The Keys are Mightier

Friend or Foe?

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:55:00 +0000

At the March for Life in Washington last week, there were people on our bus wearing "Brown for Senate" shirts. Some of the kids were wearing "Massachusetts Citizens for Life" hats and as we were walking, fellow marchers thanked us enthusiastically for electing Scott Brown.

While I'm glad Brown was elected for many reasons: health care and an end of Democratic tyranny both here and nationally being just two, I am shocked by the pro-life outpouring of support for his campaign. Anyone who did their homework would know the following from the wire:

Republican Sen.-elect Scott Brown of Massachusetts says he opposes federal funding for abortions, but thinks women should have the right to choose whether to have one.
Brown tells ABC's "This Week" that he disagrees with his party's position that the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion should be overturned.

Brown says the abortion question is one that's best handled by a woman, her family and her doctor. He also says more effort needs to go into reducing the number of abortions in the U.S.

Brown has said the GOP shouldn't take his vote for granted on every issue. He says he's fiscally conservative but more moderate on social issues.

Brown recently won the Senate seat long held by liberal Democrat Edward M. Kennedy, who died last summer.

While he was certainly the lesser of two evils, he's no friend of the movement.

Cardinal Update

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 16:19:00 +0000

The world has lost two cardinals this week. We now have 183 living cardinals, 112 of which are under the age of 80 and thus eligible to vote in a papal conclave.

I made two brief presentations to use with the kids this week.

In 2010, eleven cardinals will turn 80:

Cardinal Ambrozic of Toronto, Canada: January 27, 1930.
Cardinal Maida of Detroit, USA: March 18, 1930.
Cardinal Williams of Wellington, New Zealand: March 20, 1930.
Cardinal Herranz Casado, a former Curial official: March 31, 1930.
Cardinal McCarrick of Washington, DC, USA: July 7, 1930.
Cardinal Poupard, a former Curial official: August 30, 1930.
Cardinal De Giorgi of Palermo, Italy: September 6, 1930.
Cardinal Daoud, patriarch of Antioch, Lebanon: September 18, 1930.
Cardinal Giordano of Naples, Italy: September 26, 1930.
Cardinal Tumi of Douala, Cameroon: October 15, 1930.
Cardinal Pujats of Riga, Latvia: November 14, 1930.

The youngest cardinal in the world is Cardinal Peter Erdo of Budapest, Hungary. He is 57 years old, born on June 25, 1952.

The oldest cardinal in the world is Cardinal Paul Augustin Mayer, OSB, the prefect emeritus of the Ecclesia Dei Commission. He is 98 years old, born on May 23, 1911.

Obit.

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:39:00 +0000

Father Edward Schillebeeckx, an influential Dominican theologian, died at his home in the Netherlands on December 23 after a long illness at the age of 95. Born in Belgium, he was an adviser to the Dutch bishops during Vatican II. Later his theological work emphasized the universal priesthood of the laity, to the extent that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a caution in 1986 that his theories were at odds with the teachings of the Church.

Source

Another Side of the Visitation

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 03:05:00 +0000

Interesting event that Cardinal O'Malley mentions in his blog this week:

The following day, I met with the superiors of local religious communities at the Pastoral Center to discuss the apostolic visitation.
My intention of bringing them together was, first of all, to assure the sisters that the Church is very grateful for all of the wonderful work of our religious women. They have a glorious history in the United States that has been essential to establishing Catholic education, Catholic health care, and so many other ministries.

Of course, I was also anxious to hear their reaction as to how the visitation was going.

I encouraged them to participate in and cooperate with the visitations and assured them that the sister in charge of the visitations, Mother Mary Clare Millea, is an extraordinary religious woman who will try to be extremely helpful to the sisters.

Mother Clare

During our meeting, I shared with them some of my experiences as an apostolic visitator to seminaries. There was a certain nervousness about the seminary visitation at the beginning, but it turned out to be very positive and ultimately strengthened our seminaries.

In this case as well, the desired outcome is a study that will help us to strengthen religious life in the United States. There has been such a decline in numbers in the last several decades that, of course, the Holy See is deeply concerned.

