Archbishop Dolan Responds to Optional Celibacy Letter
I greatly admire Archbishop Dolan. I've included one paragraph that I thought was especially good because it focuses on Jesus. Archbishop Dolan isn't afraid to bring prayer and Christ to the forefront of any discussion.
Read the whole letter. It is a lot more balanced than the usual defense of celibacy and it is a reaffirmation of the current practice in the church. The Archbishop does a great job of affirming all of his priests and working not to allow this incident to drive a wedge between them.
From
Zenit News Agency - The World Seen From Rome:
"The church, of course, listens intently to many voices, and loud voices are not lacking today. She listens to petitions, committees, authors, advocacy groups, even columnists and editorial writers in newspapers, all free with advice. But she first and foremost listens to Jesus, His Word, and, as my teacher and mentor Msgr. John Tracy Ellis used to say, she listens, 'Not to the voice of today as much as to the voice of the centuries.' That voice -- of saints, scholars, and faithful of the past -- speaks eloquently in praise of celibate chastity for priests, a praise admirably echoed by the signers of the letter as well. "
Tuesday, September 9, 2003
Popular Catholic Writer Father John Powell Accused of Sex Abuse
FromNBC5.com - News - Popular Priest Faces Lawsuit:
A popular Chicago priest was slapped with a lawsuit Monday as charges of sexual abuse surfaced.
NBC5's Anna Davlantes reported on Monday that four women have come forward, claiming Rev. John Powell (pictured, center), a Jesuit priest, abused them when they were teenagers. Davlantes further reported that Powell is a popular professor at Loyola University and is an accomplished lecturer and writer. Powell, Davlantes reported, is the second-best selling "Christian" author in U.S. history.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from the Jesuits and Powell, Davlantes reported.
FromNBC5.com - News - Popular Priest Faces Lawsuit:
A popular Chicago priest was slapped with a lawsuit Monday as charges of sexual abuse surfaced.
NBC5's Anna Davlantes reported on Monday that four women have come forward, claiming Rev. John Powell (pictured, center), a Jesuit priest, abused them when they were teenagers. Davlantes further reported that Powell is a popular professor at Loyola University and is an accomplished lecturer and writer. Powell, Davlantes reported, is the second-best selling "Christian" author in U.S. history.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from the Jesuits and Powell, Davlantes reported.
Funny No One Makes This Connection
Remember late last year and again earlier this year when Bishop Weigan publicly confronted Governor Gray Davis? Now, less than a year later, Davis is about to be recalled as governor. I know there are other reasons but to the person of faith this raises an interesting question what would be the real effect if more bishops took to task those who wear the name "Catholic" and then publicly oppose the teachings of the Catholic Church?
From National Catholic Register:
"The message is blunt: Abortion hurts women and is the direct killing of children, and any politician who promotes such a heinous thing shouldn't receive Communion.
That's what Sacramento, Calif., Bishop William Weigand said to Gov. Gray Davis.
But Davis said he's going to continue to receive Communion anyway.
Bishop Weigand repeated his opinion twice: Once in a pro-life Mass marking the 30th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and once in an interview with the Register on Jan. 27.
In the Mass, Bishop Weigand explained that one cannot be Catholic and pro-abortion.
'I have to say clearly that anyone - politician or otherwise - who thinks it is acceptable for a Catholic to be pro-abortion is in very great error, puts his or her soul at risk and is not in good standing with the Church,' Bishop Weigand said. 'Such a person should have the integrity to acknowledge this and choose of his own volition to abstain from receiving holy Communion until he has a change of heart.'
Davis has taken exception to Bishop Weigand's statement and says he will neither stop taking Communion nor renounce legalized abortion."
Remember late last year and again earlier this year when Bishop Weigan publicly confronted Governor Gray Davis? Now, less than a year later, Davis is about to be recalled as governor. I know there are other reasons but to the person of faith this raises an interesting question what would be the real effect if more bishops took to task those who wear the name "Catholic" and then publicly oppose the teachings of the Catholic Church?
From National Catholic Register:
"The message is blunt: Abortion hurts women and is the direct killing of children, and any politician who promotes such a heinous thing shouldn't receive Communion.
That's what Sacramento, Calif., Bishop William Weigand said to Gov. Gray Davis.
But Davis said he's going to continue to receive Communion anyway.
Bishop Weigand repeated his opinion twice: Once in a pro-life Mass marking the 30th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and once in an interview with the Register on Jan. 27.
In the Mass, Bishop Weigand explained that one cannot be Catholic and pro-abortion.
'I have to say clearly that anyone - politician or otherwise - who thinks it is acceptable for a Catholic to be pro-abortion is in very great error, puts his or her soul at risk and is not in good standing with the Church,' Bishop Weigand said. 'Such a person should have the integrity to acknowledge this and choose of his own volition to abstain from receiving holy Communion until he has a change of heart.'
Davis has taken exception to Bishop Weigand's statement and says he will neither stop taking Communion nor renounce legalized abortion."
Archbishop Curtis Says Archdiocese Will No Longer Provide Priests for Girls and Boys Town
From Omaha.com:
"Many questions remain unanswered, including Peter's immediate future as executive director. Will the archbishop reassign him to another post? Will Peter seek a leave of absence from the archdiocese to remain in his job, and would Curtiss grant it?
Peter, who turns 69 in November, wants to stay. The board apparently wants him to remain, at least for the foreseeable future, until embarking on a national search for his successor.
