"A third time he [Pilate] said to them, ‘Why, what evil has he done?..." But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted." - Luke 23:22-24"One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him... But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear … [Read more...]
Thoughts from St. Cyprian
"Hence, then, the one peaceful and trustworthy tranquillity, the one solid and firm and constant security, is this, for a man to withdraw from these eddies of a distracting world, and, anchored on the ground of the harbour of salvation, to lift his eyes from earth to heaven; and having been admitted to the gift of God, and being already very near to his God in mind, he may … [Read more...]
Catholic Events Worse than the current Child-Abuse Scandals
My parents and I had another sort of fight tonight, by which I mean, our local newspaper covered a story of a priest who served at my parish church and was now pleading guilty for child molestation, etc. My dad was furious and did the usual Protestant thing of the Church is evil, etc. And asked me why I defend it. My response was equally bold, I said its because the church … [Read more...]
New Reading: Dorothy Day
I picked up the autobiography "From Union Square to Rome" by Dorothy Day. I - like other evangelicals - had only known her through quotes in Shane Claiborne books. As a Catholic I know now her through quotes in homilies. I'm excited about reading this book, more than the usual excitement over reading new books (it's the fear of the unexpected reversed / Hegelian anti-thesis … [Read more...]
St. Ignatius and Our Lady of Monserrat
There's an interesting moment in the life of St. Ignatius Loyola, where he almost violently kills someone in defense of the perpetual virginity of Mary (St. Jerome would be proud), and then within days hangs up all of his sword and army equipment infront of an image of Our Lady of Monserrat, in what I perceive as a sort of spiritual surrender to God. It reminds me of the … [Read more...]