I assured the sisters that our participation in the visitation is something that will be good for the Church in America and that we should not hesitate to cooperate.

For their part, some of the sisters shared with me that the instrument itself was difficult to complete, and I will certainly share that with Sister Clare. However, overall, I think it was a very good meeting and that the sisters had a chance to express their opinions and ask questions.

Hopefully, we all left with a greater appreciation of the implications of this visitation.

America on N2N

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:33:00 +0000

America Magazine has a brief column by Michael Tueth, S.J. on my favorite new musical:

American theater has thrived on stories about “my crazy family.” Everyone from Tennessee Williams to Neil Simon to last year’s Tony Award winner, Tracy Letts, in his epic “August: Osage County,” has presented domestic dysfunction with tragic or comic overtones, and sometimes both. But aside from alcoholics and drug addicts, none has featured a certifiably “sick” family member and then dared to write a musical about him or her. Two years ago an off-Broadway production of Next to Normal, by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, broke through that barrier with the story of a woman afflicted with bipolar disorder and the effect her illness has on herself, her husband and her daughter. The current Broadway production has received enthusiastic reviews, numerous awards and nightly standing ovations. It will undoubtedly appear in the repertoire of regional theaters throughout the country in the next few years.

The play’s setting suggests several rooms of a family residence, reminiscent of the multi-room sets of “Death of a Salesman” and other domestic dramas of the 1950s, in which the home comes across as a prison of the human spirit. Here the home’s walls are metallic grids resembling cages, and even though the play’s action rapidly moves to other locations—the therapist’s office, the operating room and the musical practice room where Bach serves as an oasis of order for Diana’s daughter, Natalie—everyone, including the doctors, seems trapped.

The emotional core of the play is the suffering of Diana, the psychologically wounded wife and mother. Traumatized by a family tragedy, Diana has been leading a medicated life for almost 20 years. She decides to discontinue her medications and the emotional numbness they have created for her. This leads to bizarre behavior, hallucinatory experiences, electroshock therapy, memory loss and other crises for Diana and her family. It also forces them to re-evaluate their coping mechanisms and patterns of denial and avoidance. (Alice Ripley’s musical and dramatic performance as Diana was honored with the 2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.)

The musical’s conclusion is bittersweet and brave, but honestly earned. As one of Diana’s therapists says of a new treatment, “I know it’s not perfect, but it’s all we’ve got.” “Next to Normal” applies that comment to the entire human predicament and the challenges all must face, with or without the support of family or pharmaceuticals.

Interesting Interview

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:52:00 +0000

In my first real work as a liturgical organist, the "boss" banned all music by Dan Schutte. In fact, I tried to sneak one in one day and got caught. Never did it again. This was quoted over at NLM and I read the whole thing over at the Boston Pilot.

“Sing to the Lord” is very clear that many different types of music, varieties of music, styles of music, and music from different ages and times in the Church’s history and tradition are all appropriate, and that includes contemporary styles of music. It also says very clearly that Gregorian chant has this place, they call it “pride of place.” I think what is happening is that the bishops of the United States have seen that with the renewal of the liturgy, and music being one part of that which has happened since the Second Vatican Council, they have noticed that many parish communities have given up Gregorian chant. My take on “Sing to the Lord” is simply that the bishops are saying don’t forget about this very important part of our Roman Catholic tradition. You walk into many parishes you never hear Gregorian chant. The bishops are saying that’s a tragedy if that happens. But they are also very clear to say that other styles of music, including contemporary styles of music, are also appropriate.

Virtual Reality

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:26:00 +0000

Let me tell you a story.

A principal calls a veteran fifth-grade teacher into her office and informs her that her students' standardized test scores dropped 40% over the course of the year. She asks for an explanation and tells her that the superintendent insists that she (the principal) observe the teacher's class to help determine the quality of the academic environment to determine the causes of the dramatic decline in test scores.

The teacher says that it's natural for test scores to fluctuate depending on the class so there's nothing wrong with her teaching. She refuses to admit the principal to her classroom because it would be intrusive and demeaning for her to be observed considering her many years of service to the school.

This news saddens me... and so close to the Retired Religious Collection!

