This time in Newark, NJ. The bishop is Archbishop John Myers, and the offending priest is Michael Fugee, who admitted groping a 14 year-old boy 12 years ago. (He later recanted his confession, saying that he'd only confessed so he could go home sooner.) He was tried and convicted, but the
MORE
Now that Pope Francis has been said to have approved of same-sex civil unions during his time in Argentina, we begin to see other cautious voices chiming in. First was the "no, I didn't mean THAT" from Vincezo Paglia, and now Archbishop Piero Marini observes "There are many couples
MORE
On March 6, the USCCB issued a statement expressing "concerns" about the Violence Against Women Act, saying the in the end, the USCCB could not support it.
Why their concern, you might ask? Surely the USCCB opposes violence against women?
You guessed it: it's about same-sex marriage
MORE
NJ.com reports that a New Jersey man was denied the right to wear a religious head covering for his driver's license photo. Specifically, he wanted to wear the Holy Colander.
What? "As a Pastafarian, I believe the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster," Williams said. &
MORE
Two pieces side by side in today's San Francisco Chronicle:
1. A pit bull who mauled a police horse in an unprovoked attack was spared euthanasia. More than 113,000 people signed an on-line petition to spare the dog, and raised an "undisclosed sum" of cash for his defense. The dog,
MORE
So, it's that time again, when we're suddenly accountable for those New Year's resolutions that seemed SO reasonable, so do-able, just yesterday or the day before. Fortunately for all, TechCrunch offers apps to help us keep what Time described (for 2012!) as the top 10 broken New Year's resolutions
MORE
Happy Xmas (War is Over)
This lovely version of John Lennon's classic is by Sarah McLachlan and the Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach Children's Choir and Youth Choir
MORE
Timothy Egan at the NY Times opined yesterday about the instant attack that rains down on anyone who dares ask whether more control of certain types of weapons is a good idea for the US. As he puts it, "The gun gag rules." He details the immediate hostile response to sportscaster Bob
MORE
The General Synod of the Church of England rejected a proposal to permit women to serve as bishops. In order to pass, a 2/3 majority vote was required in all three houses: the house of bishops, of clergy, and of laity. The measure passed easily in the first two, and was approved 132-74 in the house
MORE
Today is the anniversary of the murder of 6 Jesuits, their housekeper and her 15 year old daughter at the University of Central America in San Salvador.
Ignacio Ellacuría, S.J., Ignacio Martín-Baró, S.J., Segundo Montes, S.J., Juan Ramón Moreno, S.J., Joaquín López y López, S.J.,
MORE
Another interesting result in the 2012 election is the legalization of possession of small amounts of marijuana in CO and WA. Rachel Maddow offered a deft comparison to the end of Prohibition and the questions that remain now:
"When prohibition ended in 1933, Americans could legally buy and
MORE
Among the notable electoral events last night were 4 ballot initiatives concerning same-sex marriage. Voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington approved same-sex marriage, and voters in Minnesota rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have banned gay unions. Boston.com reports:
MORE
NPR (et al) reported yesterday that 17 year old Ryan Andersen has been denied the rank of Eagle Scout by the Boy Scouts of America. Here's the organization's statement:
"This scout proactively notified his unit leadership and Eagle Scout counselor that he does not agree to scouting's
MORE
It was months ago when Bishop Daniel Jenky of Peoria, IL, compared Obama to Hitler, Stalin, and Bismarck in the heat of the contraception mandate debate. The diocese was challenged by Americans United for Separation of Church and State for violating the regulations for tax-exempt institutions. (My
MORE
Today I distribute the first exam of the semester to my Fundamental Moral Theology students. A few years ago, I started using films for this exam: part of the task is to identify (clearly!) a moral question within the film. The moral question doesn't have to be an earth-shattering dilemma or a
MORE
It began with Douthat taking potshots at the Episcopal Church (USA) in a recent NYTimes editorial. He points to a 23% decline in Sunday attendance over the last decade, and concludes with a sneer:
Today, by contrast, the leaders of the Episcopal Church and similar bodies often don’t seem to be
MORE
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="SFPD Chief Greg Suhr and other SFPD officers in the 2011 San Francisco Pride Parade. Photo credit: Bill Wilson"][/caption]
The NYTimes last week published this op-ed by David Blankenhorn, a notable
MORE
So said David V. Mason in an edgy op-ed in the NYT last week. His point was theological: that Mormons are theologically as different from Christians as Christians are from Jews. Further, he looks to the day when Mormonism might be recognized as a fourth Abrahamic religion, an opinion he shares with
MORE
Laurie Goodstein at the New York Times reported yesterday on then-Archbishop of Milwaukee Timothy Dolan approving payments of up to $20,000 to sex-abuser priests as an incentive for them to accept laicization.
