Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Strange Notions: “You bring some strange notions to our ears; we should like to know what these things mean” (Acts 17:20)
What is StrangeNotions.com?
StrangeNotions.com is the central place of dialogue between Catholics and atheists. It’s built around three things: Reason. Faith. Dialogue. Each day you’ll find articles, videos, and rich comment box discussion concerning life’s Big Questions.
What does “Strange Notions” mean?
The name “Strange Notions” carries a double meaning. The first sense comes from a colorful story in the Biblical book of Acts. The first great Christian missionary, Paul, sailed to Athens where he debated in the synagogue with the Jews, and in the public square, before being invited to the Areopagus, a prestigious hill where Athenian philosophers gathered “for nothing else but telling or hearing something new.” (Sound like the Internet, eh?) Paul stood among the circle of pagan philosophers and appealed to what they all held in common—devotion, philosophy, poetry. His message intrigued the Athenian elite, who said, “you bring some strange notions to our ears; we should like to know what these things mean” (Acts 17:20).
This website is designed to mimic that first meeting of Christians and atheists, allowing both to discover intriguing “strange notions” on either side.
The second meaning acknowledges the fact that both Catholics and atheists think the other side’s views are strange. Atheists see Catholics worshiping an invisible, three-in-one God and who is not empirically verifiable. Catholics see atheists dismissed the Creator behind this rich and complex cosmos, a supreme Big Banger who loves the world into being. Both groups have trouble seeing why the other believes as it does.
StrangeNotions.com is meant to help that strangeness fade away. In the end, we may still disagree, but at least the opposing views won’t be confusing “strange notions”—we’ll more clearly know what we reject, and thus what we hold, too.Visit Strange Notions here!
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Francis, Mary, and the Deceiver
The following comes from Robert Moynihan at The Moynihan Letters:
Pope Francis returned to the Basilica of St. Mary Major this evening for the second time since he became Pope — the first time was at 8 a.m. on March 14, the morning after his election, to pray before an icon of the Virgin known as the Salus Populi Romani (“Protectress of the Roman People”).
He came to pray a Rosary and to dedicate his papacy to the Virgin Mary.
He also gave a homily this morning in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta, where he is living. Once again this morning he mentioned the devil, referring to him as a “hater” who wishes ill to men and women, and who must be resisted by faith and prayer.
The coincidence today of these two prayers — one in the evening to Mary in her greatest basilica on earth, the other in the morning against the “prince of this world,” the devil, in a small chapel — seemed to emphasize a key theme of this pontificate: that the battle against the devil, against evil, is won with and through Mary, the daughter of Israel who was, and is, called “full of grace.”
And this explains a great deal about where this “Franciscan” pontificate is, and may be heading…
Note also that, in about one week, in accordance with the clear requests of Pope Francis, this Pope’s papacy will be formally consecrated to Our Lady of Fatima in Fatima, Portugal, on May 13 — the day of the first apparition to the three shepherd children of Fatima in 1917, 96 years ago.
During those apparitions, which occurred always on the 13th of each month, until October 13 (with the exception of August, when the children were in prison, when it occurred on the 19th), “the Lady” spoke to the children of future events, including the coming of great wars, and then, in the end, of a time of peace for the entire world.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Pope Francis: Worldliness poses danger to priestly identity
The biggest threat to priests is the temptation to be more immersed in the world than the Gospel, says Pope Francis in his newly translated book.
“For then-Cardinal Bergoglio, narcissism and worldliness are completely self-defeating to the purpose of why a priest becomes a priest,” the book's translator, Alejandro Bermudez, told CNA April 23.
“It's a total rejection of the reason why he decided to become a priest, and therefore these are some of the most destructive and damaging problems in priestly formation.”
The new book, “On Heaven and Earth,” is a conversation between Pope Francis and Abraham Skorka, a rabbi and scholar from Buenos Aires. It was originally published in Spanish in 2010, when the Pope was still Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires.
The book covers numerous topics touching on priesthood in today's world, including vocation, celibacy and the sex abuse crisis.
Bermudez, who is executive director of Catholic News Agency, said that though Pope Francis warns against worldliness in all Christians, “he makes a much more important point regarding the priests, because they have the duty to lead the Catholic community, and lead it in a completely selfless manner.”
“One might think that having a woman on the side is being worldly, but that is only one of the double lives that are usually mentioned,” Pope Francis said in the book. “There are those that seek to compromise their faith for political alliances or for a worldly spirituality.”
Pope Francis noted the 20th century theologian Henri de Lubac's comment that to be worldly is “the worst that can happen” to a priest. “If this were to happen throughout the Church, the situation would be much worse than those embarrassing periods with libertine pastors,” he said.
“Worldliness and the narcissism can become not only an attitude of individuals but of the whole community, and therefore you can have the whole leadership of Catholics – bishops, priests and lay leaders – involved,” said Bermudez.
This would “basically turn the Church into a narcissistic worldly operation, and it would be completely neutralized of any capacity to transform persons and the world,” he explained.
In “On Heaven and Earth,” Pope Francis discusses priestly celibacy with such phrases as “for now” and “for the time being.” This has led some to speculate that he will bring to an end to the Latin Church's tradition of unmarried priests.
However, Bermudez asserted that Pope Francis will do “absolutely nothing” to change the rules on married priests.
“That doesn't mean at all that he is soft on this, or even contemplating the possibility of not continuing the tradition of priestly celibacy,” the translator said. “The book in itself, his pastoral practice and his homilies all speak to the great appreciation he has of priestly celibacy.”
Pope Francis also said that “we can rule out that celibacy carries pedophilia as a consequence.” He noted that most sex abuse occurs in families and neighborhoods by those who have not taken a vow of celibacy.
“Now, when this happens, you can never turn a blind eye. You cannot be in a position of power and destroy the life of another person,” the Pontiff stressed.
“I do not believe in the positions that some hold about sustaining a certain corporate spirit so as to avoid damaging the image of the institution … Recently, in Ireland they uncovered cases that occurred for twenty years, and the current pope (at the time Benedict) clearly said: 'Zero tolerance with this crime.' I admire the courage and the straightforwardness of Benedict XVI on this point.”
Since his election as Bishop of Rome, Francis has reaffirmed the Vatican process established by Benedict for handling instances of sexual abuse by priests.
Friday, May 3, 2013
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