A few points:

1. They won't answer questions and refer the Vatican to their constitutions. This assumes that they are living in accordance with their constitutions! Isn't this the point of the inquiry?

2. "Violence?" Are you for real? These sisters need to get a grip on reality if they think this is violence!

3. When my students refuse to answer a question about their behavior honestly, it usually means they have something to hide. Just saying.

4. When you're proud of something, you may not go around broadcasting it, but you're not ashamed of it either. If their lifestyle is ecclesiastically healthy, why won't they just answer the questions?

5. This inquiry is going forward whether they answer the questions or not. They will no doubt accuse the Vatican of getting their facts wrong when they release the findings, so here's their chance to speak... TAKE IT! No one is silencing you. You claim the Church won't listen then you give up your golden opportunity.

Letter to the Editor

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:20:00 +0000

I was really disappointed by this editorial in last Wednesday's Boston Globe regarding the dispute between Bishop Tobin and Representative Kennedy. So I wrote a letter to the editor which was published on Saturday. The point of my letter is that faith becomes a problem when one disagrees with the position. When one agrees (e.g., slavery) faith informing policy is not an issue and separation of church and state is never mentioned.

I AM disappointed by the Globe’s editorial on the dispute between Bishop Thomas J. Tobin and Representative Patrick Kennedy (Nov. 25). While there are some logical errors, I take specific issue with the incorrect facts and inaccurate comparisons that are frankly appalling when published by a respected news organization.
Abortion is in a different category of church teaching and cannot be compared to capital punishment or war. Catholics believe there is never a situation in which abortion can be morally right (the jargon is “intrinsically evil’’). This has been part of the church’s teaching from the very beginning. Capital punishment and war can be morally right depending on the circumstances. While there are guidelines for applying these teachings, good Catholics can and do disagree on their application.
To imply that a Catholic in public office cannot vote according to his beliefs is preposterous. What politician doesn’t? The Globe has yet to write an editorial criticizing someone who believes abortion is right, because that’s the position of the editorial board. Our Catholic faith tells us that slavery is wrong. Will you write an editorial criticizing Kennedy because his faith informs him of the immorality of slavery? Will you condemn a bishop for standing up to a Catholic politician who believed it was right and accuse him of meddling in politics?
Finally, the Globe said that it “seems likely’’ that Bishop Tobin has singled out Kennedy and has not requested the same of the other Catholic members of the Rhode Island congressional delegation. The fact is only Representative Kennedy has made this dispute public. The Globe owes Bishop Tobin an apology for insinuating something that cannot be substantiated.

Did he wear clerics at the table?

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:58:00 +0000

I thought this was funny:

Andrew Trapp's interest in becoming a priest dates back to fifth grade at St. Mary of Help of Christians School in Aiken.

He followed through on that path. Now 28, Trapp is serving as the assistant pastor at St. Michael Catholic Church in Garden City Beach.

Father Trapp has a new moniker in recent weeks - the poker-playing priest. He's good at it, too. In a tape-delayed broadcast from Los Angeles on Fox on Sunday, Trapp beat a professional poker player to win $100,000 - an unexpected prize he will donate to St. Michael's fundraising efforts for a new church building.

Trapp isn't through. He will return to Los Angeles with three other finalists in December for a chance to win $1 million for his church.

Trapp was there for the taping just over a week ago for the PokerStars.net Million-Dollar Challenge. After he won the $100,000 prize, he told only his parish priest and his parents, Don and Beth Trapp. So the atmosphere was surreal for him and his folks when they gathered in the school gym Sunday with 300 church friends who didn't know the outcome.

"The atmosphere was really exciting, like watching a 'Rocky' movie," Trapp said Monday. "I'm still amazed that I won, and I was really moved by the support and encouragement. I visited the different classes at school today, and all of them were excited about watching me on television."

But he's quick to point out to the kids that he's not advocating serious gambling. The online qualifying tournaments had no entry fee, and his trip to Los Angeles was provided expense-free.

Earlier, Trapp had gotten permission from his parish priest and bishop to pursue the poker challenge.

Someone needs to make a homily out of this.