When asked about such payments at the time, Dolan flatly denied the charge.
Cardinal
MORE
Andrew Sullivan published an astonishing memo, dated 5/11/12, from GOP pollster Jan van Lohuizen, who was W's pollster in 2004, and is generally connected to the GOP establishment. He recommends an about-face on gay issues. Here are some of his talking points:
1. “People who believe in
MORE
The USCCB, not content with making sure that the LCWR is firmly under the thumb of male authority, is setting its sights on another insidious female-run organization: the Girl Scouts.
David Crary reports.
The new inquiry will be conducted by the bishops' Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life
MORE
Joe Biden came out in favor of equal civil rights for gay and straight unions/marriages on "Meet the Press yesterday. HuffPo has the story.
On one hand, Biden's remarks, strictly parsed, do not move beyond the current stance of the Obama administration. And it seems clear that Biden had no
MORE
After much procrastination (heck, I could have done this a month ago here in CA,) I finally got the garden tilled today. There's nothing like a freshly tilled plot--it's all potential at the start, as the scholastics might say, devoid of weeds, with some new topsoil and fertilizer raked in. An
MORE
The Quincy Jones version (from the marvelous "Handel's Messiah. A Soulful Celebration") is my favorite of all
MORE
NCR reports a new book from CARA researchers looking at the demographics of the priesthood. The median age of priests has increased 31% since 1970, while that of doctors and lawyers has increased only 3-5% in the same time.
More than 40% of priests in the US are over the age of 65.
Then
MORE
Cardinal Dolan issued a clarion call for Catholics to speak up on political matters, saying "We are called to be very active, very informed, and very involved in politics."
I think he's absolutely right. I also think he might want to be a little cautious about what he asks for here.
MORE
John Shore provides "the rest of the story" on the notorious case of the Maryland woman denied Communion at her mother's funeral last week. When she stepped up to receive, Father Marcel Guarnizo refused, saying “I cannot give you communion, because you live with a woman. And that is a
MORE
This photo of the US House Oversight and Government Reform hearings yesterday is making the rounds of the social media these days, summing up for many the truth of the anti-mandate crowd:
This from HuffPo:
The morning panel at the hearing consisted exclusively of men from conservative
MORE
In yesterday's NYTimes.
Money quote:
The debates about pelvic politics over the last week sometimes had a patronizing tone, as if birth control amounted to a chivalrous handout to women of dubious morals. On the contrary, few areas have more impact on more people than birth control — and
MORE
Here's your chance to win a $5 Starbucks card (or one of those elastic bracelets they're selling to raise $ for a jobs program.)
We saw the remarkable near-consensus of the US bishops against Obama's original contraception coverage mandate. Now the administration has revised the rules: the
MORE
This just in--a long-standing legal dispute, thought by many to be an irresolvable impasse, appears to be settled: Justice Sotomayor on Sesame
MORE
Yesterday the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the prior ruling by US District Court Chief Judge Vaughn Walker that Proposition 8, which took away the right of same-sex couples to marry in CA, was unconstitutional. (Read the decision here.)
Money quote:
All that Proposition 8
MORE
The USCCB may be unified on the contraception mandate, but Catholics aren't. Here's a Public Religion Research Institute poll on the mandate. Overall, 58% of Catholics think insurance should cover contraception. Catholic voters believe so at 52%.
The data shows that this is question that cuts
MORE
David DeCosse in NCR offers this deft analysis of the reasoning underlying recent episcopal (and other) cries about infringements on religious liberty.
Money quote:
At present, the model of conscience used by most bishops is problematic in two ways. First, it emphasizes obedience, law, and
MORE
So there I was in a spin (studio cycling) class. For those who don't partake, spin is a form of group exercise in which participants on stationary bicycles are led through a series of "hills"--increasing the resistance on the pedals--and sprints, accompanied by music. The leader's
MORE
I am convinced that ...we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights, are considered more important than people, the giant
MORE
Maltastar.com reports that Paolo Urso, the bishop of Ragusa (in Sicily,) has called for civil recognition of same-sex couples. (The UPI report is here.)
