David Ancell / Friday, October 25, 2002 / Comments(0)
I found this from Catholic Answers to be interesting. A burial box was found that identifies it as the burial box of St. James, identified as the “brother” of Jesus. Amazing what happens when I go away. I’m sure this is old news by now.
In any event, there are two points to discuss:
1. This is good archeological evidence for the historical reality of Jesus as a person.
2. This doesn’t refute the dogma of Mary’s Perpetural Virginity. That cannot be done. Remember that the word “brothers” was used for all kinds of relatives in Biblical times. There was not a word for cousins in their languages.
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David Ancell / Thursday, October 24, 2002 / Comments(0)
If you want to really confuse yourself as to what’s going on with the Dallas policy, be sure to read this op-ed by Margaret O’Brien Steinfels. Better yet, let me quote some real gems from that article.
Due process has not been a hallmark of Vatican decision making. Why raise it now?
Uh, documentation please.
The Vatican has raised it as a way to protect church authority.
Yeah, that’s it. The Vatican officials are a bunch of power-hungry monsters who will do anything to save their beloved power. Nevermind that we Americans have a tendency to think we’re the only Catholics who count and therefore need no interference from someone who sees a wider picture. Nevermind that we Americans may have the quick-fix, lock-em-up-and-throw-away-the-key mentality.
They recognized that their failure to resolve the abuse problem in the mid-1980’s, when it first made headlines in Louisiana, was in some measure because there was not a national policy binding on all bishops.
I fail to see this connection. How can not having a national policy stop a bishop from acting within the authority he already has? The problem is not a lack of policy; it’s a lack of enforcement of the policy.
Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston, the man at the center of the abuse scandal since January, was finally allowed in 1998 to defrock Father John Geoghan, a serial abuser, only on personal appeal to the pope.
I will try to avoid judging the author’s intentions, but this statement is just plain misleading. Cardinal Law had the authority to deal with this matter all along. He did not, however, have the authority to laicize a priest without approval from Rome. Fr. Geoghan could well have been removed from ministry while awaiting the laicization. Besides, lacization is very serious and darn well should take a long time, whatever the case.
The bishops did not have any reason to believe that these boards [consisting of professional experts, parents and victims of abuse] . . . . would be cavalier about due process for priests.
The very sound of this makes it seem that these “review boards” that the author advocated would be the equivalent of a trial of an accused murderer by a jury of families of murder victims. Impartial? I think not.
The article goes on to Steinfels’ real point, “More power to the laity.” I don’t have a problem with lay participation, but they can’t operate over a bishop’s head. The problem with having an authoritative “lay review board” is that they give the bishop the perfect excuse to abdicate his responsibility, whether intentionally or not. This is exactly why we are in this mess in the first place. Why build it in to the structure?
The Vatican had good, sound reasons for rejecting the Dallas policy. I am grateful that they did. Now I hope that the root of the problem will be addressed. If you aren’t already doing so, please pray for the Church.
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized
David Ancell / Thursday, October 24, 2002 / Comments(0)
Here’s a question and answer feature by Catholic World News regarding the Vatican decision. Not a bad perspective, but it does fail to take into account the fact that the Vatican didn’t tell the U.S. Bishops to cease and desist on their policy. I like the fact that it mentions that the bishops have plenty of authority to discipline priests, if they would just do it.
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David Ancell / Thursday, October 24, 2002 / Comments(0)
I made it back from Nashville once again. The trips are kind of fun, but it is sure getting old. I think I’m more tired than usual. I kept waking up at 4 AM for some odd reason. It may be because the hotel starched not only the bedsheets, but also the blanket. It was like sleeping on sand paper. I guess I’m not as penitential as I should be.
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David Ancell / Wednesday, October 23, 2002 / Comments(0)
I’ve just finished reading Russell Shaw’s recent book entitled Ministry or Apostolate. It’s a great book about the role of the laity. Shaw does believe the laity have a place within the Church, but he reminds us that the lay people also have a mission to go bring the Gospel to the world. He laments the lack of formation for apostolate, our mission out in the world we live in.
I recommend this book. I, too, hope to see the day when formation is readily avail on Christian living in the world. Of course, Shaw’s vision of laity beats the heck out of those VOTF people any day.
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David Ancell / Wednesday, October 23, 2002 / Comments(0)
I’ve just finished reading Russell Shaw’s recent book entitled Ministry or Apostolate. It’s a great book about the role of the laity. Shaw does believe the laity have a place within the Church, but he reminds us that the lay people also have a mission to go bring the Gospel to the world. He laments the lack of formation for apostolate, our mission out in the world we live in.
I recommend this book. I, too, hope to see the day when formation is readily avail on Christian living in the world. Of course, Shaw’s vision of laity beats the heck out of those VOTF people any day.
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized
David Ancell / Wednesday, October 23, 2002 / Comments(0)
On the side of a road along where I’m working this week, I saw a church (not Catholic) with this on their sign:
“Celebrate your spiritual magnificence.”
Funny, I thought we were supposed to go to church to worship God.
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David Ancell / Monday, October 21, 2002 / Comments(0)
I happen to share the same viewpoint as Emily Stimpson regarding young priests. The ones whom I know are a sign of hope not just because of their youth. They are a sign of hope because of their reverence and desire to serve. It’s a sign that next-generation Catholics will not have to put up with pass-the-marijuana Masses that have likely been the cause of the perennial question “Why do I have to go to Mass?”
The younger priests that I have met are almost all orthodox, and they are also very cordial people (so much for the image of the dried-up, emotionally-repressed, grouch who is unhappy because he’s forced against his will to teach these “oppressive” Church teachings). Their Masses are said according to the rubrics and with a great devotion to the Holy Eucharist. All of this amounts to a sign that God will raise up holy men in the times that we are living in.
NOTE: This post is not intended as a slam on older priests. It’s only meant to highlight the great devotion I’ve seen in the younger priests I know.
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David Ancell / Monday, October 21, 2002 / Comments(0)
Gregory Popchak announced on the HMS Blog that he is planning to syndicate a weekly column entitled Heart, Mind, and Strength to Catholic newspapers. You can e-mail him if you’d like to see his column in your local Catholic paper.
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David Ancell / Monday, October 21, 2002 / Comments(0)
This week is National Pharmacy Week. I would have some links available, but I couldn’t find anything, even on three different professional organizations’ sites. Oh well . . .
Category: Posts imported from Danger! Falling Brainwaves, Uncategorized