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How does pride grow in our life? St. Bernard of Clairvaux explains the 12 steps of pride…..
So you think the idea of the “Twelve Steps” is new? Well, if you think you’ve got a new idea, go back and see how the Greeks put it, or in this case how the Medieval Latins put it. St. Bernard of Clairvaux identified twelve steps up the mountain of pride in his work Steps of Humility and Pride. In today’s post, we focus on the Twelve Steps of Pride. Tomorrow, we’ll tackle the Twelve Steps of Humility (from St. Benedict’s rule). Below, I list the Twelve Steps of Pride briefly and then provide some commentary (it’s my commentary, so don’t blame St. Bernard :-)). Again, the list is his; the inferior comments are mine. Note how the twelve steps grow progressively more serious and lead ultimately to the slavery of sin. The steps tend to build on one...
Pope Francis in new book on St. John Paul II: “I am convinced that celibacy is a decisive grace that characterizes the Latin Catholic Church”…
Vatican City, Feb 13, 2020 / 10:33 am (CNA).- In a newly published book, Pope Francis answers questions about himself and St. John Paul II, saying he learned the importance of joy and mercy from his predecessor, and they are in “total harmony” on the subject of priestly ministry. “I think that joy is the most important characteristic of the encounter with the risen Jesus,” Pope Francis said, noting the joy and mercy of John Paul II’s pontificate, “I learned from him.” Pope Francis’ thoughts on his predecessor and other topics are recorded in the Italian-language book “St. John Paul the Great,” published Feb. 11 and co-authored with Fr. Luigi Maria Epicoco. The book is divided into five chapters, each with information on an aspect or period of the life of John Paul II, written by Epicoco. T...
Sinn Féin’s surge portends a sea change in Irish politics…
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald smiles, after exit polls were announced in Ireland’s national election, in Dublin, Ireland, February 9, 2020. (Phil Noble/Reuters) The IRA’s political arm has officially moved from the fringes of the political landscape to its center. What comes next will be telling. Irish politics received a much-needed shock after voting ceased and counting began in the Republic of Ireland’s general election yesterday. Sinn Féin, under leader Mary Lou McDonald, topped the national poll, winning just shy of 25 percent of the vote and thus increasing its vote-share from the 2016 general election by more than ten points. Due to Ireland’s proportional-representation system, that share won’t be enough for the party to win a majority of seats and form a government. But it doe...
Why are so many Hillsdale College students becoming Catholic?
St. Anthony’s RCIA class of 2019. Courtesy | Phil Bernston At a college where more than 90% of students actively practice a religion and where debates about transubstantiation versus consubstantiation, the significance of Christ’s incarnation, and, most contentiously, Mary’s perpetual virginity echo through the halls, Catholicism seems to be gaining new ground. Between 2016 and 2019, 76 people converted to Catholicism at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church and were confirmed after undergoing the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Many of them were Hillsdale students. In 2019 alone, 12 out of 24 converts were Hillsdale students. Nationally, the percentage of Catholics declined from 24% to 21% of the population since 2014. Approximately 2% of U....
On the question of married priests, a papal pattern returns in ‘Querida Amazonia’…
Pope Francis holds two books he presented as a gift to cardinals and bishops on the occasion of his Christmas greetings to the Roman Curia, Dec. 21, 2019, in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican. (Andrew Medichini/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) ‘Querida Amazonia’: On the Question of Married Priests, a Papal Pattern Returns COMMENTARY: In Querida Amazonia, as in previous documents, clear questions were posed. Ambiguous answers were given, awaiting clarification by novel maneuvers. Father Raymond J. de Souza In regard to the magisterium of Pope Francis it’s not just what he teaches, but how. In both Amoris Laetitia and in regard to capital punishment, the manner of magisterial teaching was novel. The pattern is now repeated with Querida Amazonia, the Holy Father’s post-synodal apostolic exhortatio...