He's not calling for civil marriage for same-sex couples, but for civil unions, presumably for heterosexual couples as well as same-sex
MORE
Here's a video currently making the cyber-rounds, with more than 6 million views so far:
I recommend it to you not because I agree with everything this fellow says--though I'd love to have him in class to bring up this kind of discussion! I post this here because I suspect he represents a
MORE
The New York Times reported on the launch January 1 of the new ordinariate (like a diocese, but nation-wide in scope,) for Anglicans wishing to swim the Tiber and become Catholics. (For more about the ordinariate, go here.)
Is this good news or bad news, and for whom?
I react with dismay to
MORE
Pope Benedict has released his message for the World Day of Peace, focusing on "Educating Young People in Justice and Peace." Deep in the text, he reiterates a theme firmly rooted in Catholic tradition--that the needs of the poor have a claim on the wealth of those who have more than they
MORE
In a stance that seems designed to tick off almost everybody, GOP presidential front-runner Newt Gingrich compared the "choice" for homosexuality to the "choice" for celibacy. Sigh...who catechized this man?
He gets the science right, gotta give him that. Recent studies point
MORE
NCR reports today of a reform initiative launched by 4 Flemish priests the week before Advent. 4 priests--so what? Well, by Dec. 1, 6000 Belgian Catholics had signed on.
Money Quote:
Among the manifesto's demands, made "in solidarity with fellow believers in Austria, Ireland and many
MORE
Speaking in Benin, Pope Benedict XVI delivered a talk concerning the AIDS epidemic. (John Allen's report here.) Money quote:
The problem of AIDS, in particular, clearly calls for a medical and pharmaceutical response. This is not enough, however: the problem goes deeper. Above all, it is an
MORE
Mississippi votes today on an inititiative that would recognize life "at the moment of fertilization, cloning, or the equivalent thereof." The sweeping measure seems to pass Catholic muster, since it would ban abortion in cases of rape, incest, or to protect the health of the mother. &
MORE
Stanley Fish offers a thoughtful assessment of the Hosanna-Tabor v. EEOC case recently argued before the Supreme Court.
A teacher in a school run by the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, (not the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which is the largest Lutheran body in the US,) was fired in
MORE
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="452" caption="Watchdog?"][/caption]
Inspector Gregory: "Is there any point to which you would wish to draw my attention?"
Sherlock Holmes: "To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time.&
MORE
Well, the times they are a'changin' in Phoenix. Like those in most US dioceses, Catholics in Phoenix have routinely received communion under both species, but now Bishop Olmsted is putting a stop to THAT. Announcing a forthcoming decree, the diocese's Communications Office indicates that the cup
MORE
NCR reports the approval of pentobarbital as part of a drug cocktail for executing prisoners in Florida. The state joins OK, AL, AZ, MS, OH, TX, SC and GA in permitting the use of pentobarbital, which has been used in 22 executions so far.
As a (licensed, but non-practicing) veterinarian, I've
MORE
Today is the first of four events in a series called: "More Than a Monologue. Sexual Diversity and the Catholic Church."
The series website is here, and the Facebook page is here. Jamie L. Manson describes the initiative in NCR here.
Manson cites Fairfield University's Prof. Paul
MORE
Reuters reports that Edward Daly, Retired bishop of Derry, has made a forceful call for a serious discussion about ending mandatory (diocesan) clerical celibacy. Money quote:
I feel now that celibacy is damaging to the church and I do feel now that we have to look at that issue very profoundly at
MORE
As I ponder the events of 9/11, one of the echoes in my mind is this song from Melissa Etheridge about Mark Bingham, an openly gay man who was one of those who tried to wrest control of Flight 93 from the terrorists. She points to an American who stepped up, "even though he could not marry,
MORE
NCR has published a report and an editorial on the Jesuit-run journal Theological Studies being pressured to run an essay without peer review.
In 2004, Kenneth Himes and James Coriden co-authored an essay in TS calling for the re-evaluation of the Church's teaching on the indissolubility of
MORE
Tom Roberts reports that Roy Bourgeois has received his second canonical warning, and will be booted from Maryknoll unless he recants his statements advocating women's ordination in the Roman Catholic church. Bourgeois says his conscience prevents him from doing so.
