Dwight Longenecker's Blog, page 231

Washing Women’s Feet?

Today Pope Francis washed the feet of twelve detainees in a youth detention center. Two of them were female. Last year I wrote this post explaining why the rubrics call for men to have their feet washed. Jimmy Akin explicates the texts and offers an excellent commentary here. What are we to make of the Holy [...]

Foot Washing and Equal Rights

The whole world is clucking again about “equality” and “equal rights.” It is not wrong to fight for “equality” and “equal rights” but the problem is that these are very emotive and vague terms. Most anyone who feels aggrieved in some way, or even worse, most anyone who is feeling somewhat envious, can start a [...]

Why I Am a Catholic

I am a Catholic because the Catholic faith stands the world on its head. It turns over the tables. It makes you expect the unexpected. Just when you thought you had it figured it out, the Catholic Church, like a mischievous and shrewd old woman, pulls a trick on you, calls you to step out [...]

Worship Straight Up

In the combox someone wrote, “Just give me the liturgy straight up. No ice.” I like that. It got my brain humming and I started comparing liturgical styles to drinks. One of the problems with a traditionalism that goes too far is that all the nice things can draw attention to themselves. Nothing in the [...]

Benedictine and Franciscan Poverty

Since our new pope’s emphasis on poverty is a hot topic, here are a few thoughts about the Benedictine approach to poverty and how it contrasts with the Franciscan. A Benedictine monk takes three vows: obedience, stability, and conversion of life. He doesn’t take a vow of poverty. However, the Rule of St Benedict does [...]

Pope Francis: A Trendy – Traddy Debate

Meet Randy Trendy and Maddy Traddy: See who you agree with…. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Randy: Don’t you think Pope Francis is great! He is a man of the poor for the poor. Maddy: I like the fact that he serves the poor, but people aren’t good just because they’re poor. And rich people aren’t bad just because [...]

Brothers in Arms

Go here for my article comparing Benedict and Francis

Pope Francis’ Poverty Will be Forgotten

In this first week of his papacy Pope Francis has made some stunning and memorable gestures toward the Franciscan ideal of poverty. They have produced a fantastic splash of public relations positives, but they are not mere PR gimmicks. Jorge Bergoglio has lived a life of apostolic simplicity for many years, and he lives and [...]

Rich Veep Poor Pope

Caption Competition. To get you going: Biden’s Hotel Bill for one night in London: Half a million bucks. Go here. Or should the headline be reversed: Poor Veep. Rich Pope?

Comparing Benedict and Francis

Go here for my article for Aleteia which compares St Benedict and St Francis to shed light on our two popes.