On the Catholic Beat
1. The life of St. Mark Ji Tianxiang.
I wrote about this 19th century Chinese layman recently for Our Sunday Visitor. St. Mark Ji has become a symbol of hope and a patron for people who are struggling with opioid addiction, and who have lost loved ones to the disease of addiction. He struggled with opium addiction for 30 years, and was denied the Eucharist because his confessor thought he wasn’t serious about amending his life. St. Mark Ji never lost his faith, though, and died a martyr in the Boxer Rebellion.
2. A Georgetown University report presents a way forward on the clergy sex abuse crisis.
In case you missed it, a new Georgetown University report examines how the Catholic Church can better respond to the clergy sex abuse crisis. Among its key points: confront clericalism, give victim-survivors “a voice at the table” and hold Church leaders accountable.
3. Korean priests minister to the faithful in Rhode Island.
I wrote this article for the Rhode Island Catholic diocesan newspaper spotlighting the apostolic works of two Korean priests – both are from the Diocese of Incheon in South Korea – in ministering to the small but vibrant Korean Catholic immigrant community in Rhode Island.
This writeup in Our Sunday Visitor makes me really want to see “A Hidden Life,” a new movie from Terrence Malick on the life of Franz Jägerstätter (1907-43), an Austrian farmer, husband, father and martyr who was killed by the Nazis and beatified by the Church in 2007.
5. Bishop Robert Barron’s ideas to evangelize the “nones.”
Our Sunday Visitor Editor Gretchen Crowe has this writeup summarizing the vision that Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Robert Barron has for evangelizing the religiously unaffiliated, including Catholics who were brought up in the faith but have since fallen away.
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