Current — The Papacy

• The Symbolic Imperative of the Papacy Under Pope Francis: Kenotic Atonement

  

  As often happens, I’m feeling considerably out of step with much that’s being said following the election of Cardinal Bergoglio as pope yesterday. As a result, ... Read more

  The 14 march 2013 by   William Lindsey
  

• Papal Resignation

  

  Pope Benedictus XVI (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Genesis 9:6 explains why it’s a sin to murder or even injure a man:“Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his... Read more

  The 20 february 2013 by   Adask
  POLITICS, SOCIETY

• How Can You Not Like This Pope?

  

  Seriously. Pope Francis has given a 17-year-old boy with Down Syndrome the ride of his life — sort of. Francis invited Alberto di Tullio up onto his open-top... Read more

  The 19 june 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Pew Finding That 8 in 10 LGBT Americans See Catholic Church As Unfriendly:...

  

  Meanwhile (and this relates to the two pieces I've just posted about LGBT folks and Catholic, Inc., and about how Pope Francis is being perceived), isn't it... Read more

  The 18 june 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Pope Francis: A Progressive's Dream Come True Or Ersatz Pope? Recent Media...

  

  It's interesting to see glimmers of a meme now developing in the secular media regarding Pope Francis. A few days ago, at the Talking Points memo site, Sahil... Read more

  The 18 june 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Candace Chellew Hodge on Pew Finding That 8 in 10 LGBT Americans Rank Catholics...

  

  Candace Chellew-Hodge at Religion Dispatches on the new Pew Research survey dealing with LGBT folks and religion that I cited in my posting earlier today. Read more

  The 14 june 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Pope Francis on the Gay Lobby in the Vatican: A Selection of Responses

  

  Pope Francis has made another of those unexpected, off-the-cuff (or was it?) remarks that have the world media atwitter. This time, he referred to that "gay... Read more

  The 13 june 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• "It's the Institutionalization of These Religious Principles That Don't Serve...

  Susan Sarandon, on the Oprah Winfrey Network no less, engages in a favorite cultural elite pastime, Catholic bashing: It's tough to deal seriously with someone... Read more

  The 10 june 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• The Coming One World Religion

  

  In the Tribulation, the final 7-year period when the church is removed and Jesus rains down His wrath upon an unbelieving world, there will be one final... Read more

  The 08 june 2013 by   Elizabethprata
  SOCIETY, SPIRITUALITY

• Puddling

  

  This might prove to be a bit more than embarrassing but after reading some Fr. Lemieux this morning, I think I'm ready to confess it. Read more

  The 08 june 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Ever Heard of Mary Stachowicz?

  

  Likely, the answer to that question is no.  I certainly had not.  Until yesterday when I read about Illinois Bishop Thomas Paprocki's decision to debate a... Read more

  The 06 june 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Bishop Geoffrey Robinson to Pope Francis: "For Christ's Sake, Stop Sexual Abuse"

  A number of e-friends of mine and good readers of this blog have recommended an international petition to Pope Francis from Bishop Geoffrey Robinson of Australi... Read more

  The 04 june 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Did Gabriele Amorth Really Exorcise 160,000 Demons?

  

  The Catholic Church has a premier exorcist. And he is swamped. Eighty-eight year old Gabriele Amorth has been busy, busy, busy casting out demons from people,... Read more

  The 01 june 2013 by   Elizabethprata
  SOCIETY, SPIRITUALITY

• "As Individuals and as Nations We Live for Those Higher Purposes"

  

  I love what RC2 over at Wheat&Weeds has done to commemorate Memorial day, pairing the beautiful and poignant words of Ken Masugi with the transcendent and... Read more

  The 27 may 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY

• Pope Francis: Priestly Protocol Must Not Close Doors to Those Seeking Faith

  

  Yet another homily from the Pope revealing the man's passion coming our way via CNA: Pope Francis warned that some Christians establish the eighth sacrament... Read more

  The 26 may 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Robert McClory on Carla Hale Story: A Church "Crippled and Sclerotic Due to...

  

  At National Catholic Reporter, Robert McClory notes that Frank Bruni's summary of the Carla Hale story, about which I blogged on Tuesday, is making the... Read more

  The 24 may 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Droppings from the Catholic Birdcage: "The Whole Church Reeks of Something That...

