tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173098962011-11-24T11:14:48.031-05:00<strong>"The greatest of these is love"</strong><br> Catholica, Indica, Et Cetera. Gashwin Gomes' BlogGashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.comBlogger29121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-69957008269861131962008-08-19T10:09:00.004-04:002008-08-31T15:31:52.197-04:00

("I hate to go and leave this pretty si-ight!" :)) Well, the time is here to sign off from blogging. For the foreseeable future at least. It's six weeks or so shy of three years that I started this blog. 2930 posts later I can say that it's been quite a wonderful experience. I'm especially grateful to all the wonderful people I've gotten to know through this medium. Unless I hear otherwise,

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-79681696127405750382008-08-19T10:06:00.002-04:002008-08-19T10:09:22.939-04:00

... to amateur filmmaker and cool dude W., friend of good friend Jamie, who I met last night at din. And, his soon to be completed movie is called, well, Din! :)

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-39595693202981103352008-08-19T09:01:00.002-04:002008-08-19T09:28:33.317-04:00

Arunachal Pradesh is a state in the remote northeastern corner of India. Its border with China is disputed, and even Indian citizens from outside need permission to travel into the state. This line from a recent article on religious freedom in India by John Allen caught my eye: "In the state of Arunachal Pradesh on the eastern border with China, where Catholicism arrived barely 25 years ago,

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-90577202074394559472008-08-19T00:46:00.002-04:002008-08-19T01:06:38.291-04:00

At the bookstore of the retreat center in Atlanta I came across this slim volume by Mark Brumley, published in 2002 by Catholic Answers, with a Preface by Avery Cardinal Dulles and a Foreword by Archbishop Charles Chaput. The subtitle grabbed my eye as well: "The Seven Deadly Sins of Catholic Apologetics and Evangelization." I haven't gotten to this yet, but the contents list these seven

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-25728575181966117882008-08-18T23:42:00.006-04:002008-08-19T00:41:28.498-04:00

Blogger and friend Mike Aquilina mailed me a copy of this book ("Faith under Fire") a few weeks back with the hope that I could read and review it while the blog was still running. He also included two DVDs, all of which he had received from a priest friend in India. Alas, I've been traveling (10 cities, 4 states, both coasts, since July 26), and haven't had time to view the DVDs, and have only

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-24865804875450572312008-08-18T23:27:00.003-04:002008-08-18T23:37:59.951-04:00

... is a new religious community in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, that grew out of the ministry of the folks who do a variety of work directly with the poor. Lots of thought-provoking insights at the Homeless in America blog.I know one of the founders -- he visited the Paulists for a discernment retreat last year, and we've stayed in touch on and off since then. He's a holy man with a deep

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-56765879904543972182008-08-18T22:47:00.001-04:002008-08-18T22:49:01.917-04:00

38 year old priest murdered in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. (Asianews) On the night of August 16th his body was found on the roadside by a group of people, not far from the village of Balampilly; the body of the Carmelite of Mary Immaculate carried wounds to the face while the hands and legs had been crushed and the eyes gouged out. His motorbike was found one kilometre on from

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-26588765068029170122008-08-18T11:13:00.002-04:002008-08-18T11:14:30.375-04:00

Fascinating story. Details at the Intentional Disciples blog.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-58827739051598895222008-08-18T10:47:00.004-04:002008-08-18T11:15:02.088-04:00

Driving up I-95 yesterday I hit weekend traffic north of Richmond. Averaging about 40 mph, the highway was clogged. I grow incredibly impatient in such situations. I turned to the AM dial to see if this was just volume related, or whether there was a wreck ahead. I couldn't find any traffic information, but I heard something as I surfed past a Christian station where a preacher was holding

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-835750353233704092008-08-15T08:40:00.004-04:002008-08-15T08:47:36.559-04:00

Today is the 61st anniversary of India's independence from Britain. Family friend Shreekant Sambrani mulls India's spectacular economic growth in an I-Day column for the Business Standard. This part is important to point out, especially to all those who equate market reforms only with unmitigated evil: Second, poverty, once a defining adjective for India, is on the decline. It is now not

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-48542493350182415832008-08-15T06:40:00.002-04:002008-08-15T06:44:08.469-04:00

Assumpta est Maria in coelum, gaudent angeli, collaudantes benedicunt Dominum, alleluia.On this day, 14 years ago, I was baptized into the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation, and received the Holy Eucharist for the first time. Alleluia! Happy Feast!

