Realising that some of you are preparing — perhaps for the first time — to make a good Confession before Pascha, H E R E is a good aid in examining your conscience. Some good ol’ Christian Basics. If you must, more Pope news. Wanna go to a GodBlog convention in California? H E R E. Read more

Well not really. Just paraphrasing an old journalism-ism. But, for the indefatigable pope-news types, here’s some more … The American Spectator reveals a very interesting bit of plagiarism …copy-cat …laziness …Oh, just go read it all the way through!H/T: New Forum What Himself said about: the Orthodox Church, Protestants, Muslims, Jews, the Ordination of Women, Sex Abuse & Homosexuality … Read it H E R E. Holy Smoke Batman! I believe we’re at the wrong Canasta party!Pink Smoke Rising! H/T:... Read more

Here’s a refresher in the Basics from an excellent “Western” resource: The Practice of Religion … followed by (subsequent post) a worthwhile guide to preparing for Confession by another worthy “Western” resource, St Augustine’s Prayer Book. Christian Duties, Virtues, Etc.The Three Theological VirtuesFaith. Hope. Charity. The Four Cardinal VirtuesPrudence. Justice. Temperance. Fortitude. The Christian Duties.Prayer. Fasting. Almsgiving. The Ecclesiastical Duties.To keep the Festivals and Fasts of the Church.To observe the commands, customs, and ceremonies of the Church.To attend public worship... Read more

PRIDE is putting self in the place of God as the center and objective of our life, or of some department thereof. It is the refusal to recognize our status as creatures, dependent on God for our existence, and placed by him in a specific relationship to the rest of his creation. Irreverence. Deliberate neglect of the worship of God every Sunday in his Church, or being content with a perfunctory participation in it. Disregard of other Holy Days or... Read more

SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications] — His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, sent a congratulatory letter to Pope Benedict XVI on Tuesday, April 19, 2005, upon learning of his election as the 265th head of the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Benedict, the former Joseph Cardinal Radzinger, succeeds the late Pope John Paul II, who passed away over two weeks ago in Vatican City. The text of the letter reads as follows. “I greet Your Holiness with... Read more

CHICAGO — A steady stream of the faithful and the curious, many carrying flowers and candles, have flocked to an expressway underpass for a view of a yellow and white stain on a concrete wall that some believe is an image of the Virgin Mary. Here’s the Scoop. H/T: Drudge Read more

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Patriarch Alexiy II, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, congratulated newly elected Pope Benedict XVI Wednesday and called for his help in uniting the two Christian Churches which have been split for a millennium. “Our Churches, which have authority and influence, should unite their efforts to spread Christian values to modern humankind. The secular world is losing its spiritual way and needs our joint testimony as never before,” he said. Benedict, who as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger... Read more

My New Testament Professor, no traditionalist by any stretch, when asked what should be done if a new, authentic, Gospel account were suddenly discovered, said, to the amazement of us all, that it should not be included in the Canon of Scripture because it had not helped to shape the Church. Well folks — Dan Brown, you listening? — get ready. READ THIS. (Especially the last sentence of the article.) Saints preserve us! Read more

I’d just told our catechumen, a former Roman Catholic, that it would not be Ratzinger. Don’t get me wrong, (as if it matters) I approve the selection! Having studied Cardinal Ratzinger’s work in seminary, I’m a fan. Yet with the media weighing in so heavily as to his “front-runner status”, I had my doubts. For the Roman Catholic communion, I believe this is a very good day. It’s still early yet, but here follows a couple e-reactions from Orthodox pals.... Read more

Having used a bit of this blog space in the past to diss HipHop and, from time to time, praise other genres of music (Country, classic Funk, etc), I am pleased to be able to enthusiastically endorse the latest from the Reverend Al Green. Remember the 70s? Remember Al Green? “Let’s Stay Together” “I’m Still in Love with You” “Love & Happiness” Here’s a song title refresher. Okay, maybe you don’t. No matter. Go buy his latest “Everything’s OK”. It’s... Read more