Posts
Catholic Action versus Alinskyian Organizing
For years, apologists for Alinskyian organizing have been trying to make the case that such organizing is a development of Catholic Action and therefore deserves support and respect. For instance, a 2011 National Catholic Reporter article reported that several speakers at a Catholic Campaign for Human Development seminar expressed the idea that community organizing – specifically citing the work…
Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Bellarmine, and Fatima
There is always a little magic it seems in the feast days of Mother church. It’s not really magic, not in the sense of Simon Magis, but magic in the sense of little special things and connections — some might call it serendipity. I think it’s more to do with the actual intercession of the saints honored…
The Four Armed, Three Eyed Monster of the Year of Mercy Logo isn’t Catholic
Even children cannot recognize Jesus in the jubilee Year of Mercy logo… it’s like a graphic “speaking in tongues” that utters a bunch of gibberish. But what does the logo really show?
Truth of the Roman Rite Today. Laugh or Cry.
I’ve often been dismayed when visiting a town or city or knocked off schedule and unable to catch a recommended parish and have to toss my fate to the winds and catch Mass at whatever Church is available. It shouldn’t be like this, but I often have the feeling that I’m putting my spiritual life…
Eternal Rest, Nicholas Gruner
Catholic Family News reports that Nicholas Gruner, aka Fr. Gruner, has passed away of a sudden death by heart attack. Says John Vennari in a blog post: Father Nicholas Gruner, RIP It is my sad duty to announce the sudden death of Father Nicholas Gruner He died suddenly late today of a heart attack while working…
Earth Day, Shmearth Day… Lenin and the Fig Tree
Today, April 22, is “Earth Day” according to some people who have the power to influence the media and make something from nothing. I don’t really remember when I first ever paid attention to the Earth Day thing. I know over the years it has grown into a cult of sorts, however. I say cult because I don’t…
Metz Yeghérn (“The Great Evil”)
In the summer of 2005, my family and I had the pleasure of visiting Dr. Mitchell Kalpakgian at his home in New Hampshire. I have followed the work of Dr. Kalpakgian since the early nineties. I first recall reading him in the New Oxford Review as a high school senior. At the time, I was being fed a steady…
Francis Cardinal George, Teacher and Witness (1937-2015)
I first met Francis Cardinal George shortly after his elevation to Cardinal, probably sometime in early 1998. I met him through Fr. Leo Sweeney, S.J., a friend, teacher and long time philosophy professor at Loyola University Chicago. I can’t recall why His Eminence was at Loyola; perhaps it was a commencement, perhaps he was giving a lecture. In any event, he was in…
Kerygma for a Magdalen Ministry
About 20 years ago a friend of mine wrote a satire of modern ecclesial life in which he parodied the Bishops of the United States in a classic inversion of priorities in which the High Holy Day of Easter took second place to a “Magdalen Ministry”–some sort of outreach where women’s contributions could be celebrated…
Jesus I Trust in You
by Guest Author, Terri Aluise Feast of the Divine Mercy Liturgical Color: White This Sunday we will celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. Many are familiar with the image of the Divine Mercy. It was revealed to a humble Polish nun, St. Faustina Kowalska, in 1931 in a vision she had of Christ. The image is of…