  

  Yesterday, in his "Morning Briefings" column in National Catholic Reporter, Dennis Coday linked to a Chicago Tribune story reporting that "[i]nternal church... Read more

  The 24 may 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Pope Francis Denies Jesus

  I've stated several times on this blog that any person who adheres to the Catholic faith, its creeds, or submits to the Pope as spiritual authority, isn't saved... Read more

  The 23 may 2013 by   Elizabethprata
  SOCIETY, SPIRITUALITY

• Father Fugee Arrested in New Jersey, and Star-Ledger Calls for More Arrests

  

  As a footnote to what I just posted about the new Catholic Whistleblowers group: I noted that Father Michael Fugee, the priest at the center of the latest big... Read more

  The 22 may 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Catholic Whistleblowers Group Forms: "From the Convictions of Our Conscience"

  

  This is very important news: as Laurie Goodstein reports at New York Times yesterday and as Michael D'Antonio writes for Huffington Post, a group of twelve... Read more

  The 22 may 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• "An Element of Madness" That is "healthy" and "spiritual"

  

  Pope Francis is suggesting that I might just be blessing the Lord: The Pope told Christians it is better to be “annoying” and “a nuisance” than lukewarm in... Read more

  The 17 may 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Swaziland Aviation Authority Bans Broomstick Flying Witches

  

  Even the article's author says he doesn't know how serious the Civil Aviation Authority marketing and corporate affairs director was, and he MAY have been... Read more

  The 15 may 2013 by   Elizabethprata
  SOCIETY, SPIRITUALITY

• Reforming the Catholic Church Today: Three Perspectives

  

  Steve's surgery seems to have gone well, and he has spent the day sleeping. Thank you, all who have asked about this and have told us you'll be praying. We... Read more

  The 14 may 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• "We Seek Him to Find Him and Because We Find Him, We Seek Him."

  

  I found a new blog that's been added to the blogroll.  It's called Strange Notions and here's an excerpt from their about page: StrangeNotions.com is the centra... Read more

  The 14 may 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• …Keep Score

  

  Pope Francis made headlines again, this past week when he smashed a papal record.At his first canonization ceremony this past Sunday, Pope Francis left the... Read more

  The 14 may 2013 by   Zer
  SELF EXPRESSION

• "The Choice to Highlight Their Sacrifice May Put a Strain on the Already...

  

  I learned only yesterday of the long ago events leading to the canonization of more than 800 Catholics in Saint Peter’s Square on Sunday but what is familiar... Read more

  The 13 may 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• "By Suggesting He is Uncomfortable with the Moral Dimensions of Capitalism,...

  

  Via Frank Weathers, I learn that the Pope has ruffled the feathers at Forbes with the following tweet: My thoughts turn to all who are unemployed, often as a... Read more

  The 11 may 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• "Christian Joy. Far from Sorrow, Far from Simple Fun ... It is Something Else."

  

  Pope Francis gives every believer a challenge: "A Christian is a man and a woman of joy. Jesus teaches us this, the Church teaches us this, in a special way in... Read more

  The 10 may 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• The Letter

  

  He rose before six that morning, same as usual, and donned his sweatshirt and went for a jog — three miles now, in a slight concession to age, rather than four. Read more

  The 08 may 2013 by   Stjohnpa
  RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY

• Back in Too Much Business

  My foray to Geneva last week to give a two-day Speechwriting in Action masterclass to international officials went well: The workshop you facilitated was truly... Read more

  The 07 may 2013 by   Charlescrawford
  CURRENT, POLITICS, SOCIETY

• 8 of the World’s Most Popular Spiritual Destinations

  

  A centuries-old golden temple. Prehistoric enormous stones atop vast grassland. An ancient holy city for three different religions. Read more

  The 06 may 2013 by   Healthytravelblog
  HEALTH, TRAVEL

• "I Became Catholic Because of the Holy Eucharist"

  

  Not long ago I was sitting in Dad's hospital room with my mom and my youngest brother.  Dad was recovering from a stroke and they'd taken him away for a test... Read more

  The 05 may 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Highs and Lows in the Catholic Church

  

  Anthony, a recent Southern Baptist seminiarian convert to Catholicism, has an interesting post up over at Devin Rose's place that ought to be read in its... Read more

  The 05 may 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Is Catholicism in America Dying?