On one hand, there is nothing
MORE
A clear, balanced and thoughtful assessment of the new John Jay report from NCR.
Mary Gail Frawley O'Dea, an expert on sexual abuse, cuts to the chase:
1. It is not credible to link sexual abuse by priests to homosexual identity. It is a crime of opportunity.
2. Celibacy alone is not
MORE
NCR reports that Charles Chaput, currently of Denver, will take the helm of the troubled Philadelphia archdiocese.
Thoughts? Certainly this will give him a bully pulpit during the 2012 election season
MORE
Today's Irish Catholic reports on the newly-released Cloyne report. (HT: NCR.)
The report concludes that "the Church’s own guidelines were “not fully or consistently implemented” in the diocese as recently as 2008." The focus of the news item is Bishop John Magee, who was found
MORE
is the title of this piece in NCR.
I'm not a parishioner there, and don't know any of the principals involved. I do know of St. Joe's reputation as a peace and justice church--people speak reverently of that dynamic and committed community. Especially sad in this light is the apparent
MORE
In response to a request on another thread, here's your chance to suggest agenda items for the up-coming bishops' meeting this June. (Actually, I hear there's a panel of lay people who actually DO suggest agenda items for the bishops, but I have no idea who they are, or how to get in touch with
MORE
In this season of rapid-fire wisdom condensed and delivered at campuses all over the world, I cannot help recalling my favorite commencement speech. (NB: I wasn't "commencing," mind you, but keeping in touch with the old turf.) J.K. Rowling addressed Harvard in 2008, recommending to them
MORE
NCR reports on a May 2 meeting on Catholic blogging sponsored by the pontifical councils for culture and for social communications. 150 folks were chosen to attend, including such well-known players in the Catholic blogosphere as Rocco Palmo (Whispers in the Loggia,) Elizabeth Scalia (The Anchoress
MORE
Yesterday's Chicago Tribune featured an op-ed by Anne Burke, former interim chair of the National Review Board.
Money quote:
It appears that even after years of investigation of child abuse by priests, the cover-up of that abuse has been further institutionalized. Some of the alleged crimes
MORE
Here in CA, we're being informed by a local pastor of the imminent end of the world:
Of course, the sentiment isn't universally shared:
And yes, previous determinations of the end of the world have proven to be, well, inaccurate. (The fellow behind this iteration, Christian radio
MORE
John Allen reports on the situation in Ireland in advance of another government report on Church handling of the sex abuse crisis, this one focused in the diocese of Cloyne.
Sounds a lot like the situation in Philadelphia:
the Irish bishops adopted a groundbreaking set of policies in 1996
MORE
PBS' Frontline offers a stark view of the effects of priest sex abuse in Alaskan native villages. The focus here is on the human effects of abuse, not systemic analysis, and highlights one town where nearly 80% of the children were abused. The video is deeply moving. The victims' pain--and their
MORE
In response to requests on another thread, here is Archbishop Diarmuid Martin's Marquette Lecture from April 4. It's been noted on that other thread, there's no mention of consequences for cover-ups by bishops. But for many of us, it is the cover-up that is the moral core of the crisis.
Any
MORE
Today is the anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"April 4
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride
In the name of love
One more in the name of love
In the name of love
What more in the
MORE
NCR reports the expulsion of Roy Bourgeois from the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers unless he recants his position on the ordination of women. His deadline is Saturday, and he says he has no intention to recant.
This from the homily at his concelebration of the ordination of Janice Sevre-
MORE
The Guardian reports that supermarkets will offer chocolate easter eggs with messages about the holiday's religious significance. Money quote:
The packaging tells customers: "Easter is all about cute bunnies, fluffy chicks and eating too much chocolate, right? Well, not quite. We happen to
MORE
PrayTellBlog.com published an open letter from now more than 225 theologians from Austria, Germany and Switzerland calling for structural reform in the Church. They speak of 2011 as a "Year of Departure," for the Church, a time for renewal in light of the crisis in the Church there and
MORE
In today's Boston Globe, David Mednicoff points out that secular governments in the Middle East seem to have a tough time of it compared to Islamic states, both in terms of stability, but also, he argues, openness.
