business. If you need two bedrooms, things get tougher but you are still in the game. Listening to New Yorkers talk about apartments is kind of like hearing an urban version of Lord of the Rings or some other epic Hero’s Journey narrative.
Marriage doesn’t really affect this tale — but children do. Again, it’s all about needing that second bedroom. A third bedroom? Fuhgeddaboudit. Then it’s time to start studying commuter trains.
Basically, if your family and/or set of roomies can live with one bedroom, you’re in business. If you need two bedrooms, things get tougher but you are still in the game. Listening to New Yorkers talk about apartments is kind of like hearing an urban version of Lord of the Rings or some other epic Hero’s Journey narrative.
Marriage doesn’t really affect this tale — but children do. Again, it’s all about needing that second bedroom. A third bedroom? Fuhgeddaboudit. Then it’s time to start studying commuter trains.
Wipo of Burgundy: Our Easter template of ordinary discipleship
Wipo of Burgundy: Our Easter Template of Ordinary Discipleship | God-Haunted LunaticBECKER: When I left the Easter Saturday Mass at St. Monica’s yesterday morning, the alleluias were ringing in my ears. It had been an exhilarating way to round out the Octave, with lots enthusiastic singing and pervasive joy – alleluia indeed!
Of special note was Fr. Jacob Meyer’s resonant intoning of the Easter Sequence, Victimae paschali laudes (“Christians, Praise the Paschal Victim”) – in Latin. Since my own Latin is considerably rusty, I scrambled with a hymnal to find an English translation so I could follow along, and I couldn’t help taking note of the Sequence’s author at the bottom of the page: “ascr. to Wipo of Burgundy, d. 1048.”
Of special note was Fr. Jacob Meyer’s resonant intoning of the Easter Sequence, Victimae paschali laudes (“Christians, Praise the Paschal Victim”) – in Latin. Since my own Latin is considerably rusty, I scrambled with a hymnal to find an English translation so I could follow along, and I couldn’t help taking note of the Sequence’s author at the bottom of the page: “ascr. to Wipo of Burgundy, d. 1048.”
The world needs St. Catherine of Siena’s love for holy boldness
Catherine of Siena & 'Dialogue' -- Knowing a Saint | National ReviewLOPEZ: I love Saint Catherine of Siena and I love reading through her writings. For years, my copy of The Classics of Western Spirituality translation of her Dialogue was a constant companion. And more recently, there’s a four-volume set of her letters that I invested in over the course of a few recent years, and now frequently have a volume in my purse for dipping into during any moments I can steal with her. She’s so Christocentric and the love that flows from that jumps off the pages with an urgency for, as she might put it, holy boldness. The translator and editor of that edition of The Dialogue and that collection, along with some other books on Catherine is a Dominican sister, Sister Suzanne Noffke, O.P. In honor of Saint Catherine’s memorial day today, a few thoughts from her below via an email interview might be an entry into getting to know this holy woman of history more.
The Ratzinger diagnosis
The Ratzinger Diagnosis - Denver CatholicWEIGEL: Published a week short of his 92nd birthday, Joseph Ratzinger’s essay on the epidemiology of the clergy sex-abuse crisis vividly illustrated his still-unparalleled capacity to incinerate the brain-circuits of various Catholic progressives. The origins of the text written by the Pope Emeritus remain unclear: Did he initially write it to assist the bishops who met in Rome this past February to address the abuse crisis? But whatever its history, the Ratzingerian diagnosis is well worth considering.
What’s so bad about socialism?
What Is Wrong With Socialism?DEMARCO: “America will never be a socialist country,” President Donald Trump declared in his State of the Union Address Feb. 5.
His strong repudiation of socialism naturally evoked the response, “What is wrong with socialism?” After all, does not socialism embrace the virtues of equality, justice and the fair distribution of wealth?
For the informed Catholic, this question is not difficult to answer since it has been adequately answered in three great encyclicals...
His strong repudiation of socialism naturally evoked the response, “What is wrong with socialism?” After all, does not socialism embrace the virtues of equality, justice and the fair distribution of wealth?
For the informed Catholic, this question is not difficult to answer since it has been adequately answered in three great encyclicals...
This is the best work on prayer I have ever read
This is the Best Work on Prayer I Have Ever ReadDANTUONO: Around the beginning of the fifth century, there was an elderly widow named Proba. One day in Church she heard the passage from Romans which says that we do not know how we ought to pray. This was confusing to hear because she knew that she ought to pray and that dedicating herself to prayer was an important role she had to play as a widow in the Church. How was it that she was supposed to give herself to intercession and prayer if, according to the Bible, we do not know how we ought to pray?
God and man in an age of unbelief
Archbishop Chaput’s Magnificat Foundation’s Egan Lecture in New York City: God and Man in an Age of Unbelief (April 27, 2019) – Archdiocese of PhiladelphiaCHAPUT: A friend of mine likes to say that every life comes down to a choice between happiness and comfort. You can have one or the other, she says, but not both. Sometimes they coincide, but not very often, not very congenially, and rarely for very long. At the end of the day, as the organizing appetites in a life, they’re mutually exclusive. Period.
In a consumer economy of material comforts with the highest standard of living in history, that can sound pretty implausible. And annoying. But I suspect she’s more right than wrong. And here’s why.
Happiness, real happiness, is tied to a kind of wisdom, and wisdom grows out of risk and suffering; the beauty and hard edges of experiencing the real world. It’s never the result of commerce. We can’t own it. We can’t buy it. It’s also never solitary. Happiness needs other people. The joy of a young mother is linked to the gift of life she makes to a new and unrepeatable soul in the act of birth; to the pain and effort she experiences in bearing her child. Happiness is either made and shared with others here and now, or remembered as moments shared with others in the past. Which is why, even as he was beaten and starved in a death camp, Viktor Frankl could know happiness and the interior freedom it brought when he remembered the love of his wife.
In a consumer economy of material comforts with the highest standard of living in history, that can sound pretty implausible. And annoying. But I suspect she’s more right than wrong. And here’s why.
Happiness, real happiness, is tied to a kind of wisdom, and wisdom grows out of risk and suffering; the beauty and hard edges of experiencing the real world. It’s never the result of commerce. We can’t own it. We can’t buy it. It’s also never solitary. Happiness needs other people. The joy of a young mother is linked to the gift of life she makes to a new and unrepeatable soul in the act of birth; to the pain and effort she experiences in bearing her child. Happiness is either made and shared with others here and now, or remembered as moments shared with others in the past. Which is why, even as he was beaten and starved in a death camp, Viktor Frankl could know happiness and the interior freedom it brought when he remembered the love of his wife.
On the Feast of St. Catherine Of Siena: A new papal appointment
On The Feast Of St. Catherine Of Siena: A New Papal Appointment – Reflecting the Good News of ChristETIENNE: As this new day dawns on the Feast of St. Catherine of Siena, I share with you the news that I am in Seattle for the announcement that Pope Francis has named me Coadjutor Archbishop of Seattle. The press conference will be 11:00 PT.
While I am excited and surprised by this announcement, I know it will come as a shock to the People of God in the Archdiocese of Anchorage. Our time together has been too short, but I am mindful of a phrase in Sacred Scripture that refers to God’s timing, known as “the fullness of time”. That time has now come in God’s plan for new leadership in Anchorage.
While I am excited and surprised by this announcement, I know it will come as a shock to the People of God in the Archdiocese of Anchorage. Our time together has been too short, but I am mindful of a phrase in Sacred Scripture that refers to God’s timing, known as “the fullness of time”. That time has now come in God’s plan for new leadership in Anchorage.
Pope names Anchorage Archbishop Paul Etienne as coadjutor of Seattle
Whispers in the Loggia: "Midnight Sun" to "Emerald City" – From Alaska, Pope Launches Etienne To Space (Needle)PALMO: As it turns out, the Vatican can indeed handle “Prime” shipping.
Less than 72 hours after Whispers’ broke news of a coadjutor in the works for the million-member archdiocese of Seattle, at Roman Noon this Monday, the Pope appointed Paul Etienne – the 59 year-old archbishop of Anchorage, long seen as one of the US bench’s key rising figures – as successor-in-waiting to Archbishop J. Peter Sartain, who, as reported here Friday, petitioned for an early transition late last year at age 66 in light of long-standing spinal issues that’ve increasingly challenged his mobility.
Less than 72 hours after Whispers’ broke news of a coadjutor in the works for the million-member archdiocese of Seattle, at Roman Noon this Monday, the Pope appointed Paul Etienne – the 59 year-old archbishop of Anchorage, long seen as one of the US bench’s key rising figures – as successor-in-waiting to Archbishop J. Peter Sartain, who, as reported here Friday, petitioned for an early transition late last year at age 66 in light of long-standing spinal issues that’ve increasingly challenged his mobility.
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Two super-rich families ended up on opposite sides of Easter attacks
Two Super-Rich Families Ended Up on Opposite Sides of Easter Attacks - The New York Times: A little before 9 a.m. on Easter Sunday, Anders Holch Povlsen, the richest man in Denmark, was having breakfast with his family at the Table One restaurant in the Shangri-La Hotel in Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo.
The restaurant was decorated with crates of oranges, apples and large, uncut pineapples, and the Povlsens looked out on the ocean rollers crashing into a sea wall not far away.
The restaurant was decorated with crates of oranges, apples and large, uncut pineapples, and the Povlsens looked out on the ocean rollers crashing into a sea wall not far away.
From fear to faith — A homily for the Second Sunday of Easter
From Fear to Faith – A Homily for the Second Sunday of Easter - Community in MissionPOPE: In today’s Gospel, the risen Lord appeared to the Apostles, who were gathered together in one place. The fact that they were gathered in one place is not without significance, for it is there that the Lord chose to appear to them. One of them was not there and thus missed the blessing of seeing and experiencing the risen Lord. It might be said that Thomas, the absent Apostle, blocked his blessing.
Sri Lanka attacks: Christians pray at home one week after bombings
Sri Lanka attacks: Christians pray at home one week after bombings - BBC News: Christians in Sri Lanka have prayed at home one week after a series of deadly bombings by Islamist militants.
Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith held a televised mass, attended by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
He called the attacks on churches and hotels "an insult to humanity" in the service, broadcast from a chapel in his residence. At least 250 people died.
Sunday church services were cancelled after the attacks on Easter Sunday.
Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith held a televised mass, attended by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
He called the attacks on churches and hotels "an insult to humanity" in the service, broadcast from a chapel in his residence. At least 250 people died.
Sunday church services were cancelled after the attacks on Easter Sunday.
Pope Francis: ‘Divine Mercy is found in Christ’s wounds’
Pope Francis: Divine Mercy is found in Christ’s wounds: On Divine Mercy Sunday, Pope Francis reflected on Christ’s wounds, which he said contain the difficulties and persecutions endured by people who suffer today.
“Touch the wounds of Jesus,” Pope Francis said April 28. “The wounds of Jesus are a treasure from which mercy comes.”
Pope Francis said that in visiting someone who is suffering, one can touch the wounds of Christ.
“Touch the wounds of Jesus,” Pope Francis said April 28. “The wounds of Jesus are a treasure from which mercy comes.”
Pope Francis said that in visiting someone who is suffering, one can touch the wounds of Christ.
As Lake Erie flows into the Tiber at ‘Homebaked,’ results are savory
As Lake Erie flows into the Tiber at 'Homebaked,' results are savoryALLEN: As an American living in the Eternal City and covering the Vatican, I could tell you that the big news in Rome right now is Pope Francis’s reorganization of the Roman Curia, or the aftershocks of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI’s essay on the clerical sexual abuse scandals, or any number of other ecclesiastical developments.
The thing is, none of that is what has Americans in Rome, especially those who live or work around the Vatican, abuzz.
Instead, the first thing those kinds of Americans are saying to one another, the topic that comes up right out of the gate when they bump into each other on the street or swap greetings on social media, is this: “Have you heard about Homebaked?!”
The thing is, none of that is what has Americans in Rome, especially those who live or work around the Vatican, abuzz.
Instead, the first thing those kinds of Americans are saying to one another, the topic that comes up right out of the gate when they bump into each other on the street or swap greetings on social media, is this: “Have you heard about Homebaked?!”
Saturday, April 27, 2019
17 things Jesus revealed to St. Faustina about Divine Mercy
17 Things Jesus Revealed to St. Faustina About Divine MercyPRONECHEN: As a person, as a country, as a world, do we not need God’s mercy more and more in these times? For the sake of our souls, can we afford not to listen to what Jesus told us through St. Faustina about his mercy and what our response to is should be?
Benedict told us “It is a really central message for our time: Mercy as the force of God, as the divine limit against the evil of the world.”
