For St. John the Apostle, the empty tomb was all he needed to experience to believe in the Resurrection. But two who were later to be saints – Mary Magdalene and Thomas – began the first Easter season as nonbelievers. Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb not to assure herself that Christ is risen, but […]
Ecclesia Mellow Go and sin, sin on more. Mercy, my mercy, sin galore! The joy of love, not the sword, No division, praise me lord! An eye offends? That’s OK, Look again, not away. Fire everlasting not forever. Eternal damning, never, never. “Yes is yes” hurts so much. “No is no” is out of touch. […]
Conscience is the voice of God speaking to a Christian. It is the “law written in their hearts” (Romans 2:15) by God; and each Christian has a duty to make sure that God’s message is not corrupted. In short, a Christian must form his or her conscience – it must be “well formed” – and […]
Precious Child If we wants the child, The precious, Get it from mommy and daddy, How can we does it? We hides us, We sneaks around, Near the ground, And we calls us, “Village”. We means “steal,” but we says “raise”. “Village” is good, “raise” is good. Takes a village to raise a child! We gets […]
Return A star smile surprise, From me untimely ripped, Tore the wind with Moments of unsilence, then Severed a startled sullen sky, Rising, careening, disappearing. I moaned forever. Left cleft, gored, jagged, One searing, souless scar, Unhealing. Mined like a fertile shaft Through a seam of precious gems, My stellar pebble dug and chiseled, Processed, […]
Dear Editor, I am in my 70th year. Some of my little-minded bitter friends rejoice that America will be no more because it has been fundamentally changed. I, and many of my friends, served in the Armed Forces during the Vietnam War. My Dad, who crossed the English Channel 70 times on a non-tourist visa, […]
La Misericordia Bulla Mercy for you, mercy from me. Hosanna, mercy! Hosanna, me ! Dogma says “don’t”, doctrine says “whoa”! Tradition says “halt”. Serviam? I say Noa. Sin can be virtue, but virtue be sin. But mercy is mercy, Voila! Sin again. Obstinate, harsh, hateful justice is wrong. Mercy the prize, dance to my song. […]
Many Protestant rebels from Luther forward placed mistaken reliance on the works of St. Augustine of Hippo as providing a patristic Fathers-of-the-Church warrant for their new teachings and heresies. Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, and other adherents of the Augsburg Confession (a document that set forth the beliefs, including some heretical beliefs, of Lutherans and others) employed […]
Mama, Mammy, Mom, Mommy. Sweet, Beloved, Dear. Think of all the terms of endearment we use for our mothers. Think of all the terms of love and care our mothers use for us. Of all our titles and names for Mary – The Litany Of Loreto, also called the Litany Of The Blessed Virgin Mary, […]
The use and the abuse of apology as a political weapon, gambit, or statement has a long and varied history. It often includes a demand for a statement of sorrow and of responsibility, an “act of contrition.” Not a week goes by that some persons, group, institution, political party, or political leader requests (demands) an […]
Some years ago I proudly came out of the “monogamy closet.” (See comments here.) Now, after over 42-plus years, my monogamy condition is unabated, in all its forms. I don’t “self identify” as a monogamist. I am a monogamist. Major mass media and Hollywood have had no effect on my ailment, and more than […]
For some time now, a group of theologians has opined about “Theological Silence About White Racism.” In words of accusation that could not be stronger or more vigorous, this sin is condemned as injustice, institutional violence, group dehumanization, troubling social evil, social subjugation, race-based wrongdoing, social sin, habitus of white superiority, tragedy, social inequity, unjust […]
Why aren’t there some words – profound, insightful, loving, deep, meaningful, powerful words– which, when read, heard, or said will immediately and instantaneously make a person perfectly good in this life and remain so until they die, thus enjoying eternal glory in Heaven? Why cannot words such as these be written which, once read, change […]
In the article “Has the Silence Been Broken? Catholic Theological Ethics and Racial Justice” in Theological Studies Journal (March, 2014), Father Bryan Massingale, Ph.D., of Marquette University discusses what he calls “the theological silence” about racism in America. Fr. Massingale uses phrases like “deafening and appalling silence,” “embarrassed silence” and “shocking theological silence” regarding racism […]
Last week when the “presider” at the “meal” at the local protestant-Catholic community preached that a “synod”” is a “council” and that throughout Church history “synod” and “council” have meant the same thing, it should have come as no surprise. But I was stunned. Of course, his words are utterly false. When the shock wore […]
Part one of this series dealt with how Jesus, Scripture, and the saints described and identified false teachers. In this installment we examine the example of St. Athanasius. The Arians and Their False Teachers The Arian heresy is named after a priest named Arius (A.D. 250-336) who taught several false doctrines that flowed from a […]
How does one speak about those with hierarchical authority who contradict church teaching, leading the faithful astray? Even if they are priests, bishops, and cardinals? Should one have sensitive dialogue with schismatics and heretics? Compromise for the sake of unity and peace? Avoid stirring the ecclesial pot? Meet them where they are and find common […]
If you’re an American, you’re post-abortive. It is estimated that, since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 by which seven Justices created the “right to abortion” in America, over 58,000,000 babies have been killed here. “Post-abortive” persons include the mothers of babies killed, fathers, and close family members. Consider: Mothers Due to girls […]
The 1857 Supreme Court Dred Scott decision said that Dred Scott, his wife, and their unborn child were not human beings, but were property to be bought and sold. Led by proslavery Chief Justice Roger Taney, the Court created a new national constitutional right to own slaves. Taney, a Democrat and a Roman Catholic, was […]
There is some fear that the Vatican’s upcoming fall Synod on the Family will proclaim and promote heresy. The feared heresy would be in contradicting the explicit scriptural teaching of Jesus and of St. Paul regarding the prohibition of divorced-and-remarried Catholics receiving Holy Communion. Historically, the Church has dealt with heresy accepted, proclaimed, and promulgated […]