I'd Quit

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 01:52:00 +0000

This would not fly at my school. Think this helps teens? Think it sends a positive message? Obviously I'm writing this without reading the play, but it certainly doesn't sound good. I'm sure there will be fallout from this and we'll be hearing about it again. From California Catholic Daily:

Four Catholic High Schools in the Archdiocese of San Francisco are scheduled to host a performance of the condom-endorsing sex-education play Secrets. The play was written by openly lesbian playwright Patricia Loughrey. Secrets will be performed on October 14, 2009 at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory High School in San Francisco; on November 5, 2009 at Sacred Heart High School in Atherton; on January 19, 2010 at Mercy High School in Burlingame, and on February 9, 2010 at St. Ignatius College Preparatory High School in San Francisco.

The play depicts a teenager who is HIV positive. Some content in Secrets was considered, by the Fremont, California Unified School District, to be sufficiently graphic to require that a permission slip be signed by parents before their child would be allowed to see it. The Fremont Unified School District also posts an online flyer (in English and Chinese) for parents, informing them of the performance, and inviting them to watch a video of Secrets before giving their permission. The flyer also describes two of the scenes: “A character dumps dozens of brightly wrapped condoms on the floor with a discussion about which type of condoms are the best to use and how to use them effectively.” Another scene is a “Discussion about contraceptives and a visual display of them.” The production of Secrets in the San Francisco Archdiocese is sponsored by the Educational Theater Programs division of the Kaiser Permanente HMO.

Part Deux

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:12:00 +0000

The second session of the Second Vatican Council opened on this date in 1963. It was presided over by Pope Paul VI after the death of Pope John XXIII earlier that year.

In his opening address on that day, the Holy Father set out the four purposes of the Council:

1. to more fully define the nature of the church and the role of the bishop;
2. to renew the church;
3. to restore unity among all Christians, including seeking pardon for Catholic contributions to separation;
4. and to start a dialogue with the contemporary world.

During this session of the Council, the bishops approved Sacrosanctum Concilium (on the liturgy) and Inter Mirifica (on social communications). The session ended on December 4.

JP I

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:32:00 +0000

Remember the 31st anniversary of the death of John Paul I today...

San Gennaro

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Sorry I've been away for a while.

The kids love the story of Saint Januarius (San Gennaro) and I was only too happy to tell it to them on Friday ahead of his Saturday feast. I typically use his Wikipedia page as a starting point, since it has some scientific information toward the bottom (that's the first thing they ask... it can't be a miracle so what's the scientific explanation?).

I saw this article in the NY Times about the liquefaction and plan to show it to the kids tomorrow as a follow-up.

The scene was familiar on the feast day of the patron saint of Naples, St. Januarius: the packed cathedral; the procession with the saint’s relics, including two glass vials said to contain his clotted blood; the mounting anticipation during the solemn ceremony, culminating in an explosion of applause at the archbishop’s joyful announcement: “I give you the good news, the blood has liquefied.”

...
Little is known about St. Januarius, believed to have been a Neapolitan bishop and early Christian martyr, whose relics are preserved in an ornate chapel in the Naples Cathedral. The liquefaction of the substance that the faithful believe to be his blood takes place three times a year, in December, May and on Sept. 19, coinciding with his feast day. It was first recorded in 1389.
Theologically, the Vatican has never accepted the liquefaction as an official miracle, preferring to refer to it as an inexplicable phenomenon, said Gennaro Luongo, a professor of hagiography and ancient Christian literature at the University of Naples Federico II. But the Vatican acknowledges the widespread veneration of the saint.
“Since the 15th century, a popular belief holds that if the blood does not liquefy or only partially liquefies it bodes badly for the city,” Professor Luongo said. “People poke fun at this, but predictions are common to many religions. It is part of popular religiosity.”
Over the centuries, many have tried to find scientific explanations for the phenomenon, and Cardinal Sepe has said, according to Italian news reports, that he intends to have the liquid studied.
“I put myself at his disposal,” said Luigi Garlaschelli, a chemist who closely examined the liquid in a previous study concluding that thixotropy, the property of certain gels to liquefy when they are shaken, might be one reasonable explanation. But because the vials are sealed, he was doubtful that any future experiments would be carried out on the substance itself.

