31 October, 2015
30 October, 2015
Montreal Euthanasia Symposium: Theory and Reality about Euthanasia
"Quebec has the only law in the world which attempts to coerce doctors to refer patients for euthanasia. Such pointless authoritarianism, of which we already had a taste in September, is a dangerous precedent which must be formally rejected."Read what else these Quebec doctors have to say about the impending euthanasia law which comes into force on December 10th of this year. Just click on the link below:
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Alex Schadenberg, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition: Montreal Euthanasia Symposium: Theory and Reality about Euthanasia
29 October, 2015
28 October, 2015
27 October, 2015
The Pope’s Mighty Fortress - WSJ
"In George Weigel, John Paul found a biographer who combines the skills of a historian, a theologian and a journalist. Mr. Weigel’s “Witness to Hope” (1999) appeared during the late pope’s lifetime and was hailed as a masterpiece worthy of its subject. This was followed by a sequel, “The End and the Beginning,” published in 2010, five years after John Paul’s death. Both these works are emphatically biographical, sympathetic but never sycophantic.
Mr. Weigel’s “City of Saints” belongs to a different genre. The clue is in the subtitle: “A Pilgrimage to John Paul II’s Kraków.” The author wants to take readers on a journey in the papal footsteps and through the scenes of his clerical life. It is a guide to the stations on John Paul’s path and seeks to inspire us with a sense of awe that one good man could achieve so much."
The Pope’s Mighty Fortress - WSJ
Why are Catholics so afraid of change? - CNN.com
Why do some Catholics prefer the colour red? Or don't like Latin? Or are afraid of superstitions? The answer is 'just because they are people!' Catholics are a diverse lot. Some like change; others prefer stability. It says nothing about either group other than that they have personal preferences. So why is Fr. James Martin s.j. (who I usually really like reading) getting vexed over the fact that some Catholics preferred that the recent Synod on the Family calling for a more nuanced and pastoral application of Church doctrine when it comes to issues such as communion for divorced Catholics? I fear it's because he thinks that the synod didn't go far enough in the direction that he presumes is the correct direction. But don't take my opinion as being infallible. Read his article for yourself and come to your own conclusions. After all, there's no reason to be afraid of that!!
Why are Catholics so afraid of change? - CNN.com
Why are Catholics so afraid of change? - CNN.com
26 October, 2015
Catholic bishops vote to soften stance toward divorcees, but stand firmly against gay marriage | National Post
Why is it that the media is claiming the Church has 'softened' her stance towards divorcees? There is NOTHING new in the Synod's closing document that wasn't part of her pastoral practice before it began. I really am befuddled by this. Anyone understand why the Synod is being presented this way? It seems to me as if it is a way to spin the results so as to paint the Church as being intolerant or abusive toward gay Catholics, putting the Bishops into the worst possible light. One can almost hear the critics saying "You changed the teaching for divorcees. Why not for gays?" But the fact is that NOTHING has changed for either group!!
Catholic bishops vote to soften stance toward divorcees, but stand firmly against gay marriage | National Post
Catholic bishops vote to soften stance toward divorcees, but stand firmly against gay marriage | National Post
25 October, 2015
Special Edition V | Xavier Rynne II | First Things
In this Special Edition of LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD, George Weigel argues the tremendous differences between the Instrumentum Laboris with which Synod-2015 began, and the Final Report just approved by the Fathers, illustrate just how fruitful a path the Synod walked over three sometimes-challenging weeks.
Special Edition V | Xavier Rynne II | First Things
Special Edition V | Xavier Rynne II | First Things
After the synod, can Catholics put Humpty Dumpty together again? | Crux
"Humpty Dumpty"? That's a pretty harsh assessment of the consequences coming from the Synod on the Family. It sure doesn't seem to fit with the reports that I've read and posted throughout the three weeks the Bishops were meeting in Rome.
After the synod, can Catholics put Humpty Dumpty together again? | Crux
After the synod, can Catholics put Humpty Dumpty together again? | Crux
24 October, 2015
Letter Number Twenty-Two | Xavier Rynne II | First Things
In today’s LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD, George Weigel writes: “Discerning readers of the print media and the blogosphere can cut through the static of ‘narrative’ and begin to get an idea of what has actually happened during Synod-2015 if they keep three things in mind when sifting through the chatter.”
Letter Number Twenty-Two | Xavier Rynne II | First Things
Letter Number Twenty-Two | Xavier Rynne II | First Things
23 October, 2015
Letter Number Twenty-One | Xavier Rynne II | First Things
In today’s LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD…
Letter Number Twenty-One | Xavier Rynne II | First Things
- O. Carter Snead considers the relationship between the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, Obergefell vs. Hodges, and the work of Synod-2015.