Let’s remind ourselves right now. Or learn the highlights for the first time. Divine Mercy Sunday is the perfect day to start listening to what Jesus himself tells us:
Benedict told us “It is a really central message for our time: Mercy as the force of God, as the divine limit against the evil of the world.”
Let’s remind ourselves right now. Or learn the highlights for the first time. Divine Mercy Sunday is the perfect day to start listening to what Jesus himself tells us:
Why leftists begrudge your tears for Notre Dame de Paris
Save Send Delete: Why Leftists Begrudge Your Tears for Notre Dame de ParisGOSKA: My mother was born in Slovakia in a house that her father, a shepherd, built by hand. We visited her village in the 1970s. Even then Aunt Bora lived in the traditional house type: one "black room" that had a fire; one "light room" with no fire, and no heat. Bora had raised eleven children in that house. Above Bora's bed hung a portrait of the Madonna and child. We praised its beauty. Bora jumped on the bed and began to take it down to give it to us. My mother had to fight off this gift. Bora offered us slivovice, low-cost, kerosene-flavored firewater. Other relatives served more expensive Bulgarian champagne. These relatives were members of the Communist Party. Bora knew that she suffered economic penalties because of her piety, "But I will never abandon the Catholic Church."
Why the restoration of Notre Dame seems doomed to fail
Why the Restoration of Notre Dame Seems Doomed to FailHORVAT: Many plans are circulating for the restoration of Notre Dame after the tragic and highly symbolic fire that shocked the world. Technicians are getting ready to engage in this challenging project. Well over a billion dollars has been raised — almost effortlessly. French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to rebuild an even more beautiful church in five years.
Everything is ready. It seems nothing is lacking—save humble and contrite hearts. Everything, therefore, is lacking. For if this work is not done with a spirit of Faith, the restoration is doomed to be sterile and soulless.
Everything is ready. It seems nothing is lacking—save humble and contrite hearts. Everything, therefore, is lacking. For if this work is not done with a spirit of Faith, the restoration is doomed to be sterile and soulless.
Octave notes: Keep an eye on Seattle and San Bernardino
Whispers in the Loggia: Octave NotesPALMO: Before anything else, again, a Blessed Easter to one and all – here's hoping you've been able to enjoy these easy Octave days, especially all of you who busted your tails to get the rest of us through Holy Week; thanks as ever for your precious work!
It's one of the ironies of ecclesial life that, once the Lord awakens from the tomb, Churchworld needs a recharge – at least in some places, even more than usual this time around. If anything, though, that juxtaposition is a healthy reminder of how far we have to go.
In this scribe's case, this Easter has doubled as the end of a very long and difficult year – one which calling "turbulent" is to put it mildly. To finally have a bit of breathing space to clean up and begin to decompress is a gift, and I need to take advantage of it while it's yet possible.
It's one of the ironies of ecclesial life that, once the Lord awakens from the tomb, Churchworld needs a recharge – at least in some places, even more than usual this time around. If anything, though, that juxtaposition is a healthy reminder of how far we have to go.
In this scribe's case, this Easter has doubled as the end of a very long and difficult year – one which calling "turbulent" is to put it mildly. To finally have a bit of breathing space to clean up and begin to decompress is a gift, and I need to take advantage of it while it's yet possible.
What ISIS did to my village
Hassan Hassan: What ISIS Did to My Village - The Atlantic: When I was a teenager, in the 1990s, I spent my summer breaks herding sheep from sunrise to sunset. My daily routine was nearly always the same. I released the sheep from the barn, steered them along the village’s main road, grabbed a watermelon from a shop to add to my packed lunch, and turned to the desert. Once I left the populated section of the village, I directed the few dozen animals along the desert cliffs to the open fields at the mouth of a little valley.
How to be a better dad when you travel for business
How to Be a Better Dad When You Travel for Business | The Art of Manliness: Before you have kids, taking business trips is no big deal.
When you leave, you don’t have to worry about people missing you. Maybe your wife is a little bummed, but she can handle it.
You can hop on a plane and hardly think about home at all.
But after children enter the picture, business travel becomes a bit more complicated. Now you’ve got little humans who love you, will cling to your leg as you walk out the door, and don’t really understand why you have to leave. They miss you when you go. And you miss them, too.
So what can you do to be a better dad while still fulfilling professional obligations?
Below we provide suggestions on how to handle business trips in ways that can promote more bonding with your kids, help you stay connected to your family while you’re away, and allow you to return home smoothly.
When you leave, you don’t have to worry about people missing you. Maybe your wife is a little bummed, but she can handle it.
You can hop on a plane and hardly think about home at all.
But after children enter the picture, business travel becomes a bit more complicated. Now you’ve got little humans who love you, will cling to your leg as you walk out the door, and don’t really understand why you have to leave. They miss you when you go. And you miss them, too.
So what can you do to be a better dad while still fulfilling professional obligations?
Below we provide suggestions on how to handle business trips in ways that can promote more bonding with your kids, help you stay connected to your family while you’re away, and allow you to return home smoothly.
Unearthed history: The War of the Vendée
Unearthed History: The War of The Vendee ~ The Imaginative Conservative: Something about the French revolution makes it a timeless topic: It encapsulates the totality of our human condition. That condition is our inability to fully measure the unintended consequences of even the best of our intentions. Of course, this opinion only summarizes what political thinkers have said for years, but I can think of no brighter future for history than one where we echo Burke’s writings through our own paraphrases. For Burke actually did something with history, and he is just one thinker whose interpretation of history helps us to make the field something applicable from which we can learn. History, after all, is not supposed to be about memorizing and preserving the past for its own sake: It has a practical use. George Santayana said this, Henry Adams said this.
Baptizing infants, ordaining women? My road to Rome...
Baptizing Infants, Ordaining Women? My Road to Rome, Part 2GREYDANUS: My journey from Protestantism to Catholicism began, in part, with doubts about the Protestant case for the canon of scripture.
This was compounded by doubts that scripture alone really gives us everything we need to know and believe in order to live Christian lives.
As a young Evangelical Protestant, my background had been mixed, to say the least — and that compounded my awareness of the diversity of theological opinions out there. Now, some of those disagreements didn’t bother me, or not much. I never believed that agreement on absolutely everything was essential. I still don’t. There’s room for people to have different opinions on certain questions.
This was compounded by doubts that scripture alone really gives us everything we need to know and believe in order to live Christian lives.
As a young Evangelical Protestant, my background had been mixed, to say the least — and that compounded my awareness of the diversity of theological opinions out there. Now, some of those disagreements didn’t bother me, or not much. I never believed that agreement on absolutely everything was essential. I still don’t. There’s room for people to have different opinions on certain questions.
The Resurrection of Our Lord in stone
The Resurrection in Stone – Building Catholic CultureSTAUDT: Statuary serves its role in the church primarily through the Crucifix: prominently displayed in almost every sanctuary and Catholic home. Although there are some statues of the Risen Christ, they do not find nearly as much prominence (and we won’t even speak of the attempts to combine the imagery of the crucifixion and resurrection).
Even in the fine arts, we find a dearth of sculpture depicting the Resurrection. As there is no shortage of paintings, there must be a reason in the medium itself. Sculptors must have hesitated to depict the movement and spiritual dynamism of the event, as well as the exit from the sepulcher and scene of soldiers. Medieval artists found it easier to depict the scene in relief, however, rather than free standing statues.
Even in the fine arts, we find a dearth of sculpture depicting the Resurrection. As there is no shortage of paintings, there must be a reason in the medium itself. Sculptors must have hesitated to depict the movement and spiritual dynamism of the event, as well as the exit from the sepulcher and scene of soldiers. Medieval artists found it easier to depict the scene in relief, however, rather than free standing statues.
In a time of anti-Catholicism, nuns on the Civil War battlefield somehow became a unifying force [WSJ paywall]
Nuns on the Civil War Battlefield - WSJ: During the 1863 Chattanooga campaign, nuns from the Sisters of Charity tended to wounded soldiers in a Nashville, Tenn., field hospital. As they prepared to move on to another site, the men cried out in protest. Nuns on the battlefield had become a great comforts to the dying, and the soldiers passed around a petition urging them to stay.
As it circulated, one sick soldier delivered a speech praising the nuns, according to Pvt. William H. Nelson of the 19th Illinois Infantry. “I want to sign that paper. I would sign it 50 times, if asked,” the wounded soldier said. “For the sisters have been to me as my mother since I have been here and, I believe, had I been here before, I would have been well long ago. But if the sisters leave, I know I shall die.” More than 230 men signed the petition, and the nuns stayed.
As it circulated, one sick soldier delivered a speech praising the nuns, according to Pvt. William H. Nelson of the 19th Illinois Infantry. “I want to sign that paper. I would sign it 50 times, if asked,” the wounded soldier said. “For the sisters have been to me as my mother since I have been here and, I believe, had I been here before, I would have been well long ago. But if the sisters leave, I know I shall die.” More than 230 men signed the petition, and the nuns stayed.
Using prayer to purify your mind
Using Prayer to Purify Your Mind – Fr. Dwight LongeneckerLONGENECKER: The primary purpose of prayer is to link our will with God’s and thereby become his agent in the world.
But prayer also has some practical purposes. These useful aspects of prayer are not its primary purpose, but its side effects.
The practice of prayer purifies the body, mind and spirit, and this is not just a theory. It works.
One of the most pressing problems in our screen oriented culture is the infection of the imagination through junk we have seen on the screen.
But prayer also has some practical purposes. These useful aspects of prayer are not its primary purpose, but its side effects.
The practice of prayer purifies the body, mind and spirit, and this is not just a theory. It works.
One of the most pressing problems in our screen oriented culture is the infection of the imagination through junk we have seen on the screen.
Here’s what all those studies on “nones” really show: Weak Christianity is getting weaker in America, while strong Christianity is getting stronger
No, Non-Believers Are Not Increasing In AmericaSTANTON: The stats are given as often and with as much confidence as they are wrong. The story goes that our nation is growing more secular with every passing day. Christianity is tanking, and atheists and generic non-believers mushrooming. The Daily Wire proclaimed that last week, with the headline, “God Help Us; Atheism Becomes Largest Religion In U.S.” CNN just reported something similar: “There Are Now as Many Americans Who Claim No Religion as There Are Evangelicals and Catholics.”
Inside Sri Lanka’s bombed churches: Videos reveal catastrophic damage from Easter Sunday attacks
Inside Sri Lanka's Bombed Churches: Videos Reveal Catastrophic Damage From Easter Sunday Attacks | ChurchPOP: This Easter Sunday, the world witnessed the news of the eight bombings in Sri Lanka that killed more than 300 people and wounded more than 500.
St. Anthony’s Shrine in Negombo, St. Sebastian Catholic Church in Colombo, and the evangelical Zion Church in Batticaloa were three churches who fell victim to these bombings.
Footage has now surfaced of the extensive damage from the bombings that killed more than 300 people. Here’s photos and videos revealing just how much damage these bombings caused.
St. Anthony’s Shrine in Negombo, St. Sebastian Catholic Church in Colombo, and the evangelical Zion Church in Batticaloa were three churches who fell victim to these bombings.
Footage has now surfaced of the extensive damage from the bombings that killed more than 300 people. Here’s photos and videos revealing just how much damage these bombings caused.
How we stole a Vatican treasure
How we stole a Vatican treasure | Catholic CultureLAWLER: Well, okay, we didn’t actually steal the treasure. But we definitely did profit from the stolen goods.
The breathtaking Miserere was written by Allegri exclusively for the Vatican: to be performed only in the Sistine Chapel, and only during Holy Week. The music remained under lock and key at the Vatican for more than a century. But then the 14-year-old Wolfgang Mozart heard it performed, and later wrote down the entire piece from memory. From there the Miserere passed into the public realm. And so it was that last Sunday, our parish choir at St. John’s church in Clinton, Massachusetts, sang the Miserere as a Communion meditation.
The breathtaking Miserere was written by Allegri exclusively for the Vatican: to be performed only in the Sistine Chapel, and only during Holy Week. The music remained under lock and key at the Vatican for more than a century. But then the 14-year-old Wolfgang Mozart heard it performed, and later wrote down the entire piece from memory. From there the Miserere passed into the public realm. And so it was that last Sunday, our parish choir at St. John’s church in Clinton, Massachusetts, sang the Miserere as a Communion meditation.