Bit of a Jaw Drop

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:16:00 +0000

I don't have the time or energy to blog around and see if this story has made the rounds yet, but I was very interested in this and hope it's of some interest to you as well. I've blogged about the writings of Bishop Tobin (Providence) before... here's another of his columns (via Catholic Key):

It strikes me that critics of Archbishop Weakland should be at least a little restrained in their umbrage, for after all there are many redeeming qualities of the Archbishop’s life and ministry. He responded willingly to the Lord’s call to the consecrated life; he has served the Church generously in a variety of difficult leadership positions; he has shown a determined commitment to the progress of the Church and the implementation of the Second Vatican Council; and he has consistently reached-out to the poor, the weak and the disenfranchised members of the Church and society. If his service has been marred by human imperfections, so be it. So is mine, and so is yours.

On the other hand, supporters of Archbishop Weakland should also be able to recognize the self-serving inconsistencies and contradictions contained in his story.

For example, although the Archbishop always took pride in his liberal theological tendencies and his public pronouncements on controversial issues, he seemed to be genuinely puzzled, even hurt, when others labeled him a dissident.

He passionately promoted the dignity of the laity and their role in the governance and ministry of the Church, but had little hesitation about quietly using their money to cover-up his egregious sexual offense.

He disparaged the secrecy of the Holy See but for twenty years hid his own indiscretions behind the walls of the chancery, indiscretions that were not just a matter of personal behavior but also profoundly affected the reputation and welfare of the Church.

He railed against what he considered the authoritarian pontificate of Pope John Paul II, but clearly used his own persona and authority to impose his vision of the Church upon his own fiefdom in Milwaukee, easily dismissing those who opposed him as conservative, right-wing nuts.

In short, like many dissidents in the Church, throughout his life Archbishop Weakland benefited generously from the support of the institutional Church, but never hesitated to criticize the Church whenever it served his own purposes to do so.

You do not read that kind of naked fraternal correction often in the United States, but as I've been saying for the last six months, the episcopal climate changed in this country when Notre Dame invited the President to speak at commencement and receive an honorary degree.

Preparations for a New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:10:00 +0000

As I prepare to upload teaching resources to the site this weekend, I just want to be sure I blog more about my experiences as a Catholic teacher in a Catholic high school this year.

Tomorrow, the freshmen arrive for a few hours of orientation so this is the last day the building is unoccupied by students. Of course, teachers scrambled around all day trying to clean, organize, and find their stuff from last year. I am blessed to have a brand new floor so this week required putting felt tips on the legs of every piece of furniture to avoid scratching the tile!

On Friday, the upperclassmen will come in to get their books, schedules, and lockers. It's a relatively light day, no teaching, but still busy. Our first full day is Monday.

Thankfully, I have until Monday to get myself together. Today was spent helping my partner in the department get settled with a couple of new handouts. I also had my first meeting with a new teacher that I will be mentoring this year. I worked on a calendar for the faculty and administration that encompasses every school activity for the year and made a new wall display. Of course, the day is far from over, but it was productive and exciting. I even met with the soccer coaches... now that I'm the Assistant Athletic Director. Fall sports practices begin tomorrow!

I take great pride in my wall displays. Today I made a brand new one that features the twelve apostles, the first priests. This is my first display highlighting the Year for Priests. It came out almost exactly how I envisioned it (which is rare). Of course, this is my medium-sized wall... the new display for the huge one isn't even begun yet! I'll post a picture of the apostle wall once I've tweaked it tomorrow and brought my camera to school. I've already finished the "Random Catholic Terms" display and the liturgical calendar one (both small, both new this year). I'm not even halfway done, which means a long few nights ahead along with some serious weekend work!

So I'm still here at school trying to continue my work. I'm the only one here at this point, so it's quiet and I'm able to get more done without a constant stream of interruptions. I'm running out for a haircut in a few minutes, then it's back to the desk!

As I begin a new year, I realize how blessed I am to do what I do! My feelings on this particular point will be the subject of another post this week... my reflections and thoughts on the beginning of another year (my fourth here). But suffice it to say, the last few days of preparation and scrambling to finish and get ahead for the year have been exciting and rewarding.