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-60239289170283953792008-08-14T01:59:00.002-04:002008-08-14T02:17:30.789-04:00

The whole Making Disciples seminar has been simply amazing. I'll be blogging on that in more detail when I get some time (which won't be for a while. I'm essentially on the road till next week!), but wanted to mention this simply amazing apostolate that we heard about today. Barbara Elliott is the author of Street Saints: Renewing America's Cities, and works at the Center for Renewal in

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-46111091622369591252008-08-14T01:57:00.001-04:002008-08-14T01:59:37.927-04:00

... in a seaplane in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-26329206476196874222008-08-13T10:53:00.003-04:002008-08-13T10:57:45.101-04:00

[H/t Adam] Heh. And while we're at it: Q. How are the Charlestonians and the Chinese alike?A. They both eat rice and worship their ancestors. Q. How many Charlestonians does it take to change a lightbulb?A. CHANGE??????Charleston ... ... where the Ashley and the Cooper meet to form the Atlantic Ocean. [Still having a blast at the conference in Spokane. We have the morning off and are going to

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-28114114151188521522008-08-11T23:24:00.002-04:002008-08-11T23:26:54.567-04:00

Greetings from Spokane y'all -- the Making Disciples conferences is simply awesome. Lots of new stuff, lots to chew on and digest, great fellow attendees and a beautiful location (the Immaculate Heart of Mary Retreat Center just north of the city). Pl. say a prayer that the paperwork necessary for me to register my car in GA arrives this week. GA gives one 30 days to register one's vehicle.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-45198497110473133722008-08-10T12:27:00.003-04:002008-08-10T18:34:15.145-04:00

Heading to SEA in a few to catch an Alaska Airlines flight to GEG (Spokane). Alaska 692 to be precise. They have a partnership with NW, so I'll get freq. flier credit. I hope they also recognize partner Elite status, and not charge me for checking in a bag! :) I'll be in Spokane till Thursday morning, attending the Making Disciples (pdf link) seminar of the Catherine of Siena Institute. No

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-76229104666489091152008-08-09T15:26:00.003-04:002008-08-09T15:32:46.736-04:00

A bus packed with Vietnamese Catholic pilgrims on its way to Missouri crashed yesterday. The death toll has risen to 16. The pilgrims were on their way to the Marian Days celebration, which has been held annually in Missouri since 1978, and draws tens of thousands of Vietnamese Catholics annually. Here is a 2007 NPR story about the event. Please pray for the victims of the crash and their

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-27843658294373813972008-08-09T14:47:00.006-04:002008-08-09T15:25:37.595-04:00

(Video at the foot of the post)The spire of Blessed Sacrament church is clearly visible from I-5. We booked it up the Interstate (having just come out of watching The Dark Knight at the IMax at Seattle Center. Woot!) and arrived a few minutes before 7:00 pm. The streets around the church were completely full, and it took several minutes to find parking and hoof it up to the imposing neo-Gothic

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-89313628041750608482008-08-08T11:55:00.005-04:002008-08-08T12:09:01.946-04:00

Today is the Feast of St. Dominic. Last evening, Mark took me over to his parish, Blessed Sacrament (an imposing neo-gothic structure, spires climbing heavenwards in stony praise), which is staffed by the Order of Preachers, to have a look. We walked in as the a-capella choir was rehearsing some incredibly beautiful and heavenly polyphony. Tonight they mark the feast with a special Mass in the

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-32055191523513597452008-08-08T11:50:00.000-04:002008-08-08T11:51:23.486-04:00

Halleluja!

