Dwight Longenecker's Blog, page 123

It’s My Fault

Here is my latest article for ZENIT about the “Mea Culpa” in the  confession at the beginning of Mass The Confiteo at the beginning of Mass is a refreshing antidote to the victim-entitlement poison. I beat my breast three times and say, “My fault, my fault, my most grievous fault” and as I do I [Read More...]

Let’s Have Clarity, Charity…and Hilarity

Someone said recently that I have firmly declared myself to be a conservative. Indeed someone from New Jersey once said I am an “arch conservative.” I am happy to take that label. I’m happy to take all the other labels too. To see what I mean go to this post:  Call Me an Evangelical, Charismatic, [Read More...]

Let’s Have Clarity and Charity

Someone said recently that I have firmly declared myself to be a conservative. Indeed someone from New Jersey once said I am an “arch conservative.” I am happy to take that label. I’m happy to take all the other labels too. To see what I mean go to this post:  Call Me an Evangelical, Charismatic, [Read More...]

Cardinal Kasper Dismisses Africans

The Anchoress takes Kasper to task here for his condescending and let’s say it: racist remarks about African Catholics. Here are our brothers and sisters in the forefront of the fight against militant Islam, seeing their churches burned, their children kidnapped and their villages destroyed by Muslim thugs. They stand firm in the faith. Their seminaries [Read More...]

The Slough of Despond

Couch potato syndrome? It might really be the sin of sloth. Here is my latest article for Catholic Exchange in a series on the seven deadly sins. Sloth is also the reluctance or refusal to use our gifts and abilities in a positive way which leads to a prosperous, generous and abundant life. Bogged down [Read More...]

Worried About the Synod? Here Are Ten Things to Remember

  Whew! has there ever been such a furore amongst the faithful! We’ve got the clash of cardinals, a bash up among bishops and vitriol in the Vatican! The secular press are ecstatic over the idea that the Catholic Church has capitulated to the spirit of the age while conservatives are furious. Many Catholics are upset [Read More...]

On Being Supernaturally Normal

I had a terrific compliment last week. This person didn’t praise me for being extraordinary. She didn’t thank me for being intellectual or handsome or holy or amazing. She thanked me for being normal. We are so often attracted to what is weird. We follow the details of the lives of the stars of athletics [Read More...]

A Plea to the Pope

  Here is my latest article for Crisis Magazine, in which I promise to do my job but plead with the pope to do his. I want to be that kind of priest. I want to be Jesus to the world. I long to care for the poor and hungry, minister to their needs, welcome [Read More...]

Why I Distrust Church Synods

As a former Anglican I distrust church synods. Here’s why. The General Synod of the Church of England is at it’s foundation, a democratically minded, man made institution. It was founded in 1970 on the foundations of the Church Assembly which had been in existence since 1910. The Church Assembly was a consultative body of [Read More...]

Sin and the Synod

I have now read what some are calling the “Relativistic Relatio” from the Synod on the family and I’m afraid that I am not impressed. It is not that the language is wishy washy, vague and confusing to the faithful. I’ve commented on that here and here. It fails to impress not because of it’s [Read More...]