Dwight Longenecker's Blog, page 211

The Divine Mercy — So What?

So let’s say I want to tell everyone about the wonderful mercy of God. What does it matter if they don’t realize their need for the wonderful mercy of God? Here’s the weird situation we’re in. For two thousand years Christian preachers had a simple way to evangelize. First they pointed out your sin. Then [Read More...]

Poking the Pope

The Holy Father’s interview published today is the first time we’ve had a chance for an in depth look at the man. One of the frustrating things about his papacy so far is that it has been big on dramatic gestures and small on content. There’s not anything wrong with that. He clearly prefers the [Read More...]

Why Pope Francis Worries Some Catholics

Go to Aggie Catholics here to read why Pope Francis is getting some Catholics worried.

The Pastor as Shepherd

Having read Pope Francis’ beautiful, heartfelt sharing with the priests of Rome, I am reminded that the word “pastor” is really the word “shepherd”. As a priest I am caught up in so many different tasks–raising money, making administrative decisions, solving problems, planning events, and for me blogging, broadcasting, writing books, and yet it always, [Read More...]

Horrible Heresies Alive Today

Stephen Krason writes here on the creepy parallels between the Albigensian heresy and today’s secular value system. The more you study history the more you realize how history repeats itself–or to quote Mark Twain, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it echoes.” The Albigensians, or Catharists, were neo-Manicheans, regarding material creation as an evil and viewing [Read More...]

In Praise of Catholic Old Ladies

The Crescat thanks the Lord for Catholic old ladies and I agree. I’m rather fond of Catholic old ladies myself–and it doesn’t matter what age or gender they are. After all, I’ve got my very own Catholic old lady inside me. She’s called Mrs.Brady, Catholic old lady. She is sweet, hard working, kindly, shrewd and [Read More...]

Beautifying the Mass

Fr Charles Pope writes here on how learning to celebrate the Extraordinary Form of the Mass brought increased solemnity and grace to his celebration of the Ordinary Form. One of the things I learned while in training at St Mary’s, Greenville was how the Ordinary Form could be celebrated with great grace, beauty and solemnity. [Read More...]

Woody Allen Catholicism

Pat Archbold laments Woody Allen Catholicism in this post and advocates John Wayne Catholicism. Excuse me, but you heard about Rooster Cogburn Catholicism here first.

So the Church is a Mess? Not Sure What to Do?

At dinner with friends the other night the conversation turned to the traditionalists with a fair bit of sympathy. Along with the obnoxious voices of the radical traditionalists there are many good Catholics who simply feel let down by their church leadership. They may be willing to put up with a liturgy they don’t like [Read More...]

Norman Anderson on Shopping

Guest blogger Norman Anderson is married to Marjorie and is a Catholic father of high schoolers Kevin, Marybelle and Hazel. He works as a claims adjuster at Skinner’s Insurance Incorporated. He attends St Martha’s Catholic Church in Adam’s Falls, North Carolina. Norman is a suburban hermit. Friday is my birthday and I am experiencing the [Read More...]