Considering a photojournalist, an archbishop, and countless others, who determines martyrdom? Is it the martyrs themselves? Their survivors and colleagues and loved ones? Their murderers? Some post-death committee of truth? The number of disciples who follow in their footsteps? Do … Continue reading
Home sick with the flu these days. You’ll have noticed blogging was very slow yesterday. I’ve been watching a few episodes of my wife’s dvd collection of Lewis, the fine British tv series. I confess upfront I’m not familiar with the … Continue reading
In DPPL 34 and the following sections, the Church looks at “The Modern Period.” The Council of Trent is placed squarely here. Modern or not, the 1500’s were a time of immense upheaval. Laypeople and likely many clerics were long adrift … Continue reading
One way or another, lots of good people, even journalists, are obsessed a bit with the conflation of “Pope Francis” and “Left.” Perhaps understandable, as the rose-colored era of 1978-2013 provided not so much a broad effort to gathering in … Continue reading
In paragraph 68, the bishops make a brief account of the reasons they see as limiting the funds available for government projects. Although a great deal of progress has been made in controlling inflation and in the macroeconomic stability of … Continue reading
Pulling Saints Down To The Level Of Scandal
I have an icon of the Apostle to the Apostles in my office. She holds a container of myrrh, a traditional Eastern image. As far as I’m concerned, the apocryphal tradition that she was a prostitute is an unneeded hagiography. … Continue reading →