Even at Easter? On spiritual fasting, according to St. Francis de Sales
Even at Easter? On spiritual fasting, according to St. Francis de Sales | Catholic CultureMIRUS: At the very end of Lent I discovered the sermon given on Ash Wednesday of the year 1622 by St. Francis de Sales. Better late than never! This sermon was given as part of a series to the religious women in the Order of the Visitation, or the Visitandines, which St. Francis founded with St. Jane Frances de Chantal. The subject of the sermon was the need to “fast with our whole heart, that is to say, willingly, whole-heartedly, universally and entirely.” He takes as his point of departure the following instruction of St. Bernard of Clairvaux:
A few small observations on the fire at Notre Dame
Out of the Ashes of Notre Dame – Peggy NoonanNOONAN: It’s interesting where your thoughts go as you watch a disaster, live. Friends kept saying they were feeling some of what they’d felt on 9/11, and this was true of me too. No one thought it the same, but the flames and smoke evoked similar feelings of grief and loss, and a sense of portent, especially for Catholics, who saw in the destruction a metaphor for—or a judgment of—the state of their church. Monday evening I found myself remembering an intuition I’d had hours after the World Trade Center had fallen. TV was showing people who’d escaped the towers, covered in dust and ash, and trekking north. As I watched I thought: Some desperate person among them is escaping his life right now, planning his disappearance. He knows the scale of the disaster because he just walked out of it. He knows if he doesn’t check in for the next few days he’ll be counted among the dead. He’ll soon be at a motel in Queens, then on a plane somewhere. He will tell his story decades from now. He’ll tell us he came back once and visited the memorial on which his name is etched.
Religion ‘less important’ to more people than 20 years ago, Pew Study finds
Religion 'less important' to most people than 20 years ago, surveys find: Participants in a study spanning 27 countries say that religion plays a less important role in public life than it once did, though in many parts of the world, participants said that religion’s importance is on the rise, or that they would like to see an increased role for religion in society.
In the study, conducted by the Pew Research Center, 37% of respondents say religion plays a “less important role” in their countries than it did 20 years ago, while 27% say it plays a more important role.
In the study, conducted by the Pew Research Center, 37% of respondents say religion plays a “less important role” in their countries than it did 20 years ago, while 27% say it plays a more important role.
Friday, April 26, 2019
9 things you need to know about Divine Mercy Sunday
9 Things You Need to Know About Divine Mercy SundayAKIN: Divine Mercy Sunday is a recent addition to the Church's calendar, and it has links to both private revelation and the Bible.
Millions of people look forward to and are profoundly moved by this day.
What is it, and why is it so important to them?
Here are 9 things you need to know. Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter. It is based on the private revelations of St. Faustina Kowalska, which recommended a particular devotion to the Divine Mercy.
Millions of people look forward to and are profoundly moved by this day.
What is it, and why is it so important to them?
Here are 9 things you need to know. Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated on the Second Sunday of Easter. It is based on the private revelations of St. Faustina Kowalska, which recommended a particular devotion to the Divine Mercy.
How to get a plenary indulgence on Divine Mercy Sunday
How to Get a Plenary Indulgence on Divine Mercy SundayPRONECHEN: Through private revelation to St. Faustina, Jesus revealed, I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My Mercy (1109). The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment (699). And we must trust in Divine Mercy.
According to Robert Stackpole, the director of the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy, an apostolate of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, “The most special grace promised by our Lord for Mercy Sunday is nothing less than the equivalent of a complete renewal of baptismal grace in the soul: “complete forgiveness (remission) of sins and punishment.”
According to Robert Stackpole, the director of the John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy, an apostolate of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, “The most special grace promised by our Lord for Mercy Sunday is nothing less than the equivalent of a complete renewal of baptismal grace in the soul: “complete forgiveness (remission) of sins and punishment.”
Vatican reform plan takes shape: ‘Evangelization’ prioritized over doctrine
Vatican Reform Plan Takes Shape: Evangelization Prioritized Over DoctrinePENTIN: Pope Francis’ new apostolic constitution for the Roman Curia is stirring up concerns as well as eager anticipation ahead of its expected publication in two months’ time.
The exact details of the document, called Praedicate Evangelium (Preach the Gospel), are unclear and are expected to remain so while bishops’ conference presidents and Vatican heads review it before its expected release on June 29.
But its content was spotlighted this week, after some media outlets reported on comments made about the document by two key members of the Pope’s Council of Cardinals in an upcoming April 27 article in the Spanish weekly magazine Vida Nueva. The council has been in charge of drafting the new document.
The exact details of the document, called Praedicate Evangelium (Preach the Gospel), are unclear and are expected to remain so while bishops’ conference presidents and Vatican heads review it before its expected release on June 29.
But its content was spotlighted this week, after some media outlets reported on comments made about the document by two key members of the Pope’s Council of Cardinals in an upcoming April 27 article in the Spanish weekly magazine Vida Nueva. The council has been in charge of drafting the new document.
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Lake Michigan’s deadly ‘freak wave’ of 1954 is Chicago folklore. Turns out it was a meteotsunami. And they happen pretty often...
Lake Michigan’s deadly ‘freak wave’ of 1954 is Chicago folklore. Turns out it was a meteotsunami. And they happen pretty often. - Chicago Tribune: On a Saturday in June 1954, Marvin Katz motored his cabin cruiser onto Lake Michigan for what was supposed to be a pleasant day of fishing.
However, when his father became seasick, Katz headed back to shore to let him off and settled for dropping anchor near Chicago’s Montrose Harbor, where dozens of people, mostly fishermen, gathered on a lakefront breakwater.
However, when his father became seasick, Katz headed back to shore to let him off and settled for dropping anchor near Chicago’s Montrose Harbor, where dozens of people, mostly fishermen, gathered on a lakefront breakwater.
2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden embraces his Catholic identity, but breaks with Church teaching
2020 Candidate Joe Biden Identifies as Catholic, But Breaks With Church Teaching: Former Vice President Joe Biden launched his bid to be the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Thursday, ending months of speculation. Over the course of his long political career, Biden has grappled with reconciling his Catholic faith with his stances on issues like abortion and marriage that contradict central Church teachings.
One significant Church teaching where Biden has shifted is abortion. As The New York Times recently noted, Biden was pro-life when he began his Senate career in 1973. He argued that the Supreme Court had gone “too far” on abortion in the Roe v. Wade decision and stated in 1974 that a woman shouldn’t have the “sole right to say what should happen to her body.”
One significant Church teaching where Biden has shifted is abortion. As The New York Times recently noted, Biden was pro-life when he began his Senate career in 1973. He argued that the Supreme Court had gone “too far” on abortion in the Roe v. Wade decision and stated in 1974 that a woman shouldn’t have the “sole right to say what should happen to her body.”
How can we understand the passage about the dead coming forth from their tombs when Jesus died on the Cross?
How Can We Understand the Passage About the Dead Coming Forth From Their Tombs When Jesus Died on the Cross? - Community in MissionPOPE: There is a passage in Matthew’s Gospel which says something quite astonishing but then leaves us starved for more information.
It is a very mysterious text that does not lend itself to simple or satisfying explanations. Was this reported elsewhere in literature from time? Why do the other Gospels not mention something so startling? Who rose? How many? What happened after they rose? Did they go back to life in Jerusalem or did they appear for only a moment?
We are simply left to wonder as to the details. But we must recall that each of the Evangelists selected their material carefully and according to set purposes. Brevity of written texts in those times was more important than verbiage given the costly nature of writing long before the printing press.
It is a very mysterious text that does not lend itself to simple or satisfying explanations. Was this reported elsewhere in literature from time? Why do the other Gospels not mention something so startling? Who rose? How many? What happened after they rose? Did they go back to life in Jerusalem or did they appear for only a moment?
We are simply left to wonder as to the details. But we must recall that each of the Evangelists selected their material carefully and according to set purposes. Brevity of written texts in those times was more important than verbiage given the costly nature of writing long before the printing press.
Religious groups, from schools to charities, need to pay attention to this ominous new development
The Next America | Josh Holdenried | First ThingsHOLDENRIED: Nearly a decade ago, Archbishop Charles Chaput warned religious believers to prepare for the “Next America.” He predicted that in the not-too-distant future, government would target religious people and institutions, either forcing them to violate their beliefs or pushing them out of the public square. One midwestern Catholic school now fears that future has arrived—and it’s fighting back to protect its religious liberty.
Rebuilding Notre-Dame will pit Church against state – again
Rebuilding Notre-Dame will pit Church against state – again | Catholic HeraldGREGG: The Archbishop of Paris, Michel Aupetit, is renowned for his calm demeanor and easy-going manner. That made it all the more significant when, during a recent radio interview following President Emmanuel Macron’s address to the nation about the burning of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Aupetit expressed his astonishment at Macron’s failure to mention Catholics as among those affected by the drama surrounding what is, after all, a functioning and active Catholic cathedral. “Le mot catholique n’est pas un gros mot,” he insisted. (“The word ‘Catholic’ is not a swear word.”)
‘Avengers: Endgame’ (Rotten Tomatoes 96%) does what it sets out to do
SDG Reviews ‘Avengers: Endgame’GREYDANUS: Running just over three hours long, Avengers: Endgame builds to a denouement with a valedictory air akin to the last act of Peter Jackson’s similarly sprawling The Return of the King, except that it comes at the end of 22 movies instead of three movies.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe will, of course, go on. It’s no secret that, despite crumbling to dust before our eyes in Infinity War, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange and Black Panther have upcoming movies in the works, and it looks like there will finally be a solo Black Widow movie. New properties waiting in the wings include the ancient cosmic beings called the Eternals and the martial-arts master Shang-Chi.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe will, of course, go on. It’s no secret that, despite crumbling to dust before our eyes in Infinity War, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange and Black Panther have upcoming movies in the works, and it looks like there will finally be a solo Black Widow movie. New properties waiting in the wings include the ancient cosmic beings called the Eternals and the martial-arts master Shang-Chi.
What St. Thomas Aquinas would say about criticizing popes
Is It Virtuous to Criticize the Pope? - Homiletic & Pastoral ReviewJOANNEBAKER: Lately there has been much public criticism of our Holy Father the Pope even amongst faithful Catholics. Some have been dismayed by this criticism, considering it irreverent and judgmental. Yet others justify criticism of the Pope, saying it falls into the category of the virtuous act called fraternal correction. When is it virtuous to criticize another person, especially someone to whom we owe reverence? We look at the moral principles laid out by St. Thomas Aquinas in order to answer this question. In part one we will distinguish the private act of fraternal correction from the public act of just correction, and explain how both acts require a prudent and just judgment. Then in part two we will discuss how this judgment is modified regarding the evil of scandal as well as the virtue of piety.
As Sri Lanka buries more than 300, here are 10 of the innocent lives lost
As Sri Lanka Buries More Than 300, Here Are 10 of the Innocent Lives LostMURPHY: As Tuesday marked a day of mourning in Sri Lanka, a mass funeral took place for 30 victims of the devastating Easter Sunday terror attack that left more than 300 dead and 500 injured. The stories behind some of the lives lost are now being shared. Mothers wailing next to baby coffins. A woman, now a widow, grappling with being alone. Entire families being buried together. With headlines talking of the deadly massacre and ISIS now claiming attack, it’s easy to lose sight of the names and faces that were killed on Easter Sunday. Here’s a glimpse into some of the beautiful lives so tragically taken:
Be honest, secularists: You know He might have risen
Be Honest, Secularists, You Know He Might Have Risen | The StreamMILLS: Dead people stay dead. Everyone knows that. Growing up among secular people, I don’t think I ever heard anyone admit Jesus might have risen from the grave. No one said, “You know, that was a long time ago. There seems to be some evidence for it. It’s not impossible. So who knows?” No one was agnostic about Jesus rising from the dead. My secularist friends knew He didn’t.
These people also believed themselves to be true skeptics. Few called themselves atheists. Most called themselves agnostics. They accepted nothing on faith, tested everything, kept their minds open. They cared only for the truth. Christian belief they thought just blind faith. Dogmatic. Irrational. Kind of sad, really. They, not blinded by dogma like the poor Christians, held themselves open to every possibility.
These people also believed themselves to be true skeptics. Few called themselves atheists. Most called themselves agnostics. They accepted nothing on faith, tested everything, kept their minds open. They cared only for the truth. Christian belief they thought just blind faith. Dogmatic. Irrational. Kind of sad, really. They, not blinded by dogma like the poor Christians, held themselves open to every possibility.
Why didn’t people recognize Jesus after His Resurrection?
Resurrection: Why Didn’t They Recognize Jesus? – Fr. Dwight LongeneckerLONGENECKER: You must have wondered why the disciples did not recognize Jesus after the resurrection. I think there are two basic reasons.
First, his resurrection body was different than ours. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the Lord, but we have to admit that while the stories portray his resurrection as being physical, he was not physical as we are physical.
He’s physical inasmuch as he eats and challenges them to examine his wounds, but his physicality is unusual. In the story of the Road to Emmaus he is mysteriously appears, they don’t recognize him, then he vanishes from their sight. In the Upper Room the doors are locked but he appears among them. The suggestion is that he is able to move through the doors or walls.
First, his resurrection body was different than ours. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the Lord, but we have to admit that while the stories portray his resurrection as being physical, he was not physical as we are physical.
