Aug 31

Locked-in syndrome survivor did not want to die Amelia Hill (Guardian)

Aug 30

What happened at Vatican II?  Lecture by John W. O'Malley SJ. 
YouTube  (long but excellent!)

The Theology of Fear Father Emmett Coyne
"Vatican rules the Church through indoctrination, control, and fear"

Vatican II: 50 years is nothing Cardinal Walter Brandmüller (VI)
Reader: What Der Kardinal is really saying if that Benedict's reinterpretation of Vat II 
still needs time to become main-stream. Clearly the people are still 'confused.'

CardDolan@Democrat.Con ...with Bus Tour Nun

Death is facing unconditional love Bede Griffiths (You Tube)

Aug 29 

Prayers requested for Cardinal Francis George OMI of Chicago:
his cancer has returned

Bye bye Arctic ice: The heat of the moment George Monbiot

Same-sex marriage & anal sex Topic no one wants to discuss

Godless Canberra in Year of Grace Donella Johnston (CathBlog)
Never doubt that a small group of  people can change the world

Janus-like China  David Gosset (HuffPost)
China, like Janus, has two faces

San Fran archbishop DUI charge (Mercury News)
Michigan bishop to face court (Michigan)

Let's all pray, OK? Hendrik Hertzberg (New Yorker)

Aug 28

From a reader in Macau:
"The recordings of the 5 talks about Vatican II are very good. Thanks for posting them" (Aug 27 menu)

Pope calls laity to responsibility  in the Church (Zenit)
Says change of mentality  needed

Obama  proclaims Aug 26 as Women's Equality Day

China: Broken dreams (Aljazeera) The struggle to find jobs

Yves Congar at Vatican II Paul Collins (CfM) "Council was 25 years too early"

Aug 27

Minnesota Video - Background Story of the video's making

"Us and them" mentality no help in reducing crime Fr Peter McVerry SJ (IT.Com)

Five excellent talks on Vatican II   Fr Kevin O'Shea  Sydney Aug 25 
A look at what has happened over the past 50 years
No 1   No 2   No 3  No 4   No 5

Dolan playing dangerous game NCR Editorial
Reader: Tea Party Catholicism?

Sep 19-22: Melbourne  Fruits & Future of Vatican II
3-day conference on Vatican II organised by  theological institutes

Missouri prison visit experience Sr Mary Ann McGivern (NCR)

In praise of radical feminists Kevin McCardle (America)

Aug 26

Comment re Minnesota Video By Anon, USA
"Many priests living double life; 30-60% of US priests are gay"
With response from John W

Yesterday Aug 25 was Global Day of Prayer for Prison Ministry

Sep 14-16: Pope to Lebanon Andrea Tornielli (VI)
Reader: Hezbollah won't like this!

1962 Ratzinger and Vatican II  Gianni Valente (VI)
Reader: What will he say about Vatican II 50 years on?

Full text of Russia-Poland message Sandro Magister (Chiesa)
Reader: healing between Western Church and New Byzantium

Aug 25 

Yesterday I saw someone reading Many Mansions? - a collection of essays by top authors, edited by Catherine Cornille.  Amazon  "have a look inside" shows the appetizing list of essays  ...remembering that the vision of Vatican II encourages us to take an interest in other faiths

CardDolan@Republican.Con Alessandro Speciale (VI)
"Not a gesture of official support"

Chinese cardinal who considered cancer "a blessing" dies in Taiwan
Gerard O'connell (VI) Inspiring article re inspiring leader

Aug 24 

Minnesota Video From a reader in USA
Re 3 hot topics: celibacy, same-sex marriage, women's ordination.
"This video was created here in Minnesota, USA, 
to show the passion some Catholics here have  for inclusivity and love"

Take and drink....not intinct Elizabeth Harrington (Leader)
(Intinction normal practice in HK)

US: not enough new priests Fabrizio Mastrofini (VI)
Need 700, not 400 each year

Peru university dispute:  Jesuit leader  attempting mediation
Andrea Tornielli (VI) Reader: Opus Dei needs to be out  of this equation (Background)

Allegory of journalistic decline Jonathan Green (ABC)
Classic article about classic topic

