More good words from Pope Benedict XVI

His address to the well-oiled machinery of the Church in Germany has so much to say! Please read it! It complements my previous post, and he points to a deeper crisis of faith even where the facade of the Church may appear strong and vigorous. The spirit of suspicion and rebellion in the Church today certainly betrays a lack in all departments of faith, hope and love.

For example, I recently received a correspondence outlining certain strong suggestions to the Australian bishop's conference. One of these is to make bishops more accountable to the priests and laity of the diocese. While this is laudable in many respects, the tone of suspicion and power struggle suggests a discordant thought. The lines of authority in the Church, reasonably described in the New Testament and further clarified and foreshadowed in the Old Testament, paint the figure of a hierarchy. This structure, however, is not founded upon the backs of the laity, as if evoking the assembly "of the people, by the people and for the people." It is founded upon the cornerstone, Jesus Christ, on which were laid the foundation of the apostles, starting with Peter the Rock, and who did not leave us orphans, but established apostolic succession with the office of bishops. Taking these suggestions of flattening the structure (if that is what it is) to its ludicrous conclusion, we end up with a strange notion of making Christ, our High Priest and King, accountable to the ministerial priests who exist through his priestly ministry, and the laity who share the common priesthood, kingship and prophetic office through His.

Good words from Pope Benedict XVI

His final address to German Catholics highlights what the world needs so badly to see with the eyes of faith, that is, that if we truly want to save the world as our Christian mission requires, we must continue to set ourselves apart, and invite the world to be similarly consecrated, to God. Many would see this as an opportunity to call down the Church hierarchy whom they see as being embroiled in power and privilege. In their "them-and-us" mentality, they may well be missing the point that the challenge to be in the world but not of it is one for the entire Church, both laity and the hierarchy. Sadly, they may be missing the fact that the laity far outnumber the clergy, and the levels of power and privilege they wield in the world are far greater than that of the hierarchy. In the way that evangelization may proceed in the world, as leaven, we in the laity have fantastic opportunities that the clergy have no access to.

What will we do about it?

BBC News - Has the iPod made us anti-social?

This story is more than just the iPod, as it applies to any device that we plug into while unplugging from our surroundings. The irony seems lost on at least some people who, while happy to unplug and listen to the birds around them, if any, prefer to drown out the noises of human beings around them. Of course, it is rather unpleasant when people nearby are loudly talking on cellphones (another irony). But I wonder if there isn't a tendency to lose empathy along the way, too. Just another mark of the excesses of individualism, I suppose.

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On a Good Dose of Guilt (not a bad one)

“But worldly sorrow brings death…” On Distinguishing a Good and Healthy Guilt From Morbid and Harmful Guilt -- by Monsignor Charles Pope, is an excellent illumination of something that everyone needs to understand about guilt. Truly insightful.

Shock: No jail time for woman who strangled newborn because Canada accepts abortion, says judge

Truly incredible and a good reason to pray!

There is both consistency and inconsistency in this judge's decision. She reveals a consistently diminutive view of what human life is worth, unborn or not, but she also reveals the moral equivalence of abortion and infanticide. However, she is inconsistent in her role as judge, applying her interpretation of society's opinion, rather than the laws of the land.

To correct and to not correct

The readings for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary time are sobering in one crucial aspect: if we do not correct our brother or sister who is in grave sin, we risk their salvation as well as ours. That's not really surprising when things are considered in the context of our "debt of love" to one another, i.e., the second greatest commandment, but sobering nonetheless! If we were up to this challenge, though, both in giving and receiving correction, what a different world we would have today. But I have been very remiss at this, and catching up is no picnic!