Monthly Archives: December 2008

History, Current Events, and Belief

Posted on December 31, 2008 by Deacon Bob

I would wonder how each of us would order history on a spectrum of events of importance to humanity, from most important to least significant. I suspect it would rank low. I predict we would rank on the high end … Continue reading →

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The Vatican and Italy

Posted on December 30, 2008 by Deacon Bob

The daily newspaper of Rome, La Repubblica citing the Osservatore Romano (the Vatican daily)  is reporting today that the Vatican, as of January 1, 2009, will no longer automatically assume into its own civil law the laws of the State … Continue reading →

Posted in Ethics and Morality, Politics | 1 Comment

Strange Old Ladies In Church

Posted on December 30, 2008 by Deacon Bob

I tend not to write about current events, even though I suspect I would find a more interested audience to this blog if I were to do so. I write little about what is going on geo-politically because today’s news … Continue reading →

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Theosis and Kenosis

Posted on December 29, 2008 by Deacon Bob

I have been thinking about the two theological concepts of theosis and kenosis.  In the Latin Church, we have become rather familiar with kenosis, which is, simplistically stated, the self-emptying of God in the Incarnation. Jesus so loved us that … Continue reading →

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Priests on Loan and the Diaconate

Posted on December 28, 2008 by Deacon Bob

I’d like to alert you to a New York Times article about priests from other countries, especially Asia and Africa, filling shortages found in American dioceses. To read it, log on to: www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/us/28priest.html?_r=2&hp In my home diocese, we have several … Continue reading →

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Benedict XVI – The Holy Family

Posted on December 28, 2008 by Deacon Bob

The Pope said today: “The family of Jesus truly merited the title of ‘holy’, because it was completely caught up in the desire to fulfill the will of God, incarnate in the adorable presence of Jesus.” (My translation of the … Continue reading →

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Thoughts About The Death Penalty

Posted on December 27, 2008 by Deacon Bob

Bishop Taylor of Little Rock, about whom I posted several days ago, once said at the funeral Mass of a parishioner who had been executed for murder (I am paraphrasing): “It wasn’t the VIrgin Mary who first entered Heaven; it … Continue reading →

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Quote of the Day — Deus Caritas Est

Posted on December 26, 2008 by Deacon Bob

“(Jesus’) death on the Cross is the culmination of that turning of God against himself in which he gives himself in order to raise man up and save him.  This is love in its most radical form.”  (Benedict XVI, Deus … Continue reading →

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Fighting Poverty To Build Peace

Posted on December 23, 2008 by Deacon Bob

I was delighted to see this title in Pope Benedict’s message for World Day of Peace 2009, as my thoughts had been about the subject the past few days (see previous post). There is a lot in the pope’s message, … Continue reading →

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Poverty of Provisionality and Finiteness

Posted on December 23, 2008 by Deacon Bob

Many years ago, a friend gave me the little book, Poverty of Spirit, by Johannes Metz.  A short read, but one you want to take your time and savor.  One of the ideas Metz had was there are various poverties … Continue reading →

Posted in General Interest, Prayer and Meditation | 1 Comment

Winter Solstice and Galileo

Posted on December 21, 2008 by Deacon Bob

The Holy Father’s Sunday Angelus message made reference to today being the winter solstice.  He also mentioned Galileo, who as we know was forced in his day to retract his scientific findings, and to whom the Church very recently offered … Continue reading →

Posted in General Interest, Popes | 2 Comments

“Let It Be”, as Mary

Posted on December 21, 2008 by Deacon Bob

St. Ambrose wrote something that caught my eye today.  He was reflecting on Mary, Elizabeth, Jesus and John the Baptist in his writing on the Gospel of Luke.  He  wrote that we are to be as was Mary. I quote:  … Continue reading →

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Pope Benedict and Children

Posted on December 20, 2008 by Deacon Bob

The pope today met a group of children from Italian Catholic Action.  I found it interesting that a man like Pope Benedict, who is such a theologian, could speak as directly and simply as he did to these kids. Here … Continue reading →

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Why Stay Catholic?

Posted on December 19, 2008 by Deacon Bob

I have been asked on occasion, “Why remain a Catholic?”.  Usually the person asking the question is someone who has experience some injustice in the Church, or may have been a practicing Catholic but lukewarm or perhaps no longer practicing … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecclesiology, General Interest | 1 Comment

God’s Time

Posted on December 18, 2008 by Deacon Bob

I have been thinking about how difficult it can be to allow for God’s time in our lives.  We seem to want to avoid God’s time.  We get ourselves immersed in the world’s time, in the sense that one event … Continue reading →

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