“Maslow, like [St.] Benedict, believed that unless low level needs such as physiological and social needs were satisfied, workers could not be motivated to achieve organizational goals. Figure 1 shows the relationship of Maslow’s triangle and Benedict’s Rule.” – Quentin Skrabec via St. Benedict’s Hierarchy of Needs — Ad Orientem
The “unEnglish and Unmanly” Part of (now) St. John Henry Newman
With the canonisation of Anglicanism's most famous convert to Roman Catholicism, there's been a dust-up about Newman's sexual orientation, especially by the dreadful James Martin, SJ (whose own mendacity about his own celibacy helped get him into the Society of Jesus.) A long time ago this site posted an academic paper by David Hilliard about …
Continue reading "The “unEnglish and Unmanly” Part of (now) St. John Henry Newman"
The Persecution of Christians is Nothing New
Another interesting passage from Trevor Gervase Jalland's The Church and the Papacy: It is, of course,unnecessary to point out that the Roman Catholic Communion as it is to-day, and possibly as it has been from the beginning, is bound up with the belief that the Roman see, as the see of St. Peter the Apostle and of his …
Continue reading "The Persecution of Christians is Nothing New"
The Polyepiscopacy of the Early Church
An intriguing (and sensible) suggestion from Trevor Gervase Jalland's The Church and the Papacy: Though there are, as we believe, adequate grounds for rejecting the view that Clement formally identifies episcopi with presbyters, yet in the face of this evidence it appears equally impossible to deny that he refers to the episcopate in a way …
Elevations on the Mysteries VI: On Original Sin — The Bossuet Project
This is the sixth journey of Bossuet’s Elevations on the Mysteries, the elevations are as follows: All men in one man. First foundation of God’s justice in original sin. The father rewarded and punished in children, second foundation of God’s righteousness in original sin. The original justice of which Adam was deprived for himself and […] …
Continue reading "Elevations on the Mysteries VI: On Original Sin — The Bossuet Project"
“I honestly wept when I listened to it.”
Received this comment on my YouTube posting of the Word of God's New Life album: I am so grateful that you put this up. I honestly wept when I listened to it. I was all of 10 years old when I first heard this. I make no comments about the excellence of the music (it's …
Book Review: Trevor Gervase Jalland’s The Church and the Papacy
One of Our Lord's commands that we have difficulty fulfilling is this one: But it is not only for them that I am interceding, but also for those who believe in me through their Message, That they all may be one--that as thou, Father, art in union with us--and so the world may believe that …
Continue reading "Book Review: Trevor Gervase Jalland’s The Church and the Papacy"
Communion in the Hand, and Those Pesky Easterners
This, brought to my attention, from Cyril of Jerusalem's Catechetical Lectures, toward the very end: Approaching therefore, come not with thy wrists extended, or they fingers open; but make they left hand as if a throne for thy right, which is on the eve of receiving the King. And having hallowed thy palm, receive the …
Continue reading "Communion in the Hand, and Those Pesky Easterners"
Why I Prefer Ad Orientem
Since the release of the ANCA 2019 Book of Common Prayer has open the floodgates for consideration of all kinds of controversial topics, it's time to consider one more: that of ad orientem, i.e., facing the altar during the Sacred Mysteries rather than the people. That's been the subject of a blog-to-blog volley between one …
Jimmy Buffett and the Miserable Offenders of the Book of Common Prayer
It's time to look at another bone that's been picked with the ANCA's 2019 Book of Common Prayer: the omission of the phrase "miserable offenders" to the General Confession for Morning and Evening Prayer. Let's start with the 2019 text: And now from the 1928 BCP: In addition to the modernization of the language, the …
Continue reading "Jimmy Buffett and the Miserable Offenders of the Book of Common Prayer"
