For excellent Lenten reading, see Michael Dubruiel's book The Power of the Cross, available for FREE .pdf download here. Also available at the site are podcasts Michael Dubruiel made about the book.
Sunday, March 14, 2004
Daily Lenten Meditations by Michael Dubruiel
I continue to post these at a separate site, that you can reach by clicking on the "gate"in the right column. The Sunday posts are based on the readings for Cycle A because in parishes with the Rites for Christian Initiation these readings are used every year.
For excellent Lenten reading, see Michael Dubruiel's book The Power of the Cross, available for FREE .pdf download here. Also available at the site are podcasts Michael Dubruiel made about the book.
For excellent Lenten reading, see Michael Dubruiel's book The Power of the Cross, available for FREE .pdf download here. Also available at the site are podcasts Michael Dubruiel made about the book.
Pope's Reign the Third Longest in the Church's History
If you take Peter out of the mix, his reign is the second longest!
And while many were prepared for his death last Fall, in recent days the pope's health is continues to improve to the point that he may start walking again.
And while many were prepared for his death last Fall, in recent days the pope's health is continues to improve to the point that he may start walking again.
Twenty-five Percent of Boston Catholic Churches to Close
Hearing the percentage puts the depth of the crisis that exists in the Church in context. Its not just about the clergy crisis, it is about the faith of people who have lost any real moorings about why they should go to church on Sundays. This is the fault of religious education that has not taught fundamentals, it is the fault of pastors who do not preach Christ but in an attempt to entertain and not challenge leave people looking for something more entertaining and more challenging and ultimately it is the fault of the hierarchy who in the Catholic Church are the leaders and sadly in many cases have refused to lead but have been led by forces that often are against them.
Saturday, March 13, 2004
Same Sex Marriages
I had kind of forgotten that a few years ago when I acquired a fascinating work by author David Lang that one of the items that he addressed in the book was same-sex marriages. The book is entitled "Why Matter Matters" and is about the "matter" of the sacraments...why wheat bread and grape wine should be used for the Eucharist, why olive oil should be used in annointings, why a male is the appropriate "matter" for the priesthood and why a male and a female are the right matter for marriage. If you are looking for something on this subject, I highly recommend David's book that includes a preface by Peter Kreeft.
Friday, March 12, 2004
Father Benedict Reflects on His Accident
From Letter 3/11/04:
"Today is an anniversary for me - the second month after my accident. It also is an important day because I began to be able to speak. This makes life easier and in many ways, more enriching. Speech permits us to not be locked up in our little room of self.
We just had Mass offered by Father Luke, a young friar of our community. We welcomed someone from down the hall, Professor Alice von Hildebrand, a distinguished Catholic writer and the wife of the late Dietrich von Hildebrand. Alice and I have been close friends for many years and you may have seen our series on suffering on EWTN. She reminded me of a very important line which I had forgotten. It was a statement by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: 'Nothing is worse than wasted suffering'. Of course one is tempted to ask, 'Why did this accident occur?' While I am being tempted to ask this, I am looking at a picture of Saint Padre Pio who said 'Don't ask why, ask what - what am I supposed to do?' That's rather obvious except one must admit a deficiency of virtues and throw oneself before Christ crucified and the Holy Spirit.
We all suffer. Some suffer well, some poorly, some bitterly, some in union with Christ, some in union with Our Lady and the Saints, some in union with God as they know Him, some only in union with the other people in the hospital, and some all alone - but we suffer. How much better it is to suffer even poorly and inconsistently in union with Christ. Let's keep praying for each other.
Father Benedict"
"Today is an anniversary for me - the second month after my accident. It also is an important day because I began to be able to speak. This makes life easier and in many ways, more enriching. Speech permits us to not be locked up in our little room of self.
We just had Mass offered by Father Luke, a young friar of our community. We welcomed someone from down the hall, Professor Alice von Hildebrand, a distinguished Catholic writer and the wife of the late Dietrich von Hildebrand. Alice and I have been close friends for many years and you may have seen our series on suffering on EWTN. She reminded me of a very important line which I had forgotten. It was a statement by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: 'Nothing is worse than wasted suffering'. Of course one is tempted to ask, 'Why did this accident occur?' While I am being tempted to ask this, I am looking at a picture of Saint Padre Pio who said 'Don't ask why, ask what - what am I supposed to do?' That's rather obvious except one must admit a deficiency of virtues and throw oneself before Christ crucified and the Holy Spirit.
We all suffer. Some suffer well, some poorly, some bitterly, some in union with Christ, some in union with Our Lady and the Saints, some in union with God as they know Him, some only in union with the other people in the hospital, and some all alone - but we suffer. How much better it is to suffer even poorly and inconsistently in union with Christ. Let's keep praying for each other.
Father Benedict"
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Cardinal Law...The Play
Entitled simply "Sin"...
From the NY Times..Priests and Sexual Abuse Ignite a Stage in Chicago:
"A searing new play that opened here last week offers a vivid look at how Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston reacted to the sex abuse scandal in his archdiocese.
Most of the dialogue in this play, 'Sin: A Cardinal Deposed,' is taken from testimony that Cardinal Law gave in pretrial depositions in 2002 and 2003. The rest is from letters and public statements by Roman Catholic priests, doctors, victims of abuse and their parents."
From the NY Times..Priests and Sexual Abuse Ignite a Stage in Chicago:
"A searing new play that opened here last week offers a vivid look at how Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston reacted to the sex abuse scandal in his archdiocese.
Most of the dialogue in this play, 'Sin: A Cardinal Deposed,' is taken from testimony that Cardinal Law gave in pretrial depositions in 2002 and 2003. The rest is from letters and public statements by Roman Catholic priests, doctors, victims of abuse and their parents."
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