He’s physical inasmuch as he eats and challenges them to examine his wounds, but his physicality is unusual. In the story of the Road to Emmaus he is mysteriously appears, they don’t recognize him, then he vanishes from their sight. In the Upper Room the doors are locked but he appears among them. The suggestion is that he is able to move through the doors or walls.
Too woke for peanut butter, and the death of art
Too Woke for Peanut Butter, and the Death of Art | Word on FireSCALIA: Famished after a particularly strenuous session in physical therapy, I sought out the fastest high protein lunch I could put together — a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a glass of milk. As I smeared the peanut butter onto fresh bread, an old Raffi song popped into my head — a favorite of my kids, when they were young and addicted to the affable kiddie troubadour:
A peanut butter sandwich made with jam
One for me, and one for David Amram…
stick, stick, stick, stick, stick!
Suddenly, prompted by nothing conscious, I could imagine a voice objecting. “We shouldn’t sing that song! It’s not inclusive! It’s not sensitive to kids who are allergic to peanut butter and could die from it!”
A peanut butter sandwich made with jam
One for me, and one for David Amram…
stick, stick, stick, stick, stick!
Suddenly, prompted by nothing conscious, I could imagine a voice objecting. “We shouldn’t sing that song! It’s not inclusive! It’s not sensitive to kids who are allergic to peanut butter and could die from it!”
The Gospel of Mark through the eyes of St. Peter
Mark’s Gospel Through the Eyes of St. PeterMCDONALD: St. Mark’s Jesus is in a hurry. The most famous word in this famously terse Gospel is “immediately” (Greek: euthys). Apostles immediately leave their boats and nets. Lepers are healed in an instant, and the sick and lame practically leap to their feet at the barest touch of the Lord. Jesus seems to be rushing everywhere, dishing out snappy parables and trying to light a fire under some very slack followers. He crackles with life and energy, and Mark’s rough-and-ready Greek forsakes smoothness and grammar to give us a portrait of Jesus that is, to use a related sense of the word, intensely immediate.
Why didn’t Christ stay with His disciples continually from the Resurrection to His Ascension?
Why Didn’t Christ Stay with His Disciples Continually from the Resurrection to His Ascension? - Community in MissionPOPE: After Christ rose from the dead, He appeared to His disciples at certain places and times, but did not seem to stay with them continuously. On the first Easter Sunday, He appeared six times in rather rapid succession: first to Mary Magdalene, then to the women at the tomb, third as the women left the tomb, fourth to Peter, fifth to the two disciples going to Emmaus, and sixth to the ten Apostles in Jerusalem (when Thomas was not present).
In His public ministry, Jesus seemed to be with His disciples nearly all the time. However, after His Resurrection he would appear, converse, and teach, but then be absent from them bodily. For example, John 20:26 says that “after eight days” Christ appeared to the disciples, suggesting that He was not otherwise present to them during that period.
In His public ministry, Jesus seemed to be with His disciples nearly all the time. However, after His Resurrection he would appear, converse, and teach, but then be absent from them bodily. For example, John 20:26 says that “after eight days” Christ appeared to the disciples, suggesting that He was not otherwise present to them during that period.
Pope appoints Bishop Donald J. Hying to lead Diocese of Madison
Bishop Donald J. Hying Appointed to Lead Madison Diocese: He replaces Bishop Morlino, who died Nov. 24, 2018 at St. Mary Hospital in Madison after suffering a cardiac event while undergoing scheduled medical tests.
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
I’m really tired of hearing heresy from the pulpit
I'm Really Tired of Hearing Heresy from the Pulpit | ChurchPOP: Here is a sample of things I have heard with my own ears preached from the pulpit during Mass: We can’t trust Luke’s account in the book of Acts about Jesus’ ascension, because Luke wasn’t personally present for the event. The Ascension isn’t that Jesus ascended into heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father, but that he ascended into our hearts. The Holy Spirit is not a person. The three persons of the Trinity are like different roles God plays at different times. Casting doubt on the Immaculate Conception by giving a false history of the dogma...
I am so proud of our students at Catholic University. Here’s why...
Look at this - The Arlington Catholic HeraldGARVEY: This month the student government association, the body that represents our undergraduates, passed a resolution asking the university to prohibit access through the campus network to the 200 most frequently visited pornography websites. I told them we'd be happy to.
Pornography is not what it used to be. It has changed in two ways. First, it's more accessible. In the 19th century, it was found in leather-bound books in gentlemen's clubs and private libraries.
By the mid-20th century, it was available in movie theaters, and in magazines and paperbacks at cigar stores and newsstands — outlets that could be closed off to young people.
Pornography is not what it used to be. It has changed in two ways. First, it's more accessible. In the 19th century, it was found in leather-bound books in gentlemen's clubs and private libraries.
By the mid-20th century, it was available in movie theaters, and in magazines and paperbacks at cigar stores and newsstands — outlets that could be closed off to young people.
Where is the Catholic Church headed?
Where is the Catholic Church Headed? – Fr. Dwight LongeneckerLONGENECKER: Before we returned to the United States from England for me to be ordained as a Catholic priest I was running a business I founded called Working Hero. This was a business training company that helped managers and business leaders manage change.
We used the hero’s quest in movies to illustrate to our clients how heroes in films cope with the challenge of change. Part of the process was to analyze the natural instincts when faced with change. The natural instincts are almost always–not only wrong, but disastrous. The first instinct is denial. We put our head in the sand. We might acknowledge the change, but it is not happening to us. Along with denial goes deflection. We shoo it away like a pesky fly or we find arguments that deflect the looming threat of change.
We used the hero’s quest in movies to illustrate to our clients how heroes in films cope with the challenge of change. Part of the process was to analyze the natural instincts when faced with change. The natural instincts are almost always–not only wrong, but disastrous. The first instinct is denial. We put our head in the sand. We might acknowledge the change, but it is not happening to us. Along with denial goes deflection. We shoo it away like a pesky fly or we find arguments that deflect the looming threat of change.
True witnesses to the Resurrection
True Witnesses to the Resurrection | Parishable ItemsFELTES: When I was a grade-schooler, a classmate told me, “Did you know, if you dream that you’re falling and you hit the ground in your dream, you’ll die in real life?” I was astounded and the idea stuck with me. But upon later reflection, I realized the suggestion was nonsense. If someone had died in their sleep because they fell to the ground in a dream, how would anyone find out what they had been dreaming about? The tomb guards’ cover story likewise makes no sense. If they had been sound asleep, how could they identify who (if anyone) had stolen the body?
For the sake of argument, let’s suppose Jesus’ disciples stole his dead body from the tomb. Then the Apostles would know for a fact that the stories they told of interacting with the resurrected Jesus were lies. Church history reports that ten out of the eleven faithful Apostles would go on to die bloody, martyrs’ deaths. Now someone might die for what they mistakenly believe to be true, but who would knowingly die for a lie?
For the sake of argument, let’s suppose Jesus’ disciples stole his dead body from the tomb. Then the Apostles would know for a fact that the stories they told of interacting with the resurrected Jesus were lies. Church history reports that ten out of the eleven faithful Apostles would go on to die bloody, martyrs’ deaths. Now someone might die for what they mistakenly believe to be true, but who would knowingly die for a lie?
Prayer wins: Federal appeals court rules House chaplain can reject secular invocation
Prayer wins: Federal appeals court rules House chaplain can reject secular invocation: A federal appeals court in the District of Columbia on Friday upheld the House of Representatives’ requirement that it start each day it is in session with a religious prayer.
The unanimous ruling from a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia came in a case filed by Daniel Barker, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and a former Christian minister who is now an atheist, who argued the House violated the First Amendment when it denied his request to deliver a secular invocation.
The unanimous ruling from a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia came in a case filed by Daniel Barker, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and a former Christian minister who is now an atheist, who argued the House violated the First Amendment when it denied his request to deliver a secular invocation.
Pope’s Wednesday Audience: ‘Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us’
Pope Francis: To stop evil, give more love than required: To stop the spread of evil in the world, Catholics must go above and beyond, loving and forgiving others even when it is undeserved, Pope Francis urged Wednesday.
“Jesus inserts the power of forgiveness into human relationships. In life, not everything is resolved with justice,” he said April 24.
“Especially where we must put a barricade against evil, someone must love beyond what is necessary, to start a story of grace again,” he said, warning that “evil is familiar with its revenge, and if it is not interrupted it risks spreading and suffocating the whole world.”
“Jesus inserts the power of forgiveness into human relationships. In life, not everything is resolved with justice,” he said April 24.
“Especially where we must put a barricade against evil, someone must love beyond what is necessary, to start a story of grace again,” he said, warning that “evil is familiar with its revenge, and if it is not interrupted it risks spreading and suffocating the whole world.”
Choice on Myanmar: Defend religious freedom now, or pay price later
Choice on Myanmar: Defend religious freedom now, or pay price laterALLEN: What Pope Francis on Easter Sunday referred to as the “cruel violence” in Sri Lanka, targeting churches and hotels and leaving more than 300 people dead, is obviously an affront to humanity, but it’s also the latest wake-up call about the urgency of defending religious freedom worldwide.
In comfortable Western settings such as the United States, battles over religious freedom can seem abstract and largely political, such as well-documented tensions under the Obama administration with the U.S. Catholic bishops over mandates for contraception coverage as part of health care reform.
In comfortable Western settings such as the United States, battles over religious freedom can seem abstract and largely political, such as well-documented tensions under the Obama administration with the U.S. Catholic bishops over mandates for contraception coverage as part of health care reform.
The two Paschas of Jews and Christians — A previously unpublished letter by Benedict XVI comes to light
The Two Paschas of Jews and Christians. A Previously Unpublished Letter By the Pope Emeritus - Settimo Cielo - Blog - L’EspressoMAGISTER: 92 years after his birth and 6 after his resignation from the papacy, Joseph Ratzinger is still highly active. A few days after the sensational publication of his “notes” on the scandal of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, another never-before-published text of his is seeing the light, which was known to exist but can be read in its entirety only now, in this freshly published book edited by Elio Guerriero...
Why was the Resurrection such a hidden event?
Why Was the Resurrection Such a Hidden Event? - Community in MissionPOPE: There is something of a hidden quality to the resurrection appearances that has always puzzled me. Jesus did not appear openly to all but rather only to some. Why? It is so different from what most of us would do! If I were God (and it is very good for you that I am not), I would rise from the dead very dramatically. Perhaps I would summon people to my tomb with trumpet blasts and then emerge amid great fanfare (including a multitude of angels), inspiring awe and striking fear in the hearts of the enemies who had killed me. Or maybe I would ride down on a lightning bolt right into the temple precincts and then go up to the high priest and tell him to seek other employment. Surely it would be an event that would never be forgotten! It would draw many to faith, would it not?
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Of Highlander, pig brains, and Easter: St. Beuno of Wales
Of Highlander, Pig Brains, and Easter: St. Beuno of Wales | God-Haunted LunaticBECKER: Remember Highlander (1986)? It’s about a race of immortals who rattle around the centuries trying to wipe each other out. “In the end,” declaims one of them (played by the immortal Sean Connery), “there can be only one.” Plus there’s this: The only way to kill one of these guys is to lop off his head. And when I say lop, I mean lop – with a three-foot broadsword that looks like it weighs more than my Camry.
It’s a fun movie – really! – but don’t take my word for it. “People hate Highlander because it’s cheesy, bombastic, and absurd,” acknowledges the micro-review on Rotten Tomatoes.
It’s a fun movie – really! – but don’t take my word for it. “People hate Highlander because it’s cheesy, bombastic, and absurd,” acknowledges the micro-review on Rotten Tomatoes.
Will our resurrected body have superhero powers?
Will our resurrected body have superhero powers? - Voyage Comics & PublishingCHICOINE: Superheroes are a huge part the American culture. In recent years, blockbusters like The Avengers franchise and Superman v. Batman along with television shows such as The Flash headline our entertainment. I am a huge fan of the Flash! I love his panoply of abilities: super speed, phasing, and time travel. However, at the end of the day, these characters are still human–just with amplified powers. Each Easter season I ponder the mystery of the Resurrected body of Jesus. Nearly every Sunday during Easter, the Gospel reading talks about the Apostles’ encounter with the Resurrected Lord!
I believe we are on the cusp of a 500-year change in the Church
Sri Lanka: Martyrdom and Misson – Fr. Dwight LongeneckerLONGENECKER: Following the horrible massacre in Sri Lanka on Easter Day it brings home to me the invariable link between martyrdom and mission. I am studying John Allen’s book The Future Church for my new podcast series which begins next week. The other important book John has contributed is The Global War on Christians. Depending how things go, I may follow my podcast on Future Church with a discussion of his second book.