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-10029344689851241502008-08-08T11:43:00.005-04:002008-08-08T12:24:12.917-04:00

In the middle of a tiny traffic island, someone had arranged a still life, complete with a deck of cards (not just any deck, but Hoyles), flowers, magazines and a guest book for comments. Here a couple of Seattlites pose thoughtfully, adding local color to this grassroots, interactive art form, which democratically promotes world peace and understanding among peoples. (My comment in the guest

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-71659586575181858892008-08-08T11:39:00.002-04:002008-08-08T11:43:35.961-04:00

The Nanny State Cares For You. However, they don't have income tax here. Go figure.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-37357382002522632882008-08-08T11:22:00.005-04:002008-08-08T11:38:25.043-04:00

Had an absolutely delightful evening with bloggers Mark Shea and Alex Vitus. Dinner and brews at Tangletown Elysian Brewing Company (Their Pilsner was good. But not elysian.), and then circumnavigating Green Lake (no, it's not green), among various Seattleites offering strenuous physical sacrifice to the new gods of health and fitness. (This feat -- circumnavigating Green Lake -- now allows me

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-15001037646840937732008-08-08T11:10:00.004-04:002008-08-08T11:19:49.714-04:00

Wandered around town today -- first around Steilacoom (about 30 miles south of Seattle), a pretty little community perched on the edge of the Sound. It's also the home of the oldest Catholic Church in Washington State. (Didn't get a photo since the brand new rechargable batteries I loaded into my cameras needed to be ... well ... recharged!). Then hung around Pike Place Market on a beautiful

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-65778705158951099552008-08-06T15:21:00.003-04:002008-08-06T15:25:03.910-04:00

Or Northwest in this case. Off to Seattle in a few (DL from ATL to MEM and then NW on to SEA. First Class upgrade. Of course). Visiting an old roomate, and hope to meet up with bloggers Mark Shea and Alex Vitus

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-11671646941274036562008-08-05T17:31:00.005-04:002008-08-05T17:40:32.174-04:00

Charles Colson incorporates bits of Alexander Solzhenitsyn's commencement speech at Harvard in 1978 into a column at CT. In my first read it seemed to make Solzhenitsyn a spokesperson for the Bush Administration, but I'm sure I was being too hasty ... I'd never read the speech itself. Definitely worth it. There's much there that reminds me of Pope Benedict in so many ways, though the jeremiad

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-63267862983466221752008-08-05T13:22:00.002-04:002008-08-05T13:25:47.795-04:00

Over at ID, Fr. Mike quotes a section on Divine Judgment from the New Catholic Encyclopedia and has some comments. But insofar as we experience division (33830 Christian denominations and counting, liberal/conservative/traditionalist labels within the Church), formalism (an emphasis on ritual and observance, over their meanings), defections (10% of Americans are former Catholics), apostolic

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-82512247379630722412008-08-05T00:52:00.002-04:002008-08-05T00:57:01.394-04:00

USCCB Office of Divine Worship. The text itself is provided now for study and formation only, and will only be promulgated for use in the celebration of the Mass upon the approval of the full revised text of the Roman Missal. Patience is a virtue etc. etc.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-33206927800432234612008-08-05T00:49:00.001-04:002008-08-05T00:52:03.322-04:00

... which gives the Holy Father the right under Canon Law to do rather unprecedented things such as this ... AmericanPapist: Not Your Average Catholic!: Confirmed: Vatican laicizes former bishop to become president of Paraguay.Here's the meat of the decree, translated into English, also via AmP.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-72717718771598755532008-08-03T22:56:00.003-04:002008-08-03T22:59:16.904-04:00

My former novice brother, über-Canadian Matt Sanders, made his first profession (temporary promises of simplicity, chastity and obedience) at St. Paul's College yesterday (Aug. 2), and now has three new letters after his name (CSP). Congratulations bro! Best wishes for the journey ahead. Oremus pro invicem!

