711. Victory from defeat as Jesus lays down his life

Making lemonade out of lemons is a proverbial way of turning defeat into victory. My travels have taken me not to lemon groves but to two limestone quarries, exhausted ones that yielded no more of the building stone so useful for city...

Friday, 05 September 2008 | 1137 hits | Print | PDF |  E-mail | Report | Read more

712. Mindless materialistic consumerism and morality

Mick Jagger back in the ’60s called our attention to the Madison Avenue magic of advertising that enables us to sell just about anything.  Lamenting that he could find no satisfaction, he complained that “when I’m watching my TV And that man...

Thursday, 28 August 2008 | 2130 hits | Print | PDF |  E-mail | Report | Read more

713. Serious Catholicism for a serious election

Full disclosure, up front: Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver is an old friend; the Archdiocese of Denver syndicates this column to Catholic papers throughout the country; I played a (very) minor role in introducing Archbishop Chaput to my friends...

Thursday, 28 August 2008 | 1286 hits | Print | PDF |  E-mail | Report | Read more

714. The objective barometer of right and wrong

Because of his assessment that relativism is the defining and most serious problem facing the church in our age, Benedict has consistently affirmed that a proper understanding of conscience be formed in the hearts of believers. The Catechism of the...

Friday, 15 August 2008 | 1175 hits | Print | PDF |  E-mail | Report | Read more

715. Jesus in the poor — ‘Am I That Easy to Forget?’

Years ago, someone told me that you know you’re getting old when someone breaks into your car and leaves your CDs behind. Well, about 8 years ago, someone broke into my car, and left behind the CDs, including one of my favorites, “The Best of...

Thursday, 14 August 2008 | 6330 hits | Print | PDF |  E-mail | Report | Read more

716. Are we less sinful, or less aware of our sins?

Custom has a way of betraying people. Children, for example, are constant victims of the ageless excuse: “Well, everybody is doing it.” And bad habits and wrong tendencies have historically crept into the best families and institutions. Forty...

Thursday, 14 August 2008 | 1176 hits | Print | PDF |  E-mail | Report | Read more

717. Occasional conflict between church and state

An awkward pause happens when we very occasionally find a conflict between our national patriotism and our Christian faith. Most of the time our allegiances are in harmony since American law sprang out of Judeo-Christian principles. Most of the time...

Thursday, 07 August 2008 | 1042 hits | Print | PDF |  E-mail | Report | Read more

718. On the 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae

This past July 25th marked the 40th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s controversial and still little heeded encyclical, Humanae Vitae (On the Regulation of Birth). Many both within and without the church — heady from the many changes initiated by...

Thursday, 07 August 2008 | 1211 hits | Print | PDF |  E-mail | Report | Read more

719. Baptism and the ecumenical movement

Continuing his custom of meeting with Christian leaders and representatives of other religions when traveling abroad, Pope Benedict XVI addressed both groups during his recent visit to Australia for the 23rd World Youth Day. On Thursday, July 18, he...

Thursday, 07 August 2008 | 1127 hits | Print | PDF |  E-mail | Report | Read more

720. Benedict and the movement toward Christian unity

Being raised in the “multi-denominational” landscape of Germany, Pope Benedict has since his youth been keenly aware of the hopes and trials of the movement toward Christian unity, technically termed ecumenism. He sees the eventual...

Thursday, 07 August 2008 | 1162 hits | Print | PDF |  E-mail | Report | Read more