New Vatican document to put evangelization ahead of doctrine
New Vatican document to put evangelization ahead of doctrineSANMARTIN: A new “super dicastery” on evangelization might be one of the most significant reforms of the governing structures of the Vatican, according to a new report.
Spanish journalist Dario Menor Torres, writing for the weekly Vida Nueva, reveals several elements of the new Vatican constitution that has been in development for years.
The biggest novelty in the document, called Praedicate Evangelium [“Preach the Gospel”], will be the creation of the “super dicastery” for evangelization, which will potentially be more important than the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), often called “The Supreme Congregation.”
Spanish journalist Dario Menor Torres, writing for the weekly Vida Nueva, reveals several elements of the new Vatican constitution that has been in development for years.
The biggest novelty in the document, called Praedicate Evangelium [“Preach the Gospel”], will be the creation of the “super dicastery” for evangelization, which will potentially be more important than the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), often called “The Supreme Congregation.”
Paris without her cathedral
Paris Without Her Cathedral | The Point MagazineFREY: I received the news via text from my brother just as I was beginning my ethics seminar: Notre Dame in flames! I took to Twitter and saw the images of the great Cathedral consumed, its instantly recognizable spire collapsing to expressions of horror and disbelief. Aware of the heavy silence of the room, I blinked back my tears, cleared my throat and swallowed my dread. I announced what I had seen, and mumbled something about the tragedy of lost art and history. These were not the proper descriptions of what I was feeling; with regard to my true emotions I exercised a disciplined silence. I took a deep breath and began my lecture on euthanasia practices in Europe, the elevation of individual autonomy and freedom from suffering as the highest goods and the subsequent political will for techno-bureaucratic control over the mystery of death itself.
What does Jesus mean when He tells St. Mary Magdalene not to cling to Him because He was not yet ascended?
What Does Jesus Mean When He Tells Mary Magdalene Not to Cling to Him Because He Has Not Yet Ascended? - Community in MissionPOPE: As the Easter Octave unfolds, we have in the Gospel this enigmatic statement of Our Lord Jesus to Mary Magdalene:
Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God” (John 20:17).
There is much to ponder and distinguish here.
First, we should set aside certain previous translations that rendered “Do not cling to me” as “Do not touch me.”
The latter sounds almost rude. The Greek expression Μή μου ἅπτου (Me mou haptou) is best rendered, “Do not go on clinging to me” because haptou is a verb in the middle voice.
The middle voice is one that English lacks. It is midway between the active and passive voices and indicates that the subject of the verb (in this case, Mary) both acts and is acted upon. Mary lays hold of the Lord but needs to do so because something is different. Something deeper is being shown to her and she is missing that. Mary actively sees Jesus but passively needs to receive something new about Him. This is the middle voice, containing elements of both the active and the passive.
Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God” (John 20:17).
There is much to ponder and distinguish here.
First, we should set aside certain previous translations that rendered “Do not cling to me” as “Do not touch me.”
The latter sounds almost rude. The Greek expression Μή μου ἅπτου (Me mou haptou) is best rendered, “Do not go on clinging to me” because haptou is a verb in the middle voice.
The middle voice is one that English lacks. It is midway between the active and passive voices and indicates that the subject of the verb (in this case, Mary) both acts and is acted upon. Mary lays hold of the Lord but needs to do so because something is different. Something deeper is being shown to her and she is missing that. Mary actively sees Jesus but passively needs to receive something new about Him. This is the middle voice, containing elements of both the active and the passive.
The Risen Lord’s victory over death and sin
Beginning to Pray: The Risen Lord's Victory over Death and SinLILLES: In His Divine Person, the New Adam united Himself to the destruction men suffer in death, to vanquish and transform what would most threaten human dignity into a gateway of eternal glory. Sin is our hostility to Life Himself, and death in sin is the destruction of human life. Sin is the source of our guilt and wraps our existence in shame so that death's shadow haunts our lives. Yet, into this shadow, the Good Shepherd went in search of us, and that we might dwell in His house forever, the Risen Lord bought us with His own blood.
ISIS claims responsibility for Sri Lanka bombings
Sri Lanka Bombings Live Updates: ISIS Claims Responsibility for Attacks - The New York Times: The Islamic State claimed responsibility on Tuesday for the Easter Sunday bombings at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka that killed more than 300 people. The group’s Amaq news agency called the bombers “Islamic State fighters.”
What’s the most important question you’ll ever be asked?
What’s The Most Important Question You’ll Ever Be Asked?CLARK: In a recent interview with the The New York Times, Charles Schwab CEO Walt Bettinger tells the story of the most impactful test he ever took. It was the final exam, for which he had studied diligently and felt prepared to ace. Yet, the business course test contained a question that he was not expecting. In fact, the test contained only one single question:
The teacher handed out the final exam, and it was on one piece of paper, which really surprised me because I figured it would be longer than that. Once everyone had their paper, he said, ‘Go ahead and turn it over.’ Both sides were blank.
And the professor said, ‘I’ve taught you everything I can teach you about business in the last 10 weeks, but the most important message, the most important question, is this: What’s the name of the lady who cleans this building?’
The teacher handed out the final exam, and it was on one piece of paper, which really surprised me because I figured it would be longer than that. Once everyone had their paper, he said, ‘Go ahead and turn it over.’ Both sides were blank.
And the professor said, ‘I’ve taught you everything I can teach you about business in the last 10 weeks, but the most important message, the most important question, is this: What’s the name of the lady who cleans this building?’
Monday, April 22, 2019
“On the third day he rose again.” Why the third day?
Why the Third Day?: Part 1 | Mark Shea: The Resurrection is a work of God the Blessed Trinity. All three Persons of the Godhead are involved and, as in all things, all three Persons operate in perfect harmony to accomplish it. The Father “raised up” Christ his Son (Acts 2:24, 32). The Son declares, “I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father.” (John 10:17-18). And that miracle of Resurrection is how Jesus is conclusively revealed as “Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness” (Romans 1:4).
Sri Lanka attacks: ‘International network’ linked to bombings that killed 290 people
Sri Lanka attacks: 'International network' linked to bombings - BBC News: A wave of bombings that killed 290 people in Sri Lanka on Sunday was carried out with the support of an international network, officials said.
The government has blamed a little-known local jihadist group, National Thowheed Jamath, although no-one has yet admitted carrying out the bombings.
Another 500 people were injured in the suicide attacks on churches and hotels.
Police arrested 24 people in a series of raids and the president's office declared a state of national emergency.
The emergency declaration, which comes into effect from midnight (18:30 GMT) on Monday, will give police and military extensive powers to detain and interrogate suspects without court orders.
The government has blamed a little-known local jihadist group, National Thowheed Jamath, although no-one has yet admitted carrying out the bombings.
Another 500 people were injured in the suicide attacks on churches and hotels.
Police arrested 24 people in a series of raids and the president's office declared a state of national emergency.
The emergency declaration, which comes into effect from midnight (18:30 GMT) on Monday, will give police and military extensive powers to detain and interrogate suspects without court orders.
Political style question for tense times: What do you call people killed in church on Easter?
Journalism style question for tense times: What do you call people killed in church on Easter? — GetReligionMATTINGLY: I have been covering the religion beat, to one degree or another, for 40 years and I have never heard “Easter worshippers” used as a replacement for the word “Christians.”
Is this a reference to people who worship ON Easter or, well, people who worship Easter?
As an Eastern Orthodox Christian, I am well aware that Christians around the world — due to the much-covered clash between the Gregorian calendar and the older Julian calendar — usually celebrate Christianity’s most important holy day at different times.
All that aside, there is no reason to substitute an awkward term like “Easter worshippers” for the word “Christian,” when referring to the victims in the horrible Easter morning bombings in Sri Lanka.
Is this a reference to people who worship ON Easter or, well, people who worship Easter?
As an Eastern Orthodox Christian, I am well aware that Christians around the world — due to the much-covered clash between the Gregorian calendar and the older Julian calendar — usually celebrate Christianity’s most important holy day at different times.
All that aside, there is no reason to substitute an awkward term like “Easter worshippers” for the word “Christian,” when referring to the victims in the horrible Easter morning bombings in Sri Lanka.
3 reasons why the Notre Dame blaze broke so many hearts
3 Reasons Why the Notre Dame Blaze Broke So Many HeartsPOPE: The burning of Notre Dame in Paris last week struck us all very deeply, more deeply, I think, than most of us imagine. Even the most secular in France were struck and saddened. Why is this? Simply put, Notre Dame is far more than a building. What follows are three short reflections on the deeper meanings of the burning of Notre Dame. What unites them is an archetypal longing for what we once were and have seemingly lost but can regain if we allow Our Lady to lead us back to her Son.
The death of Father James Schall — a philosopher who dared
The Death of Father James Schall — a Philosopher Who DaredDEMARCO: Jesuit Father James Vincent Schall, distinguished political philosopher and author of 30 books, passed away April 17, 2019, at the age of 91. The virtues that Etienne Gilson ascribed to Saint Thomas Aquinas—intellectual modesty and intellectual audacity, each to a high degree—were evident in this gentleman scholar.
“No evil can happen to a good man,” said Socrates, “either in life or after death. He and his are not neglected by the gods.” These were words that Fr. Schall lived and taught by. He had all his freshman class read Cicero’s famous treatise On Old Age for both political and humanistic reasons. The wise Roman orator believed that “nature gives us a place to dwell in temporarily, not one to make our own. When I leave life, therefore, I feel as if I am leaving a hotel, I feel as if I am leaving a hostel rather than a home.” These were sentiments that the lad from Pocahontas, Iowa, took to heart. At the close of his own chapter “On Old Age” (from his book, Idylls and Rambles) he writes: “The sense of personal meaning, of individual death, of a hostel or inn, not a permanent home, of our passingness, is ultimately why we cannot be content either with this world or with those theories that suggest this world and its arrangements are all there is.”
“No evil can happen to a good man,” said Socrates, “either in life or after death. He and his are not neglected by the gods.” These were words that Fr. Schall lived and taught by. He had all his freshman class read Cicero’s famous treatise On Old Age for both political and humanistic reasons. The wise Roman orator believed that “nature gives us a place to dwell in temporarily, not one to make our own. When I leave life, therefore, I feel as if I am leaving a hotel, I feel as if I am leaving a hostel rather than a home.” These were sentiments that the lad from Pocahontas, Iowa, took to heart. At the close of his own chapter “On Old Age” (from his book, Idylls and Rambles) he writes: “The sense of personal meaning, of individual death, of a hostel or inn, not a permanent home, of our passingness, is ultimately why we cannot be content either with this world or with those theories that suggest this world and its arrangements are all there is.”
Sunday, April 21, 2019
Fearful yet overjoyed: The journey to Resurrection faith
Fearful Yet Overjoyed – The Journey to Resurrection Faith - Community in MissionPOPE: The Gospels of the Easter Octave describe not just an event but even more so a journey. It is tempting to think that the disciples and apostles, having seen the risen Lord, were immediately confirmed in their faith, stripped of all doubt.
That is not the case, however. Nearly all the resurrection accounts make it clear that although seeing the risen Lord was “mind-blowing,” it was only a beginning. As it is with any human experience, no matter how intense, encountering the risen Lord was something that the disciples needed to process. They needed to come to live its implications in stages.
That is not the case, however. Nearly all the resurrection accounts make it clear that although seeing the risen Lord was “mind-blowing,” it was only a beginning. As it is with any human experience, no matter how intense, encountering the risen Lord was something that the disciples needed to process. They needed to come to live its implications in stages.
Easter brings a ‘new world,’ Pope Francis says in Urbi et Orbi
Easter brings a 'new world,' Pope Francis says in Urbi et Orbi: Christ’s resurrection ushers in a new world – one of peace, love, and fraternity, Pope Francis said on Easter Sunday, as he prayed for the many people who are suffering throughout the world.
“Christ is alive and he remains with us. Risen, he shows us the light of his face, and he does not abandon all those experiencing hardship, pain and sorrow,” Pope Francis said April 21.
“Yet Easter is also the beginning of the new world, set free from the slavery of sin and death: the world open at last to the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom of love, peace and fraternity.”
“Christ is alive and he remains with us. Risen, he shows us the light of his face, and he does not abandon all those experiencing hardship, pain and sorrow,” Pope Francis said April 21.
“Yet Easter is also the beginning of the new world, set free from the slavery of sin and death: the world open at last to the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom of love, peace and fraternity.”
How to understand the readings for Easter Day
The Sacred Page: Readings for Easter DayBERGSMA: The Mass of Easter Day is one of the most joyful in the Church calendar, as the Church basks in the afterglow of the most remarkable intervention of God into human history, the resurrection of his own son. The First Reading from Acts is a beautiful summary of the Gospel message and the faith of the early Church. In this synopsis of Peter’s preaching, we see a summary of the Gospels, especially the Gospel of Mark, which is traditionally held to represent Peter’s preaching and follows the ministry of Jesus from the Baptism of John to the resurrection. Another important aspect of the Gospel is that “to him all the prophets bear witness,” in other words, it is integral to the Christian faith that the ministry of Jesus is rooted in the Scriptures of Israel...