- George Weigel writes that the perception that the Catholic Church in the German-speaking lands is in serious trouble has intensified these past two and a half weeks.
- Mary Eberstadt looks into the heart of darkness in pop music and finds evidence of what happens to children and teenagers when adults stop being adults.
Letter Number Twenty-One | Xavier Rynne II | First Things
22 October, 2015
Letter Number Twenty | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
In today’s LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD…
Letter Number Twenty | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
- George Weigel recalls the teachings on the family of Pope St. John Paul II, whose memorial we celebrate today, and finds strong parallels in the pontificate of Pope Francis.
- His Beatitude, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major-Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč, draws on his experience as head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in addressing the Synod about the need for the Church to defend the family.
- Hlib Lonchyna, Bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family in London, insists: “The Face of God Is Mercy, But Mercy Is Not Gift Wrap.”
- Anca Maria Cernea, M.D., the president of the Association of Catholic Doctors of Bucharest, addresses the Synod in her role as Auditor of Synod-2015.
Letter Number Twenty | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
21 October, 2015
Letter Number Nineteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
In today’s LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD…
Letter Number Nineteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
- There have been a few changes to the schedule of the final week of Synod-2015.
- Father Gerald E. Murray reflects on the discussions at the Synod and wonders, “Where are the kids?”
- Cardinal Thomas Collins of Toronto explains why asserting that conscience is inviolable, while certainly true, doesn’t get us very far.
- George Weigel reads Pope Francis’ address marking the 50thanniversary of the Synod of Bishops, connecting “Synodality” to the evangelizing mission of the Church.
- Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of Denver wants to know: “Do the German bishops believe that Saints Thomas More and John Fisher sacrificed their lives in vain?”
Letter Number Nineteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
Vatican denies that Pope Francis has a curable brain tumor | Crux
So, which part is the Vatican denying? That the Pope has a brain tumor or that it's curable?
And they say that the media doesn't understand Catholicism!!
Vatican denies that Pope Francis has a curable brain tumor | Crux
And they say that the media doesn't understand Catholicism!!
Vatican denies that Pope Francis has a curable brain tumor | Crux
Synod Fathers Call For Ending “Pre-Cana” in Favor of More Intensive Marriage Preparation | Aleteia.org
While I don't doubt that this may be a good idea, it's going to be a really tough job for parish priests to sell it to engaged couples. I would be surprised if it didn't result in a great number of them choosing to forgo a Catholic marriage ceremony in favour of something 'easier'. Not so sure that this is what the Synod fathers are intending.
Any thoughts on the subject?
Synod Fathers Call For Ending “Pre-Cana” in Favor of More Intensive Marriage Preparation | Aleteia.org
Any thoughts on the subject?
Synod Fathers Call For Ending “Pre-Cana” in Favor of More Intensive Marriage Preparation | Aleteia.org
20 October, 2015
Letter Number Eighteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
In today’s LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD…
Letter Number Eighteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
- Xavier Rynne II recalls the duties and functions of members of the College of Cardinals in light of the recent controversy over a private letter from 13 Cardinals to the Holy Father.
- Archbishop José H. Gómez of Los Angeles offers some reflections for the final days of Synod-2015 on the theme, “Holy Spouses, Holy Families.”
- George Weigel grades the Times of London on their capacity for “critical thinking” and finds them lacking.
- Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. of Philadelphia discusses the work of the Synod with French Catholic magazine, Famille Chretienne.
Letter Number Eighteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
19 October, 2015
Justin Trudeau clarifies that anti-abortion Liberal incumbents would be forced to vote pro-choice | National Post
Proof positive that NO CATHOLIC in good conscience should vote for such a leader. He cannot even keep his word to existing MP's. He lacks the moral character necessary to lead his party let alone our country. I sincerely FEAR what's coming our way if the Liberals return to power under his leadership today.
Justin Trudeau clarifies that anti-abortion Liberal incumbents would be forced to vote pro-choice | National Post
Justin Trudeau clarifies that anti-abortion Liberal incumbents would be forced to vote pro-choice | National Post
Letter Number Seventeen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
In today's LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD...
Letter Number Seventeen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
- The calendar is set for the third and final week of Synod-2015.
- George Weigel counters several of the less-than-helpful “narratives” coming out of Synod-2015.
- A reader notes some of the difficulties of what has become widely known as the “Kasper Proposal.”
- St. Ignatius of Antioch writes to the Romans on the eve of his martyrdom.
Letter Number Seventeen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
Pope Francis is now effectively at war with the Vatican. If he wins, the Catholic Church could fall apart:
This story is a bit 'over the top' imho, but who knows, eh? All the more reason for Catholics the world over to continue to pray for the Bishops gathered in Rome for this synod.
