There is a new Sheriff in Town

Last updated on: October 3, 2014 at 9:51 am By David Cruz-Uribe

Last year I asked the rhetorical question: “Is there a new sheriff in town?” in response to the news that Pope Francis had suspended Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, the Bishop of Limburg, Germany, because of questions about his finances and ostentatious lifestyle. The bishop later resigned his see. My answer was yes. At the time I speculated that Francis would act slowly and with charity, but would move decisively if he felt the circumstances merited action. Recent events seem to confirm... Read more

Anything but Moderate

Last updated on: September 25, 2014 at 7:13 pm By Julia Smucker

It’s pretty well known to my friends and former classmates, as well as regular readers here, that I am a constant critic of false dichotomies. Any rejection of the prevailing political ones, in particular, tends to earn the name “moderate” as the next go-to label. The problem is, there is little if anything moderate about my sense of political homelessness. Something in me chafes every time I see this word used to describe someone who is not an “extremist”. Neither of these is something I’m willing to... Read more

Islam and the Reformation

Last updated on: September 25, 2014 at 2:02 pm By David Cruz-Uribe

There is a meme that floats about that the “problem” with Islam is that it has never had the experience of a Reformation such as Christianity went through in the 16th century. I confess to having indulged in this myself. I just ran into a very nice analysis of this idea by Josh Marshall, the editor at Talking Points Memo, a liberal news site. Marshall was trained as a historian and this shows in his essay. He begins with: Back... Read more

Kudos and a Thought on Divorce and Remarriage

Last updated on: September 25, 2014 at 12:27 pm By David Cruz-Uribe

Almost one year ago today, I wrote a post praising Bishop Tobin of Providence, Rhode Island, for criticizing Pope Francis. I did not agree with a word he said, but I thought it was important to have him say it (but also to hold him to the same standard of collegiality and openness). Today, I find myself in the position of again praising Bishop Tobin, not only for having the courage to say what he said but also because I... Read more

Praying with Evil News

Last updated on: September 21, 2014 at 5:40 pm By Julia Smucker

Last month, I was sent an article from The Jesuit Post that has changed the way I read the news. In it, Jason Downer, SJ suggests seeking ways to respond to violence creatively and prayerfully, resisting the temptation to tune out tragedy as a sort of coping mechanism, or as he puts it, turning towards rather than away. He adds, “It can be something as simple as when reading articles about the violence, to go over them slowly, prayerfully. If a... Read more

A Pair of Modern Crosses for Troubling Times

Last updated on: September 14, 2014 at 4:58 pm By Julia Smucker

One of the great gifts of the Catholic tradition is that our communion in the Body of Christ is not cut off by death: in short, the communion of saints, of which the official canon is most likely the tip of the iceberg. We can seek spiritual companions from among this great cloud of witnesses for all kinds of reasons, and there are a few I’ve been calling on frequently amid so much troubling news. Especially as I keep hearing... Read more

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Last updated on: September 14, 2014 at 3:27 pm By David Cruz-Uribe

Today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, a feast that stands near the head of the Franciscan calendar. According to his biographers it was on or shortly after this feast in 1224 that St. Francis received the gift of the stigmata while praying on Mount La Verna, about 60 miles north of Assisi. I hope to write something about this feast, but for today let me leave you with this quote from Thomas of Celano and... Read more

On Not Having Answers: an Exercise in Paralysis

Last updated on: September 8, 2014 at 7:12 pm By Julia Smucker

I am troubled by all violence. I said this once to an Iraqi priest I had come to know and admire, and it provoked a look – almost with a start – of something resonating to the core. I mention this not to suggest in any way that I can presume to speak for him or anyone living through the Iraqi Church’s present trial, but because, to the contrary, it encapsulates my own inability to speak to a situation like... Read more

Whither the Liturgy

Last updated on: September 7, 2014 at 10:56 am By David Cruz-Uribe

Writing over at NCR Online, Fr. Thomas Reese, SJ discusses the recent vacancy at the Congregation for Divine Worship and offers his thoughts on the issues that the new prefect (as yet unnamed) should set before the congregation. After lamenting that Pope Francis does not appear to be a proponent of liturgical reform (though he notes approvingly that the Pope is no fan of the Extraordinary Form of the mass), he argues that The greatest challenge facing the new prefect... Read more

Firing Teachers at a Catholic School

Last updated on: September 3, 2014 at 7:23 pm By David Cruz-Uribe

It seems to crop up in the news with regularity: “Teacher fired from St. X Catholic school because….” It could be because the teacher is openly gay, or has entered into a gay marriage, or had in vitro fertilization, or is an unmarried mother, or (in a particularly depressing case) was the victim of domestic violence. There is an inevitable backlash in the media, and very often students and their parents rally in support of the fired teacher. Irrespective of... Read more