  

  Fr. Longenecker suggests it is... and that it's being killed by cultural forces and complacency. From his first in a series of posts on the subject: The first... Read more

  The 02 may 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• The Cost of Being Catholic

  

  by Christopher Manion (reprinted from Crisis Magazine) Nowadays, “charity” conjures up various images, some of which are quite distant from everyday life.... Read more

  The 02 may 2013 by   Stjohnpa
  RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY

• Woman Ordained as Catholic Priest

  

  How bad is rebellion? Are there degrees of falsity? Is it like Animal Farm, all animals are equal but some are more equal than others? All rebellion is bad but... Read more

  The 28 april 2013 by   Elizabethprata
  SOCIETY, SPIRITUALITY

• The Last Marathon (Antarctica), Act 1

  

  Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads. - Emmett “Doc” Brown, “Back To The Future” (PREFACE: This is not a blog post in the usual sense. Read more

  The 28 april 2013 by   Sohaskey
  ATHLETICS, FITNESS, SPORTS

• Francis (of Assisi)

  

  Francis of Assisi is hands-down one of the greatest, most influential F’s to ever walk the earth. As the son of a wealthy merchant, he could have lived a... Read more

  The 19 april 2013 by   Themightyf
  HUMOR, RANDOM

• Huge Explosion in Texas Kills 60-70

  

  At 7:53 pm last night, disaster struck the small town of West, Texas — 20 miles north of Waco, 45 miles from President George W. Bush’s ranch in Crawford, and 8... Read more

  The 18 april 2013 by   Eowyn
  DEBATE, POLITICS, SOCIETY, SPIRITUALITY

• Mary Hunt on Francis and American Nuns: Atoning for Centuries of Discrimination...

  

  Theologian Mary Hunt thinks the jury is still out on Pope Francis, though early impressions of his pontificate are positive on several fronts. Read more

  The 17 april 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Footnotes to Discussion of Pope Francis and LCWR: Sr. Maureen Fiedler and Fr....

  

  Some brief footnotes to the story about which I posted yesterday--the decision of the new pope to uphold the censure of the Leadership Conference of Religious... Read more

  The 16 april 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• A Footnote to Discussion of Gender Politics in the Catholic Church: Pope...

  

  "Women will be players, but never coaches" in the papacy of Pope Francis, despite his new style. It turns out that Colleen Baker's statement written only... Read more

  The 15 april 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Mohammed Ali at The Vatican

  

  An Italian cardinal, a Serbian basketball star, the Cuban-born American singer Gloria Estefan and a Muslim graffiti artist from Birmingham, UK are among those... Read more

  The 15 april 2013 by   Aerosolarabic
  ART & DESIGN, CULTURE

• Heads Up... Pope Francis' Honeymoon with the Left is About to Be Over

  

  Why? He's dissing (I'm sure will be the charge) the nuns just like his predecessor did: Pope Francis has reaffirmed the Vatican’s assessment of the Leadership... Read more

  The 15 april 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Homeless Jesus and a Reflection on Gender Politics in the Catholic Church

  

  In the Toronto Star, Leslie Scrivener tells the story of how a statue of Jesus the homeless was itself made homeless when both St. Michael's cathedral in Toront... Read more

  The 15 april 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• First Latin American Pope

  

  Yet another scandal in, what is considered by some to be the strongest and most corrupt organisations in the world, the Catholic Church, took place a bit ago. Read more

  The 15 april 2013 by   Naturegirl321
  TRAVEL

• The Peace That Christ Alone Can Give

  

  POPE-EMERITUS BENEDICT XVI Every year in celebrating Easter we relive the experience of the first disciples of Jesus, the experience of the encounter with him... Read more

  The 12 april 2013 by   Stjohnpa
  RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY

• Colman McCarthy to Disaffected and Alienated Catholics: Should We Come Back Unde...

  

  At National Catholic Reporter, Colman McCarthy asks whether Catholics blown out of the church in recent decades by "a strong tailwind of reasons" should return... Read more

  The 11 april 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• We May Soon Be Losing Pope Benedict XVI

  

  Shedding even more light on his surprise resignation: I think all of us were distressed by the fragility of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI when we saw him greet... Read more

  The 10 april 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Colleen Baker on Jesus and Gender, and Pope Francis's Model of Male Servant...

  

  And more on the new pope: I find Colleen Baker's latest posting on Jesus and gender at Enlightened Catholicism very important. Read more

  The 09 april 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• A New Pope and a New Style: But on the Abuse Front . . . .