Pope Francis is now effectively at war with the Vatican. If he wins, the Catholic Church could fall apart - Spectator Blogs
Pope Francis is now effectively at war with the Vatican. If he wins, the Catholic Church could fall apart - Spectator Blogs
18 October, 2015
17 October, 2015
Special Edition IV | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
In this Special Edition of LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD, Xavier Rynne II considers two competing understandings of conscience—one exemplified by Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago, the other by Bl. John Henry Newman—which underlie many of the discussions at the Synod-2015.
Special Edition IV | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
Special Edition IV | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
Letter Number Sixteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
In today’s LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD…
Letter Number Sixteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
- Cardinal George Pell reflects on the Synod, compares it to past synods, and identifies who among the Synod fathers seem to you to be driving the discussion at
Synod-2015. - George Weigel sums up the case against the New Gallicanism
- Xavier Rynne II wonders St. Thomas Aquinas would think of the report from the German language group at the Synod.
- Speaking the Angelic Doctor, both he and St. John Chrysostom reflect on Paul’s letter to the Corinthians.
Letter Number Sixteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
16 October, 2015
Synod Letter Number Fifteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
In today’s LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD…
Letter Number Fifteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
- George Weigel expresses further “Doubts about Devolution”: the case that national borders somehow “make magisterium” is a hard one to sustain, given the contingency of national borders over time.
- Father Robert P. Imbelli argues that the Synod “will be fruitful to the extent that it can provide a compelling Christological frame for the portrait and promise of family life that it paints.”
- Questions about the reception of Holy Communion by the divorced and civilly remarried are not new to Synod-2015. It’s worth recalling what the Church has already said on the matter.
Letter Number Fifteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
15 October, 2015
14 October, 2015
Shutting down part of brain changes views on God, immigrants: study | CTV News
Is this really big news? Isn't it akin to concluding that impairing one's Achilles tendon changes one's ability to jump? It is self-evident that our thoughts, convictions, and beliefs are formulated and held within our brains. So it shouldn't come as a surprise or significant that artificially impairing one part of the brain would change how that 'muscle' functioned.
Perhaps the new worthiness of this story rests in the discovery that the section of the brain that houses our religious belief is the posterior medial frontal cortex - but I would have thought that scientists and doctors had already mapped out the function of the brain's various components already. So this really might just be a 'dog bites man' type of story intended to reduce the phenomenon of belief to nothing more than the electrical functioning of the brain instead of being a divine gift as Christians believe.
What do you think? Or perhaps better said... What do you believe?
Shutting down part of brain changes views on God, immigrants: study | CTV News
Perhaps the new worthiness of this story rests in the discovery that the section of the brain that houses our religious belief is the posterior medial frontal cortex - but I would have thought that scientists and doctors had already mapped out the function of the brain's various components already. So this really might just be a 'dog bites man' type of story intended to reduce the phenomenon of belief to nothing more than the electrical functioning of the brain instead of being a divine gift as Christians believe.
What do you think? Or perhaps better said... What do you believe?
Shutting down part of brain changes views on God, immigrants: study | CTV News
Letter Number Thirteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
In today’s LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD…
Letter Number Thirteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
- Xavier Rynne II notes that the work of the Synod Fathers would be made considerably easier by a clearer indication of the procedural end-game of the Synod: who will be voting on what and when.
- Rynne considers a few of the important theological and pastoral discussions taking place outside the Synod hall—the Para-Synod.
- George Weigel reads the life of Cardinal Ercole Consalvi and reflects on the history behind the challenge of the New Gallicanism.
- Part three of Bishop Robert Barron’s, “Imago Dei as Privilege and Mission.”
- Archbishop José H. Gómez of Los Angeles offers a Synod intervention on “Divine Pedagogy and Spiritual Childhood.”
Letter Number Thirteen | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
13 October, 2015
Letter Number Twelve | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
In today's LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD...
Letter Number Twelve | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
- George Weigel notes the universality of the Catholic Church fully on display at the Synod while challenging the rise of a “New Gallicanism."
- In the latest “Model Intervention,” Vatican II shines a ray of Gospel light on the difficulties of marriage and family in the contemporary world.
- Part two (of three) of Bishop Robert Barron’s reflection, “Imago Dei as Privilege and Mission.”
- Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, reflects on the “art of accompaniment.”
Letter Number Twelve | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
12 October, 2015
Letters from the Synod: Day 11
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11 October, 2015
10 October, 2015
Middle-aged couple want to adopt up to three children, but family costs could cripple their finances | Financial Post
The morality that underpins the argument of this article exemplifies the ethos that's led to the demographic bomb that now threatens most Western countries: money and possessions over children and humane care for others. Perhaps it is true that money is the root of all evil. At the very least, Christ knew what he was talking about when he said that what we truly treasure is where our heart will be found.
