Dwight Longenecker's Blog, page 233

Why Did Pope Francis Go to St Mary Major?

The first thing this morning Pope Francis went secretly to pray at the basilica church of St Mary Major in Rome. It is a custom for a new pope to go to this great church to pray, but for Pope Francis it was the first thing on his agenda. While he was there he made [...]

My Reflection on the Election

Here is my article for Aleteia on the election yesterday of Cardinal Bergoglio as Pope Francis.

Comment Moderation

Just a reminder about the combox: If you write trash I put it in the trash.

A New Francis

The other day I was standing on the hillside on our church campus where we plan to build a new church, and I prayed that the new church would be built, but I also looked across the street to the old motel that was built in the 70s along highway 85. It, and the other [...]

Interview on the Possible New Pope

Here is my video interview with Aleteia on my thoughts about the new Supreme Pontiff.

The Limitations of Listening

I was watching Marcus Grodi’s interview with Msgr. Steenson, the Ordinary of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St Peter the other morning, and Msgr Steenson observed that in the  Episcopal Church things went down the drain because whenever there was a controversial issue the leadership of the church urges everyone to “listen” to the [...]

The Mystery of History

What must the Cardinals think as they file into the Sistine Chapel today for another day of making history? They are in the center of a  room adorned with paintings by one of the world’s great masters. Above they see the creation of Adam, with God in his swirling robes touching him into life. From [...]

Mantilla the Hon on Papabile

Guest blogger Mantilla Amontillado is the founder of Veritas Vestments. She holds a degree in Ecclesiastical Haberdashery from Salamanca University. She has done the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella three times on horseback and is engaged to the famous matador, Senor Augusto Torquemada. OK Hon, I know Mantilla’s a nobody. I don’t do nothing but [...]

On Popes and Possible Popes

Here are a couple of articles I have contributed to Aleteia. The first is an assessment of Benedict XVIs papacy from the perspective of St Benedict. It’s called St Benedict on Benedict. Here is my latest papabile profile--on Cardinal Sandri.

Correction and Apology

If you subscribe to my feed you may have received by email an earlier post today in which I dissected the Washington Post contribution by Fr James Martin SJ. This post was hastily written and unworthy. I have now removed the post and apologized to Fr Martin. We have enough enemies of the Catholic Church [...]