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-7344393443071642062008-08-03T22:14:00.001-04:002008-08-03T22:14:41.737-04:00

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn dies at 89 - International Herald Tribune The IHT article doesn't mention his Orthodoxy as much as this AP piece does.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-10633487043214240602008-08-01T21:24:00.001-04:002008-08-01T21:26:48.253-04:00

"That the answer of the entire people of God to the common vocation to sanctity and mission may be promoted and fostered, with careful discernment of the charisms and a constant commitment to spiritual and cultural formation"AWESOME! (Thanks to the commenter in the post below for pointing this out)

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-1328988963307390172008-08-01T14:54:00.001-04:002008-08-01T14:56:00.488-04:00

Am back in SC for a bit. It was a very fruitful retreat, both as far as time with the Lord, as well as time with my new Diocesan brothers goes.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-21073122493715849152008-07-31T17:19:00.000-04:002008-07-31T17:20:04.359-04:00

Best wishes to all Jesuits today on the feast of St. Ignatius ofLoyola today which we are marking on retreat as a solemnity since weare at a Jesuit retreat facility.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-26985579283622467392008-07-28T15:04:00.002-04:002008-07-28T15:14:03.141-04:00

I will be on retreat with my seminarian brothers starting in a couple of hours until Friday August 1. Right now I'm at a Starbucks in downtown ATL. [FYI Franklin, the one at GA Tech offers only the GA Tech wifi network which nonstudents cannot log onto. I'm at one on 7th & Peachtree. Where I'm picking up a free SSID. :)] After that, I'm in SC for a few days, then back in Atlanta, then Seattle

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-2315704445324575302008-07-27T23:57:00.003-04:002008-07-28T00:00:49.964-04:00

What a moving and wonderful send-off the people of Good Samaritan Parish gave me this weekend. Truly the generosity and love of the People of God knows no bounds. God bless y'all! I hope to be able to write a little bit about my experiences here, especially with the Hispanics, before the blog shuts down. Several very busy weeks coming up, starting with a week long retreat Monday-Friday with my

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-56361823764933611022008-07-27T23:57:00.000-04:002008-07-27T23:57:23.165-04:00

At a Unitarian church in Knoxville. Oh no! Gunman opens fire in Tennessee church, 2 killed - Yahoo! News

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-85184755826214106252008-07-26T18:51:00.002-04:002008-07-26T18:55:57.266-04:00

Bangalore yesterday. Ahmedabad today. SIXTEEN coordinated bomb attacks. Lord have mercy! 29 die, 88 injured as blasts hit Western India NDTV. Islamists claim responsibility.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-53008923640568702902008-07-26T15:51:00.001-04:002008-07-26T16:17:39.716-04:00

Vatican banking on sari-clad Virgin Mary in 'Indian' Bible to draw in converts @ NewKerala.Com News, India Despite the rather silly headline (sure, all that's lacking in Catholic evangelization is a sari-clad Virgin), I doubt that the Vatican had anything directly to do with production of this Bible, which was likely the work of the Indian episcopal conference. The next time I'm back in the

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-64105704679740090392008-07-26T10:57:00.002-04:002008-07-26T11:06:20.731-04:00

Michael Cook of the Australian e-zine Mercator Net gives an enthusiastic review of World Youth Day and suggests, despite the serious challenges ahead, it might herald a renaissance for the Catholic Church in Australia. "Now, after a week of joyful, unashamed religious sentiment Down Under, everyone knows that there is a viable alternative." I absolutely hope that is true. And by no means am I

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-45389623039499850262008-07-26T10:50:00.004-04:002008-07-26T10:55:51.080-04:00

... of how Google's Ad-Sense uses keywords to place ads on your page. Here's a screenshot of an article at Spero News decrying the possibility of homosexuals being able to serve openly in the US military. But what are the ads on the page? "Gay Millionaire Dating" (??? Can one say 'whiskey, tango, foxtrot'?), and at the bottom of the page "Rainbow Christian Gay Dating" and in the middle (

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-42814273250045590032008-07-26T00:27:00.002-04:002008-07-26T00:33:50.150-04:00

It's appalling and absolutely beyond belief that someone would steal the personal and private prayer that Senator Obama deposited in the Wailing Wall, and publicize it, and add something so sacred into the cynical and vicious political jawboning of the campaign. Where is civility and decency? Common courtesy? Is nothing at all sacred anymore? The Anchoress (hardly a supporter of the Senator's

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-55434248382826664342008-07-25T22:01:00.005-04:002008-07-25T22:23:39.241-04:00

