When you walk into the church, you dip your fingers into the holy water font and then make the sign of the cross. But why do you do that? Why do Catholics use holy water in their worship and their devotional life? * * * * * Numbers 5:17 “And he shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and he shall cast a little earth of the pavement of the tabernacle into... Read more
Israel has clamped down on potential troublemakers in the days leading up to Pope Francis’ historic visit to the Holy Land on May 24-26. According to a report released today by Reuters, Israeli police and the Shin Bet internal security service handed restraining orders to several Jewish right-wing activists whom they believed intended to cause “disruptions during the pope’s visit and be involved in provocative illegal acts.” I wrote earlier about the “price-tag” vandalism by Jewish extremists; and yesterday, I... Read more
Moving ever forward in its embrace of the new technology, the Archdiocese of Washington has bought its very own drone. Priced at under $1,000, the saucer-shaped, camera-laden drone will enable the Archdiocese to film events from a new perspective. It was used on Mother’s Day to capture the Archdiocese’s procession marking the canonization of the two popes, John Paul II and John XXIII. The Archdiocese of Washington has led the nation’s dioceses in its embrace of social media. From YouTube... Read more
From all over Italy they gather, putting pen to paper, expressing their heartfelt longing. How, exactly, did these women find one another? It’s not a poetry slam or a self-help group. It’s… get this!… a group of 26 women who are in love with Catholic priests. So in love, in fact, that together they have petitioned the Holy Father to reconsider the Church discipline which requires priests to remain celibate. Not eager for the notoriety that would come with... Read more
Sister Jeannine Gramick, dissident nun and co-founder of the controversial New Ways Ministry, has joined with 30 other faith-based groups from the Protestant, Jewish and Muslim faiths to petition President Obama to clarify, then repeal the Helms amendment, which restricts aid funding for abortion services. The Helms amendment, which was introduced in 1973, prohibits the use of U.S. aid monies to fund abortion as a method of family planning or to “motivate or coerce any person to practice abortions.” However,... Read more
In the days leading up to the Holy Father’s historic visit to Jerusalem, there has emerged a concern on the part of some Catholics for the Pope’s safety. Given the widely reported incidents of vandalism by Jewish extremists, some Catholics have worried that Pope Francis will not be safe traveling in that volatile part of the world. The Pope has refused to use a bullet-proof car, promising instead to ride in an open vehicle in order to more closely touch... Read more
Hot off the presses: Praying the Rosary with Pope Francis, an easy-to-carry booklet of meditations by Pope Francis on the twenty mysteries of the Rosary and the life of Jesus. In the book, Pope Francis reminds us that praying the Rosary prepares our hearts to receive God’s grace and teaches us to place ourselves in the hands of God, allowing him to guide our steps along the path of our faith journey. Praying the Rosary allows us to make room... Read more
Recently I came upon this photo of worshippers gathered for Mass in Ethiopia: “WHAT?” I thought. “Where is this?!” And so began my research into the fantastic rock-cut underground churches in Lalibela. In the twelfth century, King Lalibela, a member of the Zagwe dynasty which had seized the throne of Ethiopia around 1000 A.D., sought support from the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. To garner support, he commissioned a series of twelve extraordinary churches in the small town of Roha (now renamed... Read more
French President François Hollande took the lead against terrorism Saturday, May 17 in Paris, bringing together five African heads of state to adopt a regional action plan to fight against the Nigerian armed Islamist group Boko Haram. In a joint press conference, Cameroonian President Paul Biya said, “We are here to declare war on Boko Haram.” Recognizing that Boko Haram has become a major threat in Africa, the Summit participants announced a plan which includes “intelligence coordination, exchange of information, the central... Read more
News out of Spain, courtesy of Religion News Service: A new feature film on the life of Pope Francis is being planned. The $12 million biopic “Call Me Francesco” will be filmed in Spanish, and will be directed by Italian director Daniele Luchetti, who has made some of Italy’s highest-grossing movies. The movie will be filmed in various locations including Italy and Argentina. And one name being considered for the title role is sexy Spanish superstar Antonio Banderas. Religion... Read more
Seasons of Grace
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