Where the Rubber Hits the Road

Pope Francis has a chance to spend political capital with Islam – CRUX

Riveting theater in Geneva; the pope's rabbi on Jewish/Catholic relations | National Catholic Reporter

The clergy trade; Melady; pope-watch; and The Boston Globe | National Catholic Reporter

What? The press overlooked key Catholic stories in 2013?

Preparing a generation of 'Francis bishops' | National Catholic Reporter

Francis and Mary; Benedict the reformer; India's Christians; and Ukraine | National Catholic Reporter

Thoughts on Francis as 'Person of the Year' | National Catholic Reporter

Syrian Christians; pope-mania; and a looming check-up on Vatican finances | National Catholic Reporter

'Evangelii Gaudium' amounts to Francis' 'I Have a Dream' speech | National Catholic Reporter

U.S./Vatican ties; Francis as Deng Xiaoping; and witchcraft | National Catholic Reporter

Study compares Catholicism to Christianity across the globe | National Catholic Reporter

Yesterday marked the opening of the 2011 campaign, so in honor of the occasion, I’ll roll out my personal list of the “Top Nine Reasons why Baseball is to Sports what Catholicism is to Religion.” Why nine? It’s a key number in both traditions -- nine players on a diamond, nine innings in a game, and nine days to a novena. The following are nine reasons why Catholicism and baseball are, quite literally, a match made in Heaven: Both baseball and Catholicism venerate the past. Both have a Communion of Saints, all the way down to popular shrines and holy cards. Both feature obscure rules that make sense only to initiates. (Think the Infield Fly rule for baseball fans and the Pauline privilege for Catholics.) Both have a keen sense of ritual, in which pace is critically important. (As a footnote, that’s why basketball is more akin to Pentecostalism; both are breathless affairs premised largely on ecstatic experience.) Both generate oceans of statistics, arcana, and lore. For...

The seven different stories that Allen writes on in this article gives substance to the teachings of the church, and gives lie to those scoundrels who like to foist their maladroit parodies in place of what the church actually teaches and says. The part about the reform of the clerical penalties that the canon law offers to Bishops to discipline and punish obstinate or criminal priests proves that the church IS NOT using these punishments to 'hide' predator priests from civil authorities. The interview with Cardinal Kasper which demonstrates that ecumenism is alive and well; the efforts of the communications and social justice wings of the church to renew and institute 'best practices' procedures to improve the ability of the church to speak and teach. Taken together Mr, Allen paints a picture of, if not perfection, at least of vitality, renewal and holiness. Well worth the read. The Vatican beyond its worst days, and Rome beyond the Vatican | Nationa...

John Allen offers a comparison of assessments of the Church's handling of the sex abuse scandal between Pope B16 and Fr. Thomas Doyle - the Vatican priest who deals with the victims and their lawyers. I fear that Fr. Doyle has a point - one that I've written about here many times: the principal scandal is that children have been sexually abused by clerics, and then abused by the hierarchy's response to their allegations. Essentially, the Church is on fire. The faith of generations is turning to ash in front of our eyes as neglect and a perceived ongoing disrespect for victims rights (with the aim of 'preventing scandal' that would 'damage the faith' - a worthy end but morally fatally flawed means). I acknowledge that the fires have burned down in North America as Bishops are finally beginning to understand the moral carnage their predecessors have wrecked upon the Church and the faithful. Generations of savings from Catholics have been sacrificed thanks...

On Wikileaks, face time with the pope, and Dolan | National Catholic Reporter

John Allen is always worth the time to read. His knowledge, contacts and assessment skills permits him to provide a cogent, centrist Catholic voice. In this post, he makes a pithy yet effective argument for the addition of a set of 'stewardship virtues' that would include transparency, accountability, collaboration and competence. His global perspective also affords him exposure to issues that confront the Church beyond the borders of Europe and North America. As he points out, at the time of the Second Vatican Council, 75% of Roman Catholics lived in the 1st world with the balance living below the equator. Today those demographics are exactly reversed. He points out why this new majority may not comprehend the importance of these issues, as their world view sees corruption as a normal fact of life. Yet if the Church embraced these obvious goods, and lifted them to the rank of 'official' virtues to be practiced, (like the Cardinal or Theological Virtues) the benefit t...

Pope in Malta: Church 'wounded by our sins' | National Catholic Reporter

Catholic Culture : Latest Headlines : Vatican PR gaffes hamper Pope's teaching: John Allen

John Allen writes in the National Catholic Reporter that Rome is rife with rumours of an impending announcement of a Consistory (when Cardinals are installed). He reports that Canada may be among the countries about to have a new Cardinal named (Archbishop Tom Collins - Toronto). Having studied under +Collins when he taught at St.Peters Seminary in London, I can only say that there are very few men whom I have encountered in life who possess the intellect, gentleness and faith as he does. He would be a very worthy candidate to become a prince of the Church. He will do Canada proud!!

John Allen, in the National Catholic Reporter opines on the rise of priests and lay Catholics who are claiming the mantle of being "evangelical Catholics".  His perspective is interesting if not entirely persuasive. It's worth the read.