Dwight Longenecker's Blog, page 60

Progressive Talk on Sin is Smoke and Mirrors

After the synod, this from Belgian bishop Lucas Van Loony. “If this synod were the Church, I would say that it’s the end of judging people, the end of a Church that passes judgment on all the situations,” said Belgian Bishop Lucas Van Looy. “It’s a Church that welcomes, a Church that accompanies, a Church [Read More...]

Synod Fathers Keep the Faith

Thomas D Williams gives an update here on the synod as the final report is about to be released. He doesn’t have much time for Jesuit priest Thomas Reese Though the synod was convened to discuss the many issues facing Christian families in the world today, Reese and his cohort had a considerably more narrow [Read More...]

Why Do You Want to Receive Communion Anyway?

Far be it from me to pontificate about the vexed questions the synod fathers are debating, but I have been pondering a few of the questions and have to admit to being stumped. The question is this: “Should divorced and remarried Catholics and publicly active homosexuals be admitted to communion?” The discipline of the church [Read More...]

Whatever Happened to Heroes?

I have not been following the synod proceedings much because as far as I can make out most of the press about it is gossip, and like most gossip it is biased, ignorant and designed to stir up conflict, stoke the flames of discontent, apportion blame without ascertaining facts and being generally nasty and destructive. [Read More...]

Blowing the Whistle on Liberal Hypocrites

The attack on hypocrites in religion typically focusses on the uptight, self righteous conservative Catholic who judges others while they themselves are guilty of the same sin. You know the schtick: “Mildred is always saying what terrible sinners young people are for sleeping around, but it turns out she’s been having sex with her neighbor’s husband!” [Read More...]

I’ll Be Back

If you follow this blog regularly you’ll realize I’ve been out of circulation for over a week. I’ve been on vacation with two of my children and took a break from all that writing. But I didn’t take a break from thinking things through. I’ve been thinking about that synod in Rome. I’ve been thinking [Read More...]

What Does a German Catholic Schism Look Like?

Some observers of the Synod on the Family taking place in Rome predict that if the Liberal German Cardinals don’t get their way that they will do what they want anyway. Fast emerging as one of the sharpest Vatican reporters, Edward Pentin noted here that the German cardinals plan to publish their own pastoral document [Read More...]

The Model of a Modern German Cardinal

I found this online and thought my readers would enjoy it…If you’re unfamiliar with the song from the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta watch the video. I am the very model of a modern German cardinal I’m kind to all minorities peripheral and marginal I know the mobile numbers of my seniors political I try quite hard at humour [Read More...]

Wasting Time and Waiting on God

My essay this week at Imaginative Conservative is on the contemplative life and is entitled, On Windows, Work and Wasting Time I am just looking out the window. That is all. What am I looking at? A tree. A squirrel. A cardinal and a jay. I see the dog luxuriating in the morning sun. I [Read More...]

Doctrine Determines Discipline. Duuh!

Why is this one so hard to understand? Doctrine determines Discipline. As Cardinal Pell points out here, During Tuesday’s press briefing a journalist asked the panel if they would confirm whether the question of communion is one of discipline and not doctrine, and can it therefore be explored and developed during this Synod? On Wednesday, [Read More...]