A Crescendo of Chaos – “In any political community, large-scale corruption, major upheavals, and revolutionary violence never come out of the blue. They come first by a succession of little sins …” You Have to Vote for One of Them (First Things)
Harming Religious Liberties – “Among the first search results for Kamala Harris’ position on religious liberties, one will find her commitment to the First Amendment, but curiously, it is tied to ‘reproductive freedom.’” As President, Kamala Would Wage Legal War On Churches (The Federalist)
Single Greatest Obstacle – “I’ve been told by several Protestants over the last decade that Francis is the single greatest obstacle to their conversion. How should I respond?” Answering Protestant Objections to Pope Francis (Crisis)
European Catholics Decrease – “A study by an official Catholic news agency estimates that while the number of Roman Catholics increased by 14 million worldwide, it decreased by half a million in Europe.” Roman Catholicism grows worldwide except in Europe (Evangelical Focus)
Masses for Children – “Some argue that Children’s Masses foster better participation and understanding of the liturgy among its youngest participants, while others say they facilitate liturgical excesses and separate family members.” The surprising history of the Children’s Mass (The Pillar)
The Synod’s Fruits – “Everyday Catholics with time will see a Church where they count, where they are important, where their talents, their gifts, their life experience, are important because they belong to the people of the baptized.” Cardinal Hollerich on Synod: ‘Catholics will see a Church where they count’ (Vatican News)
Natural Family Planning – “It’s not just for ‘spacing children.’ There is something deeper here.” Teach Your Daughters NFP (Catholic Answers)
A Minor Miracle – “[T]he conservative wing of the Church may not have been well represented in the Synod hall, but it did seem to be present in the calculations of the Synod’s founding father.” Synod Displayed Catholicism at its finest – and at its most frustrating (Catholic Herald)
Catholics and Girl Scouts – “Cincinnati Archbishop Dennis Schnurr said Monday he is ending the Catholic archdiocese’s relationship with the Girl Scouts because he believes the organization promotes a “false and harmful” view of sex and gender.” Archbishop: Cincinnati Catholics must cut ties with Girl Scouts over sex and gender views (Cincinnati Enquirer)
Memento Mori – “Perhaps it’s sheer weariness as the Synod on Synodality spluttered to its laborious end, but I think there’s a great deal of wisdom in contemplating the transitoriness of human existence, wisdom that makes us live better in this world too.” Roman Waters (The Catholic Thing)
Abandoning Truth – “If Jordan Peterson’s conversation with Richard Dawkins taught us anything this week, it’s that the answer to the crisis of our time will not be found in either man’s lofty ideas.” The preposterous rise of law students who grow queasy at the ring of truth (Catholic Herald)
Women Deacons – “When the final document of the Synod on Synodality’s was confirmed on Oct. 26, it emphasized that the possibility of women deacons remains unsettled.” Women Deacons, ‘Sexuality’ and More: Here’s How the Synod Final Document Changed From the Draft (National Catholic Register)
(*The posting of any particular news item or essay is not an endorsement of the content and perspective of said news item or essay.)
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There’s a great column today over at the Catholic Thing about what one lay Catholic theology professor thinks of SynodMania.
Re: Answering Protestant Objections to Bergoglio
Mr. Chalk makes a valid point.
And yet in my opinion he understates the anguish experienced by the faithful due to a pontiff inspired by the spirit that is not holy.
We have to concede the very real possibility that the confusion and resentment and alienation he sows are directly responsible for the loss of souls, a possibility too horrifying to imagine.
@ The Synod’s Fruits
“Everyday Catholics with time will see a Church where they count, where they are important, where their talents, their gifts, their life experience, are important because they belong to the people of the baptized” (Cdl Hollerich, Synod General Rapporteur).
Assuming the title Rapporteur or overall reporter, also titled Relator General is more organizer of agendas than a glorified journalist. He perceives the Church in a contextual secular business model in which employees seek a more listening, democratic relationship. This places contested doctrinal issues like homosexuality on an equal justice platform. Although the Church, a patriarchal governing body instituted by Christ to purvey, and defend when necessary his revelation to the world.
Justice and charity already addressed in Catholic doctrine found in Canon Law and the Catechism apparently is insufficient from the Cdl’s point of view. Nevertheless the Synod’s fruits to be wholesome and life sustaining must be attached to and produced by the Vine.
Roman Waters at The Catholic Thing: I’m grateful that CWR has published this essay. The author reflects on the synod using Ratzinger’s voice from beyond:
“Joseph Ratzinger once wrote: ‘Man’s ultimate thirst cries out for the Holy Spirit. He and he alone is the fresh water without which there is no life. The mystery of the Spirit becomes visible in the image of the well and of water in a way that is ineffable and cannot be retrieved through reflection, for the water “waters” and transforms a desert and encounters man as a mysterious promise. Man’s thirst becomes an infinite, radical thirst, a thirst which is not quenched by any other water than that water’s refreshment.’
“The synod that concluded yesterday spoke a lot about listening to the Spirit. No harm in that. But the meager results perhaps suggest that the Roman gathering never really reached what ‘cannot be retrieved through reflection’ – or a process – a deeper draught from the water of life.”
IOW, the synod has wrought no water, no gift from the Holy well. Let’s not pretend. The only water the synod brought forth was tears from the devout in love with Our Lord and His Wounded and Suffering Church.
“Synod Fruits” For the near sixty years of the post VII era, liberals has spoken endlessly about “the Church learning from people’s experience.” Yeah, like what? How to be better sinners? How to do more harm and get away with it more effectively? Why do they never mention the most universal of human talents “experiencing” self-deception?
Regarding “Catholics and Girl Scouts”, first, good for Archbishop Schnurr. The next time you get hit up to buy their cookies, think about the following salaries (which are 2-3 years old so likely now much higher):
$785,058: Sofia Chang, Chief Executive Officer
$432,509: Angela Olden, Chief Financial Officer
$373,505: Wendy Lou, Chief Revenue Officer
$372,555: Jocelyn Johnson, Chief Marketing Officer
$328,200: Maureen McNerney, Chief Human Resources Officer
@ The Synods Fruits
We read from commandant Hollerich: “The novelty is that the Synod is a process. The Synod started in 2021, and in fact, the Synod of Bishops of 2023 and 2024 were just the celebration phase of that process. Now, we give the discernment to the Holy Father who has to continue it, and the Holy Father has given it, in a certain sense of the whole Church, to the local communities. So the process continues even if this 16th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops is finished.
Be careful not to speed read “16th General Assembly” as “16th Century,” or “Synod of Bishops” as still meaning “bishops.”
My first impression of that breaking of the Church down into their respective local/regional communities sounds like division and a method for heresy to take root. No longer will Rome have influence, but it would allow dioceses like in Germany to fall into gross error and be glad about it. Theology is denigrated and the feelings of individuals who call themselves Catholics become paramount. Tradition becomes devalued and cast aside to satiate the itching ears of local individuals who seek reform the church into a reflection of themselves.
There is nothing redeeming about this Synod.
I keep hearing the close of the synod of bishops….my understanding was that it was not only bishops in attendance but lay people and employees of the church, but they, for the first time had voting privileges that were binding which never had been before….therefore it was not a synod of bishops listening, and then finalizing a document????…whatvam I missing here ? where am I wrong ?…
Archbishop Schnurr of Cincinnati is just the latest bishop to disassociate with Girl Scouts. For a great Catholic alternative to Girl Scouts, check out Little Flowers Girls’ Club® (www.littleflowersgirlsclub.com) This program is over 30 years old, faithful to the teachings of the Church, affordable, and FUN!