Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label NCR

NCR suspends comments on website: Another sad demonstration of John Gabriel's 'Dickwad Theory of the Internet'.

Alas, here's another example to prove that John Gabriel was right in formulating his 'Dickwad Theory' of the Internet which goes as follows: 'Normal Person + Anonymity + Audience = a Dickwad' This is something I've never really understood since I was raised to believe that civility is a requirement in any discussion/debate/conversation and that offensive invective and insults are never appropriate. I guess not everyone was raised with such an understanding of what's appropriate or not.  This is also the reason why I always post under my real name, no matter what the site or forum. Comments offered under the guise of anonymity are no different to me than an unsigned letter. If you're not willing to put your name to what you write, then (as a general rule and IMHO) there is little reason to bother reading what you have to say. Thankfully there are exceptions (folks like Rationalist, Deep Diver etc. who post here are good examples) - but these are ...
1 comment
Read more

Mandela was ever-mindful of church role in South Africans' struggle | National Catholic Reporter

Thank you Mr. Mandela for your great witness to the power of forgiveness. May your soul rest in peace. Mandela was ever-mindful of church role in South Africans' struggle | National Catholic Reporter
Post a Comment
Read more

"Male Nuns Defy Catholic Church by being 'Nun-fied'!"

Just when you think you've seen it all... along comes a real life reprise of the Eric Idle and Robbie Coltrane movie, 'Nuns on the Run'. What will they think of next? Insight Scoop | The Ignatius Press Blog: "Male Nuns Defy Catholic Church by being 'Nun-fied'!"
Post a Comment
Read more

Here's a quote from John Allen Jr. on why Baseball is to sports what Catholicism is to Religion. A cute read for any baseball fan!

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Vatican beyond its worst days, and Rome beyond the Vatican | National Catholic Reporter

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...
Post a Comment
Read more