How blessed indeed.

Incognito

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:11:00 +0000

An interesting column from Bishop Tobin of Providence:

During vacation this summer I followed my normal practice of attending Sunday Mass as a “private citizen,” that is, in secular attire, with the congregation, in the pews. Even though I truly cherish the privilege of leading the liturgy as I do almost every Sunday, it’s also refreshing once in awhile to be on the other side of the altar.
Doing so allows me to avoid the public spotlight, eliminates the pressure of having to prepare a homily, and helps me to return to the ministry relaxed and ready to go.
Whenever I join the rank-and-file, it’s amazing how quickly I assume the characteristics of what might be considered the “typical Catholic.” I planned my schedule so I wouldn’t arrive at church too early. I sat toward the back of the church to avoid special involvement. I complained, at least mentally, about the length of the sermon. I was dismayed to learn there would be a second collection – and yes, I did pry open my wallet to contribute to both! And I was appropriately irritated by the log jam of traffic in the parking lot after Mass.

Forget my need for “full, active and conscious participation.” I was on vacation. I wanted something short, sweet and to the point, just enough to fulfill my Sunday obligation.
These bad habits aside, there were also some more beneficial lessons to be had from sitting in the pews. Doing so created a broader perspective for me and a renewed appreciation for the truly “faithful” who come to Mass Sunday after Sunday. It gave me the opportunity to reflect on the nature of the Church and the function of the liturgy.

This particular section caught my eye. Of course, you're not surprised considering my open and frequent lamentations about the state of preaching in the Church (emphasis mine):

Secondly, it seems to be that people come to Mass on Sunday because they long to hear the Word of God preached with conviction and enthusiasm. They want homilies that are doctrinally sound, personally prepared and relevant to contemporary life.
It’s a frequent complaint that our preaching has lost its spark, its zeal, that it has become too bland, cerebral and generic. Good preaching, on the other hand, needs to be clear, direct and simple. People seek moral guidance and want to learn the tenets of our Faith. They want to hear about the Ten Commandments, justice and peace, human life and family relationships, final judgment and eternal salvation.
In short, the faithful want preachers to preach as Jesus did, with power and conviction, challenging people, not avoiding difficult issues. People should leave Sunday Mass motivated to live the gospel throughout the week, but confident they possess the spiritual means to do so.

THANK YOU.

For the Grammophiles...

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:32:00 +0000

From the Daily Writing Tips blog:

Philip Dragonetti writes:

Another word that drives me up the wall is “fullest”—as in: “Violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Would someone please tell me how the “fullest” extent of the law is greater than the “full” extent of the law?

I agree with Philip that “full” is sufficient when speaking of the extent of the law.

That’s not to say that “fullest extent” is always superfluous. For example:

“I live every day to its fullest extent and I don’t sweat the small stuff.” –Olivia Newton-John

Taking shelter in the dead is death itself, and only taking all the risk of life to the fullest extent is living.” –Rabindranath Tagore

The use of fullest in these examples is acceptable because the extent to which life can be lived depends upon external factors such as health and opportunity.

The law, on the other hand, is determinate. The “extent” is set. You may prosecute someone to the full extent of the law. The superlative form “fullest” is not required.

By now the expression “the fullest extent of the law” has taken on the character of a cliché. It is annoyingly imprecise, but it’s probably not going to go away.

Loaded Questions

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:59:00 +0000

Via the America blog... CNS has a story on the questionnaire distributed to communities of women religious ahead of the apostolic visitation.

Father Martin's summary of the article:

News from CNS on the Apostolic Visitation of women's religious orders in the US: details of the questionnaire to be sent to the orders, with questions on almost every aspect of the women's life: identity ("understanding of religious life"), governance ("effectiveness of the order's style" of governance) vocation promotion ("how the formation program offers members the foundations of the Catholic faith and doctrine through the study of Second Vatican Council documents, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and post-conciliar documents") spiritual life and common life ("participation in the liturgy according to approved liturgical norms"), and mission and ministry (the "specific purpose of the congregation").

