Ever wanted to spend time with someone who impacted your life but is now gone? As we see the annual odometer spin ever faster, that desire becomes more common. For Christians, we have the assurance that we will see those people who were likewise committed to Christ once again on the other side. But the …
The Nature of Sin
From the Dominican Walter Farrell, as quoted in Donald Connolly's Renewing Your Faith: The catechism defines sin as a thought, word, deed or omission against the law of God." But the word "omission" is a little unfortunate. It has the air of the accidental about it, like forgetting to take medicine or absent-mindedly going out …
Those Dangerous Latin Masses
You'd think that there is a better use of time, but... What’s happened to the next generation, you ask? Well, to Fr. Reese’s sorrow, they’re off attending the Traditional Latin Mass, just as if Vatican II never happened. Or if not all of them, enough to cause Fr. Reese to beg the Vatican: do something! …
The Catholic Church and the Dung Beetles
One of my Twitter followers referred me to this series of posts (Part I, Part II and Part III, and now he's added a piece about the Trads) by one Larry Chapp, one time seminarian and academic. (He uses the dung beetle analogy in the first post.) A thorough response would be as long as …
Things Going Your Way? A Holy Week Reflection
Many of you know that I used to work for the Church of God Department of Lay Ministries. One of my colleagues, who did most of the graphic design work, was a good friend in addition to being a coworker. Sometimes he'd greet me with the phrase, "Things going your way?" It's an easy way …
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The Tough Lesson of Augustine’s “Dear Marcellinus”
At the beginning of Augustine's City of God we have this opening: My dear Marcellinus: This work which I have begun makes good my promise to you. In it I am undertaking nothing less than the task of defending the glorious City of God against those who prefer their own gods to its Founder. Flavius …
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Word of God: Amen Our Hearts Cry
Word of God W/G 7711 (1977) This is another in a series of albums that the Word of God put out featuring their worship songs and the music group that led them. It has an interesting mix of songs, including some of the community's own (Psalm 8, Psalm 18,) non-Catholic choruses (Therefore the Redeemed, Our …
Overcomplicating Anglican Eucharistic Theology — The Bossuet Project
I’ve been reading with interest the Rev. Ben Jeffries’ Is the Eucharistology of the Anglican Reformation Patristic? As those of you who follow this blog and Positive Infinity know, this is of special interest, as it was to the great Bossuet... Overcomplicating Anglican Eucharistic Theology
Amy Coney Barrett and the Lessons of the Ukrainians
In the midst of everything else that's going on, next Monday (Lord willing) we'll start confirmation hearings for Amy Coney Barrett to be the newest justice on the Supreme Court. In light of the fact that she was and is in a Catholic Charismatic covenant community, I've tried to shed some light on what that …
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Was the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Really Catholic?
The week after next the grilling of our latest Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, will begin. There will be a great deal of pressure brought to bear on the fact that she is a serious Roman Catholic. That happened during the last nominating process; Diane Feinstein's remark about the dogma living loudly within her …
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