Whether St. Francis actually said it or not, he is often attributed with saying that we should preach the Gospel always and, if necessary, use words. St. Francis or not, the point is clear--actions speak louder than words. And we are in desperate need of action. In all areas of society, we hear polished press … Continue reading Words and actions
You may know about how St. Catherine of Siena wrote Pope Gregory XI in 1376 when he was in Avignon, telling him to go back to Rome. It's a famous story. It gives people a glimpse of how bold Catherine was in the face of power. She was a voice of truth in her own … Continue reading History repeats itself
Over at his blog, Achilles and his gold, Fr. Mark White posts a series of communications with his bishop, Barry Knestout, in the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia. (A quick caveat: I attended seminary with Fr. White and have the utmost respect and admiration for him. He is a speaker of truth and desires the same clarity … Continue reading A shepherd’s sad voice
Even though I am sure she did not mean to do it, Elizabeth Bruening's article on a rape in Texas that was denied, concealed, and forgotten by the adults who should have been protecting Amber Wyatt has many parallels to our current situation in the Church. And it has many parallels to the Church's liturgical … Continue reading Let’s be obnoxious
Today I attended the funeral Mass for Jeff Van Brunt. Jeff would have been 39 years old in June. He's six months older than I am, which makes a person think twice. In the course of 75 minutes at Mass, I saw the many people that Jeff had touched in his relatively short life. Jeff … Continue reading Living Life Well
Name it what you will, but in the end, there is only one option for Christians in today's world. Rod Dreher's insightful recent work, The Benedict Option, is but one iteration of it. There are others espousing the Dominican Option, the Franciscan Option, even the Justin Martyr Option. But for as many feast days as there are on … Continue reading Only One Option
