As a follow up to this morning’s post reacting to the recent violent attacks by Daesh against Muslim targets I would like to share with you this post from Dilshad D. Ali writing over at altmuslim: I’ve no answers to give, no words of comfort immense enough to sooth the torn and ragged edges of our souls. My mind cannot even wrap itself around the perverse ideology and actions of a terrible group wreaking violence, destruction and death on Muslims, those... Read more
As I have seen news reports of Daesh being responsible for terror attacks against Muslims during the final days of Ramadan, I have been heartbroken. Not only because this is a sad and horrible thing; but also because, while many will hear of these things and mourn with those who mourn, many others will not. There have been and will continue to be those who think it doesn’t matter in the same way as it does when Westerners and Christians... Read more
How do you keep an almost-five-year-old quiet in a Byzantine Catholic Divine Liturgy? With extreme difficulty. But one thing that helps: go to the foyer and get a stack of old bulletins. See, at least at my church, each bulletin comes with an icon depicting the Gospel on it. And they keep old bulletins from more than a month back in the foyer as well. I have been whispering what my daughter calls “Icon stories” to her, soft enough that my... Read more
I’m not familiar with Christ the Savior Orthodox Church, but I did stumble across them on social media yesterday morning. This post from last year is still making the social media rounds. Let me quote it in full for you: Important reminder on how we ought (or ought not) receive people into our Church home, and our hearts! Please read below. Christ is Risen! +++ Metropolitan Antony Bloom once explained how during one Liturgy he went out to give the homily... Read more
I just learned that an old friend of mine from undergrad I haven’t talked to in a while was brutally attacked. Please remember him and all victims of violence in your prayers. If you are able to offer any amount in financial assistance to his family at this time, you can do so here. (image via pixabay) Read more
You know that meme that says something like “Before diagnosing yourself with depression or anxiety, make sure you’re not just surrounded by A-holes?” Well, it’s not strictly true. If you think you’re having clinical depression or anxiety you should talk things over with a therapist. But you also shouldn’t ever underestimate the power of cruel people on your health. Iv’e been pretty frank about my struggles with spiritual abuse and bullying; I’ve mentioned being raised with toxic Charismatics, my run-in with a... Read more
So, a funny thing happened on my way my to the log in: I was going to sign in here to write a post on something completely different, but I logged onto Facebook first. I found a thread where I was asked a question I had never been asked before, one I thought it might be worthwhile to answer here. First I will give you the question I was asked, then an edited version of my answer. I do not... Read more
Everybody have a seat. Yes, everybody. Sit down. You in the back, too. Everybody have a seat unless you’re reading this on your phone while pushing a toddler on the swing with your other hand, in which case you’d better wait until you finish and then have a seat. Okay, now listen. I’m gonna blow your mind. Don’t read this next sentence if you’re operating heavy machinery: Everybody already knows that the Catholic church forbids homosexual intercourse. Let that sink... Read more
I got to talking with my friends online about all the things I used to believe, growing up with Charismatic Catholics. It turns out that you don’t have to inwardly pray a Hail Mary every time you touch someone. I’d been told that demonic oppression causing mental affliction can pass from an afflicted person to a clean person through physical contact, but a Hail Mary repels it. It turns out that you don’t need to have a crucifix or a... Read more
I complain a lot about my little region on the cusp of northern Appalachia, but I do love Appalachia, and this is one of the reasons why. My friend Haylea, a young mom from Southern West Virginia who identifies as a “hillbilly,” was not herself affected by the recent flooding, but she lives nearby. Last night, I found this post on her facebook, which I share with her permission: So, what had happened was…. The original plan: take a couple... Read more
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