We have a pope: Cardinal Bergoglio of Agentina, a Jesuit, and he will rule as Francesco I (Pope Francis). Cardinal Bergoglio was, according to rumor at the time, the strong contender against Joseph Ratzinger in 2005, but he attracted little attention this round. He will not fit easily into the conservative/liberal dichotomy that the secular media (and many Catholic commentators) will want to impose on him. He is a strong defender of social justice and a harsh critic of the... Read more
With the cardinals assembled in Rome and the papal conclave set to begin tomorrow, my corner of the Catholic world, populated as it is by fellow ecclesial nerds, is all abuzz. The shock waves caused by Benedict’s startling resignation seem to have built up to a sense of nervous excitement as we watch the cardinals themselves attempt to get their bearings for the direction of the Church. With an abundance of speculations but no clear-cut favorite, there is a feel of anticipation in the... Read more
Somewhat belatedly, I thought I would offer some reflections on the current situation. I was surprised and somewhat saddened by Pope Benedict’s resignation. Sure, I was a little skeptical when Ratzinger was first elected, fearing a divisive papacy. But I soon realized that Benedict was not the second coming of Pius X, but rather a pope who understood that truth was built on a firm foundation of love rather than suspicion. This key can be found in the titles he chose for... Read more
This was the commentary added to the readings by Daily Gospel Online, a service I use to get the daily readings emailed to me, for Ash Wednesday. Now that the first burst of Lenten “enthusiasm” (for want of a better word) has worn off, I think it is a timely reminder for me and for all of us: Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6: 1-2). Indeed in the Christian vision... Read more
In the comments to Julia’s recent post , Ross very kindly complemented one of my prior posts, which looked towards a more exilic ecclesiology. Ross laments that the Church is not more like Judaism of exilic times. “Yoder’s reading of Jeremiah, the Jewish communal life in the exile took on a few key characteristics, characteristics which he believes the post-Christendom Church should emulate… Local cells of the Jewish community, called synagogues, were formed wherever ten households were present. No hierarchical recognition... Read more
Farewell, Holy Father Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood! Distinguished Authorities! Dear brothers and sisters! Thank you for coming in such large numbers to this last General Audience of my pontificate. [I am so moved by your presence – when I see you, I see the living church.] Like the Apostle Paul in the biblical text that we have heard, I feel in my heart the paramount duty to thank God, who guides the Church and makes... Read more
Beloved: I exhort the presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ and the one who has a share in the glory to be revealed. Tend the flock of God in your midst, overseeing not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly. Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will... Read more
In an extremely emotional speech, Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Enda Kenny apologized to the generations of women who were kept as slaves in laundries run by religious orders. These women knew only cruelty, suffering, and torment, supposedly in the service of God. This was the rotten fruit of a Jansenist culture. The speech is worth watching in full. Kenny breaks down at the end. The full text is here. Here are some highlights: (more…) Read more
Two weeks ago the subject of women’s ordination to the priesthood was briefly in the news again. Father Wojciech Giertych, a Dominican and theologian of the papal household to Pope Benedict XVI, gave an interview in which he discussed the theological objections to ordaining women to the priesthood. The interview was summarized in print and in a short video by Catholic News Service. His argument for the most part does not break new ground, reiterating instead the basic arguments advanced... Read more
Like many here, I have grown to love and admire Pope Benedict. As a student of his works I have come to realize that his thoughts and intentions often go far deeper than the surface layers seem to indicate. He is one of the great teachers of our age who has a knack for cutting through the superficial threads of disagreement and pinpointing the knot around which trouble forms. My interests in Benedict’s thought focus on the ecclesiological. Indeed he... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In