Pope: Spread the Word Using New Media
Benedict XVI is encouraging media professionals to take up the challenge to use the new technologies of the digital age to spread the word of God, while keeping the content unaltered.
The Pope said this upon receiving in audience participants in the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, who met this week in Rome to work on a pastoral instruction that will demonstrate a willingness to dialogue with the "digital culture.
"The last document of pastoral guidance for the Church's communicative commitment -- "Aetatis Novae" -- was issued in 1992.
The plenary was the first one presided over by Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, who was named president of the council in 2007.
"A genuine revolution is taking place in the realm of social communications," the Pontiff said to the participants in the assembly, "of which the Church is ever more responsibly conscious"
Read more here...
Friday, October 30, 2009
Today on Kresta - October 30, 2009
Talking about the "things that matter most" on Oct. 30
4:00 – Divorced from Reality: We’re from the Government, and We’re Here to End Your Marriage
The decline of the family has now reached critical and truly dangerous proportions. Family breakdown touches virtually every family and every American. It is not only the major source of social instability in the Western world today but also seriously threatens civic freedom and constitutional government. G. K. Chesterton once observed that the family serves as the principal check on government power, and he suggested that someday the family and the state would confront one another. According to our guest, that day has arrived. We talk with Stephen Baskerville about the government and its role in marriage.
4:20 – Be to Me a Father and a Priest
Fr. Peter Stravinskas says his priestly ministry has been far more challenging, interesting, and multi-faceted than he ever imagined when entering seminary. He says “Although teaching in, administering, and establishing Catholic schools (elementary, secondary, university, and seminary) have been a constant from my first days as a seminarian, I have also worn many other “hats”—from serving as a pastor, vocations director, and bishop’s secretary, to public relations work for the Church, to writing and lecturing on timely topics throughout the country and abroad, to founding a community of secular clergy devoted to the new evangelization, liturgical renewal, and Catholic education. He is here to look at the many ways in which he has been a priest, and his reflections on that vocation, without which the Church cannot exist.
5:00 – Will the Recession Doom the Last Sunday Blue Laws?
A handful of state legislatures have declared it's closing time for Sunday alcohol sales restrictions, saying an extra day of sales could give their foundering budgets a much-needed shot of revenue. Those states — Georgia, Connecticut, Texas, Alabama and Minnesota — enjoy overwhelming voter support for an extra day of sales, but face opposition from members of the Christian right, who support the few remaining Blue Laws still in effect in the U.S. Proponents of Sunday sales argue that state budgets are under plenty of pressure too and that by allowing people to buy beer, wine or liquor on Sunday at grocery or package stores, states could reap millions of dollars in tax revenue. Two years ago, Dan Hungerman, Professor of Economics at the University of Notre Dame, released a study that shows that both society and religion have been hurt by the repeal of blue laws. Has anything changed with the recession?
5:20 – Hiking the Camino: 500 Miles with Jesus
You might reasonably wonder why anyone would shoulder a heavy backpack, grab a walking stick and hike across Spain. Whatever happened to planes, trains and automobiles? But Father Dave Pivonka knew that the Camino—the ancient pilgrim path to the tomb of Saint James the Apostle in Santiago—offered an opportunity to focus on God in the stripped-down environment typical of the religious journey known as a pilgrimage. Fr. Dave takes us along with him, eager to show that God wants to take care of you whether or not you can see down the road or, if tired and sore, you're tempted to quit. His Camino hike holds real lessons for our own life's journey.
4:00 – Divorced from Reality: We’re from the Government, and We’re Here to End Your Marriage
The decline of the family has now reached critical and truly dangerous proportions. Family breakdown touches virtually every family and every American. It is not only the major source of social instability in the Western world today but also seriously threatens civic freedom and constitutional government. G. K. Chesterton once observed that the family serves as the principal check on government power, and he suggested that someday the family and the state would confront one another. According to our guest, that day has arrived. We talk with Stephen Baskerville about the government and its role in marriage.
4:20 – Be to Me a Father and a Priest
Fr. Peter Stravinskas says his priestly ministry has been far more challenging, interesting, and multi-faceted than he ever imagined when entering seminary. He says “Although teaching in, administering, and establishing Catholic schools (elementary, secondary, university, and seminary) have been a constant from my first days as a seminarian, I have also worn many other “hats”—from serving as a pastor, vocations director, and bishop’s secretary, to public relations work for the Church, to writing and lecturing on timely topics throughout the country and abroad, to founding a community of secular clergy devoted to the new evangelization, liturgical renewal, and Catholic education. He is here to look at the many ways in which he has been a priest, and his reflections on that vocation, without which the Church cannot exist.
5:00 – Will the Recession Doom the Last Sunday Blue Laws?
A handful of state legislatures have declared it's closing time for Sunday alcohol sales restrictions, saying an extra day of sales could give their foundering budgets a much-needed shot of revenue. Those states — Georgia, Connecticut, Texas, Alabama and Minnesota — enjoy overwhelming voter support for an extra day of sales, but face opposition from members of the Christian right, who support the few remaining Blue Laws still in effect in the U.S. Proponents of Sunday sales argue that state budgets are under plenty of pressure too and that by allowing people to buy beer, wine or liquor on Sunday at grocery or package stores, states could reap millions of dollars in tax revenue. Two years ago, Dan Hungerman, Professor of Economics at the University of Notre Dame, released a study that shows that both society and religion have been hurt by the repeal of blue laws. Has anything changed with the recession?
5:20 – Hiking the Camino: 500 Miles with Jesus
You might reasonably wonder why anyone would shoulder a heavy backpack, grab a walking stick and hike across Spain. Whatever happened to planes, trains and automobiles? But Father Dave Pivonka knew that the Camino—the ancient pilgrim path to the tomb of Saint James the Apostle in Santiago—offered an opportunity to focus on God in the stripped-down environment typical of the religious journey known as a pilgrimage. Fr. Dave takes us along with him, eager to show that God wants to take care of you whether or not you can see down the road or, if tired and sore, you're tempted to quit. His Camino hike holds real lessons for our own life's journey.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Today on Kresta - October 29, 2009
Talking about the "things that matter most" on Oct. 29
4:00 – 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family
In her new book, 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family, author Rebecca Hagelin lays out 30 simple and concrete actions that parents can implement-one day at a time-to reconnect with their children and restore peace in their home. As a mother of three, a syndicated columnist, and specialist on family, culture, and media issues, Rebecca understands the frustration parents feel. She designed this book with working parents and busy families in mind. Moms and dads can read a chapter at soccer practice or while waiting in carpool and come away with practical solutions to common parenting problems that can easily be put to use. She joins us.