For the 40th anniversary of Humanae Vitae The Tablet's editorial (and lead article) focuses on .... you got it. Statistics. The Tablet's survey of Mass-going Catholics in England, conducted by the Von Hügel Institute in Cambridge, shows that, 40 years on, more than nine out of 10 of them do not think the use of condoms is wrong. That is their verdict on Humanae Vitae, though surprisingly half

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-50134300767644889852008-07-25T21:59:00.001-04:002008-07-25T22:01:15.674-04:00

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-58946699296839919332008-07-25T16:35:00.000-04:002008-07-25T16:35:44.797-04:00

My Top 5 Books by the Inklings and Friends | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction(I've actually never read George MacDonald, who was such an inspiration in the life of C.S. Lewis. And I'm just re-reading Orthodoxy. What fun!)

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-75749097819841860072008-07-25T09:17:00.003-04:002008-07-25T09:39:30.686-04:00

A Qantas 747 en route to Melbourne from London, makes an emergency landing in Manila after a "decompressive explosion" blew a hole in the side of the fuselage. Bloomberg.Yahoo.Not to be missed: video a passenger shot on the plane after the oxygen masks had deployed. Everyone is quite calm. The flight attendants continue to serve/clear up meals. The landing is also shown. The Times UK: "

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-58984483884801244482008-07-24T11:05:00.003-04:002008-07-24T11:21:53.365-04:00

Want to point y'all to the neat blog of a friend from SC ... Untamed Beer. Brian's quite the brew-fficionado ... and who can forget memorable evenings such as the YACtoberfest at their house? He links to the Catholic Beer Review, which has that lovely blessing of beer from the Roman Missal.And while Franklin might have reminded us that beer is proof that God loves us (amen!), here's some G.K.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-35217721996473036062008-07-23T22:37:00.003-04:002008-07-23T22:41:08.432-04:00

Today is the twenty fifth wedding anniversary of good friends St. Lizzy and St. Izzy. The O'Cayce's are currently stomping about the Pacific Northwest. CONGRATULATIONS Y'ALL! And what a powerful and wonderful witness y'all are to me, and to so many others! Ad multos annos![PS: Of course, St. Izzy's main job is to reduce his dear wife's time in Purgatory. A duty he fulfills willingly and with

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-11082563546454159872008-07-23T22:02:00.005-04:002008-07-23T22:27:19.978-04:00

Check out Sherry's post at Intentional Disciples on the fight against a physician-assisted suicide bill in Washington State. Here's part of the appeal from the folks at noassistedsuicide.com What happens in places which have legalized PAS? Recently the London Telegraph reported on new legislation introduced in Belgium where PAS was legalized several years ago. The proposed legislation would

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-78244634992486711852008-07-23T10:41:00.001-04:002008-07-23T10:42:38.824-04:00

Man sues Diocese for possession of exorcism recordings. [H/t Leonardo]

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-67869934477894281172008-07-23T10:30:00.003-04:002008-07-23T10:40:25.519-04:00

I love being in a small Southern town. The lady at the post office is Catholic or loves Catholic a lapsed Catholic. And, so we were talking and she was like when's Mass?. So, I get ready to her the Mass schedule and hopefully we will see her back at Church!listenPowered by Jott [Which obviously doesn't work that well with voice recognition. Listen to the post and see whether you understood it!

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-23124503679368135932008-07-21T19:21:00.003-04:002008-07-21T19:25:11.684-04:00

Last night I met up with members of Communion & Liberation's Atlanta community for dinner at Pasta Vino in Buckhead. I'd bumped into some of them at the Eucharistic Congress last month (and two of the leaders actually had read my blog before that ... [gasp]), and was very glad to finally meet up with several Cielini. What a great bunch of folks! Thanks y'all for your welcome.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-10806175711489689462008-07-21T19:10:00.003-04:002008-07-21T19:14:14.162-04:00

I hate to not having much time to post, however with this being my last week in the parish, there's a lot to do. Such as actually thinking about packing. :) Add the car woes on top of that. And at least two trips to Atlanta this week. The weekend in the mountains was absolutely fantastic and I'd share some photos ... except I forgot my camera in Peter's car! So it's in Aiken right now ... or on

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-61286247935616428502008-07-19T01:12:00.002-04:002008-07-19T01:15:39.153-04:00

