tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36591112024-03-13T11:46:59.973-05:00Classic CatholicMusings and reflections on all things great and small in light of the great Catholic literature (theology, philosophy, spirituality, poetry and fiction, etc.) of all time.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1090125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-51987273767770666602023-04-28T20:01:00.000-05:002023-04-28T20:01:01.213-05:00Goodness or holiness?One of the most interesting points made Dennis Prager in his conversation with Matt Fradd about pornography and masturbation, is that what he care about when he is talking about how to live is not being a saint, but being a good person. I think if you look at what Matt Fradd is trying to explain to him about the Catholic understanding of sexuality is that it is precisely saints that the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-38883985977313955582023-04-26T21:21:00.001-05:002023-04-26T21:21:51.616-05:00celibacy, continence, chastityOne thing I appreciate about the USCCB's Program for Priestly Formation, 6th edition is the emphasis on the virtue of chastity. The virtue was covered in the PPF 5, but there seems to be a slightly stronger focus in the PPF 6, if the number of times the term appears is any indication (14 in the PPF 5 and 32 in the PPF 6). Celibacy simply means not being married. Continence is avoiding sexualUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-69040310000925711672023-04-21T09:56:00.003-05:002023-04-21T09:56:33.150-05:00Solitude and lonelinessThe newly-released Program For Priestly Formation, Sixth Edition makes a close connection between the ability to live a chaste, celibate way of life and the ability to transform solitude from a context for isolation and loneliness into an opportunity for intimate communion with our Lord.I believe this is a major challenge for our age (and all ages, I presume), especially with the advent of the Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-89444415128842482902023-04-06T11:16:00.002-05:002023-04-06T11:16:00.384-05:00The privilege of the priesthoodI’ve been thinking a lot about priesthood lately. It is an occupational hazard working at a seminary.One of the “tensions” in the theology of the priesthood is the affirmation that the sacramental character of ordination sets the priest apart and gives him a unique relationship with Christ. Specifically, he is conformed to Christ as head, unlike the laity. In his book, Alter Christus: Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-77821476319686613402023-04-05T09:52:00.002-05:002023-04-05T09:52:28.864-05:00Brains, muscles, character A quote from Sam Scalia, Antonin Scalia's dad.[B[rains are like muscles; you can rent them by the hour. The only thing that’s not for sale is character.You should work on all three, of course, but the priority should be on character. Piety being first (because of its connection to love of God and love of neighbor). Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-65942973326329315882023-04-04T15:02:00.002-05:002023-04-04T15:02:45.398-05:00Why people don't get anything out of the liturgyI think one of the big reasons is that liturgies don't have much in the way of CGI and action. It can't complete with the MCU and commercials. It is boring by contemporary standards. Just like books vs. Youtube.It doesn't help that modern liturgy are often so beige and lacking in flare. The music is bland like 70s pop. The walls are bare. No sparkle. I think maybe that is why more and more Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-60344333353681018352023-04-02T16:46:00.002-05:002023-04-02T16:46:25.809-05:00You and thouToday we sang "All Glory, Laud, and Honour" for Palm Sunday (surprise, surprise!). The version in the missalette says, "All Glory, Laud, and Honour to you Redeemer King." The version in our hymnal said, "to Thee, Redeemer King." The rest of the hymn was pretty much the same, except that the missalette had "yous" and the hymnal had "thees" and "thous" throughout. Our choir director chose to use Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-37251677487524807652023-03-31T13:55:00.000-05:002023-03-31T13:55:16.014-05:00The difference between Catholic Mass and Protestant "worship" I was reading an article from the Association of Theological Schools on the Asbury Revival ("Asbury provost reflects on revival," by Gregg A. Okesson). I noticed this quote about the initial service that started the whole thing. The preacher that morning even texted his wife at the conclusion of the service that it had 'bombed.'It struck me that a Catholic Mass cannot "bomb." If Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-6791348028303935362023-03-26T20:00:00.003-05:002023-03-26T20:00:45.609-05:00Signs of hopeRecently a friend ask me for signs of vitality in the US Church. The following is a list of what appear to me to be signs of hope (although no created reality is without potential inadequacies). These are all in the US. My focus is on my experience in Milwaukee. From, what I hear, the real youthful vitality in the Church is in Africa, about which I know next to nothing, being the parochial personUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-69708751943029859062023-03-25T10:59:00.000-05:002023-03-25T10:59:24.090-05:00How not to love the sinner (Scylla and Charybdis)Sage advice from Bishop Hying of Madison in "Statement from Bishop Hying on the ‘Synodal Way’ process from bishops in Germany."We do not love people when we simply leave them in sin and error, nor do
we love them when we harshly reject them without any compassion or
feeling.Yeah. this is a very hard line to walk. Partly because if you are attempting to "not...leave them in sin and error," you Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-32745521446820508182023-03-23T09:37:00.001-05:002023-03-23T09:37:38.689-05:00Ths sins of a priest Why does the world hold priests to a higher standard than, say, a teacher or even a scout master? Is it unjust for them to do so?Here is a quote from this article in the National Catholic Register citing St. Alphonnsus Liguori and St. John Chrysostom:St. Alphonsus explains how the virtues of a priest should surpass those of the laity. “Priests should be holy, because God has placed them in Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-80638238984835860232023-03-23T08:13:00.000-05:002023-03-23T08:13:30.944-05:00Advice for "influencers"In his excellent book, Who's Speaking, Fr. Cliff Ermatinger gives the following guidance: The defensive, stubborn, polemic spirit reveals a spirit less than divine. (p.61)The root idea of polemics is to aggressively argue for your own position and against another by especially presenting the opponent's position in its weakest form or by only highlighting the negative aspects. The more Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-36894061935727060212023-03-22T08:02:00.001-05:002023-03-22T08:02:03.434-05:00St. Therese, suffering, and suicideRelevant to the demand for assisted suicide; this is St. Therese reflecting upon her own intense suffering:I understand very well why those who don't have the faith commit suicide when they are undergoing severe sufferings. See to it when you are taking care of sick people who are the prey of violent pains that you don't leave poisonous medicines in their reach. I assure you, when one is Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-62526687125999321632023-03-20T09:57:00.002-05:002023-03-20T09:57:27.580-05:00Let all Mortal Flesh and Lent It has always seemed odd to me that "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence" is used as a Lenten hymn. Especially since the fourth verse has the "A" word in it. And besides, the text is all about the Incarnation. For instance, it is in the Lenten section of the Christian Prayer Book, but without the fourth "offending" verse. Of course, a hymn about the Incarnation would be wholly Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-47608764163288771002023-03-18T10:17:00.013-05:002023-03-18T10:17:00.205-05:00Really?Human beings sure are creative.
