SPIRITED THINKING SINCE 1888
August 22, 2019
Real reform in the Church requires a faithful laity, priest says
August 22, 2019
For the Catholic Church to be renewed, the entire body of Christ – especially the laity – must strive to live the faith devoutly. This was the message of Father Roger Landry, who works for the Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations, at a Eucharistic assembly in July. “While in history, reforms
Hong Kong student leader: Catholics have an important role in peaceful protests
August 22, 2019
As massive protests continue in Hong Kong, one student leader says Catholics have an important role to play in encouraging demonstrators to remain peaceful in asserting their demands. “The protests last Sunday [were] very peaceful, peaceful protests. And very luckily, there were no major conflicts between the police and the protestors,” Edwin Chow, acting president
Opinions divided in reaction to Pell decision
August 22, 2019
The decision by the Court of Appeal in Victoria to reject Cardinal George Pell’s appeal of his conviction for child sex abuse Wednesday has divided opinion among court watchers, both Catholic and secular. Reactions to the ruling ranged from celebrations that Pell will remain in prison, to questions being raised about the entire Australian legal system.
Amazon missionary bishop: Synod plans miss the real problems
August 22, 2019
A long-time missionary bishop of the Amazon River delta has said that the working document for an upcoming synod of bishops on the region does not address the actual problems faced by the Church in the region. Bishop José Luis Azcona, is the missionary bishop emeritus of Marajó, a diocese that includes dozens of islands
Jesuit superior general: Satan is a ‘symbolic reality’
August 22, 2019
The superior general of the Society of Jesus has said that the devil is a symbol, but not a person. The devil, “exists as the personification of evil in different structures, but not in persons, because is not a person, is a way of acting evil. He is not a person like a human person.
Morning Catholic must-reads: 22/08/19
August 22, 2019
Pope Francis encouraged a girl with autism to share the stage with him at yesterday’s general audience (Junno Arocho Esteves, video). India has refused to renew the visa of an 86-year-old Spanish nun who has served the poor for five decades. The Church in Burundi has opened its first saints’ causes. Thousands have attended the
Grace and mercy are never given out cheaply
August 22, 2019
Imagine this: a man entirely careless of all moral and spiritual affairs lives his life in utter selfishness, with pleasure his only pursuit. He lives the high life, never prays, never goes to church, has numerous sexual affairs and has no concern for anyone but himself. After a long life of this, he is diagnosed
I dreaded our camping holiday. How wrong I was
August 22, 2019
“We don’t do camping,” said a pompous acquaintance when I explained that our summer holiday this year was going to be a fortnight in a tent. I do not mean “glamping”, where you get a luxury yurt with a fridge. I mean putting up a real canvas bell tent ourselves with real tent pegs and
Heretic of the week: Charles Webster Leadbeater
August 22, 2019
CW Leadbeater (1854-1934) was a most remarkable – not to say bizarre – man. Of middle-class background, he was ordained an Anglican clergyman in 1879; three years later he was a curate at Bramshott in Hampshire. He might have remained there indefinitely, but a short time after moving there, the young cleric discovered first spiritualism
Prize crossword 0607
August 22, 2019
Cryptic across 7 Sanctimonious and dead, this Roman procurator (6) 8 One that crashed into the sea is coming from Iran initially – American transport for invasion (6) 9 Horus’ mum lives alongside extreme Islamists (4) 10 Biblical folk strike against church taxes, there being no hospital (8) 11 Island in the stream of myth;
Mass readings
August 22, 2019
Ordinary Form Divine Office Week I Sunday, August 25: 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time Is 66:18-21; Ps 117; Heb 12:5-7, 11-13; Lk 13:22-30 Monday, August 26: Weekday in Ordinary Time or Blessed Dominic of the Mother of God Barberi (E); St David Lewis (W) 1 Thes 1:1-5, 8B-10; Ps 149; Mt 23:13-22 Tuesday, August 27:
How to … practise mortification
August 22, 2019
Today’s feast of St Rose of Lima calls to mind a woman who practised self-mortification in pursuit of spiritual perfection; one who lived an apostolate of suffering and immolation of self in imitation of Christ. Catholics must be cautious about trying to copy such mystics, because they may have received inspiration and help from God
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