A Girls and Boys Town leader told me over the weekend that he was certain that Peter would remain as executive director for at least a couple of years. But who knows? This is a developing story.
Peter was out of town Monday. Archbishop Curtiss said he would respond to questions after consulting with advisers - and with Father Peter. "
Father Val Peter is the author of a very good book on spirituality that is a quick read:
From Omaha.com:
"Many questions remain unanswered, including Peter's immediate future as executive director. Will the archbishop reassign him to another post? Will Peter seek a leave of absence from the archdiocese to remain in his job, and would Curtiss grant it?
Peter, who turns 69 in November, wants to stay. The board apparently wants him to remain, at least for the foreseeable future, until embarking on a national search for his successor.
A Girls and Boys Town leader told me over the weekend that he was certain that Peter would remain as executive director for at least a couple of years. But who knows? This is a developing story.
Peter was out of town Monday. Archbishop Curtiss said he would respond to questions after consulting with advisers - and with Father Peter. "
Father Val Peter is the author of a very good book on spirituality that is a quick read:
Why You Should Read Luke Timothy Johnson's New Book
First Amy has a wonderful post over at
open book:
"But doesn't this bulletin notice scream 'Miracle of Sharing?' I mean - my experience as a religious ed coordinator tells me very definitely that what adult Catholics want, more than anything else, is answers, and they live with this fantastic hope that God has revealed answers, through Scripture and Tradition. To suggest that 'there is no final answer' to the question of who Jesus's identity is absurd and not Catholic, and not even Christian. It is a shabby god in whom I have no interest who leaves us bereft, with no answers.
And ultimately, those who fall back on this technique for 'teaching' are showing, in the end, how stupid they are. They don't have the knowledge or skills to be able to explain the Creeds - they don't understand them in context, they're not smart enough to be able to elucidate them so that they are comprehensible and relevant to modern sensibilities...so they throw up their hands and say, 'Discuss, class.'"
She's right and I would say that the above average Catholic has little understanding of what the Creed says we believe. The Catechism is based on the Creed and it is a reliable source of belief but it is based on a presumption of belief. Luke Timothy Johnson's new book points out that the norm for Scripture interpretation and belief is the Creed and he lays out a great presentation of the Creed and why we "modern" just don't get it.
First Amy has a wonderful post over at
open book:
"But doesn't this bulletin notice scream 'Miracle of Sharing?' I mean - my experience as a religious ed coordinator tells me very definitely that what adult Catholics want, more than anything else, is answers, and they live with this fantastic hope that God has revealed answers, through Scripture and Tradition. To suggest that 'there is no final answer' to the question of who Jesus's identity is absurd and not Catholic, and not even Christian. It is a shabby god in whom I have no interest who leaves us bereft, with no answers.
And ultimately, those who fall back on this technique for 'teaching' are showing, in the end, how stupid they are. They don't have the knowledge or skills to be able to explain the Creeds - they don't understand them in context, they're not smart enough to be able to elucidate them so that they are comprehensible and relevant to modern sensibilities...so they throw up their hands and say, 'Discuss, class.'"
She's right and I would say that the above average Catholic has little understanding of what the Creed says we believe. The Catechism is based on the Creed and it is a reliable source of belief but it is based on a presumption of belief. Luke Timothy Johnson's new book points out that the norm for Scripture interpretation and belief is the Creed and he lays out a great presentation of the Creed and why we "modern" just don't get it.
Pope-Hopes for Peace Fell with Twin Towers
From Reuters AlertNet:
"'In a few days we will be commemorating the tragic attack on the Twin Towers in New York,' he said in a message to the annual meeting of the internationally renowned Catholic peace group Sant'Egidio.
'Unfortunately, it seems that many hopes for peace collapsed along with the Towers,' he said in the message released by the Vatican on Monday."
From Reuters AlertNet:
"'In a few days we will be commemorating the tragic attack on the Twin Towers in New York,' he said in a message to the annual meeting of the internationally renowned Catholic peace group Sant'Egidio.
'Unfortunately, it seems that many hopes for peace collapsed along with the Towers,' he said in the message released by the Vatican on Monday."
September 11th is D-Day for Terry Schiavo
From EPIVALOTHANASIA:
Latest News From Ground Zero
Contributing editor Pamela Hennessy of the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation brigns us the latest news from Ground Zero in the fight to save Terri:
As you may already know, a hearing is scheduled for Thursday, September 11, 2003, at the courthouse in Clearwater, Florida. This hearing is to be at 10.00am (GMT -5) and, at that time, Judge Greer is expected to schedule a date when Terri Schindler-Schiavo's feeding tube will be removed. When that is done, Terri will die from dehydration and/or starvation. Though the attorney representing Terri's husband, Michael Schiavo, contends that this is a peaceful and painless death, the truth is that Terri will be made to suffer tremendously. You can read more here.
From EPIVALOTHANASIA:
Latest News From Ground Zero
Contributing editor Pamela Hennessy of the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation brigns us the latest news from Ground Zero in the fight to save Terri:
As you may already know, a hearing is scheduled for Thursday, September 11, 2003, at the courthouse in Clearwater, Florida. This hearing is to be at 10.00am (GMT -5) and, at that time, Judge Greer is expected to schedule a date when Terri Schindler-Schiavo's feeding tube will be removed. When that is done, Terri will die from dehydration and/or starvation. Though the attorney representing Terri's husband, Michael Schiavo, contends that this is a peaceful and painless death, the truth is that Terri will be made to suffer tremendously. You can read more here.
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