4:40 – Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA's Spytechs, from Communism to Al-Qaeda
Today's CIA is regularly criticized for emphasizing technology at the expense of human intelligence. In this history of the agency's Office of Technical Services, Robert Wallace, its former head, refutes the charge with exciting content and slam-bang style. From WWII through the Cold War and up to the present, he says, technical equipment—for clandestine audio surveillance, for example—has been an essential element of agent operations. In the post–Cold War information society, technology plays an even more significant role in fighting terrorism. Agents remain important, along with their traditional skills. Increasingly, however, they support clandestine technical operations, especially infiltrating and compromising computer networks. He is here to argue that employing and defending against sophisticated digital technology is the primary challenge facing U.S. intelligence in the 21st century.
5:00 – Religious Practice and Family Stability
Couples who are more religious tend to exhibit greater marital commitment than couples who are less religious. There is less likelihood of domestic violence among couples who attend church regularly than among those who do not. Communities with higher concentrations of various religious denominations tend to have a lower incidence of divorce. These are just a few of the findings of a recent Heritage Foundation study on Religious Practice and Family Stability. Jennifer Marshall, Heritage’s Director of Domestic Policy Studies is with us.
5:20 – Sports and the Catholic Family
Participation in athletic activities and playing on sports teams has been viewed as contributing in positive manner to the character development of children. However, a remarkable change has occurred over the past 20 years in regard to the degree of involvement on sports teams by children. Today, many children are under extreme pressures from both coaches and parents to commit themselves to give an unprecedented amount of time and effort to participation in team sports, including those teams which travel regularly on weekends and during the summer. One coach commented that some children now play up to 80 baseball games over the course of a summer, including playing in double headers and in repeated weekend tournaments. This significant change in regard to children's and families’ relationship with sports has damaged marriages, family life and the ability of a large number of children to enjoy sports as a pleasant, relaxing childhood activity. Psychiatrist Rick Fitzgibbons is here to address a number of issues related to this important area of child development and family life.
4:00 – 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family
In her new book, 30 Ways in 30 Days to Save Your Family, author Rebecca Hagelin lays out 30 simple and concrete actions that parents can implement-one day at a time-to reconnect with their children and restore peace in their home. As a mother of three, a syndicated columnist, and specialist on family, culture, and media issues, Rebecca understands the frustration parents feel. She designed this book with working parents and busy families in mind. Moms and dads can read a chapter at soccer practice or while waiting in carpool and come away with practical solutions to common parenting problems that can easily be put to use. She joins us.
4:40 – Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA's Spytechs, from Communism to Al-Qaeda
Today's CIA is regularly criticized for emphasizing technology at the expense of human intelligence. In this history of the agency's Office of Technical Services, Robert Wallace, its former head, refutes the charge with exciting content and slam-bang style. From WWII through the Cold War and up to the present, he says, technical equipment—for clandestine audio surveillance, for example—has been an essential element of agent operations. In the post–Cold War information society, technology plays an even more significant role in fighting terrorism. Agents remain important, along with their traditional skills. Increasingly, however, they support clandestine technical operations, especially infiltrating and compromising computer networks. He is here to argue that employing and defending against sophisticated digital technology is the primary challenge facing U.S. intelligence in the 21st century.
5:00 – Religious Practice and Family Stability
Couples who are more religious tend to exhibit greater marital commitment than couples who are less religious. There is less likelihood of domestic violence among couples who attend church regularly than among those who do not. Communities with higher concentrations of various religious denominations tend to have a lower incidence of divorce. These are just a few of the findings of a recent Heritage Foundation study on Religious Practice and Family Stability. Jennifer Marshall, Heritage’s Director of Domestic Policy Studies is with us.
5:20 – Sports and the Catholic Family
Participation in athletic activities and playing on sports teams has been viewed as contributing in positive manner to the character development of children. However, a remarkable change has occurred over the past 20 years in regard to the degree of involvement on sports teams by children. Today, many children are under extreme pressures from both coaches and parents to commit themselves to give an unprecedented amount of time and effort to participation in team sports, including those teams which travel regularly on weekends and during the summer. One coach commented that some children now play up to 80 baseball games over the course of a summer, including playing in double headers and in repeated weekend tournaments. This significant change in regard to children's and families’ relationship with sports has damaged marriages, family life and the ability of a large number of children to enjoy sports as a pleasant, relaxing childhood activity. Psychiatrist Rick Fitzgibbons is here to address a number of issues related to this important area of child development and family life.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Five Myths about the Pope’s Anglican Ordinariates
On October 20, 2009, the Holy See made an unexpected announcement: the Holy Father will be issuing an Apostolic Constitution (the highest form of papal document) through which he will erect personal ordinariates for Anglican clergy and laity wishing to enter the Catholic Church. While rumors about this have been stirring since 2007, the recent decision came as a surprise to most Catholics and Anglicans.
Taylor Marshall at Catholic Online has written a fantastic analysis, dispelling 5 myths about the Vatican's move.
Taylor Marshall at Catholic Online has written a fantastic analysis, dispelling 5 myths about the Vatican's move.
Myth #1 The Pope is sheep-stealingRead more...
The Pope’s alleged “sheep-stealing” been the most popular subject within
the secular media. To them, the Holy Father has launched a media campaign to
kick the Anglican Communion while it’s down. The poor Archbishop of Canterbury
is struggling to keep things together and then “Bamm!” the Pope surprises
everyone with a bid for Anglican souls. However, we must remember that it was
Anglicans who pursued the matter with the Holy Father—and we’re not talking
about just one or two Anglicans. We are talking about thousands and thousands of
Anglicans: bishops, priests, deacons, and laity. Anglican bishops from several
nations have sent private letters to the Holy See. Much of this is confidential.
They want a way out. They want to become Catholic. The Pope is responding to
souls looking to him for guidance. The pope is not stealing sheep—He is holding
out his pastoral staff to those sheep looking for protection.
Myth #2 Rome is preparing the world for a general married
priesthood
The media also sunk its teeth into the fact that the new Anglican
ordinariates would preserve the already recognized discipline of allowing
married former-Anglican priests to be ordained as married Catholic priests. This
is nothing new.
