Archive for November, 2010

Authentic Charity = Authentic Advent

Among the many ways Christians prepare for Christmas, almsgiving stands out as the most revered and traditional means.  It is one of the last surviving elements of Advent still recognized by much of our secular culture.  It is also the object of much abuse.
Too much of the element of charity has been removed from our [...]

Vigil for Nascent Human Life: The Pope’s Homily

“With this evening’s celebration, the Lord gives us the grace and joy of opening the new liturgical year beginning with its first stage: Advent, the period that commemorates the coming of God among us. Every beginning brings a special grace, because it is blessed by the Lord. In this Advent period we will once again [...]

Homosexuality and the Priesthood

This post really should be entitled, “What the Pope Said, Part III.” We’ve already commented on the L’Osservatore Romano “preview” of the Holy Father’s book length interview and posted the actual text that led to the great condom controversy. Compliments of the National Catholic Register, here’s another peek into the mind of Benedict [...]

Prayer Vigil for All Nascent Human Life

This Saturday, November 27, 2010 at the liturgical beginning of Advent, Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate a prayer vigil in St Peter’s Basilica for the intention of all nascent human life. At the request of the Holy Father [...]

Catholic Charity: Where are the Helpers?

Thanksgiving, then, is a holiday that embodies the historical alliance between the political sphere of governance and the spiritual sphere of a very religious people. The proper role of government is to simply allow people to do good works and not to supplant the practice of charity. When we give thanks, and when we [...]

Prayer For Thanksgiving

Lord, we thank you
for the goodness of our people
and for the spirit of justice
that fills this nation.
We thank you for the beauty and fullness of the land
and the challenge of the cities.
We thank you for our work and our rest,
for one another, and for our homes.
We thank you, Lord:
(Pause for those gathered to offer their [...]

What the Pope Really Said

Well,  the book is out, and now you can be the judge of what the Pope really said:

Seewald: On the occasion of your trip to Africa in March 2009, the Vatican’s policy on Aids once again became the target of media criticism. Twenty-five percent of all Aids victims around the world [...]

The Marriage Questions

There’s an editorial in today’s (Nov. 23) Waterville Sentinel advocating the elimination of the Defense of Marriage Act. It dismisses the arguments in favor of traditional marriage as “dubious” and cites some examples of unfortunates who suffered in one way or another from their inability to form marital unions. There are a couple of obvious weaknesses [...]

Rolan Burris’s Legacy

As a temporary appointee, Burris will not be part of the Senate during the so called “lame duck” session, which isn’t to say that his presence will not be felt. Burris, you see was the primary sponsor of an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for 2011, one that would allow elective abortion in military hospitals.

Media Watch: God of All Things

First, he was compared to Jesus.  Now it’s the Hindu god, Shiva.  We know that Muhammad is off the table, so who will he be compared to next - Moses, delivering his people from bondage?  At least we’d be moving away from deification and towards the prophets.  
Compliments of Newsweek comes the most recent poke in the eye of religion.  Offensive?  [...]