Money quote:
This rising tide of mass protests against Arab secular strongmen
MORE
Here's Nicholas Kristof on the Olmsted affair.
Money quote:
Yet in this battle, it’s fascinating how much support St. Joseph’s Hospital has had and how firmly it has pushed back — in effect, pounding 95 theses on the bishop’s door. The hospital backed up Sister Margaret, and it
MORE
NCR reports today the likely beatification of John Paul II in 2011. Apparently doubts about the veracity of a miracle attributed to the late pope have been resolved by the Vatican's medical consultors. Another miracle will be required for canonization
MORE
So, who's making New Year's resolutions this year? Any thoughts on the practice in general? As a virtue ethicist, I'm interested in all the ways people take the opportunity for self-examination and changes of practice, even (and perhaps especially) in fairly small matters. Small things do add up
MORE
The New York Times reports today that there are now two civil unions contracted for every 3 marriages. Civil unions are available to heterosexuals, and "the overwhelming majority" of those unions are straight couples.
There are a number of ways to think about this, some under the
MORE
This just in from The Arizona Republic: Bp. Olmsted now threatens to strip St. Joseph's Hospital of its Catholic standing unless the hospital does these three things:
The bishop wants the hospital to give him more oversight of its practices to ensure it complies with Catholic health-care rules,
MORE
Phyllis Zagano's NCR column begins with an assessment of Rome's apparent retreat on the investigation of US women religious, but concludes with a broader assessment of the state of the Church:
The world is beginning to see two Catholic Churches: one for bishops and priests and another for the
MORE
The Tablet reports :
Bishop Klaus KUng of Sankt Pölten, Austria, has called for a new encyclical on the Church’s teaching on human sexuality, following the publication last week of Light of the World, a book of interviews with Pope Benedict XVI.
I could not disagree more. First, the
MORE
Quotations from a new volume from Benedict XVI seem to reveal a shift in the direction of papal teaching on the use of condoms to limit the spread of HIV/AIDS. It's hard to say, of course, without more context. But reporter Celine le Prioux lifts this line:
"In certain cases, where the
MORE
A Pew Research Center survey reported here shows that 39% of Americans believe that marriage is becoming obsolete. Not unimportant--obsolete:
"Marriage is still very important in this country, but it doesn't dominate family life like it used to," said Andrew Cherlin, a professor of
MORE
A question for all you fellow political junkies out there: what races did you find interesting in your neck of the woods, and why?
Here in CA, I was intrigued by the trajectory of the Prop. 19 race. Had the measure passed, possession of an ounce of marijuana or growing a 5x5' plot for personal
MORE
NCR reports on an unexpectedly large group of Irish priests meeting to discuss common interests. Among them:
The association hopes to speak to the members of the Vatican's apostolic visitation to Ireland to voice our opposition to the new English-language translation of the Mass," Father
MORE
Reuters reports that Geron has launched a clinical trial of embryonic stem cells for treating spinal cord injury. It's a Phase I trial, that is, it is intended to establish safety, not to cure the problem, though they are using spinal-cord injured people as research subjects.
Of course, Geron
MORE
Edward Gal and Moorlands Totilas are seen here in this video of their world-record dressage performance in London.
For those new to dressage, this art and sport involve schooling a horse's natural motion into a fluid near-ballet of precise communication between horse and rider. Teams are
MORE
Is the headline on this NCR piece. Money quote:
The problem of abuse by clergy is solved more by a spirit of penitence and conversion by its members than by a radical change of church structures, Pope Benedict XVI said.
Right. everything's just fine the way it is. No need thinking about
MORE
August marked the 60th anniversary of the encyclical Humani Generis, prompting this short essay in the Wall Street Journal. Money quote:
While Pius was willing to concede that there was reason to believe the human body was the product of evolution, he was adamant that the special status of Adam
MORE
We've known about boxing for a while now. It's been inescapable ever since Muhammad Ali's head trauma reduced his lightning-quick repartee to a Parkinsonian stutter. You just shouldn't have a sport in which knocking someone senseless is a good way to win. (Yes, yes, there are other ways to score
MORE
Today's a sad day for fans of spiritually-loaded rock and roll. Michael Been passed away yesterday at 60 from a heart attack.
