Extra, extra! News and views for Wednesday, October 30, 2024

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.)