Bishops
He Said What?
The ink was hardly dry on the US Supreme Court decision on the Texas abortion law when the abortionists were screaming foul. And who was leading the pack? President Joseph Biden. He issued a statement. Did he actually write it or just nod his head in agreement, basically the same thing as reading someone else’s…
(A Lack of) VIRTUS
The COVID-19 corona virus has really shown who can man up, and who waits for the government to tell them what to do…
Wanted: Intellectually Competent Bishops and Priests
In the opinion of this writer, one of the most evident marks of decline in the Church in the past 50 years has been the virtual non-existence of an authentic intellectual life in seminaries and among the episcopate. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to chart the decline of the intellectual capacity of the clergy (and…
Out-Loud Discussions
In past generations, communication was limited. Society was largely agrarian and the modes of communication and the technology to deliver such to people outside one’s immediate circle was limited. It wasn’t non-existent, nor was it undesirable. Quite the contrary. Human beings are social animals and all have a desire to communicate and need to communicate. In modern times, it was the…
On Meetings of Bishops (This should be shared and Tweeted far and wide!)
If I should write the truth, I believe that I ought to flee all meetings of bishops, because I have never seen any happy or satisfactory outcome from any council, nor one that has deterred evils more than it has occasioned their acceptance and growth. (St Gregory of Nazianzus, Letter 131 from 382 AD; cf….
Pope Francis to Bishops: “we do not need a manager, a CEO of a company”
Just today, Pope Francis spoke to the Congregation of Bishops (reported in Italian here). Yesterday, I asked “if the pope will take care of the Vatican, and I will take care of cleaning myself up, who takes care of the middle?” It appears Pope Francis answered that question today! Speaking to the Bishops, he declared:…
From Under the Rubble…Hit The Kill Switch
“I’ve been a fan of military history most of my life, and I’ve never seen a weapon developed that wasn’t eventually used. So if I were you, and there was something I really wanted to do with my life, I wouldn’t put it off for long.” With that memorable observation, Professor Bernard Norling wound up…
Some People think ‘Losing Their Head’ is the Way to Imitate John the Baptist
Was John the Baptist a mere political activist, speaking truth to power? Why did St. john the Baptist survive death threats when Peter wilted at mere questions from bystanders? How and what can we learn from St. John the Baptist on his feast? What does he tell us about religious liberty?
The Perfect Ecclesial Storm
by Fr. Mark Pilon The Holy See has sent out a survey or questionnaire on the topic for the next Synod of Bishops, the family, and the bishops have been instructed to give it the widest possible distribution. So some dioceses in Great Britain have already put it online, and dioceses everywhere will soon send…