... a bunch of friends from SC have come up to northern GA, and we've gotten a cabin near Carter's Lake. Sweet place! No blogging over the weekend. [I was down in Atlanta to return the rental, and Peter picked me up at the airport on his way in from SC. As we left the parking lot, his muffler fell out and a truck behind us ran over it. Not kidding! Luckily there was a Midas nearby and they

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-38297464425122008082008-07-18T10:04:00.003-04:002008-07-18T10:17:16.395-04:00

Dale Ahlquist responds to an otherwise neat piece in the New Yorker, which raises tired old accusations. [Via the Curt Jester] In the meantime, we regret the unfortunate turn in Mr. Gopnik's otherwise brilliant essay. There is something a little too desperate, too anxious in his attempt to prove that Chesterton is anti-Semitic. He is dancing as fast as he can to explain away Chesterton's Zionism

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-230069138796997662008-07-18T08:26:00.003-04:002008-07-18T08:34:42.564-04:00

Excerpts from the Holy Father's talk to an ecumenical gathering of Christian leaders in Sydney. The common celebration of the Eucharist remains the goal: Yet it [Baptism] is not the final destination. The road of ecumenism ultimately points towards a common celebration of the Eucharist (cf. Ut Unum Sint, 23-24; 45), which Christ entrusted to his Apostles as the sacrament of the Church's unity par

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-82437162304376022008-07-18T08:19:00.002-04:002008-07-18T08:26:30.163-04:00

NCR's Pope Blog: This Morning's Headlines: The Transformation Has Taken Place. Well, of course. The Holy Father's joyful presence is infectious. As is the joyous hundreds of thousands of Catholic Youth. [The cops are happy too!](Though of course, some persist tenaciously.) And absolutely go read the whole speech to the youth that he have yesterday from the boat.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-39376904293707355412008-07-17T22:52:00.003-04:002008-07-17T22:56:25.665-04:00

[Occasional reflections translated from the collection, "Pensieri su Paolo" by Benedict XVI.] The freedom of the Sons of God. We desire true and great liberty, that of heirs, the liberty (freedom) of the sons of God (cf. Rom. 8:15). In this world full of fictitious liberty, which destroys man and the environment, we want, with the strength of the Holy Spirit, to learn together the true liberty;

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-37190096751239266572008-07-17T11:10:00.003-04:002008-07-17T11:17:31.250-04:00

I cuddle a Koala last year. Now Pope Benedict does. I visit the Shrine of Bl. Mackillop last year. Now he does as well. Hmmm. [ducks from all the heckling that's about to come my way ... which definitely won't be the experience of the Holy Father. Besides, I don't think I could pull hundreds of thousands to Sydney ... Ok, you win Holy Father!]

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-22807616298677315282008-07-17T10:27:00.000-04:002008-07-17T10:28:07.130-04:00

Sandro Magister's latest.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-77969223014924390492008-07-17T08:44:00.003-04:002008-07-17T20:59:04.357-04:00

Car trouble on the way down yesterday. Now to figure out where to get it fixed. Who's the patron saint of car trouble?:: UPDATE :: Purchase charger from Target so my cell phone doesn't die on me. Check. Call AAA. Check. Wait up to 90 minutes for tow-truck to arrive. Sigh. In process. :) At least I'm at a location with a computer! :) Check. Find out what's wrong with the car? THEY CAN'T

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-31028619461360881892008-07-16T09:36:00.001-04:002008-07-16T09:38:17.542-04:00

Time for some campaignin'! Neat, but doesn't beat Gore vs. Bush!