Middle-aged couple want to adopt up to three children, but family costs could cripple their finances | Financial Post
Middle-aged couple want to adopt up to three children, but family costs could cripple their finances | Financial Post
Letters from the Synod - Special Edition II
In this second special edition of LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD…
Special Edition II | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
- George Cardinal Pell and Michael A. Casey consider the principle of subsidiarity in light of a crucial point of conversation and debate over the next two weeks is coming into clearer focus: Should the Synod affirm the proposition that national or regional conferences of bishops have the authority to make pastoral provisions for local churches that differ dramatically from the pastoral practices previously in force throughout the universal Church?
- Saint Vincent of Lerins on the “development of religion in the Church of Christ.”
Special Edition II | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
09 October, 2015
Letters from the Synod
In today's LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD...
- George Weigel asks if there isn’t something strange about the dying local churches of Europe instructing the living, vital, local churches of the developing world on how to address the various crises facing marriage and the family.
- Xavier Rynne II reflects on how the news—especially news out of the Synod—gets “manufactured,” and how these processes are, in themselves, not exactly news.
- Philip Egan, Bishop of Portsmouth, England, discusses how his experience as a pastor shapes his understanding of the crisis in marriage and the family, and how these experiences shape his hopes for the Synod.
08 October, 2015
Letter Number Nine | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
In today’s LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD…
Letter Number Nine | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
- Xavier Rynne II takes a closer look at a largely unnoticed proposal in the Synod’s Instrumentum Laboris, an “unexploded bomb” the Fathers would do well to defuse.
- George Weigel reflects on the place of the suffering Church, especially the martyrs of today, in the Synod’s discussions on the family.
- Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, archbishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Service, USA, discusses how his experience as a pastor shapes his understanding of the crisis in marriage and the family, and how these experiences shape his hopes for the Synod.
Letter Number Nine | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
07 October, 2015
06 October, 2015
05 October, 2015
Letter Number Six | from the Synod on Family Life
In today's LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD...
- Xavier Rynne II reflects on some of the themes of Pope Francis' homily to open the Synod.
- George Weigel offers more suggestions for what the Synod fathers might say in their interventions.
- Xavier Rynne II highlights some aspects of Vatican II's Dei Verbum which bear strongly on the themes the Synod will consider.
03 October, 2015
What Francophones hear when the party leaders speak French | National Post
This story doesn't really fit within the normal parameters of material I post on this blog. But as one who has struggled to become functional (I'm admittedly far from fluent!) in speaking French, I can't help but post an article that includes the phrase "like a drunk performing a voodoo ritual" when describing how our national party leaders speak the language. Suffice it to say, I know how they feel!!
What Francophones hear when the party leaders speak French | National Post
What Francophones hear when the party leaders speak French | National Post
02 October, 2015
Letter Number Four from the Synod on the Family
In today's LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD...
Letter Number Four | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
- George Weigel lays out three models for how bishops might address the Synod.
- Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln discusses how his experience as a pastor shapes his understanding of the crisis in marriage and the family, and how these experiences shape his hopes for the Synod.
- St. Augustine reflects on the perils of timid pastors
Letter Number Four | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
01 October, 2015
Letter Number Three | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
In today’s LETTERS FROM THE SYNOD…
· Robert Royal recaps the serious problems that arose at last year’s Synod, and what those portend for this year’s.
· EPPC’s George Weigel argues that Walter Cardinal Kasper’s analogy—between Vatican II’s handling of religious freedom and the Syond’s handling of pastoral care for the divorced and remarried—fails completely.
· Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit discusses how his experience as a pastor shapes his understanding of the crisis in marriage and the family, and how these experiences shape his hopes for the Synod.
· In an open letter to the Synod Fathers, the Catholic Women’s Forum (directed by EPPC’s Mary Rice Hasson) express their love for Pope Francis and fidelity to the Church’s beautiful teachings on marriage.
Letter Number Three | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
· Robert Royal recaps the serious problems that arose at last year’s Synod, and what those portend for this year’s.
· EPPC’s George Weigel argues that Walter Cardinal Kasper’s analogy—between Vatican II’s handling of religious freedom and the Syond’s handling of pastoral care for the divorced and remarried—fails completely.
· Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit discusses how his experience as a pastor shapes his understanding of the crisis in marriage and the family, and how these experiences shape his hopes for the Synod.
· In an open letter to the Synod Fathers, the Catholic Women’s Forum (directed by EPPC’s Mary Rice Hasson) express their love for Pope Francis and fidelity to the Church’s beautiful teachings on marriage.
Letter Number Three | Xavier Rynne II, ed. | First Things
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