@JamesMartinSJ recently dropped a moment of truth over on facebook as he linked to this most recent sex abuse story stating: It gives me no pleasure to post stories like this, but they are important to read and understand.   Often I’m told that people are “tired” of reading about, or talking about, the sex abuse crisis. Last summer at a talk someone asked me what I thought was the biggest challenge facing the church, and I said the sexual abuse crisis.... Read more

The US Bishops have repeatedly called for comprehensive immigration reform, and it seems to be one of the few things congress has been able to find some agreement on, but there is a real chance it could all fizzle out. Consider how you might speak up about this issue! I’d love to hear any and all ideas. One great place to start is by filling out the postcard over at Justice for immigrants and mailing it in! Read more

Gregory Palamas once wrote that heaven would be akin to a dance without end before the throne of God (On the divine Energies, 76).This image is powerful, one can imagine the Church adorned in wedding garments joyfully being led into the dance of the life of God. Each step in rhythm with grace and love, each measure drawing us into the embrace of the unfathomable mystery. Such a vision is in many ways to wonderful for words, but for inquiring... Read more

This week Peter Wallace listed 52 things he wished he could tell his younger self… the list touched on issues of faith a few times and I thought I would share the ideas here. He states: The church (or any religious configuration) is composed of human beings, and so it possesses many human failings, which often reflect your own. Surrender to this. There is nothing more sublime than serving in worship with your brothers and sisters. Unless maybe it’s participating in... Read more

I was going to try to write a piece that summarized this amazing interview with the pope, but I just wanted to quote the whole thing in it’s entirety… so just read it. Read it now That is all A Big Heart Open to God americamagazine.org Read more

Hey Everyone,I don’t think I have ever made a request like this, but I need you to stop what you’re doing right now and do three things. 1. Pray 2. Call 3. Share Tomorrow congress is voting on a bill (H.R. 3102) that would cut nearly $40 billion from the USA’s supplemental nutrition assistance program, known as SNAP. Here are a few points to consider: • Across the country, 2 to 4 million adults without dependents would lose benefits. SNAP already has strict work... Read more

Did you see this? Comedians debate the existence of God. Very good, very funny. Great points on all sides. //www.youtube.com/v/dJXtCUBwBCI?version=3&hl=en_US Read more

I recently read through Oil and Honey a fascinating book by Bill McKibbon. It it he talks about his journey from being an author who writes about Global Warming to being an activist who organizes people around the world about climate change, gets arrested, deals with Washington, and helps give thousands of others a voice. This book was a splash of water on my face. I had known global warming was a big deal but McKibbon helped remind me of it. He writes: [The amount of Carbon the... Read more

Sacramental theology was the subject of the Colbert Report a while back and I missed it! I thought I might take some time to post my reflections, as “outdated” as they might be. Steven Colbert defends the doctrine of the real presence against Garry Willis, a catholic who denies it. I must say that Willis demonstrated a terrible understanding of both sacramental theology and Augustine’s thoughts on the sacraments. Augustine clearly believed that the Bread and Wine were the body and... Read more

This week I read through “Pastrix” by Nadia Bolz-Weber. This book offers the meandering journey of faith taken by Nadia, an ELCA pastor and emerging voice in progressive christian landscape. Nadia grew up in a fundamentalist church which taught her to love community but to fear God. She left Christianity but gradually learned to fall in love with the Grace of God in Jesus Christ first through her 12 step group, then in her study of the historical Jesus (a gateway... Read more