Action! – Two Quick Thoughts on the Hobby Lobby Decision.

July 1, 2014 By Pia de Solenni

Yesterday’s SCOTUS ruling on the Hobby Lobby case was a welcoming gesture not only towards religious freedom, but also freedom of conscience. Lots of people are commenting; so I’ll offer a few quick thoughts myself. This decision doesn’t mean that we rest and that the battle is over. Here are two considerations: Some states, definitely Washington state, already required businesses to offer contraception coverage before the HHS Mandate. Now that the Supreme Court has ruled clearly that closely run family... Read more

When You Want Something Done, Ask A Woman – Archbishop Sample Consecrates Portland Archdiocese to the Immaculate Heart

June 29, 2014 By Pia de Solenni

I’m making my way south to Los Angeles where I’ll be teaching an adjunct theology course next month. Last night, we attended a vigil Mass in Brookings, Oregon, the southernmost part of the Archdiocese of Portland. Much, much, much to my surprise, at the end of Mass, the pastor announced that the Archbishop had asked each pastor in the Archdiocese to consecrate his parish and flock to the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady of Fatima. This is surprising if you... Read more

Meditation, Psychotherapy, & Buddhism

June 27, 2014 By Pia de Solenni

The Atlantic Monthly has a provocative article by Tomas Rocha on the dangers of meditation. I wouldn’t by any means consider it a definitive article, but it raises a lot of interesting matters. He highlights the research of Dr. Willoughby Britton, an assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior, who works at the Brown University Medical School and is doing a project to study the adverse effects of meditation, primarily Buddhist influenced meditation. First, there’s a fellow who’s had a... Read more

Day 3 In Rome – I Now Know Where to Sit in the Dining Room to Have a View of the Pope

June 26, 2014 By Pia de Solenni

So, I’m catching up with my postings. The rest of my Rome trip was a whirlwind, preparing for the conference and then participating in the conference. But I did jot some notes and take some pictures for each day, which I’ll post sequentially over the next few days. My third day in Rome was spent mostly inside, working on my paper. Not a bad place to work. I was staying at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where Pope Francis also resides.... Read more

Day 2 In Rome

June 19, 2014 By Pia de Solenni

Day 2 in Rome started with 7 a.m. Mass at St. Peter’s. Hands down this is the best time of day to visit St. Peter’s. Even if you are not Catholic, you will surely be moved by the quiet and prayerful environment. Masses are being said at the various side altars. Just pick one and there you have it. After Mass and breakfast, I headed out to Rome proper. One the way, I saw the Pope-mobile set up and ready... Read more

Day 1 (and a half) in Rome

June 17, 2014 By Pia de Solenni

I arrived Rome yesterday afternoon. This trip has been totally last minute even though I was invited months ago to speak at the annual meeting of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas. You see, last month they informed the US speakers (two) that there would not be funds to cover our airfare. Given the economic reality of being a roving theologian, I needed a sponsor. And a sponsor is just what a friend found for me last Wednesday night,... Read more

How the Pope’s Invocation for Peace Relates to “Evangelii Gaudium” and to Crises Everywhere.

June 11, 2014 By Pia de Solenni

Pope Francis’ recent Invocation for Peace with Presidents Peres and Abbas, respectively of Israel and Palestine surprised the world. First, that he extended the invitation and, second, that they readily accepted the invitation. (You can watch the video of the service here.) As others have noted, the Vatican came up with a theologically acceptable way for people of different faiths to come together and pray. Namely, they come together and they each say their own prayers. No one pretends that... Read more

Tuam Horror Story Unraveling As Mosul Burns

June 10, 2014 By Pia de Solenni

Over the past week or so, I’ve written three pieces on the Tuam Home where 796 infant bodies were supposedly buried in a septic tank. (Here, here, and here.) Today, Kevin Clarke over at America has a good piece unraveling the story. He offers a paragraph which I found particularly interesting: The “fresh horror” of the Galway babies now apparently represents “the Irish Holocaust,” called so by, hmm, not clear, though many might argue that the starvation of one-third of... Read more

Still Trying to Get at the Truth of the Tuam Home Story

June 7, 2014 By Pia de Solenni

The Irish Times has an extensive article today raising doubts about the accounts of 800 infant bodies found in a septic tank of the former Tuam home for unwed mothers and children. Important information, like: ‘I never used that word ‘dumped’,” Catherine Corless, a local historian in Co Galway, tells The Irish Times. “I never said to anyone that 800 bodies were dumped in a septic tank. That did not come from me at any point. They are not my... Read more

When the Truth Gets in The Way of News

June 6, 2014 By Pia de Solenni

A few days ago, several of us responded to a WAPost article about a home for unwed mother, infants, and small children. We assumed that the WAPost article was accurate, that it had been fact checked. We were wrong. I later updated my post with a link to a post by Caroline Farrow which offered some much needed historicity and clarification. Today, David Quinn has this column the Independent, an Irish newspaper. David’s piece adds some important facts and some... Read more