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Showing posts from October, 2013

Shunned, then fired: A priest’s tale of what happened when he discussed sex abuse | National Post

This story echoes allegations made by Fr. Matthew Despard in his book 'Priesthood in Crisis' - which sadly for him has resulted in a number of law suits and canonical actions all claiming defamation of character from priests that he named as being unfaithful to their religious vows. At least the priest in this article has another career to fall back on as he's a university professor as well as being a priest. Fr. Matthew is not so lucky .  The fact is that priests are loathe to report other brother priests who have abused or failed in their religious obligations. I (unfortunately) know from first hand experience that doing so can result in the severing of contact with other priests who believe that our reporting on others brings shame on all of us.  Happily though, this is slowly breaking down as more and more priests are indeed reporting to all the appropriate authorities whenever we are told of any incidents of abuse because they understand that the greater damage is d

Pets falling ill, dying from jerky treats imported from China - Health & Wellness - Catholic Online

A warning from Mateo to all his four-legged friends! Mateo: On his favourite cottage perch Pets falling ill, dying from jerky treats imported from China - Health & Wellness - Catholic Online

POPE FRANCIS: LET US BE CLOSE TO ALL FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN DIFFICULTY

Vatican City, 25 October 2013 (VIS) - “The family is a community of life with its own consistency. It is not the sum of the persons by whom it is constituted, but rather a 'community of persons'”, said Pope Francis, quoting Blessed John Paul II's encyclical “Familiaris consortio”, in an address to participants in the twenty-first plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Family taking place in Rome during these days, whom he received in audience this morning. The family, continued the Pontiff, is “the place where we learn to love, the natural centre of human life”. … Each one of us builds his or her own personality within the family. … It is there that we learn the art of dialogue and interpersonal communication”. For this reason “the community-family … asks to be recognised as such, even more nowadays, when the protection of individual rights prevails”. “The family is based on marriage. Through an act of free and faithful love, Christian couples give witness that

U.S.: Conservative Catholics not convinced by Bergoglio's approach - Vatican Insider

This is a strange story. The source article speaks about 'traditionalist' and 'conservative' Catholics being upset with Pope Francis but fails to provide any evidence to support the claim. The only named reference is a Robert Royal from a conservative Washington think-tank. One person being annoyed hardly qualifies as being representative of an entire wing of the Church! Yet, that original article from the Washington Post is popping up all over the internet as 'evidence' of a 'split' caused by the Pope's style of address despite failing to offer anything beyond the opinion of its authors to justify its conclusions. (sigh) Such is life in this internet age... and proof positive that it is important for Church members to speak truth in the face of such nonsense.  U.S.: Conservative Catholics not convinced by Bergoglio's approach - Vatican Insider

Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)