A friend shared this story with me today. Blogger R.J. Grigaitis, O.F.S. has begun a novena today for his wife Jennifer, who is seriously ill. Russell has a special devotion to Blessed John Duns Scotus, a Franciscan theologian who was born a few years before the death of St. Thomas Aquinas and died on November 8, 1308. Russell asks that you join with him in a novena to Blessed John from October 4-12 for Jennifer’s healing. Here is the link... Read more
Here’s Francis, standing in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, in Washington DC. And here he is, standing in my backyard. And here is his famous prayer. Read more
The first three-day meeting of Pope Francis’ new, eight-member Council of Cardinals has drawn to a close; and it appears the group will recommend big changes in the way the Vatican is run. Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesperson, told reporters on October 3 that the Council would not simply update Pope John Paul II’s 1988 Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus, which governs how the Roman Curia operates; instead, they will work to draft an entirely new constitution, with significant new aspects. ... Read more
“Come on,” you groan. “This is a joke, right?” Nope. Nestled in the woods of beautiful Southampton County in Ivor, Virginia—just an hour from Richmond—is White Tail Resort, a vacation destination which has offered a “relaxing, clothing-free experience” for nudists and naturists since 1984. In the clothing-optional camp, guests romp in indoor and outdoor pools, swing and sway on the dance floor, play table tennis and ping-pong, and enjoy homecooked meals in the dining hall….all in the buff. In fact,... Read more
Well now, didn’t the Internet explode this week, what with all that excitement regarding Pope Francis’ second interview with the atheist Eugenio Scalfari in La Repubblica? “Proselytism is solemn nonsense,” he said. “It makes no sense.” To which faithful Catholics responded, “WHAT?!!” What about the resurrected Jesus’ instruction to the apostles in Matthew 28? You know, when He told His followers to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of... Read more
Tuesday, October 1, is the International Day of Older Persons. The day was established by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 45/106 on December 14, 1990. The following year, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Principles for Older Persons. This seasoned population of grey hairs will assume increasing prominence in the years to come; in only ten years there will be a billion old people on the planet—and the responsibility for their care will fall on the younger generation.... Read more
It is not Business-As-Usual in Rome these days. Today the news from Vatican City is that Pope Francis has instituted a Council of Cardinals—making permanent the Consistory, the informal “Super-Eight” who were appointed last April to serve as consultors for the Holy Father, and who were invited to Rome for a meeting October 1-3 to assist in various matters, including the selection of a date for the canonization. The Council of Cardinals, which includes Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley, will draw... Read more
It’s official! Pope Francis has just announced that two former popes, Blessed John Paul II and Blessed John XXIII, will be made saints on April 27, 2014—Divine Mercy Sunday. BLESSED POPE JOHN XXIII, born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, was affectionately known as the “Good Pope” (in Italian, “il Papa Buono”). He led the Catholic Church from October 1958 to his death in 1963. Pope John XXIII was 77 years old when elected to the papacy, and some first thought that he would be... Read more
We are, all of us, dying. Even you. It may be a traffic accident, a horrific front-end collision that sends you spiraling toward eternity. Or cancer will have its way with your gnarled body—a ravenous interloper, swelling, pressing on sensitive organs, then releasing its pent-up energy in a hemmorhagic burst of blood and lipids. You may find yourself staring at the barrel of a shotgun, or clutching your breast in cardiac arrest. But die, you will. We are, all of... Read more
NOTE: I wrote this column at the invitation of Chris Henrichsen, who blogs at the Mormon Portal here at Patheos. This is part of a Roundtable discussion on “Are Mormons Christian?” First, a word of praise: Mormons are good citizens. They are persons of good conscience, and are supportive of strong family values. Catholics and Mormons, as the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith noted in its 2001 statement on Mormon baptism, “…often find themselves working together on... Read more
Seasons of Grace
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In