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“This blog is like a fusion of the Baroque ‘salon’ with its well-tuned harpsichord around which polite society gathered for entertainment and edification and, on the other hand, a Wild West “saloon” with its out-of-tune piano and swinging doors, where everyone has a gun and something to say. Nevertheless, we try to point our discussions back to what it is to be Catholic in this increasingly difficult age, to love God, and how to get to heaven.” – Fr. Z
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Category Archives: The Drill
Fewer Catholics schedule funerals for their dead
A tip of the biretta to Pewsitter for this piece from the Worcester Telegram: Bishop McManus worried that some omit funeral Masses WORCESTER — Bishop Robert J. McManus is expressing concern that Central Massachusetts Roman Catholics are not scheduling funeral … Read More
Evangelii gaudium 54 and the attack on “trickle down” economics
There is a controversial paragraph in Evangelii gaudium in which the Pope seems to be attacking “trickle-down” economics. 54. In this context, some people continue to defend trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will … Read More
Posted in Dogs and Fleas, Francis, Liberals, The Drill
Tagged EG 54, Pope Francis, Rush Limbaugh, Samuel Gregg, statism, trickle-down economics
48 Comments
48 Comments
Francis has succeeded in doing what no Pope has ever done: divide the ‘c’atholic Left
Read reactions and analysis of Evangelii gaudium and you will quickly see that the catholic Left’s take on the Apostolic Exhortation inexorably veers into “Isn’t it great that the Pope hates traditionalists? He’s one of us!” Heh heh. Not so much. … Read More
Posted in Liberals, Lighter fare, The Drill, Women Religious
Tagged Evangelii gaudium, feminists, Fishwrap, LCWR, NSR, Pope Francis, women's ordination
24 Comments
24 Comments
Evangelii gaudium 138: Sermons should be brief. How brief is “brief”? POLL
Are we now too impatient to receive even good preaching? Should we, therefore, dumb preaching down? Those who are familiar with the Fathers of the Church know all too well that their sermons were often pretty long, well over an hour. Think … Read More
Evangelii gaudium: Translation issues, problems
I am detecting rumblings that the English translation of the Pope’s new (first) Apostolic Exhortation is not so hot and that it may be, in some key places misleading. There are always going to be differences in opinion about how … Read More
Posted in Francis, The Drill
Tagged Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii gaudium, Pope Francis, translation
17 Comments
17 Comments
A “Francis Effect” in these USA?
There is a lot of buzz about a “Francis Effect”. As I watch Twitter, for example, I see comments such as “I’m not Catholic anymore, but I really like this Pope!” or “I disagree with the Church on a lot … Read More
Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Francis, New Evangelization, The Drill
Tagged The Francis Effect
14 Comments
14 Comments
First comment on the Pope’s new Apostolic Exhortation
The new Apostolic Exhortation is out: Evangelii gaudium. In English it is some 51000 words. It is a slog. It is not an encyclical. It is not an apostolic letter. It is only an apostolic exhortation. I caution all of you (and … Read More
Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Francis, The Drill
Tagged Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii gaudium, Pope Francis
63 Comments
63 Comments
Will German bishops defy Rome, ignore teaching on indissolubility of marriage?
Iran, and other countries, are more than likely emboldened by the Obama-inflicted weakness of these USA. They will be flexing their muscles, sure that the President won’t do anything. In Germany, and probably other places, some bishops, emboldened by a … Read More
US Federal Judge and atheist group tag-team attack churches, congregations
Sometimes I muse about what it must have been like for a pagan priest in 4th century Rome who tended a crossroads shrine as he watched the demolition of his entire world. It is, perhaps, our turn now. The not-so-Catholic-friendly, … Read More
Again HUGE news: Pope Francis explicitly endorses Benedict XVI’s “hermeneutic of continuity”
You will want to read this carefully and put it in your “IMPORTANT” file. This is, again, HUGE news. The 450th anniversary of the closing of the Council of Trent is coming up on 4 December. We like to celebrate … Read More