  

  As April began, I wrote that I agree with Spanish Benedictine theologian Teresa Forcades that, while we welcome positive signs of change in the way Pope... Read more

  The 09 april 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Thatcher’s Death: Time to See How Print Covers News That Broke 18 Hours Earlier

  

  TAKEAWAY: Breaking news represents one of the greatest challenges for printed newspaper editors: how can the headline make a dated story fresh? Read more

  The 09 april 2013 by   Themarioblog
  MEDIA, SOCIAL MEDIA, TECH

• Friends of Pope Francis: The Poor Will "Convert Him Completely," the Church...

  

  One of the unexpected gifts of the new pope to the church is this: after having been under a shadow during the last two papacies, after having been attacked... Read more

  The 08 april 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Please Don't Call It Love: Gay Catholics Respond to Cardinal Dolan

  

  Okay, one of those scourge times again, albeit that it's Eastertide and we're supposed to be basking in the love of the risen Christ. Read more

  The 07 april 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• A Christian Guide to Surviving the End of the World as We Know It

  

  Originally titled “A Catholic’s Guide…,” the audience for this essay really embrace all Christians. That’s why I’ve crossed out the word “Catholic” in the... Read more

  The 07 april 2013 by   Eowyn
  SPIRITUALITY

• PC Madness: City of Phoenix Recruits Lifeguards Who Can’t Swim

  

  Pope Benedict 16th called it the Dictatorship of Relativism. He wrote:In his futuristic novel Brave New World, the British author Aldous Huxley had predicted... Read more

  The 06 april 2013 by   Eowyn
  DEBATE, POLITICS, SOCIETY, SPIRITUALITY

• "The Way He Spoke Reminded Me of the Joy I Used to Feel at Church. He Brought...

  

  Yesterday I found a website purposed in defending Father Greg Shaffer, the Catholic priest targeted by gay fascists for ouster at George Washington University,... Read more

  The 06 april 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Leonardo Boff and Robert McClory on Pope Francis as Franciscan Reformer and...

  

  More from Leonardo Boff on the parallels between Pope Francis and Francis of Assisi, at Boff's blog site: Boff thinks that, to understand what Pope Francis is... Read more

  The 05 april 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• The Reform We Need

  

  by Randall B. Smith Crisis Magazine Amidst of all the joys of a new pope and my continuing wonder at the smooth transition effected by cardinals who pray... Read more

  The 05 april 2013 by   Stjohnpa
  RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY

• Tuesday Morning Laugh..

  

  SUCCESSION OF POPE  WASHINGTON, DC – Sources close to the White House have learned that Barack Obama is planning to run for the office of Pope when the College... Read more

  The 02 april 2013 by   Eowyn
  HUMOR

• Change Begins with the Feet and Not the Head: Theologians Responding to Pope...

  

  Two complementary statements this morning from theologians reflecting on the significance of the new papal style:Here's Leonardo Boff on the pope who pays his... Read more

  The 01 april 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• …Renew

  

  Happy Easter!For Catholics this is an especially significant Easter Sunday. This is the first Easter for Pope Francis, who happens to be the first Jesuit pope... Read more

  The 31 march 2013 by   Zer
  SELF EXPRESSION

• As Jesus Loved

  John 13:1-17, 31-35Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his... Read more

  The 30 march 2013 by   Alanbean
  DEBATE, SOCIETY

• Washing Women's Feet: New Pope Captures Media Attention (and Infuriates...

  

  I intended this Good Friday to write about something that seems really substantial (to me, at least). Meanwhile, a number of things I've read online this mornin... Read more

  The 29 march 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• "No One Answered"

  

  I love this piece from Elizabeth Scalia for many reasons, the largest being how well she engages those who think they have Pope Francis figured out: Having... Read more

  The 28 march 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Catholics Responding to Gay Rights: "We're Still Working on Love"

  

  Earlier today, I wrote,If nothing else, my Facebook feed keeps me hooked. For two days now, it's been full of links provided by FB friends, many of them... Read more

  The 27 march 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• One Sermon

  

  Two voices Below is the text of a sermon which was never preached, but which was heard twice.  In it I have fused phrases from the texts of the inaugural sermon... Read more

  The 26 march 2013 by   Richardl
  RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY

• High Profile Muslim Convert to Catholicism Changes Mind

  

  Magdi Allam, claiming Catholicism was "too weak on Islam" and who had been baptized by Pope Benedict XVI, has decided to renounce his conversion: Allam,... Read more

  The 25 march 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Moving Across Platforms with Ease

  

  TAKEAWAY: It’s a fact about today’s media consumer: we have options as to where to get our information, and sometimes two platforms with similar content lie sid... Read more

  The 25 march 2013 by   Themarioblog
  MEDIA, SOCIAL MEDIA, TECH

• "... This Understanding Saves Us from So Many Pitfalls in Mis-reading of...

