During four years of college and seven of graduate school, most of it in philosophy and theology, I heard only one lecture on virtue — the virtue of art. Thus I consider it miraculous that the language of virtue has returned to public discourse. But the virtues don’t tell the whole story about human life. … Read more
The bishops really don’t want to deny communion to anyone unless they believe it’s absolutely necessary. Archbishop John Nienstedt (Minneapolis-St. Paul), however, denied communion to 25 students and members of the St. John’s Abbey community in Collegeville, MN. They were wearing rainbow buttons and sashes in protest of the Church’s position on homosexuality and homosexual … Read more
As I write, there is a Catholic Press Conference being held at the Vatican, sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. Three representatives were invited from each country, and one of them was Greg Erlandson, president of Our Sunday Visitor. Erlandson is an astute and experienced observer of Catholic media, and his comments to … Read more
The excerpt below is from Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Eat, Pray, Love,” which was recently made into a film starring Julia Roberts. I haven’t read the book, but someone showed me this passage, and I must say I was strongly impressed by it. I’m sure there are many “religious despisers of beauty,” as I have called them, … Read more
As I’ve been saying, the Catholic tea kettle is boiling and one of the first places it’s bound to boil over is the home of the original Tea Party, Boston. Joe Sacerdo at the blog devoted to Rev, J. Bryan Hehir is calling for the protest in response to — guess what! — a SOCIAL … Read more
Over at Catholic.org, my friend Deacon Keith Fournier makes the argument that Catholics need to “take back” the phrase “social justice” in its true meaning. His argument is a continuation of an exchange we shared at the Catholic Leadership Conference in Philadelphia a few weeks ago. Deacon Fournier was in the midst of making the … Read more
Please forgive me if this post seems to drop out of nowhere; I’m stuck at home for a few days with, ironically, walking pneumonia. So there isn’t much to do except stroll around You Tube, like young Susanka. Here is a piece of music that will break your heart: the final Trio from Richard Strauss’s … Read more
Hardly a day goes by when I fail to see some news report or op-ed on the advisability of the Catholic Church to end the male-only priesthood, the mandatory celibacy requirement, the ban on contraception and abortion, or its view of homosexuality. Usually, the story is set against the backdrop, imagined or otherwise, of declining … Read more
Not many articles at the National Catholic Reporter begin with, “My friend Deal Hudson.” But Michael Sean Winters bucks the trend by framing his polished polemic as a“shout out” of sorts to a friend on the other side of the Catholic political spectrum. (How far apart we really are is something to be determined down … Read more
This past Tuesday, seven representatives of Catholic Charities USA were welcomed into the Oval Office by President Obama on the occasion of the organization’s 100th anniversary. Those invited were Rev. Larry Snyder, president; Retired Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan of Brooklyn, Catholic Charities USA’s 2010 Centennial Medal winner; Sr. Donna Markham, Board Chair; Candy S. Hill, … Read more
Over the past two weeks, I’ve had extensive discussions with a wide group of Catholic leaders about the state of the Church in the United States. The frustration and impatience among Catholics, which I discussed last February in “Is It Time for a Catholic Tea Party?,” continue to grow. The occasions for this discussion were … Read more
A new Obama administration web site was launched late last night called “Health Reform in Action.” In the section “Myths & Facts,” the first so-called myth is, “Health insurance reform will use my tax dollars to fund abortions.” How does the Obama administration refute this assertion, supported by the Catholic bishops, National Right to Life, … Read more
How many times have you washed your hands in a rest room at a gas station, a movie theater, or a retail store only to find there are no paper towels, only a metallic box hanging on the wall blowing lukewarm air. Out of frustration, you grab some TP only to find it so razor … Read more
Christine O’Donnell’s surprise victory in Delaware has stunned the pundits. It’s called a Tea Party victory, but in fact it was something a bit different. O’Donnell’s message was consistently grounded in the social conservatism of her Catholic faith, with a strong emphasis on the sanctity of life and the defense of marriage. The role of … Read more
After much deliberation I got Chippy an inexpensive phone from AT&T (20$ after rebate). Since he is now walking home from school a sizable distance, I wanted it for safety. With the AT&T phone I purchased the Smart Limits program (5$ per month) that gives parents the ability to limit texting, downloading, etc. However, I … Read more
Wow, is it the power of mythology or the power of demonization? It’s hard to tell the difference, and perhaps there is no difference, perhaps demonization is the mythology that drives the Catholic Left. Why can’t I stop laughing? Because I just read this in NCR (the Reporter, not the Register) in response to the … Read more
UPDATED 9/13 Rev. David J. Mullen is pastor of Saint Brendan’s Parish in Bellingham, MA, but perhaps not for long. Father Mullen told entire parish on the weekend of September 4-5 that he will very likely be removed as pastor and be named parochial vicar because of his refusal to use the Talking About Touching … Read more
During four years of college and seven of graduate school, most of it in philosophy and theology, I heard only one lecture on virtue — the virtue of art. Thus I consider it miraculous that the language of virtue has returned to public discourse. But the virtues don’t tell the whole story about human life. … Read more
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has set five goals to pursue until the end of 2011. They are: Strengthening marriage Faith formation focused on sacramental practice Priestly and religious vocations Life and dignity of the human person Recognition of cultural diversity The USCCB Web site contains a link to a timeline for … Read more
Henry Karlson at Vox Nova has offered a list of the top ten theological works of the 20th century, “based upon either their influence or the value I see they should have for the future of theology.” Here is his list: 10. Henri de Lubac, Catholicism. 9. Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology. 8. Gustavo Gutierrez, A … Read more