As a new feature on Loving the Church, we welcome Father Thomas D Williams who will be answering your questions—spiritual, moral, theological—on a wide range of topics regarding life, culture and religion. Questions can be sent to fatherthomas@lovingthechurch.com. “Father Thomas, What is the deal with the recent controversy surrounding Saint Louis University’s decision to invite … Read more
Here is a must-see video clip on the relationship of faith’s role in culture & politics… It is from former Senator Rick Santorum’ speech on Dec 4 to St. Thomas More College of Liberal Arts’ Symposium on Catholic Statesmanship. Appealing to history and reason, the likely 2010 presidential candidate decidedly rejects President John F. Kennedy’s … Read more
We have already seen the first 3 ways to live the rest of Advent to the Full (with excerpts from von Balthasar’s Elucidations). Here are ways 4 & 5. Enjoy… 4. Seek Christian fruitfulness, especially in prayer & a spirit of faith, and not mere human “success.” Success, says Martin Buber, “is not one of … Read more
Our idea of Advent and how to live it well can be clouded and confused, especially since we live in a consumer & materialistic society… But “what is clouded and confused can only be clarified by discernment,” Hans Urs von Balthasar writes in Elucidations. With his help let’s look at 5 ways to live the … Read more
On our November 16 post we looked at an ugly sect of the first & second centuries that wounded the Church to the core… Gnosticism… We saw what Hans Urs von Balthasar wrote: ‘So-called gnosis’ was all enormous temptation in the early Christian Church,” and that even the bloodiest persecution “posed far less of a … Read more
Welcome to the new home for Loving the Church at lovingthechurch.com… What needs do we hope to meet with the New Site? Several… One is a need to offer in-depth commentary on life, culture & religion. Another is to provide a venue for Catholics who wish to engage & help to transform culture We also … Read more
Have you ever wondered if the false ideas in our world today are ones that have been repeated again and again throughout the centuries? If that were true couldn’t we learn from the past? Couldn’t we gain wisdom from the men and women of the Church who found the solutions to these errors? The answer … Read more
On Nov 4 we learned Forbes Names Pope World’s Fifth Most Powerful Figure: (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI won the No. 5 spot in a list of the world’s most powerful people, one of only two religious leaders in Forbes magazine’s list of 68 influential men and women.… The pope was named the “highest earthly authority … Read more
Pope Benedict XVI visited Spain this weekend. Here are some themes & excerpts of his homily in Santiago de Compostela (translation from Zenit): Know Christ – The Pontiff said we are “called to follow the example of the apostles,” by coming “to know the Lord better day by day” and be a courageous testimony to … Read more
On a Nov 3 Beliefnet.com post, Deacon Greg Kandra commented on John Boehner, the man expected to become Speaker of the House, with this provocative title: Washington’s most powerful Catholic? He offered some highlights from Boehner’s upbringing: He was reared in a two-bedroom Sears catalog house in suburban Cincinnati with 11 brothers and sisters, and … Read more
