What a whirlwind trip to the Holy Land! Pope Francis, if he’s tired or ill as some journalists have suggested, shows none of that–as he moves smoothly from one event, one teaching opportunity to the next. First, I’d like to share a couple of great shots from the Pope’s journey: First, Pope Francis in Bethlehem, at the site of some of the recent vandalism; and second, at the River Jordan, at the site where Jesus was baptized by his cousin... Read more
When a young girl becomes pregnant, you want to help her to deliver a healthy baby. You want to provide options: adoption, or raising the child with assistance. You want her to feel love and acceptance, not shame, for having made a difficult decision–for choosing Life. But…. Do you want to celebrate the pregnancy, potentially encouraging other young girls to engage in premarital sexual activity? Does public acceptance serve to glamorize a life-changing mistake? * * ... Read more
Jesus, Mary and the apostles did not live in never-never land or some amusement park. Rather, they walked the streets of Jerusalem, of which some portions are now excavated. They passed the same hills, drank from the wells, ate the fish and bread, drank the local wine, and followed the rhythms of the seasons, harvests, and religious feasts that pilgrims can still observe in the land. That’s what Fr. Mitch Pacwa hopes people realize when they read his newest book,... Read more
On May 15, the United Nations celebrated the 20th annual International Day of Families. Around the world, the U.N. helped nations to refocus on the role of families in development; take stock of recent trends in family policy development; share good practices in family policy making; and review challenges faced by families worldwide. But in the United States, no presidential proclamation. No encouraging message in the Congressional Record. No statement on the White House website. President Obama, it appeared, just forgot... Read more
It’s a busy week for news from the Holy Land. The Vatican is gearing up for Pope Francis’s historic trip to the Holy Land on May 24-26. This will be a uniquely ecumenical trip: Pope Francis will take with him his two good friends from his years as archbishop in Argentina, Rabbi Abraham Skorka, co-author of his book On Heaven and Earth, and Islamic studies professor Omar Abboud. And a highlight of his trip will be a planned meeting with Orthodox Ecumenical... Read more
….But you already knew that. Some people did not know that, though; and so the Critics of Anything Roman, always hoping to give the Church a black eye, tried to suggest that the sexual abuse of minors, which is an abomination and a clear violation of Catholic Church teaching, was a form of state-sponsored torture. Further, they alleged, the Church’s stance in opposition to birth control and abortion is also torture. No surprises here: Among the influential nongovernmental organizations which... Read more
In May 2011, Pope John Paul II was beatified. And three years later, in April 2014, he was elevated to sainthood. * * * * * On Easter Sunday, April 4, 1999, Pope John Paul II wrote an open letter to all artists — both Christian and secular — reminding them of their vocation to Beauty. He urged them not to waste their artistic talent but to develop it, and to... Read more
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has set August 6 as the date to hear oral arguments in the case brought by Jayne Rowse and April DeBoer, a lesbian couple who wanted to be permitted to marry in their home state of Michigan. In March, U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman struck down the voter-approved Michigan Marriage Act which prohibited marriage between members of the same sex, calling it unconstitutional. His decision was put on hold by the appeals court, however–but... Read more
Martha Holzer, a senior leader in the dissident Catholic group We Are Church, is “shocked” that Pope Francis has taken the extraordinary step of excommunicating her and her husband Gert. Pope Francis took this action after the pair “simulated the Mass”–that is, they regularly took part in “private Eucharistic celebrations” at her home with no priest present. The Church considers the simulation of the Mass a delictum gravius, or “grave delict”. * * * *... Read more
One of the pleasures in which Pope Emeritus Benedict is said to indulge in his retirement is playing the piano. A skilled pianist, he was unable to spend much time at the keyboard during the years of his papacy. Now, perhaps, he returns to that great love. A Redditor pointed out this video this morning. (Click the link–for some reason, the video could not be embedded.) Besides being able to speak ten languages and fly a helicopter, the pope emeritus... Read more
Seasons of Grace
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