Shanghai seminaries postpone  start of academic year (Ucanews)

Why Republicans and Democrats Can’t Feel Each Other’s Pain
Maia Szalavitz (Time) Reader: Applies to Church as well

Australia: Church action against gambling (c.f. Daily Blog of Aug 21)
Giacomo Galeazzi (VI)

Earthy Concerns (Economist) Church as big as any US company

Ecumenism: Vat prefers tanks to talk Andrew McGowan (Eureka  Street)

Pussy Riot & Militant Godless Philip Jenkins (ABC) Thousands of clergy killed

 

On the menu of July 26, I asked if  Pope had published report on 2008 Synod on the Bible,  after receiving Synod's recommendations .  A kind reader has provided the answer:   Verbum Domini (Sep 2010)

Vocations: older is better? Joan Chittester (NCR)

The United States of Dependency? (IBD Editorial) c.f. Gov should end welfare (Debate.org)  c.f. History of Welfare (Wikipedia)

Poland: Catholics & Orthodox apologise   (VI) Reader: And now for that bit in the Latin Nicene Creed?

A Parish Charter  to celebrate Vatican II
Catholics for Ministry/Renewal

Saturday August 25 Sydney - Theology Study Day:
Vatican II after 50 years Fr Kevin O'Shea cssr

Canadian Medical Association: babies not human till after birth
Peter Baklinski (LifeSiteNews) Canada continues down the drain

US Catholic Relief Services not violating church teaching (CNS)
c.f. campaign against Caritas Intl

Philippines reproductive health bill survives Catholic "Prayer Power"
N.J. Viehland (NCR)

Where are the penitents? John Cornwell (Tablet)
Trends in Confession

USA: Positive beginning for dialogue between nuns and bishop Maria Pederiva (VI)
Reader: Inquisitors getting message?

Sun is nature's most perfect sphere Geraint Jones (Guardian)

Movement to end atrocities (UEG)

Abuse cost Church  millions (ABC)

Aug 17

Catholic vicariate moves  from Kuwait to Bahrain  (CathNewsUSA)
Reader: Very important news for the tens of thousands of Christians who work in the Arabian Peninsula

More than four Eucharistic Prayers Elizabeth Harrington (Leader)
10 Eucharistic Prayers may be used

Key Kevin Walters A poetic meditation

Aug 16

"Must read": Charism beyond borders Bishop Greg O'Kelly SJ (Vincentian News)
Clericalism placed both heavy demands and unwarranted power in the hands of the ordained, 
at the same time relegating the laity to a role of passive and subservient dependence on the clergy... 

Waging peace at drone convention Fr John Dear SJ (NCR)
Much of the focus now is about how they are going to open up the U.S. air space 
to sell drones to the 18,000 U.S. police departments. 

The shallow quest for gold Sr Carmel Pilcher (CathBlog)
Gold and lavish vestments are even creeping into our churches

Archbishop Coleridge backs mandatory reporting of abuse (CathNews)
Reader: A strong message to the Episcopal Conference, I hope!

Aug 15

The butler had an accomplice! Marco Tosatti (VI)
 Reader: Only the laity hang !

Investors prepare for Euro collapse Martin Hesse (Spiegel)

Hunger Games George Monbiot (Gaurdian)

Infrequent worshippers and the new Mass texts Teresa Berger (Pray Tell)

Aug 14

Cameron hosts world hunger meeting (RTHK)

Excellent reflection on London 2012 John Williams (Guardian)

Don Fausel (per Catholica) My calling to the clerical culture Obedience and loyal dissent

Aug 13

Katie Taylor - gold medal Christian Jo O'Sullivan (ACP)
Irish Olympic champion's first thought after victory was to give praise to her Creator

What happened in St Louis? Ken Briggs (NCR)
"I'm disappointed at final resolution"
 

Aug 12

Priests who lie: the dilemma of sexual orientation and the priesthood Tom Rastrelli (ACP)

These nuns are the real thing Thomas Fox (NCR)

What does Jesus mean when he says he's the bread of life? Bishop Thomas Gumbleton (NCR)
So what Jesus is asking of these people now is to develop a relationship with him, come to know him. 
In quiet prayer experience his presence. Deepen awareness of who he is, the way of life that he lived

