Dwight Longenecker's Blog, page 66

Success Over Easy

My essay for Imaginative Conservative this week is a study of an American success story: Waffle House Often on my day off, before a morning motorcycle ride in the mountains, I treat myself to breakfast at a Southern American institution: Waffle House. Waffle Houses are not luxurious. The box-like buildings are designed for cheerful efficiency, [Read More...]

Gay Bishop Gene Robinson to Meet Pope Francis?

CRUX carries an AP story reporting that President Obama has invited a whole range of religious leaders to the White House to meet Pope Francis. Among those who confirmed their attendance at the White House reception are the Rev. Joel Hunter, an evangelical megachurch pastor from Florida who is a confidant of Obama on spiritual [Read More...]

Queen Hillary to Become Warm and Cuddly

Faced with disastrous poll results and falling support Queen Hillary has decided to become more warm and cuddly Out with Nurse Ratched and Lady MacBeth. Up with Mrs Doubtfire and the Grandma Next Door. Is such a transformation possible this late in the game? Does it really matter? If Hillary’s campaign crashes and burns–which seems [Read More...]

Sin. What’s That?

One of the most troubling things I encounter as a pastor is people’s lack of understanding about sin. On the one hand there are folks who don’t seem to have much of an idea at all. They come to confession and don’t have an idea how to examine their conscience and make a good confession. When [Read More...]

Balancing Justice and Mercy

My article for Aleteia this week examines Pope Francis’ pleas for mercy and how they are best balanced by the other need for justice. In the realm of religion there seems to be two categories of people according to two personality types. The first you might call the merciful. They say with Jesus, “Neither do [Read More...]

Ten Things That Empty Churches

What are the factors that attract people to follow Jesus Christ in his church and what puts people off? Here are ten ideas of things you find in a typical Catholic Church or in Catholic culture which are repellent. 1. Self Righteousness - There are few things more off putting than a self righteous know it [Read More...]

Helping Heal the Marriage Mess

My latest article for CRUX outlines how the new procedures for annulments will help my as a parish priest. One of the biggest challenges I have found as a relatively new Catholic priest is what I call the marriage mess. On the one hand, I have to support the full, sacramental understanding of Catholic marriage. [Read More...]

So the Church is a Mess–Be a Radical Disciple

From time to time I receive emails from readers who complain about the state of the church. Maybe they say, “I wish I could be near your parish Father. There is no parish within driving distance where the priest teaches the Catholics faith. It’s all fuzzy fuzzy feel good liturgy.” Or maybe they complain about [Read More...]

Ten Things That Make A Catholic Marriage Valid

Catholic marriage? No. Frankly, you can’t Do it your Way. I am constantly amazed at how many Catholics think it is perfectly okay to be plan a wedding service however they want it. I’m sorry. If you are a Catholic you can’t do it your way. You have to do it the church’s way. If [Read More...]

Faster Annulments: Building a Raft Out of the Wreckage

Today the Vatican released two documents updating the Code of Canon Law regarding marriage annulments. This is great news for all of those who were nervous about the upcoming synod of the family. As John Allen comments here, these new rules provide the way forward in the thorny issue of remarriage after divorce. There is [Read More...]