Outrageous Statement of the Day
All hail the great Castro!!! ABC's Peter Jennings: Fidel Castro 'Has Delivered the Most to Those Who Had the Least'
Today on Kresta - Oct. 28, 2009
Talking about the "things that matter most" on Oct. 28
4:00 – Joker One: A Marine Platoon's Story of Courage, Leadership, and Brotherhood
Upon graduating from Princeton with high honors, Donovan Campbell joined the United States Marine Corps, despite pleas from friends and family to choose a safer, more lucrative profession. Campbell was inspired in large part by his Christian faith, which he believed called him to serve others and, in doing so, to live out the example of Jesus Christ. Campbell has served three combat tours and has become highly decorated in the process. Throughout his new book, Campbell describes how his Christian faith molded his concept of leadership. Believing that Jesus Christ’s willing sacrifice provided Christians with a strong servant-leadership model, Campbell sought to copy that model while leading his men. How can the Christ-like servant-leader model be applied in other areas of life? He’s here to tell us.
4:40 – Depression: Three Questions to Ask and Five Ways to Respond
The Church is God’s hospital. It has always been full of people on the mend. We should not be surprised then, that the depressed populate not only secular hospitals and clinics, but also our churches as well. Yet depression remains both familiar and mysterious to pastors and lay church leaders. Mark McMinn is here to look at depression. He has three questions to ask and five ways to respond.
5:00 – Is Stupid Making Us Google?
“Is Google Making Us Stupid?: What the Internet is doing to our brains” is a magazine article by technology writer Nicholas Carr highly critical of the Internet's effect on cognition. It was published last year in The Atlantic magazine as a six-page cover story. Carr's main argument is that the Internet might have detrimental effects on cognition that diminish the capacity for concentration and contemplation. James Bowman has a different take, and has published “Is Stupid Making Us Google?” We talk with him about which came first – the stupid or the google?
5:20 – Angels of God: The Bible, the Church and the Heavenly Hosts
Angels are everywhere. As a matter of fact, they are right at your side – right now. Forget the sweet-faced cherubs of popular culture, however, and brace yourself for a far more potent reality: powerful heavenly beings who play a significant role in the personal drama of daily life - your life. Drawing on Scripture (where angels appear often, carrying out crucial tasks), the words of the Saints and Church teaching, Mike Aquilina shows how developing our fellowship with the angels is not an ornament on our religion, it's a life skill.
4:00 – Joker One: A Marine Platoon's Story of Courage, Leadership, and Brotherhood
Upon graduating from Princeton with high honors, Donovan Campbell joined the United States Marine Corps, despite pleas from friends and family to choose a safer, more lucrative profession. Campbell was inspired in large part by his Christian faith, which he believed called him to serve others and, in doing so, to live out the example of Jesus Christ. Campbell has served three combat tours and has become highly decorated in the process. Throughout his new book, Campbell describes how his Christian faith molded his concept of leadership. Believing that Jesus Christ’s willing sacrifice provided Christians with a strong servant-leadership model, Campbell sought to copy that model while leading his men. How can the Christ-like servant-leader model be applied in other areas of life? He’s here to tell us.
4:40 – Depression: Three Questions to Ask and Five Ways to Respond
The Church is God’s hospital. It has always been full of people on the mend. We should not be surprised then, that the depressed populate not only secular hospitals and clinics, but also our churches as well. Yet depression remains both familiar and mysterious to pastors and lay church leaders. Mark McMinn is here to look at depression. He has three questions to ask and five ways to respond.
5:00 – Is Stupid Making Us Google?
“Is Google Making Us Stupid?: What the Internet is doing to our brains” is a magazine article by technology writer Nicholas Carr highly critical of the Internet's effect on cognition. It was published last year in The Atlantic magazine as a six-page cover story. Carr's main argument is that the Internet might have detrimental effects on cognition that diminish the capacity for concentration and contemplation. James Bowman has a different take, and has published “Is Stupid Making Us Google?” We talk with him about which came first – the stupid or the google?
5:20 – Angels of God: The Bible, the Church and the Heavenly Hosts
Angels are everywhere. As a matter of fact, they are right at your side – right now. Forget the sweet-faced cherubs of popular culture, however, and brace yourself for a far more potent reality: powerful heavenly beings who play a significant role in the personal drama of daily life - your life. Drawing on Scripture (where angels appear often, carrying out crucial tasks), the words of the Saints and Church teaching, Mike Aquilina shows how developing our fellowship with the angels is not an ornament on our religion, it's a life skill.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Today on Kresta - Oct. 27, 2009
Talking about the "things that matter most" on Oct. 27
4:00 – Surviving Hell: A POW's Journey
On April 19, 1967, Air Force Colonel Leo Thorsness was on a mission over North Vietnam when his wingman was shot down by an enemy MiG, which then lined up for a gunnery pass on the two American pilots who had bailed out. Although his F‑105 was not designed for aerial combat, Thorsness engaged the MiG and destroyed it. Spotting four more MiGs, he fought his way through a barrage of North Vietnamese SAMs to engage them too, shooting down one and driving off the others. For this action, Thorsness was awarded the Medal of Honor. But he didn’t learn about it until years later—by a “tap code” coming through prison walls—because on April 30, Thorsness was shot down, captured, and transported to the Hanoi Hilton. He is here to recount a six-year captivity marked by hours of brutal torture and days of agonizing boredom. He describes how he and other American POWs strove to keep their humanity and their faith.
4:40 – The Case for Early Marriage
Virginity pledges. Chastity balls. Courtship. Side hugs. Guarding your heart. Evangelical and Catholic discourse on sex is more conservative than ever. Parents and pastors and youth group leaders told us not to do it before we got married. Why? Because the Bible says so. Yet that simple message didn't go very far in shaping our sexual decision-making. Amid our purity pledges and attempts to make chastity hip, we forgot to teach young Christians how to tie the knot. We talk with Mark Regnerus about the case for early marriage.
5:00 – John Paul II: Confronting the Language Empowering the Culture of Death
We live not only in a time and place but also in the description of that time and place. William Brennan is here to expose how that description was twisted and deformed, and how John Paul the Great responded by teaching the world the language of the culture of life. He reveals how, through a discourse of truth-telling - calling things by their proper name - Pope John Paul II effectively exposed the corruption of language and thought fueling a death culture that is becoming increasingly embedded in medicine, human experimentation, commerce, law, and ideology.
5:40 – Grace Before Meals: Recipes for Family Life
Fr. Leo Patalinghug is the host of a PBS television show “Grace Before Meals”, in which Fr. Leo travels to homes and cooks for families to reinforce relationships through the power of sharing a meal together. He is also the author of a book by the same name that provides a resource for parents who want their children to know that they can always talk to their families. He is with us to talk about the fundamental concept that the simple act of creating and sharing a meal can strengthen all kinds of relationships. Fr. Leo will get busy families back on track by bringing them back to the table.