Prayers

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:24:00 +0000

I just had a former student stop by... he just found out his grandfather has been diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus and has two weeks to live.

Seeing as how we're all members of this alleged "Body of Christ" let's all take a minute to pray to our merciful Father for this man and his family.

Thanks!

Not exactly in the ivory tower

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:53:00 +0000

"God's Rottweiler" is really scary. Or maybe not.

During one of his vacation strolls, Benedict XVI came across five children, stopping to chat with them about his wrist injury.

The Pope encountered the children, accompanied by two women, during a walk Wednesday afternoon, Vatican spokesman Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi recounted.

As can be seen in Vatican Television video, one of the women asked the Holy Father about his recovering wrist, which he fractured last week in a fall.

"It needs time and patience," he replied.

One of the children surprised the Pontiff, telling him that at his home, nearby Val di Rhemes, there was a 6-meter (19.7 feet) snowfall last winter.

"I can't imagine 6 meters of snow," the Pope exclaimed. "That's higher than a house!"

Two-edged Sword

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:46:00 +0000

This is a difficult decision that we see often in our country. On the one hand, as followers of Jesus discrimination can never be part of our policy. On the other, we are guaranteed the freedom in this country to impose certain requirements on church employees such as morality clauses.

I hope this case was a legitimate and ethical dismissal due to declining enrollment:

The Wisconsin Supreme Court says religious school teachers are not protected by the state's anti-discrimination laws.

In a 4-3 decision, the court says religious schools have a constitutional right to choose their own employees to carry out their missions and that includes many teachers.

In 2002 Coulee Catholic Schools, now called Aquinas Catholic Schools, cited declining enrollment when they fired then 53-year old Wendy Ostlund and eight other teachers. Ostlund sued, claiming age discrimination was the reason she was fired.

The court says employees cannot make discrimination claims under the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act because that would interfere with their employers' right to religious freedom.

Aquinas Catholic Schools argued to have the case thrown out, citing first amendment rights. They say the state should not be able to dictate who teaches religion.

Ostlund had taught at St. Patrick's elementary school since 1974.

Dissenting Justice Patrick Crooks says the decision "extends a free pass to religious schools to discriminate against their lay employees."

When lay employees agree to work for the Church, they know what they're getting themselves into. They give up the freedom to act how they wish. There are certain ethical lines that are not breached (cohabitation, for example).

As a Catholic employed by the Church since the age of 14, I'm just used to it, I guess. I don't understand when people are surprised.

Investing in more than just Jesus

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:43:00 +0000

Too bad the Holy Spirit doesn't cover magisterial financial inerrancy:

Irish Roman Catholic priests in the country’s second-biggest diocese took pay cuts of about 10 percent after church investments in bank stocks dropped as much as 7 million euros ($10 million).

The Killaloe diocese, which covers parts of the midlands and west of Ireland, cut salaries by between 8 and 12 percent, after shares fell and bank dividends were eliminated, Willy Walsh, the Bishop of Killaloe, said in an interview with Ireland’s RTE radio today.

Ireland’s ISEF Index of financial stocks has fallen more than 90 percent from its February 2007 peak, as the banking system last year came close to collapse after real-estate prices tumbled and credit markets froze. The government has nationalized Anglo Irish Bank Corp., and pumped 7 billion euros into Bank of Ireland Plc and Allied Irish Banks Plc to help save the lenders as bad debts surged.

“All of us thought that bank shares were a safe as possible place to put money,” Walsh said. “Obviously in hindsight, they weren’t.”

Legacies Lost

Priests in Killaloe earn between 20,000 euros and 25,000 euros a year, the Irish Times reported today, citing Walsh. A spokeswoman for the Catholic church in Ireland said it doesn’t keep data on priests’ earnings and that payments are a matter for individual dioceses.

Around 120 priests work in the diocese, which covers most of County Clare and parts of Tipperary, Offaly, Laois, and Limerick. There are 58 parishes in the diocese, with a population of about 122,000, according to its Web site.

One-Stop Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:38:00 +0000

Our dear brothers and sisters of the CofE have added Baptisms to weddings.

