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Monthly Archives: August 2014
Look Up, Look Southwest
Western European readers, you don’t have much time to catch this, but the moon crashes a close visual encounter with Mars and Saturn after sunset tonight in the southwest. Amateur astronomer Bob King has a nice blog post at Universe … Continue reading
Posted in Astronomy
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Aparecida 71 – Employment
Another real problem in Latin America and the Caribbean is the lack of employment or of sufficient employment. In paragraph 71, the bishops note the importance of this factor. The economically active population of the region is affected by underemployment … Continue reading
Posted in 2007 Aparecida document, bishops, evangelization, Guest Writers, John Donaghy
Tagged Aparecida
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DPPL 42: Battling Superstition and Magic
The Directory looks at some sensibilities that might be Tridentine, might be better considered anti-reformation, but they were the expressions of fallible human beings during an age in which the Church was losing political supremacy, and indeed, had already lost … Continue reading
Fill of Football
I think I finally have my fill of football–at least for the day. I watched most of Sporting KC’s 3-1 loss last night. They didn’t look particularly sharp losing to a 2nd-from-bottom team. But after a year of watching Premier … Continue reading
Fr Groeschel Caught Up In Urrutigoity Scandal
With the curtain up on part 3 of the Carlos Urrutigoity soap opera at dotCommonweal, retired EWTN celebrity and supporting player Benedict Groeschel is put under an uncomfortable spotlight, post and commentariat both. What constitutes piling on an elderly man, … Continue reading
DPPL 41: The Tridentine Stamp on Catholicism
A council never has the final word. It is always in the implementation that the council’s real work is done and the impact achieved. Trent was certainly successful in placing a stamp on Roman Catholicism: 41. The Catholic reform, with … Continue reading
Aparecida 70 – The Plague of Corruption
Corruption is one of the principal problems in Latin America, especially in countries like Honduras and Haiti. A good source for analysis of the issue world wide is Transparency International. Thus an economic analysis of Latin America and the Caribbean … Continue reading
Posted in 2007 Aparecida document, bishops, evangelization, Guest Writers, John Donaghy
Tagged Aparecida
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Dealing With The Distasteful
I was trolling around facebook and I found a new iteration of an old, bad idea. The good news, I suppose, is that the wind has gone out of those angry, possibly envious, sails. The original site is now gone. But … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgical Music, The Blogosphere
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DPPL 39-40: Trent, the Good and Bad
The Council of Trent gets a bad rap, especially in progressive circles. But in many ways it did address, or attempt to address, the need for reform. Was active participation really a priority, as stated here: 39. In conformity with … Continue reading
Pope Francis on Bishops and Priests
NCRep notes key passages from the Holy Father’s address to the Korean bishops were excised from the web. Were they “tough” as the NCRep headlined it? Honest, I would say … or presume to say. I would want that kind … Continue reading
MM, MM, Reaction, mmm
NCRep reports on a concession from the Legionaries on comparing their disgraced founder with a saint. Maybe all those internet commentaries suggesting this is a sign the LC should be mothballed permanently got someone’s attention. Will the $100M campaign stall? … Continue reading
DPPL 37-38: Reform Shatters On The Rocks of Catechesis
A generation or two before Trent, at least two schoalrs advocated for reforms familiar to 20th century Catholics: 37. Among those most concerned for the reform of the Church at beginning of the sixteenth century, mention must be of two … Continue reading
Another Tournament
Now I understand why overseas football doesn’t have playoffs. They have them outside of the league structure. I’ve been aware of the FA Cup for years, of course. The idea of an absolutely open competition for a trophy is pretty … Continue reading
CDWDS Head Heads Back To Spain
Whispered here, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, head of the curial dicastery in charge of liturgy, will soon head back to his native Spain to take the helm at the Archdiocese of Valencia. Fretting will commence anew among liturgical conservatives, I’m … Continue reading
Posted in Church News, Commentary, Liturgy
Tagged Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, CDWDS, Piero Marini
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Catholic Sensibility 
People, Alas, Are Devilish Enough
I don’t mean to beat the Urrutigioty/Groeschel dead horse, but I thought commenter Brian Gallagher had a useful observation: EWTN has a phenomenal batting average for finding these guys. I’m especially impressed by the damnatio memoriae efforts they take to … Continue reading →