4:00 – Surviving Hell: A POW's Journey
On April 19, 1967, Air Force Colonel Leo Thorsness was on a mission over North Vietnam when his wingman was shot down by an enemy MiG, which then lined up for a gunnery pass on the two American pilots who had bailed out. Although his F‑105 was not designed for aerial combat, Thorsness engaged the MiG and destroyed it. Spotting four more MiGs, he fought his way through a barrage of North Vietnamese SAMs to engage them too, shooting down one and driving off the others. For this action, Thorsness was awarded the Medal of Honor. But he didn’t learn about it until years later—by a “tap code” coming through prison walls—because on April 30, Thorsness was shot down, captured, and transported to the Hanoi Hilton. He is here to recount a six-year captivity marked by hours of brutal torture and days of agonizing boredom. He describes how he and other American POWs strove to keep their humanity and their faith.
4:40 – The Case for Early Marriage
Virginity pledges. Chastity balls. Courtship. Side hugs. Guarding your heart. Evangelical and Catholic discourse on sex is more conservative than ever. Parents and pastors and youth group leaders told us not to do it before we got married. Why? Because the Bible says so. Yet that simple message didn't go very far in shaping our sexual decision-making. Amid our purity pledges and attempts to make chastity hip, we forgot to teach young Christians how to tie the knot. We talk with Mark Regnerus about the case for early marriage.
5:00 – John Paul II: Confronting the Language Empowering the Culture of Death
We live not only in a time and place but also in the description of that time and place. William Brennan is here to expose how that description was twisted and deformed, and how John Paul the Great responded by teaching the world the language of the culture of life. He reveals how, through a discourse of truth-telling - calling things by their proper name - Pope John Paul II effectively exposed the corruption of language and thought fueling a death culture that is becoming increasingly embedded in medicine, human experimentation, commerce, law, and ideology.
5:40 – Grace Before Meals: Recipes for Family Life
Fr. Leo Patalinghug is the host of a PBS television show “Grace Before Meals”, in which Fr. Leo travels to homes and cooks for families to reinforce relationships through the power of sharing a meal together. He is also the author of a book by the same name that provides a resource for parents who want their children to know that they can always talk to their families. He is with us to talk about the fundamental concept that the simple act of creating and sharing a meal can strengthen all kinds of relationships. Fr. Leo will get busy families back on track by bringing them back to the table.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Christopher West breaks his silence in Theology of the Body debate
Tip of the hat to Catholic News Agency for this story below. Stay tuned to Kresta in the Afternoon to hear Christopher on with Al, likely the week of Nov. 2.Christopher West issued his first reply to critics of his approach to teaching the Theology of the Body today, explaining that it is not a “point by point” answer and that his purpose is to focus on the “pivotal point of the conversation.” At the heart of the heated debate, West argues, is whether or not man can be sexually redeemed by God's grace in this life.
The at-times loud exchange over West's presentation of the Theology of the Body was first touched off by an appearance he made on ABC's show “Nightline” last May.
Responding to the interview, scholars who teach Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body accused West of being imprudent in presenting the late Pope's message, while others lent him their support.
For his part, Christopher West remained silent until today, when the public relations firm, The Maximus Group, released his response titled, “The Theology of the Body Debate: The Pivotal Question.”
West began his four-page response by thanking those who came to his defense and offered him support, including Cardinal Justin Rigali and Bishop Kevin Rhoades. Speaking to his critics, he thanked those who “offered thoughtful critiques of my work and helpful suggestions on how to improve it, ” adding that he has “taken them to heart.”
However, West argued that “much of the criticism that appeared after the Nightline interview significantly misrepresented what I teach.” According to the speaker, “Rumors were repeated so often that subsequent commentators simply treated dubious accusations as fact.”
Instead of answering his opponents' charges “point by point,” West explained that his comments would be focused on the “pivotal” issue raised by the debate.
“The pivotal question as I see it is this: What does the grace of redemption offer us in this life with regard to our disordered sexual tendencies?” West wrote.
Acknowledging that man must always battle with his tendency to sin, West admitted that, “In some of my earliest lectures and tapes, I confess that I did not emphasize this important point clearly enough.” But, he also stated, by focusing on this limitation, his critics are limiting the power of Christ to transform people's disordered desires.
West also tied his efforts to the New Evangelization called for by the late Pontiff, writing, “John Paul II, it seems, was precisely the herald 'anointed by the Lord' to bring the good news of liberation to our sexually enslaved world.”
“'Do not empty the Cross of its power!' 'This,' he said, 'is the cry of the new evangelization,'” he added, quoting from John Paul II. At the end of his defense, West asserted that the “fundamental message of the TOB is nothing new. In essence, it’s what the saints and mystics have been telling us for centuries about the “great mystery” of Christ’s infinite love for his Bride, the Church. Yet John Paul II has penetrated that same Mystery with new clarity, new insight, new depth – giving us a new language with which to reach the modern world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Urging Catholics to help spread the Theology of the Body, West said, “It is my hope that the Nightline interview and the spirited debate it triggered will spur us all on as Catholics to study the TOB more intently, 'receive' its contents more deeply, and share its liberating message more effectively.”
Christopher West's full response can be read here.
Outrageous Statement of the Day
Rep. Kennedy: Catholic Church Fanning 'Flames of Dissent and Discord' Over Health Bill
This isn't complicated Rep. Kennedy. Abortion is a non-negotiable. Catholics and other rational thinking people realize that you can't advocate or vote for something that allows for, pays for, and reinforces child murder. What if this bill were PERFECTLY in line with Church teaching in every way, except that it excluded blacks? What would Rep. Kennedy think of that?
Let's not forget the EXTREME generosity of the American Catholic Church toward the Kennedy family and especially in the wake of the death, Catholic funeral, and Catholic burial of Rep. Kennedy's uncle - Sen. Ted Kennedy. The Church bent over backwards (some would argue to a fault) to be as generous to the Kennedy's as possible with Sen. Kennedy's death. But some things, Rep. Kennedy, are not up for debate. And killing babies through health care legislation is one of them.
This isn't complicated Rep. Kennedy. Abortion is a non-negotiable. Catholics and other rational thinking people realize that you can't advocate or vote for something that allows for, pays for, and reinforces child murder. What if this bill were PERFECTLY in line with Church teaching in every way, except that it excluded blacks? What would Rep. Kennedy think of that?