Missionary to Africa finds images of God among the poorest and least Sr Camille D'Arienzo (NCR)
Beautiful story of Marj Humphrey  who spent 17 years in Africa

How Britain's multicultural capital won the hearts of people from every nation Kenfrey Kiberenge (Guardian) 

Our Gold Medal nomination for best Olympic article is this one  by Andy Bull (Guardian)
Rudisha breaks world record
Rudisha pulled the field around behind him, like a speedboat leading seven water-skiers. The pace was so ferocious that the silver medallist had to be carried from the track in a stretcher. He went off waving cheerily to the crowd

Missionary should not be deported Giacomo Galeazzi (VI)
Reader: I seem to recall someone else who got into trouble for mixing with this kind of people

Tomorrow:  LCWR meeting with bishop in St Louis Fabrizio Mastrofini (VI)
Reader: Transparency is a huge issue here: the CDF needs, for credibility's sake, 
to be very definite and precise in what it accuses the LCWR

Five major challenges  facing the Church China Church Voices

Anglicans divest from News Corp Trevor Grundy (NCR)

India: Christian film aims to  curb human trafficking (CRIB)
 Dalits comprise close to one quarter of  India’s 1.2 billion  population, but because of the caste system, 
are seen as inherently worthless. So they face discrimination & poverty, 
making them extremely vulnerable  to traffickers

More liturgical terms explained Elizabeth Harrington (Leader)

History of Chinese phrase "Ga Yau!" ("Go, Go, Go, keep going!")

Aug 9

Vatican II has already made us free Robert Blair Kaiser (NCR)
With J O'Malley's famous words: "from commands to invitations, from laws to ideals, from definition to mystery, from threats to persuasion, from coercion to conscience, from monologue to dialogue, from ruling to service, from withdrawn to integrated, from vertical to horizontal, from exclusion to inclusion, from hostility to friendship, from rivalry to partnership, from suspicion to trust" 

In front of Capernaum Synagogue (Bible Claret) What an excellent presentation! From same stable: Liturgy Alive

Speaking of synagogues, recently at a HK prison I met a Rabbi visiting some of his sheep. He belongs to the Chabad of China which has  this very professional website

A few weeks ago I was in contact with someone affected by Anxiety Attacks, someone who needed a place to go for an understanding chat during the day. I could not find such a place. But yesterday I met people from Joyful Mental Health (holding a fund raising function). JMH will help AA people

For Spanish readers: Un tal Jesus    A Spanish Blog site   Spanish/Portuguese Blog site Bishop E. Angelleli assassination

Olympics: alternative medal table (Guardian)

10 reasons not to ordain men Stasi (Feminary)

The New Evangelisation Sean OConaill (ACP)
“In the Catholic Church it has often seemed that a sin of the flesh was the only sin, and obedience the only virtue.” 
This observation by Yves Congar still seems to me to sum up the predicament of the Church in contemplating ‘New Evangelisation’

China: Mainland Malaise   Why Chinese people fear future:
A review of The End of the Chinese Dream by Gerard Lemos - Loretta Tofani (America)

Ethical investment focus Bishop Peter Selby (Tablet)
It has become clear that a major cause of our economic difficulties
 has been the ever more intriguing ways found to make money out of money, at an ever-increasing distance from real economic activity

More on same-sex marriage  and gay lifestyle Laura Kuntz
With response from John W

Annual gathering of US nuns Maria Pederiva (VI)z
Reader: A report without spin

Vat II according to JP I (One) Andrea Tornielli (VI)
Reader: What a Ratzinger spin Tornielli puts on  JP I. 
c.f. comment by John W (Catholica)

One link in above article is to Every Home For Christ
Worldwide, nearly ten million men and women are incarcerated in penal institutions.
The United States has 2.4 million people behind bars, up from 2.08 million just five years ago.
 But US not No. 1: c.f. World  prison population
China: Official figure: 1.5 million.  Unofficial figure: 16-20 million!

