David Ancell / Wednesday, August 27, 2003 / Comments(0)
I was reminded of a statement that said “scholars accept that Jesus performed miracles” by this post by Robert Gotcher. It was as though scholars were the ultimate authority. The post references here helps to dispel that.
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David Ancell / Sunday, August 24, 2003 / Comments(0)
Fr. Rob writes a great play based on the comments on Mark Shea’s blog. Read it here. You might also want to look at the Jeff Miller version.
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David Ancell / Sunday, August 24, 2003 / Comments(0)
Take a look at the Epistle from this Sunday in Ephesians 5:21-32 (which, interestingly enough, though a short reading, allows for people to shorten it by eliminating the “wives be submissive to their husbands). It speaks of the conduct of husbands and wives towards each other. Towards the end, he speaks of the two becoming one flesh, and the last line of the reading is “This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church.”
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David Ancell / Sunday, August 24, 2003 / Comments(0)
Please pray for the soul of John Geoghan. He was murdered in prison. He was one of the serial abusive priests who was serving a jail sentence. Despite the horrific nature of what he did, we need to pray that he died repentant. One wonders why the prison system doesn’t have better security than this.
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David Ancell / Saturday, August 23, 2003 / Comments(0)
Mark Shea blogs Greg Popcak’s response to the idiotic article that was previously blogged. It’s well worth reading.
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David Ancell / Friday, August 22, 2003 / Comments(0)
I found this interesting comment on the difference between ordaining married men and letting the ordained marry. I can think of an alternative. A priest would look for a spouse outside the congregation and possibly outside the Catholic Church. This could very well lead him away from the priesthood and the Church.
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David Ancell / Thursday, August 21, 2003 / Comments(0)
Mark Shea gives this interesting take (top of the screen) on “Once Saved, Always Saved.”
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David Ancell / Thursday, August 21, 2003 / Comments(0)
I think that this Word of Encouragement on Catholic Exchange aptly describes some orthodoxy movements that have sailed straight into a rock rather than build their foundation on the Rock. In trying to avoid a lie, they embrace the opposite. Read on.
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David Ancell / Wednesday, August 20, 2003 / Comments(0)
Sometimes it pays to be diplomatic. Other times it is outright cowardly to do so. Rarely do I like what Diogenes on Catholic World News writes because he strikes me as cynical and uncharitable. However, this is right on. He is referring to this reflection by the chair of a USCCB committee on the choice of an openly gay bishop. The offending line is as follows:
In the light of the recent decisions made at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States concerning the appointment of a bishop who professes himself to be in an active homosexual relationship, and the recognition that some local Episcopal communities bless same-sex unions, new ecumenical challenges have been created.
The problem with this is that this statement is diplomatic bullhockey. Ecumenism is really the least of our concerns in this matter. The problem is that the Episcopal Church has just formally condoned serious sin. They are endangering the souls of their flock. Wake up guys and call this what it is!!
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David Ancell / Wednesday, August 20, 2003 / Comments(0)
I remember reading Fr. Mitch Pacwa’s book a few weeks ago, Father, Forgive Me, For I Am Frustrated. One of the things that Fr. Mitch Pacwa decries is that the many groups that stand for orthodoxy often don’t get along with each other. Some do this by dogmatizing things that are not doctrinally settled. Others nuance some statement of another group and decide that they are really “not Catholic enough.”
I read Jeff Miller’s blog and found this article attached to this post. It basically goes through several writings by Greg Popcak and concludes that he isn’t really Catholic, or something like that. I don’t want to take the time to refute it point by point, but I will give my general impressions.
First of all, it assumes that he is recommending psychology instead of Church teaching. It is quite possible to use any natural science in accord with Church teaching. It does not have to be an either-or situation, and I don’t think Popcak intends it to be.
Second, the article suggests that mentioning NFP in the teen years is meant to prepare a man to reduce the number of births. NFP properly understood is also used to get pregnant as well as avoid pregnancy. And yes, monitoring the health of his wife is an important part of NFP because it is one factor that determines whether or not they can or should have a baby.
There can well be healthy disagreement on the application of Church teachings. If one stays within the teachings, then don’t say he’s outside the Church because you don’t agree with his methods.
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