The Church of England has issued new guidelines allowing the two ceremonies to be combined in one service.
The Church says it is responding to a real demand, and denies that the change will undermine its teaching on the sinfulness of sex outside of marriage.
Couples tying the knot will be able to take part in their children's baptism or say a simple prayer of blessing.
Baptism is regarded as one of the holiest sacraments that Christianity offers, as it signifies the church community welcoming the child into the family of God.
It usually takes place within a traditional Sunday service, but the new rules mean that it could become a popular add-on for wedding services.

Catholics combine sacramental rituals, of course. Most are celebrated in the context of the Eucharist (or can be). Confessions can also be heard by another priest while Mass is in progress. But baptizing kids while their parents are getting married? This just might be a bit much for me.

Continued Support for Pope's Comments

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:36:00 +0000

Will this be in today's New York Times?

Harvard Professor agrees with Pope Benedict XVI:

During his latest visit to Africa pope Benedict XVI told the journalists: “Condom distribution is not the solution to Aids, on the contrary they worsen it”. An editorial comment of The Lancet retorted that the Pope's comment was “outrageous and wildly inaccurate”. Based on your experience about the issue, is the Pope right or wrong?

As I have said in the Washington Post and elsewhere, the Pope is basically right – about Africa. It will be easiest if we confine our discussion to Africa, because that’s where the Pope was en route to and that is the place he was talking about. There’s no evidence at all that condoms have worked as a public health intervention intended to reduce HIV infections, at the “level of population.” This is a bit difficult to understand. It may well make sense for an individual to use condoms every time, or as often as possible, and he may well decrease his chances of catching HIV. But we are talking about programs, large efforts that either work or fail at the level of countries, or, as we say in public health, level of population. Major articles published in Science, The Lancet, British Medical Journal, and even Studies in Family Planning have reported this finding since 2004. I first wrote about putting emphasis on fidelity instead off condoms, in the book AIDS in Africa, in 1988.

Condoms fail because people do not use them consistently, because they are not used once people get to know someone, and because they provide a false sense of security, allowing people to take greater risks then they would take if condoms were not used at all. They also divert resources from interventions that work better, such as promoting faithfulness.

Just friends?

noreply@blogger.com (Rob) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:06:00 +0000

Using the following quote from Caritas in Veritate,

"As society becomes ever more globalized, it makes us neighbors but does not make us brothers."

Father Austin Murphy has this reflection:

I read these words in the pope's encyclical several times when I hit them, and they continue to echo in my thought and prayer. Benedict's letter to the Church is about helping us understand the Christian implications of development within this newest environment of globalization. There is much to be gleaned from this long encyclical. These words above struck me, not in the sense of economic or political development, but as a call for me to examine the "connections" that exist in my own life. Never before in history has humanity been so in touch with one another - through the World-Wide Web, through electronic mail and media, through social networking websites. Ideas and personalities are transmitted at the speed of a mouse click, and yet, in spite of all this connectedness, are we any closer to each other?

I think of Facebook. I have almost 500 "friends" there. But some of them I have never met; some of them I have never had a "conversation" with; some of whom I don't know from Adam (they connected to me because I was connected to someone else they know). They are all human. They all share a call to holiness. They are all my brothers and sisters by virtue of our common Father. But in spite of all we share, we don't share the one thing that can serve us all together. We are not sharing life - we are not sharing "communion." Yes, those who participate in the sacramental life of the Church (and there are many) are united in Christ in that Communion of the Saints, but what Facebook does, in some way, is take the humanity out of these "friendships."

What to do? Well, one need not abandon these social networking sites. They are helpful and useful in their own regard. But, we are responsible for the humanity of it all. Talk with those "friends." Send them a message and get a conversation going, and, better yet, meet up and chat. Proximity - either in space or in cyberspace - is really just an accident. Friendship - and the humanizing effect that friendship has - is deliberate. Facebook asks you to "confirm" or "ignore" friend requests. When you click "confirm," make sure that it is not just a collection of yet another name and thumbnail on your profile page. Try to see it as a way to help the world be more human - and to become more human yourself.

Welcome thoughts to me... I'm a Facebook addict.