For those unfamiliar with this band once called the closet thing America has to U2, give a listen to the anthemic benediction "Let the Day Begin":
\"
MORE
Yesterday, I wandered the streets of Pompeii, where, starting on August 24, 79 c.e., the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius killed the inhabitants of the city and buried the place in 5 or 6 meters of ash. The end came quickly: when the site was excavated centuries later, finds included the remains of
MORE
After attending the gathering of about 600 Catholic theological ethicists from all around the world in Trento, (see Cathy K's excellent post below,) I stayed in Italy to rattle around and do the tourist thing a bit. Thus far, post Trento, I admit the whole Church scene in Italy depressed me no
MORE
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="250" caption="(Not the hero dog, but just as small...)"][/caption]
Gotta give 'em credit--ABC news reports that a Chihuahua jumped in front of two pit bulls who threatened her family.
A sad situation all around
MORE
is the title of a piece in the Austin American-Statesman on the scheduled June 15 execution of David Lee Powell for the 1978 murder of police officer Ralph Ablanedo.
The case is clear: Powell shot Ablanedo after a traffic stop. Powell ran, and only a dud grenade prevented him from killing
MORE
Intrigued by a review, I went to see "Sex and the City 2." I found, much to my surprise, that the movie winds up going to bat for much of what one might call "traditional family values." For those new to the franchise, it's about four professional women who are very close
MORE
I know, I know, we've discussed this already. I just can't get this case out of my mind, though. And apparently neither can the NY Times' Nicholas Kristof, whose May 26 editorial ends with this zingy turn of phrase:
When a hierarchy of mostly aging men pounce on and excommunicate a revered nun who
MORE
NCR reports the announcement by Phoenix Bishop Thomas Olstead of the excommunication of Mercy Sister Margaret McBride for her approval of an abortion for a critically ill woman. McBride was the ethics committee member on-call when the decision was made. The patient was 11 weeks pregnant and
MORE
Back in 2004, the archdiocese of Boston announced the closure in one fell swoop of more than 18% of its parishes . In the midst of all the shock, sadness, anger and dismay, some parishes decided to refuse the order to close, and began to maintain round-the-clock vigils in the churches to keep them
MORE
Today I will plant my garden. I'm a horticulturalist-come-lately; for the past two years I've gardened in pots on apartment decks, but today I will plant my first-ever garden in the actual ground. I'll rototill, I'll rake in extra "organic matter," (featuring bat guano, apparently the
MORE
The BBC reports today that Roger Vangheluwe, bishop of Bruges, Belgium, has resigned because of his own sexual abuse of a boy, abuse which continued into his episcopacy. The report also mentions another bishop who resigned last year, admitting abuse, and lists those bishops who have resigned for
MORE
"Waiting for the wind." (From The works of Living World @ STARNET ZONE (Mashiko, 2006))
A friend of mine is on retreat for triduum, and sends a terse note that she is "Waiting..." We wait in many ways: like at the dentist's office, or there's waiting like at the DMV,
MORE
Perhaps it's just me, and I should just get over it, but I really can't shake the words of Archbishop Dolan on Palm Sunday, who compared the pope to Jesus, saying he was “now suffering some of the same unjust accusations, shouts of the mob, and scourging at the pillar,” and “being daily
MORE
Tim Rutton at the LA Times chimes in, noting that Benedict's tough talk to the Irish bishops, if applied closer to home, well....
A couple points:
1. The core of the really corrosive moral problem is the cover-up by bishops and, perhaps, the Vatican. Positions that offer access to vulnerable
MORE
Today is the 30th anniversary of the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero. This past Saturday I found myself in a crowd of thousands who processed by candlelight through the streets of San Salvador to the National Cathedral where we celebrated a Mass in his memory. The crowd was Salvadoran
MORE
March fourth! I learned on the radio today that it's National Grammar Day. So, onward, all, gird your dangling participles, and seize the day! Take a semi-colon to lunch! Watch for wandering antecedents (and uncle-cedents, too,) and remember, as Winston Churchill is said to have said, "Ending
MORE
The current Christian Century has a nifty interview with travel maven Rick Steves in support of his new book, Travel as a Political Act. Along the way, he's asked about the distinction between tourism and pilgrimage. He describes travel as like pilgrimage:
"The system encourages you
MORE
CNS reports on the ad limina visit of the bishops of England and Wales. Among other things, the Pope strongly defended the right of Catholic prelates "to participate in national debate through respectful dialogue with other elements in society."