  

  Two weeks before resigning the papacy, Pope Benedict XVI delivered the following in an address before the clergy of Rome: I remember more or less the... Read more

  The 24 march 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• New Pope Frankie

  

  So, 520 years after the discovery of the New World, the Catholic Church finally gets around to choosing a Western hemisphere pope. Read more

  The 24 march 2013 by   Fsrcoin
  CULTURE, POLITICS, SOCIETY

• Listen to the New Bells at Notre Dame De Paris Cathedral

  Yesterday afternoon, the new bells that were installed to celebrate the 850th anniversary of the construction of Notre Dame de Paris rang for the first time. Read more

  The 24 march 2013 by   Allisonlounes
  DESTINATIONS, EXPAT, TRAVEL

• Palming the Truth

  

  For some today is Palm Sunday. For others it is not. And I’m not referring to those outside the Christian camp. For many Eastern Orthodox Christians, Lent is... Read more

  The 24 march 2013 by   Steveawiggins
  POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Things You Likely Didn't Know About the Vatican's Wealth

  

  This I found intriguing and... revealing: Given the magnificence of St. Peter's Basilica and the Apostolic Palace, the Vatican may seem a counterintuitive... Read more

  The 23 march 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• More Testimony About Pope Francis from Leading Liberation Theologians

  

  As the work week ends, I want to point readers to two more good statements about Pope Francis by highly regarded liberation theologians, which the Iglesia... Read more

  The 21 march 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Pope Francis and His Shadow: Milt Priggee Cartoon

  

  The cartoon: Milt Priggee of Cagle Cartoons, by way of Truthdig.What do you think? Good, bad, indifferent? Does it help to continue talking about these issues?... Read more

  The 21 march 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Pope Francis on God the Father – 2 – Address to Religious Leaders

  “Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all be intimately united to our Savior’s prayer at the Last Supper, to his invocation: ut unum sint. Read more

  The 21 march 2013 by   Apostolate Of The Divine Heart
  RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY

• Mary Hunt on Theology and Consequences: An Initial Response to Pope Francis

  

  And on the theme of the significance of the new pope in general--beyond particular issues like the dirty war and gay marriage--Catholic theologian Mary Hunt... Read more

  The 20 march 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Pope Francis and Gay Marriage: More Valuable Commentary

  

  And, to complement what I just posted vis-a-vis recent commentary about Pope Francis and the dirty war, here's a selection of recent statements on his response... Read more

  The 20 march 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Pope Francis and the Dirty War: Valuable New Commentary

  

  Good commentary on the new pope continues to pour forth. Here are several articles that strike me as particularly valuable--all dealing with questions about... Read more

  The 20 march 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• If Only...

  

  Via Eye of the Tiber, the story that should top all stories: Vice President Joe Biden announced today that he was stepping down as Vice President just hours... Read more

  The 20 march 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• The More I See of Pope Francis, the More Aware I Become of My Need for a Savior

  I'm a sinner. Some know this more than others but let's not kid around, I'm not the kind of Catholic, the kind of Christian, that inspires someone to fall... Read more

  The 19 march 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Response of a Gay Catholic to Pope Francis's Installation Homily: Does "Everyone...

  

  In the homily of his installation Mass, Pope Francis states,The vocation of being a "protector", however, is not just something involving us Christians alone; i... Read more

  The 19 march 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Pope Francis I – The Astrology of the First Pope from the Americas.