Michigan nuns ready for showdown with Vatican Oralandar Brand-Williams
(Detroit News)

Rome's Chief Rabbi:  faith & money Giacomo Galeazzi (VI)

Aug 5

Edith,  the Jewish saint who died Aug 9 in a concentration camp Andrea Tornielli (VI).
Outstanding example of humility and faith, not pretence or self-worship

Vatican and money.  Moneyval earthquake not over yet Sandro Magister (Chiesa)
Reader:  A major concern is that at the top of governance there is a fundamental conflict of interest
with the governors being the governed, cops investigating cops! The article  underscores the shameless
in-fighting among the senior Cardinals. Bertone is again identified as a principal culprit in the games!

Beautiful YouTube message: Prayer for frustrated Catholics Fr James Martin SJ (America)
Reader: These 3 books by Fr Martin have helped many people:
My Life with the Saints,
Between Heaven and Mirth, 
Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything

Religion playing strong role in background of Olympic Games (Anglican Journal)

Above article one of many linked at this Canadian website of Pastor Wayne Holst

The strange case of David Bell and 1,000 illicit bishops Andrea Tornelli (Ucanews)

Aug 4

Why I'm still a Catholic Geraldine Doogue (Eureka Street)
Reader: I think this says a great  deal about the situation of many in the Catholic Church in relation
to the Institution
And see the many comments at bottom of the article - especially those from Bishop Pat Power, 
Fr Michael Kelly, and Peter Johnstone (2 comments) 

A way forward, venerate the image of broken man Kevin Walters
The Western world is crying out for leadership from the Church

Vatican lags on twiplomacy Alessandro Speciale (VI)
Reader: One-way Twitter?

US Gold medalist Missy Franklin a student at Regius Jesuit college Julie Filby (NCR)
Taking my first theology classes,  I began to realize how important God is in my life

Aug 3

Rubbish collector saved 30 babies (Mail Online)
Inspiring story of  Chinese rubbish collector raised 30 babies  abandoned at the roadside

Website of Fr Harry Winter OMI in the USA who will soon be joining our team of kind bloggers Fr Harry's background A strong interest in Ecumenism Two previous articles by Fr Harry

India: Where the Word becomes Medicine for the sick (CRIB)
More than just a bookstore:  people come with prayer requests  for their sick dying

Australian coach defends Chinese swimmer accused of doping Barbara Miller (ABC) 
Denis Cotterell  trained Ye Shiwen

Creative fidelity of Pedro Arrupe Vincent O'Keefe SJ (America)
He embraced with all his heart and soul the call of the church in Vatican II
to return to the original charism of the founder

Aug 2

 Sacrament of Healing explained Elizabeth Harrington (Leader)
Anointing someone is not "giving them the last rites" or suggesting that they are at death's door. 
The proper sacrament for the dying is not anointing but viaticum, (Communion for the dying)

Fr Paul Bird CSsR appointed bishop of Ballarat
God bless you Paul!
(This announcement made yesterday, August 1, feast of St Alphonsus!)

Hilary Clinton: world going backwards re religious freedom
Alessandro Speciale (VI) Certainly true in China....

2012: The flight from Egypt Giorgio Bernardelli (VI)
Reader: Let's hope no flight of Christians from Egypt

Aug 1
Arrests in HK's Yau Ma Tei area RTHK
There go the neighbours....

Should people dress up for church? Fr Anthony Ruff OSB (Pray Tell)
See comments....

Learning to live without your denominational moniker Dan Denzell (Christian Post)
A denominational label often  gets in the way of the Gospel being presented without clutter

Cardboard citizens' forum theatre  at homeless hostels (YouTube)

Who's protecting whom from what? Sr John Chittister (NCR)
"The land of the free and the home  of the brave" 
is fast threatening to become the land of the gun and the home of the dead

Peru "rebel" uni: temporary rector? Andrés Beltramo Álvarez (VI)
Reader: Branding and product identity in action

Ignatius of Loyola & Karl Rahner Peggy McDonald IHM (America)
With links for making the Spiritual Exercises on-line!

Sri Lanka: campaign to free 900 political prisoners "who don't exist" (Ucanews)

NSW: Police move on priests over abuse cover up
J. McCarthy & L. Besser (SMH)  Brian Coyne's comment  (Catholica)