Sometimes people get caught up in things without realizing the impact they will have. It appears that Pope Emeritus Benedict experienced just that after he was listed as a co-author of a book by Robert Cardinal Sarah discussing priestly celibacy. Lots of people, including me, saw this move as an attempt to undercut the Holy Father, Pope Francis’ authority in this matter. From what I’ve seen in comboxes, Catholics were already choosing up sides about it, and some of the... Read more
I’m disappointed in Pope Emeritus Benedict. He resigned the papacy and toddled off into his retirement. Now another man has the job. This man, Pope Francis, has been under heavy criticism, much of it financed by big oil and right wing money interests because they see his teachings as a threat to their bottom line. Pope Francis was barely elected before the attacks from the right began. Rush Limbaugh made the absurd claim that the Pope was a “communist.” Others... Read more
Cardinal Sarah has written a book that attempts to instruct Pope Francis on the question of allowing priests to marry. For reasons I don’t fully understand, Pope Emeritus Benedict has jumped into the fray by backing this book. I expect there will be a lot of comment about all this as the days go forward. From Vatican News: A book on the priesthood that bears the signatures of Cardinal Robert Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, with a... Read more
We should overturn Roe v Wade. Abortion, except to save the life of the mother or to prevent the permanent loss or damage to the mother’s bodily organs, should be illegal. I oppose abortion, rape, discrimination against women, violence against women, the sexual double standard, euthanasia, stratification of our society along lines of money, racism, gay baiting, race baiting, anti-semitism, attacks on religious freedom, attacks on the pope, blind partisan politics that puts political parties above the welfare of this... Read more
One in eight women gets breast cancer. I’m one of the eight. Even if you survive, the cancer takes some pretty big chunks out of you, and a lot of women don’t survive. I’ve been to enough funerals, courtesy of breast cancer, to know that. Then, there is the dirty little secret that oncologists and other cancer docs try to hide. Quite a number of people end up dying from the treatments, or, more likely, the after-affects of the treatments.... Read more
Persecution of Christians is a global horror. Throughout most of the Muslim world, Christians are subjected to horrific persecution, loss of civil rights and destruction of freedoms. Violence, rape and murder are part of this. This video describes Christian persecution in Pakistan. Read more
National Catholic Reporter published a scalding article today describing the way the Church has treated women who were victims of domestic violence. I have to say, that this is not the way the Church I know behaves. However, I’ve heard whispers of it from women I know in the Church ever since I converted. I know women who were treated this way. And I know women who were told things like this — and worse when they were little girls.... Read more
It is Epiphany. The year is 2020. Scripture doesn’t tell us exactly when the original epiphany happened. It might have been weeks or even months after Jesus’ birth. All we know is that the star we call “the star of Bethlehem” was shining down over the place where the baby Jesus slept and that the wisemen had used it to navigate to Him. The way we usually tell it, it’s a lovely story of three kings who traversed afar to... Read more
But when he saw the crowds, he was moved with compassion toward them because they were harassed and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd. I retired. And now I’m back. I retired because I was sick and dying slowly and it all seemed to fit. I’m still sick. I’m still dying slowly. I’m even older than I was when I first poured the coffee on the fire, hung up my laptop and took it to the house. But I’m feeling... Read more
Pope Francis’ prayer intention for this month is to pray for peace. From Vatican News: The full text of his intention is below: We all want peace. It is desired above all by those who suffer its absence. We can speak with splendid words, but if there is no peace in our heart, there will be no peace in the world. With zero violence and 100 percent tenderness, let us build the evangelical peace that excludes no one. Let us... Read more
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