by Aidan Nichols OPPart 2I turn now to the actual genesis of the schism from a Catholic standpoint, along with some account – necessarily summary and unadorned – of the four historic ‘dividing issues’: those disputed questions which historians can show to have most worried many Easterners when looking at developments in the Latin church, and which constituted the agenda of the reunion Councils, Lyons II in 1274 and Florence in 1439. This is of course an enormous subject which... Read more

by Aidan Nichols OPIn this article I attempt an overview in four parts. First, I shall discuss why Catholics should not only show some ecumenical concern for Orthodoxy but also treat the Orthodox as their privileged or primary ecumenical partner. Secondly, I shall ask why the schism between the Catholic and Orthodox churches occurred, focussing as it finally did on four historic ‘dividing issues’. Thirdly, I shall evaluate the present state of Catholic-Orthodox relations, with particular reference to the problem... Read more

According to this article Dan Brown actually believes the stuff he wrote about Jesus & Mary Magdalene — being married, living long life, having children — in his outrageously best selling novel, The Da Vinci Code. Yet, here’s … WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY “It astonishes me and worries me that so many people believe these lies. It misrepresents [the] church as a murderous institution.”Cardinal Bertone Tarcisio, Archbishop of Genoa“This is deadly poison in the garb of candy. It undermine’s people’s... Read more

There have always been people without judgment but this is the first era in which being nonjudgmental is considered good — though how anything can be considered good if you are nonjudgmental is another puzzle. — Thomas Sowell Read more

As Bill hits the Evangelism trail, remember to put your “H” sticker on your car window. (Or should that be “R” for Rodham?) Because she believes abortion should be safe, legal and rare, Hillary has worked for years for programs that reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies through expansion of family planning, including easier access to emergency contraception. She joined members of congress in protesting Bush Administration guidelines for treating rape victims which do not mention emergency contraception. She voted... Read more

When God created the dog, He said: “Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years.” The dog said: “That’s a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I’ll give you back the other ten?” So God agreed. Next, God created the monkey and said: “Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For... Read more

Of course it’s in Asheville. Read more

While on vacation, I took the latest book on Anna Akhmatova, The Word that Causes Death’s Defeat — Poems of Memory, by Nancy K. Anderson. Tsarskoe Selo (now Pushkin) was Akhmatova’s favorite place. She loved life, and writing, there. This book is full of historical facts, particularly how the Communists imprisoned, tortured and killed poets. The book is not, however, a “page turner” fit for the beach and, being on vacation, I decided to buy some good ol’ Pulp. Super... Read more

Here are some lovely photos of the Cathedral of Epiphany in Diocese of Irkutsk of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), Siberia. These were sent to me by the Rector of the Cathedral, Father Rodion (who visits this Blog). Enjoy! Read more

Rule One: If misfortune strikes you, first of all address God, and open your heart to Him and tell Him all about your suffering. Many of us sin when we share our desperate condition with others in order to make them feel sorry for us. The One we forget is God. He is the last on the list of those to whom we complain and whom we ask for help. By doing it out of order, we turn order into... Read more