With cold water thrown on hopes of progressive Catholics, ‘Querida Amazonia’ could help ‘reduce internal Church factions,’ says Cardinal Müller…
Pope Francis at the Opening Mass of the Synod of Bishops on the Amazon region, Oct. 6, 2019. (Daniel Ibáñez/CNA) “The entire letter is written in a personal and attractive tone. The Successor of Peter [wants] to win all Catholics and Christians of other denominations, but also all people of good will, for a positive development of this region,” so that “all living there may experience the uplifting and unifying power of the Gospel.” A Document of Reconciliation On Pope Francis’ Post-Synodal Letter Querida Amazonia By Cardinal Gerhard Müller Amid great hopes and anxious fears, the post-synodal letter has arrived. It refers to the final document of the Amazon Synod on October 6-27, 2019, and the Pope does not draw from it any dramatic and disconcerting conclusions. Rather, ...
Pope Francis attempts to mend some doctrinal divisions by rejecting Amazonian Rite…
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No married priests, no women deacons, says Pope Francis in long-awaited new Amazon Synod document ‘Querida Amazonia’…
ABOVE: Pope Francis, with Master of Ceremonies Msgr. Guido Marini at his side, offers Mass Feb. 1, 2020, at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican [Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images]. BELOW: See photo captions and credits at end of article. In ‘Querida Amazonia,’ Pope Francis Lays Out a Vision for the Future of the Amazon The post-synodal apostolic exhortation Querida Amazonia sets forth the Holy Father’s ‘Four Dreams’ for the region, but steers clear of endorsing married priests or women deacons. VATICAN CITY — Through “four great dreams” for a better ecological, social, cultural and ecclesial future, Pope Francis says he wishes his new post-synodal apostolic exhortation will “awaken” the world’s “affection and concern” for the Amazon region — and help other areas of the world to confront ...
Orson Bean’s wild life: Why did the LA Times obit skip God’s role in his final chapters?
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5 ways to be a better Catholic evangelist…
My friend is a Southern Baptist pastor and his statement about the Catholic Church floored me and it wasn’t about what you are probably thinking it was. He told me a story about when he was in seminary in the 80s. One of his seminary professors was teaching a class on missiology, which is the study of Christian mission. They did an exhaustive historical study on the spread of the Gospel. Toward the end of the class, one student asked what we could do to reach the world with the Gospel. Was it a matter of greater missionary zeal? His response was, “it isn’t just missionary zeal. We will reach the world with the Gospel when the Catholic Church recaptures her mission given to her by Jesus.” In other words, the Catholic Church holds the key to reaching the world with th...
How to help make Valentine’s Day less annoying…
I’m about to write something extremely controversial and provocative. Proceed with the pitchforks and torches if you must. It will not change my opinion. Here goes. I’m glad—no, downright gleeful that my kids’ Catholic school does not celebrate Valentine’s Day. There. It’s officially out there. I’m truly happy there will be no shoebox “mailboxes” wrapped in red and pink paper and plastered with colorful stickers and foam heart decorations. No cutesy purple cupcakes heaped with gobs of frosting and sprinkles. No party with pastel streamers, balloons, Pinterest-inspired crafts, sugary drinks paired with adorable polka-dotted straws, and candy galore. Some of these things I look back on fondly from my own youth. I did really love those candy hearts with the pithy little sayings… miss you, be ...
In countries like Lebanon and Nigeria, Catholic bishops aren’t afraid to say the emperor has no clothes…
ROME – We’re now fully immersed in election season in America, even if the Democratic caucuses in Iowa weren’t exactly the most promising beginning, and once again it seems likely the “religious vote” will be a contentious and important force in the outcome. Every time religion and politics collide in the U.S., someone is sure to object that church and state are supposed to be separate, that religion is a private matter that shouldn’t be injected into the public bloodstream, etc. That’s always been a rule more honored in the breach than the observance, but Western societies nonetheless pride themselves on a strong sense of distance between the religious and political spheres. In other parts of the world, however, religious leaders often show no such reticence about wading into political de...
