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Monthly Archives: March 2022
USPS: A Decade In Space
My favorite moon mission, Apollo 15, is somewhat depicted in the image above, reproducing the 1971 USPS issue honoring a “decade.” Ten years prior, Alan Shepherd went into space for a brief 15-minute mission–that’s the reference. By 1971, interest in … Continue reading
Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us 179-180: A Time To Plan, A Time To Act
The US Bishops published Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us in 1999. Twenty-three years later they acknowledge the time was then. If any readers in Catholic parishes are still with me, you can assess if your community has seen the … Continue reading
Spe Salvi 24: The True Shape of Christian Hope
The true shape of Christian hope covers sections 24 through 31. We start here: 24. Let us ask once again: what may we hope? And what may we not hope? First of all, we must acknowledge that incremental progress is possible … Continue reading
On My Bookshelf: I Met a Traveller in an Antique Land
A book about books. A short book. I’ll recommend it. Several years ago, I had a few posts on this author. Her novels about time travelling historians are great, though I think Blackout/All Clear would have benefitted from tight editing. … Continue reading
Posted in fantasy, On My Bookshelf
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Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us 173-178: Leaders and Financial Resources
In Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us the US bishops focus more (173-177) on the prospect of Prepare your leaders than on any of the other four implementation actions. Personnel is obviously important. More vital than any other aspect of … Continue reading
Sister Thea
My wife mentioned that Thea Bowman did a parish mission at the church where we met, many years before I arrived there. I wonder if she mentioned there her description of Black sacred song she put into words for the … Continue reading
Posted in Liturgical Music, Saints
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Spe Salvi 23: Reason and Faith Need One Another
Let’s finish up the theme of transformation of Christian faith-hope in the modern age. 23. As far as the two great themes of “reason” and “freedom” are concerned, here we can only touch upon the issues connected with them. Yes … Continue reading
Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us 168-172: A Call To Implementation
The US Bishops published Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us in 1999. By the time we get to paragraph 168, there is a plan and now, A Call to Implementation. This needs more than just words on a page or website. … Continue reading
Any Time is the Right Time
Today’s offerings in the Office of Readings speak to one of the pillars of Lent. We’re well past the midpoint of the season, but a timely reminder for renewal is always welcome. As the sainted pope of the fifth century … Continue reading
Posted in Lent, Saints, Scripture, spirituality
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Spe Salvi 22: Modern Hope and the Critique of Christianity
How about a morning dose of Pope Benedict XVI to start the day? I have to confess the journey with marxism is the most disappointing chunk of a document I otherwise found worthy. It seems to wander far afield from … Continue reading
Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us 164-167: Diocesan Support
The US Bishops discuss their support for adult faith formation with their third objective for dioceses in Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us: The diocese will allocate adequate personnel and resources for carrying out the mission of adult faith formation … Continue reading
Spe Salvi 21: A Problem With Marxism
Some might consider this a bit of a rabbit hole from the topic of hope, but it’s an interesting window into the mind of Pope Benedict XVI. I think it would be just as easy to review the philosophy of, … Continue reading
The Purple of Easter
There’s chocolate, but the packaging … Green, I can understand. “Happy Easter” with purple, not as much. The chocolate says, “Blessed Lent to you, but don’t give up on me.”
Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us 160-163: Diocesan Plan and Strategy
The US Bishops’ second objective for dioceses advocates “a clear strategy for developing parish adult faith formation leaders, teams, and catechists.” Nothing greatly specific is given; the document Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us acknowledges “the specifics of strategies will … Continue reading
Spe Salvi 20: Hope in the Modern Age, Engels and Marx
As we move into the 1800s, Pope Benedict XVI offers his view of the emergence of and attraction to communism in his analysis of (t)he transformation of Christian faith-hope in the modern age. The 1% devised a new form of … Continue reading
Catholic Sensibility 