Let's not forget the EXTREME generosity of the American Catholic Church toward the Kennedy family and especially in the wake of the death, Catholic funeral, and Catholic burial of Rep. Kennedy's uncle - Sen. Ted Kennedy. The Church bent over backwards (some would argue to a fault) to be as generous to the Kennedy's as possible with Sen. Kennedy's death. But some things, Rep. Kennedy, are not up for debate. And killing babies through health care legislation is one of them.
Today on Kresta - October 23, 2009
Talking about the "things that matter most" on Oct. 23
LIVE FROM THE STUDIOS OF KVSS IN OMAHA, NE
4:00 – Kresta Comments
4:20 – Rendezvous with Destiny: Ronald Reagan and the Campaign That Changed America
As late as Election Day, headlines across the county blared that the race was “too close to call.” Even on the verge of his historic triumph in the 1980 presidential election, political observers continued to underestimate Ronald Wilson Reagan. In Rendezvous with Destiny, the long-awaited follow-up to his widely praised account of Reagan’s insurgent campaign that nearly wrested the 1976 Republican nomination from President Gerald Ford, Craig Shirley tells the incredible behind-the-scenes story of Reagan’s improbable run to the White House in 1980—of how the “too close to call” election became a landslide victory over incumbent Jimmy Carter and independent candidate John Anderson. And this, Shirley shows, was no ordinary election. It dramatically altered the course of American—and world—history. Reagan’s victory gave rise to a new generation of conservatism, ended liberalism’s half-century reign of dominance, reversed the second-worst economic crisis in American history, and led to participation with Margaret Thatcher and Pope John Paul II in the demise of the mighty Soviet Union.
4:40 – Reconnect: When Your Kids Are Connected To Everything But You!
Cell phones, laptops, Facebook, Myspace, IPods, YouTube, texting, instant message, and more. Kids today are growing up in a very different world than that baby boomers did. What happens when your kids are connected to everything but you? Al Menconi has some advice.
5:00 – Marriage in the Lord
Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., explores the theological and spiritual meaning of the sacrament of marriage. Using the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a touchstone, Deacon Keating challenges listeners to go to the depths of what it means to be married in the Lord. Learn that Catholic marriage offers much more than simply the “spiritualization” of what the state calls legal marriage; Understand this sacrament carries the force of divine love; Experience the adventure of man and wife dying-to-self in the face of faithful love; Discover how two hearts are formed and made holy in the self-sacrifice that is their mutual self-giving in Christ; And much more!
5:20 – Anglicans, Come Home: Vatican Throws The Doors Wide Open
Pope Benedict is promulgating an apostolic constitution that will permit Anglican communities whose members wish to be received into the Catholic Church to do so as communities. The papal document allows for the creation of "personal ordinariates" to be headed by formerly Anglican priests, providing a structure within the Catholic hierarchy to supervise the pastoral care of Anglicans who have become Catholics. These "personal ordinariates" would be integrated into national episcopal conferences, but encouraged to preserve the distinctive aspects of the Anglican tradition. The response continues to pour in from around the world, and Fr. Christopher Phillips, pastor of one of the first “personal parishes” in the US, established primarily for former Episcopalians who converted to the Catholic Church, is here to weigh in.
5:40 – Amelia / Pope John Paul II Film Festival
At a glance, the festival selections include many titles that would be at home at, say, the Creation Film Festival or the Heartland Film Festival. There’s The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, a moral parable about the friendship of two boys on opposite sides of a Nazi camp fence. Bandslam, a Walden/Summit musical-comedy-romance. Bella, an award-winning tale about a crisis pregnancy produced by Catholics but popular with Christians of all stripes. But there’s also The 13th Day, a stylish Catholic-produced British indie about the 1917 Marian apparitions and “miracle of the sun” at Fatima, Portugal. It’s Miami’s brand-new John Paul II International Film Festival (October 27–November 7) and it aspires to be a festival with a difference. Film Critic Steven Greydanus is here to discuss it.
LIVE FROM THE STUDIOS OF KVSS IN OMAHA, NE
4:00 – Kresta Comments
4:20 – Rendezvous with Destiny: Ronald Reagan and the Campaign That Changed America
As late as Election Day, headlines across the county blared that the race was “too close to call.” Even on the verge of his historic triumph in the 1980 presidential election, political observers continued to underestimate Ronald Wilson Reagan. In Rendezvous with Destiny, the long-awaited follow-up to his widely praised account of Reagan’s insurgent campaign that nearly wrested the 1976 Republican nomination from President Gerald Ford, Craig Shirley tells the incredible behind-the-scenes story of Reagan’s improbable run to the White House in 1980—of how the “too close to call” election became a landslide victory over incumbent Jimmy Carter and independent candidate John Anderson. And this, Shirley shows, was no ordinary election. It dramatically altered the course of American—and world—history. Reagan’s victory gave rise to a new generation of conservatism, ended liberalism’s half-century reign of dominance, reversed the second-worst economic crisis in American history, and led to participation with Margaret Thatcher and Pope John Paul II in the demise of the mighty Soviet Union.
4:40 – Reconnect: When Your Kids Are Connected To Everything But You!
Cell phones, laptops, Facebook, Myspace, IPods, YouTube, texting, instant message, and more. Kids today are growing up in a very different world than that baby boomers did. What happens when your kids are connected to everything but you? Al Menconi has some advice.
5:00 – Marriage in the Lord
Deacon James Keating, Ph.D., explores the theological and spiritual meaning of the sacrament of marriage. Using the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a touchstone, Deacon Keating challenges listeners to go to the depths of what it means to be married in the Lord. Learn that Catholic marriage offers much more than simply the “spiritualization” of what the state calls legal marriage; Understand this sacrament carries the force of divine love; Experience the adventure of man and wife dying-to-self in the face of faithful love; Discover how two hearts are formed and made holy in the self-sacrifice that is their mutual self-giving in Christ; And much more!
5:20 – Anglicans, Come Home: Vatican Throws The Doors Wide Open
Pope Benedict is promulgating an apostolic constitution that will permit Anglican communities whose members wish to be received into the Catholic Church to do so as communities. The papal document allows for the creation of "personal ordinariates" to be headed by formerly Anglican priests, providing a structure within the Catholic hierarchy to supervise the pastoral care of Anglicans who have become Catholics. These "personal ordinariates" would be integrated into national episcopal conferences, but encouraged to preserve the distinctive aspects of the Anglican tradition. The response continues to pour in from around the world, and Fr. Christopher Phillips, pastor of one of the first “personal parishes” in the US, established primarily for former Episcopalians who converted to the Catholic Church, is here to weigh in.