Easter attacks on churches in Sri Lanka are tragic, but hardly surprising
Easter attacks on churches in Sri Lanka are tragic, but hardly surprisingALLEN: Sadly enough, there’s now an ugly and utterly predictable dynamic on Easter Sunday: Somewhere in the world, full churches will be attacked and some number of Christians will die for no other reason than that they chose to attend services to celebrate what is supposed to be the faith’s great celebration of life.
Today, it happened in Sri Lanka, where, as of this writing, at least 138 people have been killed and more than 560 injured after coordinated bomb blasts hit a number of high-end hotels and churches across the country.
At St. Sebastian’s in Katuwapitiya, located in a heavily Catholic neighborhood north of Colombo known as “little Rome,” more than 50 people had been killed, a police official told Reuters, with pictures showing bodies on the ground, blood on the pews and a destroyed roof.
Today, it happened in Sri Lanka, where, as of this writing, at least 138 people have been killed and more than 560 injured after coordinated bomb blasts hit a number of high-end hotels and churches across the country.
At St. Sebastian’s in Katuwapitiya, located in a heavily Catholic neighborhood north of Colombo known as “little Rome,” more than 50 people had been killed, a police official told Reuters, with pictures showing bodies on the ground, blood on the pews and a destroyed roof.
“In my life, where am I going? What is the stone I need to remove?”
Whispers in the Loggia: On Easter Night, "In My Life, Where Am I Going? What Is The Stone I Need To Remove?"COATOFARMS: The women bring spices to the tomb, but they fear that their journey is in vain, since a large stone bars the entrance to the sepulcher. The journey of those women is also our own journey; it resembles the journey of salvation that we have made this evening. At times, it seems that everything comes up against a stone: the beauty of creation against the tragedy of sin; liberation from slavery against infidelity to the covenant; the promises of the prophets against the listless indifference of the people. So too, in the history of the Church and in our own personal history. It seems that the steps we take never take us to the goal. We can be tempted to think that dashed hope is the bleak law of life.
Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O, Death is your Victory? – WE'RE LATE FOR CHURCHGERD: For those of you who mourn the death of a loved one, this is the day when we joyfully (yet often with tears in our eyes) anticipate our eventual reunion in heaven. May the powerful hope of seeing our dear ones again, that is made possible by our Lord’s victorious Resurrection, be with you this Easter season and always. Oh, what a glorious day!
Every Easter Sunday since losing my mother, I have faced Mass on this holiest of days, with the paradox of profound peace and deep sadness. While the promise of defeat over death is a balm for my wounded heart, I despair in the waiting—26 years this May to be exact. Not even a blip on the timeline of Salvation history. I wait for an inevitability that is both unwelcome and scary, my own natural death. Alas, under the strictures of this fallen world and chronological time, I will wait. And I will continue to toil so that someday I can participate in His great promise to be united with Him and my dear mom.
Every Easter Sunday since losing my mother, I have faced Mass on this holiest of days, with the paradox of profound peace and deep sadness. While the promise of defeat over death is a balm for my wounded heart, I despair in the waiting—26 years this May to be exact. Not even a blip on the timeline of Salvation history. I wait for an inevitability that is both unwelcome and scary, my own natural death. Alas, under the strictures of this fallen world and chronological time, I will wait. And I will continue to toil so that someday I can participate in His great promise to be united with Him and my dear mom.
Here’s what to know about the Easter Sunday blasts in Sri Lanka
What to Know About the Easter Sunday Blasts in Sri Lanka | Time: Scores of people have been killed and hundreds wounded in a series of blasts that rocked Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday. Explosions have occurred in the capital Colombo, as well as in a town north of the capital and a town on the east coast. Churches, hotels, and a housing development were targeted. Nobody has claimed responsibility so far.
Hundreds killed in Easter Sunday bomb attacks on hotels, Catholic churches throughout Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Bombings Live Updates: ‘It Was a River of Blood’ - The New York Times: As Christians in Sri Lanka gathered on Sunday morning to celebrate Easter Mass, the culmination of Holy Week, powerful explosions ripped through three churches packed with worshipers, leaving hundreds of victims amid a havoc of splintered and blood-spattered pews.
In what the police said were coordinated attacks carried out by a single group, bombers also struck three five-star hotels popular with tourists. At least 207 people were killed and 450 others injured, a police spokesman, Ruwan Gunasekera, said.
In what the police said were coordinated attacks carried out by a single group, bombers also struck three five-star hotels popular with tourists. At least 207 people were killed and 450 others injured, a police spokesman, Ruwan Gunasekera, said.
Saturday, April 20, 2019
The brain that remade itself
The Brain That Remade Itself – OneZero: I put my hand on a bishop and slide it several squares before moving it back. “Should I move a different piece instead?” I wonder to myself.
“You have to move that piece if you’ve touched it,” my opponent says, flashing a wry grin.
Fine. I move the bishop. It’s becoming increasingly obvious to me now — I’m going to lose a game of chess to a 12-year-old.
My opponent is Tanner Collins, a seventh-grade student growing up in a Pittsburgh suburb. Besides playing chess, Collins likes building with Legos. One such set, a replica of Hogwarts Castle from the Harry Potter books, is displayed on a hutch in the dining room of his parents’ house. He points out to me a critical flaw in the design: The back of the castle isn’t closed off. “If you turn it around,” he says, “the whole side is open. That’s dumb.”
“You have to move that piece if you’ve touched it,” my opponent says, flashing a wry grin.
Fine. I move the bishop. It’s becoming increasingly obvious to me now — I’m going to lose a game of chess to a 12-year-old.
My opponent is Tanner Collins, a seventh-grade student growing up in a Pittsburgh suburb. Besides playing chess, Collins likes building with Legos. One such set, a replica of Hogwarts Castle from the Harry Potter books, is displayed on a hutch in the dining room of his parents’ house. He points out to me a critical flaw in the design: The back of the castle isn’t closed off. “If you turn it around,” he says, “the whole side is open. That’s dumb.”
Tenebrae: Lamentations of Jeremiah
New Advent: Tenebrae: Lamentations of Jeremiah: The ancient chants of Tenebrae are the Church's song of mourning for her betrayed, crucified, and buried Redeemer. The Lamentations of Jeremiah are cries from the heart over the ruin of the Jerusalem, and a call to rebuild what is broken. They reflect the sorrow of the Church for her sin.
3D scans of Notre Dame could prove pivotal in its reconstruction
New Advent: 3D scans of Notre Dame could prove pivotal in its reconstruction: The priest in charge of Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral says the landmark, nearly destroyed by Monday's fire, will be closed for five or six years. Twenty-first century technology will likely be pivotal in its reconstruction...
Facebook fascism and the slippery slope to tyranny
Facebook Fascism and the Slippery Slope to Tyranny ~ The Imaginative ConservativePEARCE: Following the recent attack on a mosque in New Zealand by a white supremacist terrorist, I was asked by a national TV network in the UK to appear on a live show to give my perspective as a former white supremacist. (I served two prison sentences for “inciting racial hatred” back in the 1980s.) I was happy to do so. More recently, the same TV network asked me to appear live to comment on Facebook’s decision to ban the “far right.” “Presumably you agree with the ban,” the representative of the TV network continued, “and do you think other tech companies should follow them?” My reply was no doubt a disappointment:
“Three days and three nights?”
“Three Days and Three Nights?”AKIN: In Matthew 12:40, Jesus says:
Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
This has widely—and correctly—been understood as a reference to the period he spent in the tomb, between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.
However, it raises a question about the timing of these events. Many people ask, if Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, how could he rise on Easter Sunday? That’s not “three days and three nights” later—at least by our reckoning.
Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.
This has widely—and correctly—been understood as a reference to the period he spent in the tomb, between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.
However, it raises a question about the timing of these events. Many people ask, if Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, how could he rise on Easter Sunday? That’s not “three days and three nights” later—at least by our reckoning.
A Tale of Two Cities’ Cathedrals
A Tale of Two Cities’ CathedralsTURLEY: The fires that burned brightly at Notre-Dame de Paris were matched by the vivid resolve of French politicians and civic leaders that from the ashes this great cathedral will rise once more.
Across the channel in London, one cannot help but be reminded of another fire and another cathedral that burned equally disastrously. In 1666 what was to become known as the Great Fire of London began shortly after midnight on Sept. 2 in a bakery on Pudding Lane near London Bridge. For the next four days a fire ripped through the heart of London until much of London’s medieval past was no more. When the fire subsided it had destroyed 13,200 houses, 87 parish churches, and most of the buildings belonging to the City of London authorities. Approximately 70,000 of the city’s 80,000 inhabitants were left homeless by the fire.
Across the channel in London, one cannot help but be reminded of another fire and another cathedral that burned equally disastrously. In 1666 what was to become known as the Great Fire of London began shortly after midnight on Sept. 2 in a bakery on Pudding Lane near London Bridge. For the next four days a fire ripped through the heart of London until much of London’s medieval past was no more. When the fire subsided it had destroyed 13,200 houses, 87 parish churches, and most of the buildings belonging to the City of London authorities. Approximately 70,000 of the city’s 80,000 inhabitants were left homeless by the fire.
Heaven is real
Heaven is Real | John Wilson | First Things: During Holy Week I sometimes think of the Woman in the Bus. The bus in question went up and down Los Robles Avenue in Pasadena, California, where Wendy and I lived for roughly twenty years. Much of the time, I walked to downtown Pasadena, but sometimes—especially when I was carrying books and such—I took the bus. Most of the other passengers were black, and one regular in particular caught my attention.
Holy Saturday and the Lord of the Rings
Holy Saturday and Lord of the Rings – Fr. Dwight LongeneckerLONGENECKER: One of Catholicism’s greatest contributions is the great artists it has produced. I have written elsewhere about how the deeply incarnation and sacramental vision of Catholicism helps to inspire art that works at a deeper level than anything the world (and non Catholic Christians) can produce.
One of the best examples of this is the comparison between Tolkien and Lewis.
J.R.R. Tolkien wove his Catholicism into The Lord of the Rings at the deepest of levels.
Not content to write a quasi-allegory like his friend C.S.Lewis in The Chronicles of Narnia, Tolkien eschewed the too easy one-to-one symbolism and created a whole other world that reflected and echoed the reality of this world.
One of the best examples of this is the comparison between Tolkien and Lewis.
J.R.R. Tolkien wove his Catholicism into The Lord of the Rings at the deepest of levels.
Not content to write a quasi-allegory like his friend C.S.Lewis in The Chronicles of Narnia, Tolkien eschewed the too easy one-to-one symbolism and created a whole other world that reflected and echoed the reality of this world.
Holy Saturday: “He descended into hell”
12 Things You Need to Know About Holy SaturdayAKIN: On Holy Saturday the earth waits in stillness for the Resurrection of the Lord. Here are 12 things you need to know about it.
Where is Jesus between His death and resurrection?
Where Is Jesus Between His Death and Resurrection? - Community in MissionPOPE: Where is Christ after He dies on Friday afternoon and before He rises on Easter Sunday? Both Scripture and Tradition answer this question. Consider the following excerpt from a second century sermon as well as this meditation from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Today a great silence reigns on earth, a great silence and a great stillness. A great silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. … He has gone to search for Adam, our first father, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow Adam in his bonds and Eve, captive with him—He who is both their God and the son of Eve. … “I am your God, who for your sake have become your Son. … I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead.”
Palm Sunday and the spiritual logic for the Pope’s sound of silence
Palm Sunday and the spiritual logic for Francis's sound of silenceALLEN: For the past six years, it’s been a hallmark of Pope Francis’s leadership style not to engage criticism, at least not in any direct or public fashion, especially when he regards it as reflecting mixed motives.
Shortly after his papacy began, Francis was hit with a mini-scandal fueled by veteran Italian journalist Sandro Magister pivoting on the new pope’s choice of Monsignor Gianbattista Ricca as his delegate to the so-called “Vatican bank.” Magister produced records showing that Ricca had been involved in dubious personal scandals while serving as a papal diplomat in Uruguay, yet Francis never responded and also never removed Ricca.
Shortly after his papacy began, Francis was hit with a mini-scandal fueled by veteran Italian journalist Sandro Magister pivoting on the new pope’s choice of Monsignor Gianbattista Ricca as his delegate to the so-called “Vatican bank.” Magister produced records showing that Ricca had been involved in dubious personal scandals while serving as a papal diplomat in Uruguay, yet Francis never responded and also never removed Ricca.
