Tag: catholicism

Ecclesia Catholica, Semper Reformanda

On By J. Barrett LeeIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Article by Fr. John Macquarrie on the Catholicity of the Anglican tradition

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No doubt all Christians participate, in greater or less degree, in Catholicity.  They have all maintained something of the classic form.  Vatican II recognized that Anglicans had done this in a quite distinct way, and we are glad to have this recognition from our Roman brethren—it is a tremendous step forward from the old “all or nothing” position of 1896—and I shall have something to say about this later.  But if we are to take this change of attitude seriously, then I must insist on changing the form of the question which stands at the head of this article.  Because both Romans and Anglicans (as well as some others) have been true to the classical shape of Catholic Christianity, the question for us is not, “What still separates us from the Catholic Church” but hat still separates Anglicans and Romans within the Catholic Church to which they both so visibly and manifestly belong?”

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Happy Birthday, Vatican II!

On By J. Barrett LeeIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Reblogged from NPR:

As a result of Vatican II, the Catholic Church opened its windows onto the modern world, updated the liturgy, gave a larger role to laypeople, introduced the concept of religious freedom and started a dialogue with other religions.

“It was a time of a new hope, when everybody was proud that we are able to convoke such a council, and having a real renewal of the Catholic Church,” says Hans Kung, who was the youngest theologian at Vatican II.

But the changes provoked a backlash, and many Catholics today say the council’s renewal momentum has been stopped in its tracks.

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“We’ll have Nun of that!” (or “Is the Pope Catholic?”)

On By J. Barrett LeeIn Uncategorized1 Comment

It seems to me that His Holiness is having a hard time of it as of late.

Apparently, having run out of every other kind of human being to alienate, he’s had to turn against his own once again.  I wonder, at what point will ole’ Benny answer the question, “What’s wrong with Catholicism?” with the response, “All those damned Catholics!” or, better yet, “Jesus.”

When he first took office back in 2005, he blamed the pedophile priest scandal on gay men sneaking into seminaries (Benny likes to assume that every gay man is a card-carrying member of NAMBLA).  It struck me then that those sounded like awfully strange words, coming from a man in a sequined dress.

Before that, during his days as the head of the Inquisition, he presided over the silencing of Fr. Leonardo Boff, a liberation theologian who dared to suggest that the hierarchy of the church existed in order to empower the laity, not vice versa.  For this, Boff was branded as a communist and eventually excommunicated.  Galileo is spinning in his grave.

These days, the newest threat to Catholicism comes from another unexpected source: nuns.  I can imagine Jon Lovitz in papal regalia, shouting, “That’s the ticket!”

Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times has produced a fabulous column on Papa Benny’s latest witch hunt.  Click the link below to read it for yourself:

We Are All Nuns – NY Times

If you’re into signing petitions, you can support this one at change.org:

Support the Sisters

Drawing from my years of experience working with the mentally ill and chemically dependent, I typically find that one is most insane when you think that you’re just fine and it’s everyone else that’s gone mad.

Having turned the spotlight of accusation on every other Catholic but himself, I think the rhetorical question, “Is the Pope Catholic?” is worth asking.