5:40 – Amelia / Pope John Paul II Film Festival
At a glance, the festival selections include many titles that would be at home at, say, the Creation Film Festival or the Heartland Film Festival. There’s The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, a moral parable about the friendship of two boys on opposite sides of a Nazi camp fence. Bandslam, a Walden/Summit musical-comedy-romance. Bella, an award-winning tale about a crisis pregnancy produced by Catholics but popular with Christians of all stripes. But there’s also The 13th Day, a stylish Catholic-produced British indie about the 1917 Marian apparitions and “miracle of the sun” at Fatima, Portugal. It’s Miami’s brand-new John Paul II International Film Festival (October 27–November 7) and it aspires to be a festival with a difference. Film Critic Steven Greydanus is here to discuss it.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Weigel: New provision marks ‘end of an era’ in Anglican-Catholic relations
Catholic commentator George Weigel says that the Vatican’s announcement of a new provision for Anglican groups who desire to convert to Catholicism is an “end of an era” in Anglican-Catholic relations, showing a widening “theological gulf” between Anglican leadership and the Christian tradition.Writing in The Washington Post's "On Faith" blog, Weigel recounts how Anglican-Catholic relations reached a peak around the time of the Second Vatican Council.
However, in the following decades some Anglican leaders appeared to be distancing themselves from the apostolic tradition on the priesthood and the sacraments.
Weigel discusses an exchange of letters in the 1980s between Pope John Paul II, Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie and Cardinal Johannes Willebrands, then the head of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
Asked by the Catholic prelates to explain why parts of the Anglican Communion had decided to ordain women as priests, Weigel recalls that Archbishop Runcie replied in “largely sociological, rather than theological terms.” The then-senior prelate in the Church of England cited women’s changing roles in business, culture and politics as a justification for the novel practice.
When the exchange of letters ended in 1986, a “parting of the ways” had been reached. Catholic authorities believed that apostolic tradition precluded the ordination of women to the priesthood, while Archbishop Runcie and similarly-minded Anglicans, in Weigel’s view, believed that “contemporary human insights into gender roles trumped apostolic tradition and necessitated a development of both doctrine and practice.”
“Rome could not accept that as a legitimate development of Christian self-understanding,” Weigel explains, reporting that Catholic leaders feared the new Anglican approach would cause the revision of their teachings on many other issues, such as sexual morality.
With Pope Benedict’s announcement of a new Anglican provision, Weigel writes at On Faith, Anglicans have been offered a “path into full communion” with the Catholic Church that “honors the distinctiveness of their spiritual and liturgical traditions.”
Outrageous Statement of the Day
Limbaugh to NYTimes environment reporter Revkin: "Why don't you just go kill yourself"
Name That Quote
"Everyone can see today that humanity could destroy the foundation of its own existence, its earth, and therefore we can't simply do whatever we want with this earth that has been entrusted to us, what seems to us in a given moment useful or promising, but we have to respect the inner laws of creation, of this earth, we have to learn these laws and obey them if we want to survive. This obedience to the voice of the earth is more important for our future happiness than the voices of the moment, the desires of the moment. … Existence itself, our earth, speaks to us, and we have to learn to listen."
-- Pope Benedict XVI
Name That Quote
"Everyone can see today that humanity could destroy the foundation of its own existence, its earth, and therefore we can't simply do whatever we want with this earth that has been entrusted to us, what seems to us in a given moment useful or promising, but we have to respect the inner laws of creation, of this earth, we have to learn these laws and obey them if we want to survive. This obedience to the voice of the earth is more important for our future happiness than the voices of the moment, the desires of the moment. … Existence itself, our earth, speaks to us, and we have to learn to listen."
-- Pope Benedict XVI
Today on Kresta - October 22, 2009
Talking about the "things that matter most" on Oct. 22
4:00 – The Nude in Art and John Paul II’s Theology of the Body
The theme of the nude ought to manifest the wonder we feel before the mystery of the human personality. Even more, it ought to manifest the wonder and exultation felt by Adam, still innocent, when he found Eve a helper fit for him, and vice versa. We talk with Lawrence Feingold about the nude in art and Pope John Paul the Great’s Theology of the Body. Why is the image of the human person so brutalized, trivialized, or banalized in 20th Century art compared with the great works of the Western tradition? We find out.
4:40 – Shaky Economy Forces Parents to Change Priorities
In 7 Myths of Working Mothers, author Suzanne Venker dispels the notion that living on one income is designed for the truly fortunate. The recent economic downturn, however, has forced people to scale down their lifestyles. Suzanne is here to argue that living on one income is entirely possible for most families -- and offers suggestions for how to do so.
5:00 – Abortion Rites: A Social History of Abortion in America
In a remarkable and controversial work which goes back to 1992, Marvin Olasky wrote an in-depth analysis of the history of abortion in America. Part One describes the three groups of women who were having abortions through the mid-nineteenth century. Part Two examines the failures and limited successes of anti-abortion Americans as they tried to develop a societal mind-set in which abortion was condemned. And Part Three carries the story into the twentieth century, examining the moral transition among physicians and the impact of changing values and economic pressures. It is as relevant today as it ever was, and Marvin joins us to look at the social history of abortion in America.
5:40 – The Rise & Fall of the Sexual Constitution of Western Civilization
In the latest edition of the journal Touchstone, Allan Carlson, Founder and President of the Howard Center for Family, Religion & Society, published an article entitled “Meaningful Intercourse: The Rise and Fall of the Sexual Constitution of the West.” In it he draws the parallel between modern notions of sexuality and those of ancient Gnosticism. He points out the demise of our civilization is coming through the acceptance of contraception and the legitimating of illegitimacy. We discuss it.
4:00 – The Nude in Art and John Paul II’s Theology of the Body
The theme of the nude ought to manifest the wonder we feel before the mystery of the human personality. Even more, it ought to manifest the wonder and exultation felt by Adam, still innocent, when he found Eve a helper fit for him, and vice versa. We talk with Lawrence Feingold about the nude in art and Pope John Paul the Great’s Theology of the Body. Why is the image of the human person so brutalized, trivialized, or banalized in 20th Century art compared with the great works of the Western tradition? We find out.
4:40 – Shaky Economy Forces Parents to Change Priorities
In 7 Myths of Working Mothers, author Suzanne Venker dispels the notion that living on one income is designed for the truly fortunate. The recent economic downturn, however, has forced people to scale down their lifestyles. Suzanne is here to argue that living on one income is entirely possible for most families -- and offers suggestions for how to do so.