Friday, April 19, 2019
Medieval cathedral spires have been at risk from the get-go
Medieval Cathedral Spires Have Been at Risk From the Get Go - Atlas Obscura: Fire made quick work of the 300-foot spire that stood until recently atop Paris’s Notre Dame cathedral. As orange flames engulfed the lead-clad wood, smoke billowed skyward in thick, gray clouds. Sirens wailed, and so did onlookers’ voices. The blaze ate away at the spire until the structure leaned and then finally splintered and fell, like a tree trunk cleaved from its roots.
Cathedral spires often become key components of a city’s skyline, and that was the case with Notre Dame. Writing in The Atlantic after the spire collapsed on April 15, 2019, the journalist Sophie Gilbert called the cathedral’s top and towers “stately and certain in the springtime, as familiar as the sun.” Spires can serve as iconic architectural reference points, but that doesn’t mean they’ve had it easy.
Cathedral spires often become key components of a city’s skyline, and that was the case with Notre Dame. Writing in The Atlantic after the spire collapsed on April 15, 2019, the journalist Sophie Gilbert called the cathedral’s top and towers “stately and certain in the springtime, as familiar as the sun.” Spires can serve as iconic architectural reference points, but that doesn’t mean they’ve had it easy.
Niccolò dell’Arca’s lament for the dead Christ
Niccolo dell’Arca’s Lament for the Dead Christ – Building Catholic CultureSTAUDT: “God is dead and we have killed him.” Nietzsche is right once a year. The horror of the death of Christ for our sins, marred beyond recognition, and the responsibility we bear for this suffering, should touch us deeply. Although the terror of the death of God gives way to the joy of the Resurrection, the the enduring evidence of the distortion wrought by our sin on the dead Christ continues to move us (as Dostoevsky portrays in The Idiot). One set of sculptures, dell’Arca’s Lamentation, captures this sentiment powerfully, which I experienced, captivated, as an undergrad studying abroad in Italy.
MLB umpires missed 34,294 pitch calls in 2018. Time for robo-umps?
MLB Umpires Missed 34,294 Pitch Calls in 2018. Time for Robo-umps? | BU Today | Boston University: Baseball is here, another season of amazing catches, overpowering pitching, tape-measure home runs, overpriced beers, and, yes, television replays of every missed call by umpires, revealed in painful, high-definition slow motion.
It’s time for Major League Baseball to put an end to the agony caused by at least some of those blown calls—the balls and strikes.
Each season, MLB home plate umpires make tens of thousands of incorrect calls (read on for evidence backing up that assertion). These controllable errors impact players, managers, batters, pitchers, performance statistics, game outcomes, and even the big business of fantasy baseball. They shorten careers and diminish fan experience. Pace of play is also impeded.
It’s time for Major League Baseball to put an end to the agony caused by at least some of those blown calls—the balls and strikes.
Each season, MLB home plate umpires make tens of thousands of incorrect calls (read on for evidence backing up that assertion). These controllable errors impact players, managers, batters, pitchers, performance statistics, game outcomes, and even the big business of fantasy baseball. They shorten careers and diminish fan experience. Pace of play is also impeded.
Did the rooftop bees of Notre Dame survive?
Did the Rooftop Bees of Notre Dame Survive?: It took me several days to think of the bees. After the smoke had cleared and the heartbreak settled in, I remembered: they kept beehives up there. So you might be wondering too: were the honeybees spared from the fire that ravaged Notre Dame and left the world in disbelief on that black Monday evening in Paris? The fate of the cathedral’s busiest little winged inhabitants may seem all too insignificant next to centuries of history destroyed, but I’ll take my silver linings however I can get them – even in the tiniest doses. So I went looking for answers…
The fire will test the quality of each one’s work
A Testing By Fire | Parishable ItemsFELTES: Jesus teaches, “There will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. … I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” I suspect the world’s heartbroken reaction to seeing Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral ablaze resembles how the angels in Heaven mourn the loss of one soul.
On the day of the fire, many feared that this 12th century church honoring “Our Lady,” which took 182 years to build, was no more. But thankfully, the destruction appears limited to its massive oak beam roof. Its tall limestone walls and celebrated stained-glass windows reportedly survived with minor damage. The great cathedral will be resurrected, yet this event should be a wake-up call, a reminder that the most precious of things can be neglected and lost forever.
On the day of the fire, many feared that this 12th century church honoring “Our Lady,” which took 182 years to build, was no more. But thankfully, the destruction appears limited to its massive oak beam roof. Its tall limestone walls and celebrated stained-glass windows reportedly survived with minor damage. The great cathedral will be resurrected, yet this event should be a wake-up call, a reminder that the most precious of things can be neglected and lost forever.
In the image of a fire-gutted Notre Dame, I see myself, and I see the whole Church...
Failure and Victory: Finding Personal Meaning in the Wreckage of Notre Dame - The AnchoressSCALIA: I write this just days after watching Paris’ Cathedral of Notre Dame become engulfed by flames and fearing that the most famous and treasured place of worship in all of Christendom after St. Peter’s Basilica would be reduced to stone and ash at the start of Holy Week.
Thankfully, the Cathedral is not wholly lost, but as it burned, it truly did seem like familiar parables and lessons were playing out before our eyes...
Thankfully, the Cathedral is not wholly lost, but as it burned, it truly did seem like familiar parables and lessons were playing out before our eyes...
Almost 100 abortion workers seek to leave industry after seeing pro-life movie ‘Unplanned’
Almost 100 Abortion Workers Seek to Leave Industry After Seeing Pro-Life Movie ‘Unplanned’: Chuck Konzelman, director of the Pure Flix movie Unplanned, revealed to Congress this week that nearly 100 abortion clinic workers have sought to leave their jobs after seeing the pro-life film.
During his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, Konzelman said 94 clinic workers have approached former Planned Parenthood executive Abby Johnson’s nonprofit, And Then There Were None, according to Pure Flix Insider.
During his testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, Konzelman said 94 clinic workers have approached former Planned Parenthood executive Abby Johnson’s nonprofit, And Then There Were None, according to Pure Flix Insider.
Fr. Fournier performing benediction inside the burning Notre-Dame? That gave me chills...
Fr. Fournier performed benediction inside burning Notre Dame – SIMCHA FISHER: Here’s a transcript of an interview with Fr. Jean-Marc Fournier, the chaplain of the Paris Fire Brigade. He went into Notre Dame as it burned — standing there below a cascade de feu— and saved the Blessed Sacrament and the Crown of Thorns.
“[W]e had a vision of what hell may be: like waterfalls of fire pouring down from the openings in the roof, due to the downfall not only of the spire but also of other smaller debris in the choir,” he said.
“[W]e had a vision of what hell may be: like waterfalls of fire pouring down from the openings in the roof, due to the downfall not only of the spire but also of other smaller debris in the choir,” he said.
Why go to Confession? Here’s why it’s worth it...
Why Go to Confession? Here's Why It's Worth It | Grotto NetworkBECKER: If you’ve ever been hospitalized, you know the indignities of the hospital gown. It’s flimsy and open at the back, which means it’s pretty tough to retain any sense of decency or decorum.
It’s all by design, of course, because clinicians — nurses, doctors, surgeons — require ready access to our anatomy in order to assess, diagnose, and treat our physical problems. Upon admission, we might balk at disrobing and then donning the revealing wrap, but if we expect our caregivers to do their job — facilitating our healing and wholeness — it’s in our best interests to bare our bodies to them.
I can’t think of a better analogy for what it was like for me to go to confession for the first time when I was 25. I learned that the only way to heal is to open things up to let fresh air and light in, to shed our guard and expose to God (through the priest) what ails our souls. As St. Jerome explained, “The medicine cannot heal what it does not know.” The Lord wants to heal us, but it’s up to us to show him where it hurts.
It’s all by design, of course, because clinicians — nurses, doctors, surgeons — require ready access to our anatomy in order to assess, diagnose, and treat our physical problems. Upon admission, we might balk at disrobing and then donning the revealing wrap, but if we expect our caregivers to do their job — facilitating our healing and wholeness — it’s in our best interests to bare our bodies to them.
I can’t think of a better analogy for what it was like for me to go to confession for the first time when I was 25. I learned that the only way to heal is to open things up to let fresh air and light in, to shed our guard and expose to God (through the priest) what ails our souls. As St. Jerome explained, “The medicine cannot heal what it does not know.” The Lord wants to heal us, but it’s up to us to show him where it hurts.
The ‘Seven Last Words’ of Christ on the Cross
The ‘Seven Last Words’ of Christ on the CrossDESOUZA: On Good Friday, Catholics keep the custom of the Via Crucis, the Stations of the Cross. In 2005, for the Stations at the Colosseum in Rome, a dying St. John Paul II had asked Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger to compose the meditations. Less than a month before he would be elected as Benedict XVI, Cardinal Ratzinger gave pilgrims a severe and sober assessment of the state of the Church.
Good Friday: “They will look upon him whom they have pierced”
9 Things You Need to Know About Good FridayAKIN: Good Friday is the most somber day of the Christian year.
It is the day our Savior died for us.
It is the day we were redeemed from our sins by the voluntary death of God Himself at the hands of man.
Here are 9 things you need to know.
It is the day our Savior died for us.
It is the day we were redeemed from our sins by the voluntary death of God Himself at the hands of man.
Here are 9 things you need to know.
NYTimes says priest braved Notre Dame fire to save “statue of Jesus,” not Blessed Sacrament
Priest rushes under the flames inside Notre Dame Cathedral to save a ... STATUE of Jesus? — GetReligionMATTINGLY: OK, Catholic readers of GetReligion (and you know who you are), we have a solution to a journalism mystery that many noticed in the wave of coverage following the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral.
The big question raised by The New York Times: What’s the difference between a “statue” of Jesus and a priest carrying the Blessed Sacrament”? Hold that thought.
Let’s start with Father Jean-Marc Fournier, chaplain of the Paris Fire Brigade and one of the heroes of efforts to save what could be saved inside the iconic cathedral. Quite a few people are reporting stories about the actions that he took when it became clear that there was no way to stop the flames in the wooden structures holding up the cathedral roof.
The big question raised by The New York Times: What’s the difference between a “statue” of Jesus and a priest carrying the Blessed Sacrament”? Hold that thought.
Let’s start with Father Jean-Marc Fournier, chaplain of the Paris Fire Brigade and one of the heroes of efforts to save what could be saved inside the iconic cathedral. Quite a few people are reporting stories about the actions that he took when it became clear that there was no way to stop the flames in the wooden structures holding up the cathedral roof.
Passiontide Chronology: Good Friday
Passiontide Chronology: Good Friday - Community in MissionPOPE: Jesus was arrested late Thursday evening. The Scriptures recount,
They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together (Mark 14:53).
According to Mark’s chronology there was a sham of a trial, based on false evidence and distortions of Jesus’ teachings. According to tradition, Jesus spent the rest of the night in the dungeon under the House of Caiaphas. It had doubled as a kind of cistern for holding rainwater.
The events of this early Friday morning are tightly packed. In the space of three or four hours, Jesus is sent to Pilate, then to Herod, then back to Pilate, questioned, condemned to die, and led out to be crucified by 9:00 AM.
They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together (Mark 14:53).
According to Mark’s chronology there was a sham of a trial, based on false evidence and distortions of Jesus’ teachings. According to tradition, Jesus spent the rest of the night in the dungeon under the House of Caiaphas. It had doubled as a kind of cistern for holding rainwater.
The events of this early Friday morning are tightly packed. In the space of three or four hours, Jesus is sent to Pilate, then to Herod, then back to Pilate, questioned, condemned to die, and led out to be crucified by 9:00 AM.
The Readings for Good Friday
The Sacred Page: The Readings for Good FridayBERGSMA: Every year on Good Friday, we read St. John’s account of the Passion from John 18-19, together with Isaiah 52-53 and Psalm 31.
One of the themes that runs through these reading is the Priesthood of Christ.
1. There is priestly language already in the First Reading, from Isaiah 52 & 53, the famous “Suffering Servant” Song
One of the themes that runs through these reading is the Priesthood of Christ.
1. There is priestly language already in the First Reading, from Isaiah 52 & 53, the famous “Suffering Servant” Song
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Will Notre Dame’s fire convert people to Catholicism? Here’s one man’s story...
Will Notre Dame's Fire Convert People to Catholicism? One Man’s Powerful Story | ChurchPOP: I am very saddened by the fire in Paris. As the music director for a Catholic church, I wanted to share my story.
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Fort Smith is historic (not as historic as Notre Dame), but I wanted to help the people who watched their cathedral burn. God listens!
As I sat down to practice organ for Easter masses, I spoke with our organist playing for Easter. She mentioned that it was a hard day to practice.
I asked, “Why?”