Since the end of the 1940’s, five Indigo generations have entered the world stage to help. Each wave, providing an enhanced level of service to the inhabitants of Earth. Dolores called them the three waves of volunteers. They correlated with the three types of children being born on Earth; those being the Rainbow, Indigo, and Crystal Children.I suppose I am obligedUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-10760483104846362232023-03-17T10:50:00.004-05:002023-03-17T10:50:43.100-05:00What is the fundamental concern of a priest?A priests fundamental concern is to rescue people from the grip of the demons and the effects of the Fall so that they can receive grace, freely choose to love God and neighbor, and therefor enter into eternal life with the Triune God. The means by which the priest accomplishes this effect is by communicating the fullness of Truth (the Word of God) to the people, leading them to the Sacraments, Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-45972009188977717992023-03-16T19:43:00.005-05:002023-03-16T19:43:35.874-05:00Holy water during Lent Reasons for leaving the holy water in the font during Lent.1. The Church says so. 2. The Israelites were given water in the desert.3. Holy water spooks the demons. 4. Jesus was hungry in the desert, not thirsty. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-51331497593705150582022-03-26T18:24:00.003-05:002022-03-26T18:24:44.327-05:00Thanksgiving after Communion<!--[if gte mso 9]>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-60595507762808073112022-01-09T08:30:00.002-06:002022-01-09T08:30:38.936-06:00Life is a dance, not a raceLife isn't a race, it's a dance. Every step forward and every step backwards, stepping sideways and twirling in circles, are all part of the dance we call life.Great dancers are never in a hurry. They relax into the rhythm, becoming one with their partners, and experience the exhilaration of the dance. --Matthew Kelly, Life is Messy, p. 38. This is a good criterion for discernment. OneUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-36318994664797042472020-12-01T21:49:00.003-06:002020-12-01T21:49:38.596-06:00Cluny Media I've been hearing a lot about Cluny Media lately. They republish old Catholic classics. They look like the real deal. Here is an article in First Things called, "Why we need Cluny Media," by Sohrab Ahmari. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-30404986818880550032020-08-26T07:41:00.001-05:002020-08-26T07:41:39.755-05:00True Poetry and PhilosophyTrue poetry is not just about emotions, but about deep meaning. Philosophy is not just about ideas, but about deep meaning—the connectedness and hierarchical relationship of all things in God in the hearts of men. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-83505180630968787102020-08-20T07:23:00.002-05:002020-08-20T10:02:43.683-05:00Devotion to the Blessed Virgin MaryDevotion to the Blessed Virgin is not a sentimental thing, although it involves sentiment. It is not just for those who have some kind of unmet emotional need. It is theological. It is intimately tied up with the faith.At the foot of the cross Jesus gave us Mary as mother. All of us. Because we need her metaphysically.I'd wager that the main problems in Protestantism stem from their rejection of Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-26450359280545743322020-08-19T07:21:00.002-05:002020-08-20T10:05:17.927-05:00Universal truthsThere are universal truths that apply to all, no matter what their circumstances or background. What McIntyre was saying about good citizenship in the video by Gregory B. Sadler is simply true. It is valuable, indeed imperative, to speak at such an abstract level so we can better understand the concrete. Of course, Newman is right about real assent. The abstract articulation of principles isUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-52067143021804841972020-07-29T07:43:00.001-05:002020-07-29T07:43:44.639-05:00A prayer for the heart"If today you hear his voice harden not your hearts."I frequently pray that my heart be softened--that my stoney heart be replaced by a heart of flesh. Recently, though, I have begun to also pray that my heart be strengthened as well as softened. A human heart is sensitive but also strong. We need courage, or fortitude, to be truly tender. Fear makes us tighten up and become hard and Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3659111.post-43729436293893490902020-07-28T07:35:00.001-05:002020-07-28T07:35:49.183-05:00After a visit to the Indiana DunesThe yellow, wind-swept dunes Against the deep blue skyAre marked with man-made wounds That make the seagulls cry.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0