Americans pay far too much for prescription drugs. Health insurance does not cover enough to keep you out of bankruptcy if you become seriously ill. A few years ago, one of the secretaries at the Oklahoma House got breast cancer. She went through the usual harrowing treatments, and by the grace of God and good medicine, she is still with us today. However, even though she had health insurance, she and her husband had to declare bankruptcy because of the... Read more
“Do you know what I have done to you?” Jesus asked the Disciples after He washed their feet on the night before His crucifixion. With this action and these words He initiated the servant priesthood. Nowhere is servant priesthood more evident than in places like war-torn Syria. Two Syrian bishops were kidnapped earlier this week while they were on a mission to try to save others. Their fate is still unknown. I cannot imagine the feelings of a parish priest... Read more
Pope Francis called for the release of two Syrian bishops who were kidnapped earlier this week. Greek Orthodox Bishop Boulos Yaziji and Syriac Orthodox Bishop Yohanna Ibrahim were on a humanitarian mission to negotiate the release of people who had been kidnapped earlier. They were attacked and kidnapped. Their driver was killed. Reports circulated later that the bishops had been released, but they proved to be untrue. The fate of the archbishops appears to be unknown. From Daily News: Pope... Read more
The Catholic Church is a human institution. Human frailty and sin affect the Church just as they do you and me. “Wars of religion” are an example Pope Francis gave of this human frailty in action, a “wrong path … that is not the story of love.” Despite the human weaknesses of the people who make up the Church, he said the Church itself is “a love story that continues thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit. All of... Read more
Pope Emeritus Benedict is “relieved” to be free of the “weight” of the Church, his brother says. Father Georg Ratzinger told the Daily Telegraph that his younger brother is happy in his retirement. The former Pope Benedict spends his days in prayer, reading and playing the piano. He still “suffers the Church,” but enjoys not have the full weight of it “on his shoulders,” Fr Ratzinger said. Fr Ratzinger traveled from Germany to Italy for the Pope Emeritus’ 86th birthday.... Read more
This falls into what my grandmother would call the if-that-don’t-beat-hens-apeckin’-on-a-hot-griddle column. Evidently, homebuilders are moving away from labeling the main bedroom in a house the “master” bedroom. Why? They think it’s sexist. Or maybe it’s heterocentric. Or … maybe they’re nuts. Personally, I’m leaning toward nuts. If you want to see some sexism, take a gander at a post I put up this morning called Where are all the good people dead: In the Heart or in the Head? Now... Read more
My idea of ecumenicism isn’t that Christians should try to undo the Reformation. My idea is that we should all stand up for Jesus together. When someone cuts one of us because we are Christians, as in Syria, Nigeria and in many other places, we all should bleed. When the freedom to follow Christ of any Christian is attacked, we should all stand together with our beleaguered brother or sister. When Christian bashers bash Christ, they are defaming my Lord... Read more
Here are the facts. Fifteen year old girl attends a party in one of the elite zip codes in this country. She drinks. Maybe she drinks too much. Maybe her drink was doctored. What is certain is that she was raped by boys she thought were her friends. The boys put graphic photos of the rape on the internet. The girl hanged herself. I have had to deal twice with situations like this in my job as a representative. One... Read more
Protesters against the French government’s action legalizing gay marriage grew in numbers after the vote Tuesday, then turned more violent toward midnight. According to an Associated Press story, protestors threw bottles, cans and metal bars at police who lobbed tear gas back. Much of the press I’ve read has treated the action of the French government as heroic. One headline talked about how the French government had “stared down the conservatives” to pass the law. An issue that sets off... Read more
I am not sure what the situation is concerning the two Orthodox Archbishops who were kidnapped yesterday. News reports from reputable sources said they had been released. Now, a new report from Pravmir.com, Orthodox Chrisitianity and the World says they are still captive. Please pray for these brave men of God. Here, without editing, is the Pravmir.com report: Release Reports False admin Apr 23rd, 2013 // Comments (0) April 23, 2013 There have appeared many reports in both the Eastern and... Read more
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