5:00 – Abortion Rites: A Social History of Abortion in America
In a remarkable and controversial work which goes back to 1992, Marvin Olasky wrote an in-depth analysis of the history of abortion in America. Part One describes the three groups of women who were having abortions through the mid-nineteenth century. Part Two examines the failures and limited successes of anti-abortion Americans as they tried to develop a societal mind-set in which abortion was condemned. And Part Three carries the story into the twentieth century, examining the moral transition among physicians and the impact of changing values and economic pressures. It is as relevant today as it ever was, and Marvin joins us to look at the social history of abortion in America.
5:40 – The Rise & Fall of the Sexual Constitution of Western Civilization
In the latest edition of the journal Touchstone, Allan Carlson, Founder and President of the Howard Center for Family, Religion & Society, published an article entitled “Meaningful Intercourse: The Rise and Fall of the Sexual Constitution of the West.” In it he draws the parallel between modern notions of sexuality and those of ancient Gnosticism. He points out the demise of our civilization is coming through the acceptance of contraception and the legitimating of illegitimacy. We discuss it.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Former FNC Lib: CNN and MSNBC Further Left Than Fox Is Right
Recently fired liberal Fox News contributor Marc Lamont Hill claimed Tuesday the White House attacks on his former employer reek of propaganda.
Speaking with WOR radio's Steve Malzberg, Hill also agreed that the two other cable news networks he used to contribute to, CNN and MSNBC, are far more to the left than Fox News is to the right.
These were fascinating comments from someone that was considered one of Fox's most liberal contributors prior to his recent termination from the network (14-minute audio available here, relevant section at 4:20):
Outrageous Statement of the Day
NBC's Chuck Todd served as a mouthpiece for self-serving rationale which painted Obama as a victim of an image of perfection: "One Democratic strategist said that part of the President's problem is simply his own expectations. Some of the rhetoric he said on the campaign trail made it seem as if he was coming into office in a clean white suit. So now any speck of mud...shows up a lot clearer..."
And the response of Traditional Anglicans is...
Archbishop John Hepworth, primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion, has issued a statement welcoming Pope Benedict’s decision to permit Anglican communities to join the Catholic Church as communities.
“We are profoundly moved by the generosity of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI,” said Archbishop Hepworth. “May I firstly state that this is an act of great goodness on the part of the Holy Father. He has dedicated his pontificate to the cause of unity. It more than matches the dreams we dared to include in our petition of two years ago. It more than matches our prayers. In those two years, we have become very conscious of the prayers of our friends in the Catholic Church. Perhaps their prayers dared to ask even more than ours.”
Archbishop Hepworth continued:
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also issued a statement welcoming the Vatican announcement.
“We are profoundly moved by the generosity of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI,” said Archbishop Hepworth. “May I firstly state that this is an act of great goodness on the part of the Holy Father. He has dedicated his pontificate to the cause of unity. It more than matches the dreams we dared to include in our petition of two years ago. It more than matches our prayers. In those two years, we have become very conscious of the prayers of our friends in the Catholic Church. Perhaps their prayers dared to ask even more than ours.”
Archbishop Hepworth continued:
While we await the full text of the Apostolic Constitution, we are also
moved by the pastoral nature of the Notes issued today by the Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith. My fellow bishops have indeed signed the Catechism of
the Catholic Church and made a statement about the ministry of the Bishop of
Rome, reflecting the words of Pope John Paul II in his letter "Ut Unum Sint" …
Fortunately, the Statement issued by the Archbishop of Canterbury reflects
the understanding that we have gained from him that he does not stand in our
way, and understands the decisions that we have reached. Both his reaction and
our petition are fruits of a century of prayer for Christian unity, a cause that
many times must have seemed forlorn. We now express our gratitude to Archbishop
Williams, and have regularly assured him of our prayers. The See of Augustine
remains a focus of our pilgrim way, as it was in ages of faith in the past.
I have made a commitment to the Traditional Anglican Communion that the
response of the Holy See will be taken to each of our National Synods. They have
already endorsed our pathway. Now the Holy See challenges us to seek in the
specific structures that are now available the "full, visible unity, especially
Eucharistic communion", for which we have long prayed and about which we have
long dreamed. That process will begin at once.
In the Anglican Office of Morning Prayer, the great Hymn of Thanksgiving,
the Te Deum, is part of the daily Order. It is with heartfelt thanks to Almighty
God, the Lord and Source of all peace and unity, that the hymn is on our lips
today. This is a moment of grace, perhaps even a moment of history, not because
the past is undone, but because the past is transformed.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also issued a statement welcoming the Vatican announcement.
Today on Kresta - October 21, 2009
Talking about the "things that matter most" on Oct. 21
4:00 – An Economic Crash: One Year Later. What Have We Learned?
October 2008 was an extraordinary month for the stock market and an exhausting one for investors and traders, who had to stomach extreme market volatility nearly every day during the month. As a matter of fact, six of the Dow’s top ten point changes in 2008 were in October alone. One year after Wall Street teetered on the brink of collapse, seven out of 10 Americans lack confidence the federal government has taken safeguards to prevent another financial industry meltdown, according to a new Associated Press poll. Even more — 80 percent — rate the condition of the economy as poor and a majority worry about their own ability to make ends meet. George Schwartz has the analysis.
4:20 – Discerning the Will of God: An Ignatian Guide to Christian Decision Making
Drawing from the timeless methods of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Fr. Timothy Gallagher offers a thoughtful meditation enriched with examples and stories that offer practical and profound wisdom for aligning personal desires and goals with God’s will. With guidance on recognizing God’s infinite love, opening the heart to what God wants, making use of silence, the Eucharist, scripture, spiritual direction, finding clarity, and understanding discernment as part of the overall spiritual life in Christ, this discussion addresses questions asked by many Christians throughout life, such as What does God want for my life? Is it time to change jobs? And Should I marry? Focusing on major life decisions such as marriage and career, these insights can be adapted to any of life's decisions, helping the thoughtful Christian find a spiritually inspired mission.
4:45 – Exploring the Ministry of Life
The Guadalupe Partners for Life invite you to an evening of dinner, prayer and reflection. Since the work of the Partners is trans-diocesan, the dinner will be graced by the presence of two bishops: Bishop Earl Boyea of the Lansing diocese, and Bishop Daniel Flores, auxiliary bishop of Detroit. The purpose of the evening is to simply show the pro-life movement a quiet yet near-miraculous method of rescue and transformation. Should the pro-life movement be more present to the poor? Should it be more active on the sidewalks? Is the struggle political or spiritual? These questions will be tackled and more. We hope you will be able to join us and perhaps help open a new window of possibility for the pro-life movement. Co-founders Edmund Miller and Alecia Wong join us.