She responded, “People are taking pictures. We don’t normally have ‘tourists.’ People only occasionally look around.'”
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Fort Smith is historic (not as historic as Notre Dame), but I wanted to help the people who watched their cathedral burn. God listens!
As I sat down to practice organ for Easter masses, I spoke with our organist playing for Easter. She mentioned that it was a hard day to practice.
I asked, “Why?”
She responded, “People are taking pictures. We don’t normally have ‘tourists.’ People only occasionally look around.'”
Notre Dame priest: How Blessed Sacrament, Crown of Thorns were saved from fire
Notre Dame Priest: How Blessed Sacrament, Crown of Thorns Were Saved From FirePENTIN: Father Jean-Marc Fournier, chaplain to the Paris Fire Brigade, was on his way with a group of military chaplains to a dinner with a local bishop on Holy Monday when they noticed plumes of black smoke towering over the French capital.
He looked at his phone and saw many missed messages telling him the cathedral was on fire.
The priest, who served in Afghanistan as an army chaplain, then immediately rushed to Notre Dame cathedral where he “swiftly greeted” French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, and Archbishop Michel Aupetit of Paris.
He looked at his phone and saw many missed messages telling him the cathedral was on fire.
The priest, who served in Afghanistan as an army chaplain, then immediately rushed to Notre Dame cathedral where he “swiftly greeted” French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, and Archbishop Michel Aupetit of Paris.
Gallup Poll: U.S. church membership down sharply in past 20 years, hits all-time low in 2018
U.S. Church Membership Down Sharply in Past Two Decades: As Christian and Jewish Americans prepare to celebrate Easter and Passover, respectively, Gallup finds the percentage of Americans who report belonging to a church, synagogue or mosque at an all-time low, averaging 50% in 2018.
U.S. church membership was 70% or higher from 1937 through 1976, falling modestly to an average of 68% in the 1970s through the 1990s. The past 20 years have seen an acceleration in the drop-off, with a 20-percentage-point decline since 1999 and more than half of that change occurring since the start of the current decade.
U.S. church membership was 70% or higher from 1937 through 1976, falling modestly to an average of 68% in the 1970s through the 1990s. The past 20 years have seen an acceleration in the drop-off, with a 20-percentage-point decline since 1999 and more than half of that change occurring since the start of the current decade.
The readings for Holy Thursday
The Sacred Page: The Readings for Holy ThursdayBERGSMA: The Readings for the Holy Thursday Mass focus on the continuity between the ancient Jewish Passover and the institution of the Eucharist. As the Passover was the meal that marked the transition from slavery to Egypt to the freedom of the Exodus, so the Eucharist is the meal that marks the transition from slavery to sin to the glorious freedom of the children of God.
In this season of Catholic discontent, the Easter Effect is worth keeping in mind
The Easter Effect today - Denver CatholicWEIGEL: Some two millennia ago, a ragtag bunch of nobodies learned what their tortured and executed friend, the rabbi Jesus from Nazareth, meant by “rising from the dead” (Mark 9:9-10) — because they met him again, the same but utterly transformed, as the Risen Lord. The Easter Effect upturned all they had once thought about time, history, and God’s promises to Israel; it also transformed these nobodies into extraordinary evangelists, for the missionary project they launched converted perhaps as much as half the Mediterranean world over the next two and a half centuries.
Before-and-after photos of Notre Dame Cathedral show fire’s devastation
Before And After Photos of Notre Dame Cathedral Show Fire's Devastation | HuffPost: After a fire engulfed Notre Dame Cathedral on Monday, Paris has vowed to repair the devastating destruction of the historic church quickly.
Shortly after the fire was extinguished, people all over the world got a glimpse inside the cathedral via images that revealed the roof had been burned away and the inside of the iconic church had been charred.
Check out the before-and-after sliding images below, which highlight the damage from the fire.
Shortly after the fire was extinguished, people all over the world got a glimpse inside the cathedral via images that revealed the roof had been burned away and the inside of the iconic church had been charred.
Check out the before-and-after sliding images below, which highlight the damage from the fire.
Holy Thursday and Divine Mercy
Holy Thursday and Divine MercyLANDRY: As the Sacred Triduum begins Holy Thursday, the Church ponders three interconnected realities: Christ’s washing of the feet of his apostles, instituting the Eucharist, and establishing the priesthood to perpetuate the Eucharist in memory of him.
These are always inexhaustible mysteries to actualize in any liturgical cycle; this year, however, when we can feel as if we began Lent not just on Ash Wednesday but last June, with the re-emergence of clergy sexual-abuse crisis, they contain far more light and power. They contain the seed of the renewal of the priesthood and the true reform of the Church.
Jesus’ deeply troubled words at the beginning of the Last Supper, “Amen, amen I say to you, one of you will betray me” (John 13:21), were actually charitable. It would have been more accurate to say, “Truly I tell you, tonight all of you will betray me. You will deny me. You will run away from the cross. All but one of you will abandon me as I die for you.”
These are always inexhaustible mysteries to actualize in any liturgical cycle; this year, however, when we can feel as if we began Lent not just on Ash Wednesday but last June, with the re-emergence of clergy sexual-abuse crisis, they contain far more light and power. They contain the seed of the renewal of the priesthood and the true reform of the Church.
Jesus’ deeply troubled words at the beginning of the Last Supper, “Amen, amen I say to you, one of you will betray me” (John 13:21), were actually charitable. It would have been more accurate to say, “Truly I tell you, tonight all of you will betray me. You will deny me. You will run away from the cross. All but one of you will abandon me as I die for you.”
Let’s examine the sequence of events on Holy Thursday
Passiontide Chronology: Holy Thursday - Community in MissionPOPE: According to the Synoptic Gospels, sundown of Holy Thursday ushered in the Passover. Later on this evening, the Lord will celebrate the Passover meal with His disciples. We ought to be mindful that the unleavened bread Jesus will take in His hands is called “the bread of affliction.”
Indeed, this is an evening of affliction for Jesus. Much transpires at the Last Supper that is emblematic of our human foibles and sinful tendencies, but thanks be to God, He takes this “bread of affliction” we dish out to Him and lifts it to the glory of the Sacrament of His Body and Blood.
Before being too critical of the Twelve, remember that we can be like them in many ways. Keep that in mind as you read through the commentary below; A large part of what I’ve written about the apostles applies to us as well. Indeed, they are we and we are they; and the Lord loved all of us to the end.
Indeed, this is an evening of affliction for Jesus. Much transpires at the Last Supper that is emblematic of our human foibles and sinful tendencies, but thanks be to God, He takes this “bread of affliction” we dish out to Him and lifts it to the glory of the Sacrament of His Body and Blood.
Before being too critical of the Twelve, remember that we can be like them in many ways. Keep that in mind as you read through the commentary below; A large part of what I’ve written about the apostles applies to us as well. Indeed, they are we and we are they; and the Lord loved all of us to the end.
Homily at Holy Thursday Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica
Whispers in the Loggia: Pope To Priests: Learn From The "Crowd"COATOFARMS: The Gospel of Luke, which we just heard, makes us relive the excitement of that moment when the Lord made his own the prophecy of Isaiah, as he read it solemnly in the midst of his people. The synagogue in Nazareth was filled with his relatives, neighbours, acquaintances, friends… and not only. All had their eyes fixed on him. The Church always has her eyes fixed on Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, whom the Spirit sends to anoint God’s people.
The Gospels frequently present us with this image of the Lord in the midst of a crowd, surrounded and pressed by people who approach him with their sick ones, who ask him to cast out evil spirits, who hear his teachings and accompany him on the way.
The Gospels frequently present us with this image of the Lord in the midst of a crowd, surrounded and pressed by people who approach him with their sick ones, who ask him to cast out evil spirits, who hear his teachings and accompany him on the way.
Man arrested entering St. Patrick’s Cathedral with gasoline, lighters
Man Arrested Entering St. Patrick’s Cathedral with Gasoline: A man is in custody after he attempted to bring containers of gasoline into St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City Wednesday night.
A spokesperson from the Archdiocese of New York told CNA that “the individual was stopped as he tried to come into the cathedral” before he was turned over to the police.
The man was apprehended by cathedral security around 8 p.m. and taken into police custody by officers with the NYPD Critical Response Command. Police said he had a car nearby to escape the scene of the cathedral.
According to the NYPD, the man had four gallons of gasoline, two cans of lighter fluid, and two lighters with him when he attempted to enter the cathedral. He was prevented from entering by cathedral security, but while speaking with security personnel, some gasoline did spill onto the floor.
A spokesperson from the Archdiocese of New York told CNA that “the individual was stopped as he tried to come into the cathedral” before he was turned over to the police.
The man was apprehended by cathedral security around 8 p.m. and taken into police custody by officers with the NYPD Critical Response Command. Police said he had a car nearby to escape the scene of the cathedral.
According to the NYPD, the man had four gallons of gasoline, two cans of lighter fluid, and two lighters with him when he attempted to enter the cathedral. He was prevented from entering by cathedral security, but while speaking with security personnel, some gasoline did spill onto the floor.
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Inflated Ego Syndrome and the hazards of being a Catholic celebrity
Inflated Ego Syndrome and the Hazards of CelebrityMORSE: A recent internet uproar over the behavior of a Catholic celebrity reminded me of an incident from my days as a graduate student in economics.
During one class, my labor economics professor scraped his fingernails on the chalkboard. We all grimaced. He looked at the class and said dryly, “Occupational hazard.”
Yes, economists really do talk like that.
The Catholic celebrity being uncharitable reminded me of these “occupational hazards.” An inflated ego is a hazard of some occupations. No need to name this individual to make him look bad: He did that all by himself, without any help from me (or without any sense of irony.) The behavior pattern is the same, whether it is a political figure, a talking-head commentator, a pop star with an opinion or a Catholic celebrity you admire and think really ought to know better.
During one class, my labor economics professor scraped his fingernails on the chalkboard. We all grimaced. He looked at the class and said dryly, “Occupational hazard.”
Yes, economists really do talk like that.
The Catholic celebrity being uncharitable reminded me of these “occupational hazards.” An inflated ego is a hazard of some occupations. No need to name this individual to make him look bad: He did that all by himself, without any help from me (or without any sense of irony.) The behavior pattern is the same, whether it is a political figure, a talking-head commentator, a pop star with an opinion or a Catholic celebrity you admire and think really ought to know better.
Jesuit Father James V. Schall dies at age 91
Jesuit Fr. James V. Schall dies--Aleteia: Fr. James V. Schall, a Jesuit priest and longtime professor of political philosophy, has died at the age of 91. He had been living in the Jesuit residence in Los Gatos, California.
Fr. Schall died April 17, shortly after noon, after a brief hospitalization in Los Gatos.
A prolific author, Fr. Schall published more than 30 books over the years. One of them had a title that took up most of the book’s cover
Fr. Schall died April 17, shortly after noon, after a brief hospitalization in Los Gatos.
A prolific author, Fr. Schall published more than 30 books over the years. One of them had a title that took up most of the book’s cover
Here are the plenary indulgences available during Holy Week
Here are the Plenary Indulgences Available During Holy WeekPRONECHEN: The plenary indulgences that we can receive on every day of Holy Week actually are of two kinds. Certain ones are specific to Holy Week itself. Certain ones we can actually gain anytime.
They’re listed in the Norms and Grants in the official Manual of Indulgences, fourth edition (1999), the latest and most up-to-date edition of the Manual, or Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, the one that replaces all others.
First, let’s look at the plenary indulgences specific to Holy Week. Next, we’ll look at those also available during Holy Week plus any time of the year. Then we’ll review the basic mandatory conditions that must be fulfilled for any plenary indulgence. Then we’ll check on “extras.”
They’re listed in the Norms and Grants in the official Manual of Indulgences, fourth edition (1999), the latest and most up-to-date edition of the Manual, or Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, the one that replaces all others.
First, let’s look at the plenary indulgences specific to Holy Week. Next, we’ll look at those also available during Holy Week plus any time of the year. Then we’ll review the basic mandatory conditions that must be fulfilled for any plenary indulgence. Then we’ll check on “extras.”
Pope Benedict’s essay is a summary of his theological quest
Pope Benedict’s Essay Is a Summary of His Theological QuestDESOUZA: The recent essay of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, “The Church and the Scandal of Sexual Abuse,” was published in the proximity of his 92nd birthday, which fell on April 16. The essay can be read as a summary of key moments in the long life of Joseph Ratzinger/Benedict XVI.
At 6,000 words, it is possible that this is last major text Benedict will publish. It already shows less of the rigor with which he wrote six years ago. And if it is his last text, it is an accurate summary of the man and his mission.
At 6,000 words, it is possible that this is last major text Benedict will publish. It already shows less of the rigor with which he wrote six years ago. And if it is his last text, it is an accurate summary of the man and his mission.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)