HUMAN EVENTS ONLINE :: Fact, Fiction, and The Da Vinci Code by Darrell L. Bock:
"Underscoring this impression to be more than a novel, the author claims his work is thoroughly researched and has characters of high credibility pour forth the novel's ideas. In fact, Dan Brown has said on his web site that he wanted these issues discussed because the theories he sets forth have been espoused for some time.
Many writers have obliged him on the matter of discussion and have challenged his claims. These include my Breaking the Da Vinci Code as well as books by Amy Wellborn (De-Coding Da Vinci), Richard Abanes (The Truth Behind the Da Vinci Code), James Garlow with Peter Jones (Cracking Da Vinci's Code), and Carl Olson with Sandra Miesel (The Da Vinci Hoax). "
Thursday, June 10, 2004
Wednesday, June 9, 2004
Russ Shaw Tells it Like it Is...
From An Open Letter to the American Bishops:
Some of you may recall that I was press secretary of your bishops’ conference from the late 1960s to the late 1980s. Those also were difficult times, and one reason was that the bishops of those days made things worse by usually refusing to admit the fact. Most of them were likable, decent men, yet they were overly fond of a form of euphoric rhetoric that I eventually came to think of as “happy talk.”
Faced with theologians who challenged Church doctrine, defecting priests, ferocious feminist nuns, growing religious illiteracy, and countless other troubles, many of those bishops chose to see such things as the growing pains of renewal. On the whole, they insisted, we were on the right track; everything would turn out for the best. Pope John XXIII’s words about “prophets of doom” profoundly shaped their thinking, mostly for the worse.
Looking back, I can’t help wondering whether the bishops of that era took the same resolutely upbeat view of priestly sex abuse. In any event, we now know that prophets of doom are sometimes right. And although the abuse scandal has pretty much driven euphoria from your own repertoire, something just as bad may be taking its place. I mean the suggestion that you may soon be able to put this nasty episode behind you and return to business as usual. If that’s the conventional wisdom in Denver, the crisis of American Catholicism will become even worse, even more destructive, than it already is. Business as usual isn’t the answer.
Some of you may recall that I was press secretary of your bishops’ conference from the late 1960s to the late 1980s. Those also were difficult times, and one reason was that the bishops of those days made things worse by usually refusing to admit the fact. Most of them were likable, decent men, yet they were overly fond of a form of euphoric rhetoric that I eventually came to think of as “happy talk.”
Faced with theologians who challenged Church doctrine, defecting priests, ferocious feminist nuns, growing religious illiteracy, and countless other troubles, many of those bishops chose to see such things as the growing pains of renewal. On the whole, they insisted, we were on the right track; everything would turn out for the best. Pope John XXIII’s words about “prophets of doom” profoundly shaped their thinking, mostly for the worse.
Looking back, I can’t help wondering whether the bishops of that era took the same resolutely upbeat view of priestly sex abuse. In any event, we now know that prophets of doom are sometimes right. And although the abuse scandal has pretty much driven euphoria from your own repertoire, something just as bad may be taking its place. I mean the suggestion that you may soon be able to put this nasty episode behind you and return to business as usual. If that’s the conventional wisdom in Denver, the crisis of American Catholicism will become even worse, even more destructive, than it already is. Business as usual isn’t the answer.
Tuesday, June 8, 2004
Pope Supports Tough Stance on Anti-life Politicians
From Rocky Mountain News: Religion:
"Archbishop Charles Chaput said Monday that Pope John Paul II and Vatican officials are 'positive and very supportive' of how the archdiocese is approaching the controversy over faith, Communion and politics.
Chaput returned late Sunday from his visit to Rome, in which he shared issues affecting the Denver archdiocese. His comments were via e-mail, while en route to a weeklong retreat in Estes Park with archdiocesan priests."
"Archbishop Charles Chaput said Monday that Pope John Paul II and Vatican officials are 'positive and very supportive' of how the archdiocese is approaching the controversy over faith, Communion and politics.
Chaput returned late Sunday from his visit to Rome, in which he shared issues affecting the Denver archdiocese. His comments were via e-mail, while en route to a weeklong retreat in Estes Park with archdiocesan priests."
New Auxiliaries for Philadephia
From the Vatican Information Service:
The Holy Father appointed:
- Msgr. Joseph Robert Cistone, vicar of the diocese of Philadelphia, U.S.A., as auxiliary bishop of same diocese (area 5,652, population 3,861,648, Catholics 1,494,883, priests 1,083, permanent deacons 212, religious 569), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in 1949 in Philadelphia and was ordained a priest in 1975.
- Msgr. Joseph Patrick McFadden, pastor of St. Joseph in Downingtown, U.S.A., as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia, U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in 1947 in Philadelphia, U.S.A. and was ordained a priest in 1981.
The Holy Father appointed:
- Msgr. Joseph Robert Cistone, vicar of the diocese of Philadelphia, U.S.A., as auxiliary bishop of same diocese (area 5,652, population 3,861,648, Catholics 1,494,883, priests 1,083, permanent deacons 212, religious 569), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in 1949 in Philadelphia and was ordained a priest in 1975.
- Msgr. Joseph Patrick McFadden, pastor of St. Joseph in Downingtown, U.S.A., as auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia, U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in 1947 in Philadelphia, U.S.A. and was ordained a priest in 1981.
Monday, June 7, 2004
BEA Session I Attended #2
On pitching a book to a publisher, or the public:
Key thing to remember, "You are on a mission!"
Key thing to remember, "You are on a mission!"
BEA Session I Attended #1
On creating a buzz about your book. Since many authors visit this site, here is a book by one of the presenters:
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