5:00 – A Catholic View of Literary Classics – Part 5 of 10: King Lear
We continue our 10-week series examining Classic Literature from a Catholic perspective. Acclaimed literary biographer Joseph Pearce is the editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions and will be our guide. We will ensure that traditional moral readings of the works are given prominence, instead of the feminist or deconstructionist readings that often proliferate in other series of 'critical editions'. As such, they represent a genuine extension of consumer choice, enabling educators, students, and lovers of good literature to buy editions of classic literary works without having to 'buy into' the ideologies of secular fundamentalism. Today, we examine Shakespeare’s King Lear.
5:20 – Mary, Mother of the Son (Part 3 of 3)
Mary, Mother of the Son takes the reader on a tour de force exploration of the Marian dimension of Catholic thought, life, prayer, and practice. In Volume One: Modern Myths and Ancient Truth, we discover the fascinating way in which Mary emerges with profundity, beauty, and love from the pages of Scripture in the light of apostolic teaching. We probe how the gospel of Christ crowns and perfects, not only the Old Testament, but the deepest insights of the great non-Christian philosophies, religions, and myths. We learn how to read the Bible as the earliest Christians did and find out how Mary safeguards the deepest truths about Christ and his Church. Mark Shea, author of the trilogy is here for part three in our three-day series on Mary, Mother of the Son.
5:40 – The Vatican’s Investigation of Women Religious in America
In recent weeks, a number of angry voices have been raised to protest the Vatican’s initiative to investigate communities of American nuns. To give just one example, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Carol Marin strongly critiqued the move, arguing that it represents just another example of an out of touch, patriarchal church persecuting those who refuse to cooperate with it. “These investigations,” Marin argues, “are about dissent in the Catholic church and how to stop it.” Now, one could certainly argue that this represents only one person’s opinion. Perhaps, but Fr. Robert Barron thinks that’s precisely what the Vatican quite rightly wants to determine. He join s us.
4:00 – An Economic Crash: One Year Later. What Have We Learned?
October 2008 was an extraordinary month for the stock market and an exhausting one for investors and traders, who had to stomach extreme market volatility nearly every day during the month. As a matter of fact, six of the Dow’s top ten point changes in 2008 were in October alone. One year after Wall Street teetered on the brink of collapse, seven out of 10 Americans lack confidence the federal government has taken safeguards to prevent another financial industry meltdown, according to a new Associated Press poll. Even more — 80 percent — rate the condition of the economy as poor and a majority worry about their own ability to make ends meet. George Schwartz has the analysis.
4:20 – Discerning the Will of God: An Ignatian Guide to Christian Decision Making
Drawing from the timeless methods of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Fr. Timothy Gallagher offers a thoughtful meditation enriched with examples and stories that offer practical and profound wisdom for aligning personal desires and goals with God’s will. With guidance on recognizing God’s infinite love, opening the heart to what God wants, making use of silence, the Eucharist, scripture, spiritual direction, finding clarity, and understanding discernment as part of the overall spiritual life in Christ, this discussion addresses questions asked by many Christians throughout life, such as What does God want for my life? Is it time to change jobs? And Should I marry? Focusing on major life decisions such as marriage and career, these insights can be adapted to any of life's decisions, helping the thoughtful Christian find a spiritually inspired mission.
4:45 – Exploring the Ministry of Life
The Guadalupe Partners for Life invite you to an evening of dinner, prayer and reflection. Since the work of the Partners is trans-diocesan, the dinner will be graced by the presence of two bishops: Bishop Earl Boyea of the Lansing diocese, and Bishop Daniel Flores, auxiliary bishop of Detroit. The purpose of the evening is to simply show the pro-life movement a quiet yet near-miraculous method of rescue and transformation. Should the pro-life movement be more present to the poor? Should it be more active on the sidewalks? Is the struggle political or spiritual? These questions will be tackled and more. We hope you will be able to join us and perhaps help open a new window of possibility for the pro-life movement. Co-founders Edmund Miller and Alecia Wong join us.
5:00 – A Catholic View of Literary Classics – Part 5 of 10: King Lear
We continue our 10-week series examining Classic Literature from a Catholic perspective. Acclaimed literary biographer Joseph Pearce is the editor of the Ignatius Critical Editions and will be our guide. We will ensure that traditional moral readings of the works are given prominence, instead of the feminist or deconstructionist readings that often proliferate in other series of 'critical editions'. As such, they represent a genuine extension of consumer choice, enabling educators, students, and lovers of good literature to buy editions of classic literary works without having to 'buy into' the ideologies of secular fundamentalism. Today, we examine Shakespeare’s King Lear.
5:20 – Mary, Mother of the Son (Part 3 of 3)
Mary, Mother of the Son takes the reader on a tour de force exploration of the Marian dimension of Catholic thought, life, prayer, and practice. In Volume One: Modern Myths and Ancient Truth, we discover the fascinating way in which Mary emerges with profundity, beauty, and love from the pages of Scripture in the light of apostolic teaching. We probe how the gospel of Christ crowns and perfects, not only the Old Testament, but the deepest insights of the great non-Christian philosophies, religions, and myths. We learn how to read the Bible as the earliest Christians did and find out how Mary safeguards the deepest truths about Christ and his Church. Mark Shea, author of the trilogy is here for part three in our three-day series on Mary, Mother of the Son.
5:40 – The Vatican’s Investigation of Women Religious in America
In recent weeks, a number of angry voices have been raised to protest the Vatican’s initiative to investigate communities of American nuns. To give just one example, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Carol Marin strongly critiqued the move, arguing that it represents just another example of an out of touch, patriarchal church persecuting those who refuse to cooperate with it. “These investigations,” Marin argues, “are about dissent in the Catholic church and how to stop it.” Now, one could certainly argue that this represents only one person’s opinion. Perhaps, but Fr. Robert Barron thinks that’s precisely what the Vatican quite rightly wants to determine. He join s us.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Outrageous Statement of the Day
Tucker Carlson claims Obama advisers "lie for a living". Now we all know that politicians tell a lot of lies and half-truths, but to say that all Obama advisers "lie for a living" is outrageous, un-Christian, and counter-productive.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
