Category Archives: Peace

Pacifist Expelled From Jesuits

Posted on 8 January 2014 by

I saw a story on a conservative blog a few days ago stating that Pope Francis kicked John Dear out of the order. That’s actually not true, according to a more respectable journalist. I encountered John Dear’s autobiography, A Persistent … Continue reading →

Posted in Peace | Tagged | 1 Comment

Selfishness and Peace

Posted on 7 September 2013 by

An ethic of barely disguised selfishness is no longer a Christian ethic. Nor can we afford to raise this to the national level and assume that the world will adjust itself if every nation seeks its own advantage before everything … Continue reading →

Posted in Peace, Scripture | Tagged | 2 Comments

Pope John XXIII on Insufficient Influence

Posted on 7 September 2013 by

In our own day, … as regards the preservation of the security and peace of the whole world … the rulers of individual nations, being all on an equal footing, largely fail in their efforts to achieve this, however much … Continue reading →

Posted in Pacem In Terris, Peace, Scripture | Tagged | Leave a comment

Talk, Believe, Work

Posted on 7 September 2013 by

It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it. This quote is attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt. I don’t know the context of it. I do … Continue reading →

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The Third Fruit of the Spirit

Posted on 7 September 2013 by

By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. Peace may be the third of Saint Paul’s nine fruits of the Spirit, but it … Continue reading →

Posted in Peace, Scripture | Tagged | 1 Comment

Thomas Merton on Prayer and Sacrifice

Posted on 7 September 2013 by

During the Peace Vigil (noon to five in my central US afternoon), I’d like to post hourly on things I’ve found this past week in my reading and research for materials. Why do Catholics pray, and especially fast? What good … Continue reading →

Posted in Peace, Scripture | Tagged | 1 Comment

Shame For Bishops

Posted on 6 September 2013 by

Bishop Robert Lynch didn’t mince words when talking about the prospect of war, including a serious lament for what transpired a decade ago: I am ashamed to say that the Catholic Church in the United States sadly gave President George … Continue reading →

Posted in bishops, Peace, Politics, The Blogosphere | 4 Comments

On Peace With Gregory the Great

Posted on 5 September 2013 by

Two days late for the saint’s feast, and two days early for the worldwide day of prayer and fasting, but here is the prayer I pieced together for a group meeting yesterday: Music Da pacem, Domine (Grant peace, Lord.) (Jacques … Continue reading →

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For Peace

Posted on 1 September 2013 by

Pray and fast on Saturday the 7th: a request from Pope Francis to all Christian believers, as well as non-Christians. On [Saturday] the 7th of September, here [in St Peter’s Square], from 7 PM until midnight, we will gather together … Continue reading →

Posted in Peace | 1 Comment

Another Case for Fruitless Action

Posted on 31 August 2013 by

Count me as singularly unimpressed with John Kerry’s pitch for military action. Nine points do not trump eight beatitudes. The British pacifist Muriel Lester denounced the outbreak of that singularly hideous and immoral adventure known as the Great War. Her … Continue reading →

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Peace Cranes

Posted on 29 June 2013 by

For her big Scouting project, a young friend of mine has been planning a peace pole for the parish prayer garden and a tree of peace cranes for the church’s narthex. Here she is (right) at work with her parents … Continue reading →

Posted in Parish Life, Peace | Tagged | 1 Comment

Msgr William Shannon

Posted on 4 May 2012 by

A generation is certainly passing. I read on CNS that Msgr Bill Shannon’s funeral will be celebrated today in my home diocese. During my college and grad school days, I attended one or two lectures by the Merton scholar. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Church News, Ministry, Peace, spirituality | Leave a comment

Our Avoidance of Peace

Posted on 21 December 2011 by

Very interesting discussion on the Rite of Peace at Mass below. I don’t intend to short-circuit it, but to branch off and explore a bit more in depth than I might in a comment box. The first mention of Peace … Continue reading →

Posted in GIRM, Liturgy, Peace, spirituality | 4 Comments

Britain Resists the Great War

Posted on 7 May 2011 by

We used to call it the Great War, but in the sense of glory or accomplishment, there is nothing “great” about it. Ghastly would be a better term. Several years ago I read a substantial history of it, and I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Liam, Peace | 1 Comment