  

  As I begin writing this article, on the TV behind me Pope Francis I is being officially confirmed in his position at his inauguration Mass in St Peter’s Square... Read more

  The 19 march 2013 by   Solarisastro
  BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, SPIRITUALITY

• More Responses to Francis: Clella Luro, Jon Sobrino, Jamie Manson, James Keenan

  

  More valuable commentary on the new pope that has caught my eye as the day has gone on: At Iglesia Descalza, Rebel Girl translates an interview that Roly Villan... Read more

  The 18 march 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• …pontificate

  

  For the cave dwellers among us who have not heard, a new pope was selected last week. The announcement came after a mere 5 ballots from the conclave, not even... Read more

  The 18 march 2013 by   Zer
  SELF EXPRESSION

• The NEW #Pope and the #Lesson We Learned from the Last One.

  

  photo credit: Catholic Church (England and Wales) via photopin cc The world was buzzing this week with the news of the NEW Pope. Read more

  The 18 march 2013 by   Djrelat7
  DIARIES, SELF EXPRESSION

• Ivone Gebara on the Papal Election: "Official Coverage" and Stoning Dissonant...

  

  Sister Ivone GebaraI'm really happy to discover today that National Catholic Reporter has published Brazilian theologian Ivone Gebara's meditation on the papal... Read more

  The 18 march 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Pope Francis as Reformer and Catholics on the Ground: Distinguishing False Hope...

  

  In any theology that makes much sense to me, hope begins with the ground. It begins with the earth. It builds from where we are and who we are--"earth lifted... Read more

  The 18 march 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• United Kingdom – Aries Ingress Chart 2013

  

  If I get time over the next couple of days, I will have a look at the Aries ingress charts for a series of countries around the world to see what is in store... Read more

  The 18 march 2013 by   Solarisastro
  BODY, MIND, SPIRIT, SPIRITUALITY

• It's Not NOH8, It's MOH8

  

  I'm sure you've seen the ads on social media from the NoH8 campaign.  From their website, we read: The NOH8 Campaign is a charitable organization whose mission... Read more

  The 18 march 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Listening, Watching, Praying: A Selection of Responses to the New Pope

  

  I'm listening. I'm watching. I'm praying, in my own limping and half-hearted fashion.And I'm trying to hold onto hope, a virtue that is never easy for me. Read more

  The 18 march 2013 by   William Lindsey
  RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Popes and Snopes

  Thanks to our commenter JOB for calling my attention to a hoax, an urban legend, an error. Snopes discovered that a quotation attributed to the new Pope... Read more

  The 18 march 2013 by   Doggone
  DEBATE, SOCIETY

• Should Religion Righteous Veer Left?

  Jorge Mario Bergoglio (76) is the 266th and current Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, elected on 13 March 2013. A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was... Read more

  The 18 march 2013 by   Fadi Bejjani
  HEALTH, MEDICINE, SCIENCE

• "He Has a Capacity to Forget"

  Pope Francis' homily, given today in Vatican City's parish church dedicated to St. Anne, the mother of the mother of Christ, on the oft repeated story of the... Read more

  The 17 march 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Pope Francis on God the Father – First Angelus Address

  “Non sentiamo parole di disprezzo, condanna ma soltanto parole di amore, di misericordia che invitano a conversione. Questo e’ il volto di Dio, quello di un... Read more

  The 17 march 2013 by   Apostolate Of The Divine Heart
  RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY

• ‘Parsifal’ and ‘Don Carlo’ – A Celebratory Feast of Wagner and Verdi for the...

  

  Ferruccio Furlanetto as King Philip II (Ken Howard / Met Opera)This was a momentous week for the Catholic Church. With the election of a new pope, Holy Week,... Read more

  The 16 march 2013 by   Josmar16
  CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, THEATRE & OPERA

• "Catholicism is What It Is. You Don't Have to Believe It. You Don't Have to...

  

  Love or hate Rush Limbaugh, he has a way with words: I am not Catholic. But I have endeavored, I have dug deep, I have attempted to find out from sources that... Read more

  The 16 march 2013 by   Brutallyhonest
  SOCIETY

• Tim Padgett for Time: Hope Muted by Reality in Case of Pope Francis

  

  In an essay at Time, journalist Tim Padgett expresses both hope that Pope Francis will be a significant reformer of Padgett's Catholic church, and doubts about... Read more

  The 16 march 2013 by   William Lindsey
  

• Leonardo Boff on New Pope: "Francis Isn't a Name, It's a Plan for a Church"

  

  At his website now, Leonardo Boff has an important theological statement about Pope Francis and his call to rebuild the church, which Rebel Girl has helpfully... Read more

  The 16 march 2013 by   William Lindsey