But there is only ONE Catholic voice.
MORE
The AP reports that a new book authored by the postulator for the cause of John Paul II's sainthood invokes the late pope's practice of self-flagellation as evidence of his pursuit of Christian perfection. In addition, he'd apparently sleep on the floor sometimes, getting up early to mess up his
MORE
And let us all continue to keep the people of Haiti in our thoughts and prayers
MORE
The San Francisco Chronicle reported yesterday that a group of 20 "renegade" Catholic priests have left the RC Church because of celibacy requirements. The article states that the group consists of both of men who have married and those who want to be free to marry. What strikes me is the
MORE
Robert I. below notes James Martin's ire at belief being used to label shopping bags and such. Lately, I’ve been struck by how many of the Christmas classics that aren’t explicitly religious contain a powerful call to belief. Not faith, exactly but belief. “Miracle on 34th St.” centers on a
MORE
Nope, not the policy frontlines, but where people try to navigate the current broken health care system and stay alive. We need to keep stories like this one from the St. Petersburg Times in mind as we watch the wrangling in Washington... Here's a piece of the author's conclusion. Common good,
MORE
It was 20 years ago today that 6 Jesuits, their housekeeper and her teenage daughter were killed at the University of Central America in San Salvador. I marked the anniversary at UCA with a delegation of students and faculty from my school.
Romero is also widely memorialized too, and the 4
MORE
In her October 24 column, Maureen Dowd links the Vatican investigation of US women's apostolic religious communities to the welcome extended to disgruntled Anglicans.
Money quote: "As the Vatican is trying to wall off the “brides of Christ,” Cask of Amontillado style, it is welcoming
MORE
On this memorial of St. Teresa of Avila, I'm struck by this remark of hers: “It is here, my daughters, that love is to be found--not hidden away in corners but in the midst of occasions of sin. And believe me, although we may more often fail and commit small lapses, our gain will be
MORE
Over and over again along the camino de Santiago de Compostela I saw signs of the Knights Templar, usually their equal-armed red cross etched into a church wall. In Ponferrada I toured a Knights castle, feeling the presence of ghost-knights.
Here's a Knights thumbnail: they were founded to
MORE
NCR reports that Cardinal Rode, the initiator of the Vatican's visitation of US women's apostolic religious communities, is asking the US bishops to pony up the $1.1 million to cover costs.
Hmmm....what if they gave a visitation and nobody paid? What if the bishops decided they had more urgent
MORE
My fellow pilgrim and I arrived in Santiago do Compostela Monday, meeting many familiar faces from along the way, and seeing other familiar faces arrive after we did. It's been a fascinating journey.
One surprise for me is the number of older pilgrims, people at or near retirement age. We met a
MORE
I'm still making my way along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. My fellow caminista and I aren't doing the whole route, but about half--we'll have gone about 270 miles when we finish on Monday.
On the camino, we try to minimize our gear because we carry it on our backs from place to place.
MORE
This post finds me on the camino de Santiago de Compostela, the 1000 or so year-old pilgrimage trail that runs across the top of Spain, ending at the place St. James is said to have been buried after evangelizing his way across the Iberian peninsula. A friend of mine and I are doing a project
MORE
According to a report in the Boston Globe today, the Archdiocese is raising the retirement age for its priests to 75. Despite closing 20% of its parishes and increasing the number of priests responsible for more than one parish, they still need to keep healthy septuagenarians on the job. Even so,
MORE
This just in--Fr. Tomislav Vlasic, a principal figure in publicizing the Medjugorje apparitions, has been defrocked. (HT: Thomas C. Fox at NCR.) A report from the London Telegraph is here.
Here's the conclusion of the Telegraph's item:
[Under investigation on various charges,] [i]t emerged on
MORE
News from China this week: Qi Zhou of the Institute of Zoology in Beijing and Fanyi Zeng of Shanghai Jiao Tong University used iPS (induced pluripotent stem) cells to grow entire healthy mice, proving definitively that cells from adult tissues can be "reprogrammed" to develop into any
MORE
I marked the memorial of St. Mary Magdalene by reading again the Gospel of Mary, a second-century manuscript rediscovered in the late 19th century, and published first only in 1955. (The text can be found at http://www.gnosis.org/library/marygosp.htm.) I am struck by several passages that seem
MORE
