Blog of the Archdiocese of Washington
OK, so the title asks two focal questions plainly enough. Let’s begin with the first, “Is the Church a clubhouse or a lighthouse?” Many, it would seem, want the Church just to be a friendly place where people can gather. Many of these same people get angry when the Church shines the light of truth …
Continue reading “Is the Church a Clubhouse or a Lighthouse? A Cruise Ship or a Battleship?”
We tend to think of evangelization as focused on individuals. But cultures need evangelizing too, perhaps even more so, due to the influence of culture on so many. In her strongest periods the Church has been instrumental in forming the culture and ethos around her. In her weaker periods the Church begins to parrot and …
Continue reading “The Extraordinary Form of the Mass and the Evangelization of the Culture”
The battle against temptation in our lives is, of course, an ongoing struggle. Some moments and periods of our life provide more temptation than others, but no day goes by without at least some sort of temptation. While it is important to battle temptation in the moment, it is also important to build ourselves up …
There is a line from scripture that says, Woe to the solitary man. If he falls he has no one to lift him up (Ecclesiastes 4:10). Scripture also says, And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, …
Continue reading “The Importance of the Communal Life As Seen in Two Cartoons”
One of the more imponderable aspects of the growing number of agnostics and atheists is their claim that there is no evidence for the intelligent creator of the universe that we call God. But clearly the created universe manifests intelligibility and order from the farthest reaches of the cosmos and outer space down to our …
Continue reading “Of Mice and Men: Pondering the strange loss of faith in an age of science.”
One of the subtleties of language is the use of euphemisms. A euphemism is a less offensive word or phrase used in place of another term that might be considered too direct, harsh, unpleasant, or offensive. It substitutes an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that might offend or suggest something unpleasant. The word comes from the Greek euphēmismos, which …
Continue reading “Euphemisms have a place in human discourse but not when they obscure moral truth”
In the first reading for Tuesday’s daily Mass, there is a remarkable description of an event in the lives of Paul and Silas. And even more remarkable than the event itself is their reaction to it. Let’s pick up the story as told in Acts: The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul …
Continue reading “Happiness is an Inside Job – As Seen in the Story of Paul and Silas”
One of the struggles that many Christians experience is that the needs around us are so great, yet we are limited, both in personal strength and resources. Lurking in the back of our minds is the notion that whatever the problem, Jesus would always help and therefore we should too. But is it always wrong …