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-90229151110590851582008-07-16T09:31:00.003-04:002008-07-16T09:32:36.318-04:00

... try and respond to the issues raised by our interlocutor Sean (he's left comments on the WYD post from Sunday and the Humanae Vitae post below)? I just don't have the time right now. :)

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-23941875130093775482008-07-16T00:02:00.002-04:002008-07-16T00:07:40.883-04:00

:)

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-90230140325652137922008-07-15T23:35:00.003-04:002008-07-15T23:46:41.794-04:00

Over at First Things! In April, Fr. Richard John Neuhaus criticized what he read in (Anglican) Bishop N. T. Wright's new book, "Surprised by Hope." "The Possibilities and Perils in Being a Really Smart Bishop."Well, Bishop Wright met up with Fr. Neuhaus on a recent trip to New York. They had lunch. And he wrote a sharply worded rejoinder. (Fr. Neuhaus gets the last word though in this

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-23403805717200480242008-07-15T23:21:00.003-04:002008-07-15T23:34:07.729-04:00

"The Vindication of Humanae Vitae" at First Things. Social science has vindicated Humanae Vitae's predictions. No one wants to hear that, however. Bishop Baker of Birmingham has issued a letter on the 40th anniversary of Paul VI's prophetic encyclica. [H/t. Annunciations] in which he recommends: A Study Guide to Humane Vitae, Of Human Life. and this pamphlet by Janet Smith" Sex and

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-19255326280623616902008-07-15T09:08:00.004-04:002008-07-15T09:16:41.080-04:00

USA Today profiles the story of a young man who is leaving his career in professional soccer to enter seminary to study for the priesthood! Alleluia! He'll be a future classmate of mine at the Mount. The only thing is, he played soccer for Clemson. I suppose even that can be forgiven? :) [H/t Amy, who pointed me to the link at the Deacon's Bench](Aside: what's striking about the story is how

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-47497071046589310982008-07-14T21:55:00.005-04:002008-07-14T22:04:14.414-04:00

America Magazine weighs in on the discussion of the Pew study with some cautions. I think the cautions are valid, but to call this a phantom crisis seems to imply, "well things are ok, business as usual." I think the Pew Study is simply revealing what a lot of church workers and leaders have suspected or concluded based on anecdotes. Their conclusion: The Catholic Church should be concerned

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-51493305000780859482008-07-14T16:28:00.003-04:002008-07-14T16:37:16.409-04:00

[From the collection: "Pensieri su Paolo" by Pope Benedict XVI] Paul was intimately "conquered" by Christ -- "comprehensus sum a Christo Iesu" (Phil. 3:12) -- ..., and (as such), it is not longer he who lives, but Christ lives in him. "Vivo autem iam non ego, vivit vero in me Christus" (It is no longer I who live, but Christ Jesus who lives in me.)" (Gal 2:20) Homily, March 24, 2006.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-70887748830924190762008-07-14T16:24:00.002-04:002008-07-14T16:28:09.720-04:00

I got a call from a good friend from SC who works for the Paulists. (Ok, he's the Director of Development for the Society. We had a huge laugh about that -- he was hired just a little while before I left!) "So, I was doing an image search on the new book with the Pope's US talks that Paulist Press is publishing. And what was the first item returned in Google? Your blog! You must be making a

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-43131040569803932432008-07-14T16:15:00.002-04:002008-07-14T16:24:00.926-04:00

In order to get my car registered in Georgia, I need the vehicle title that South Carolina issued me. Which, of course, I can't find. I went to the SCDMV website, which said I could come to a customer service center, or mail a check for $15.00 along with a form, and a duplicate title would be issued. Another part of the website said that South Carolina only issues titles for vehicles that are

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-26581235902746742272008-07-12T23:34:00.004-04:002008-07-13T00:11:21.549-04:00

The largest ethnic minority in rural northern Georgia are, of course, Hispanics. African-Americans are quite rare in this part of the South. But South Asians are present as well. For instance, the Hyderabadi guys who staff the gas station down the street from my parish. Or the Nepali family that runs this really decent desi diner in Marietta (and the only Indian restaurant I've seen listed on

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-27169211642206293612008-07-12T22:55:00.003-04:002008-07-12T23:10:35.371-04:00

First, via the Siena Blog, this great article by Paul Kelly in The Australian Age: Test of SpiritTHE visit to Sydney of Pope Benedict XVI is a deeply ambiguous event - it is a test of the standing and spirit of the Catholic Church in Australia while offering a certain judgment on the tolerance of a secular Australian nation towards religion. It's worth reading in full. Australia is a far more

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-19343538926509217212008-07-12T22:49:00.002-04:002008-07-12T22:50:45.074-04:00

... in the combox on this post of mine. Have a look. But don't weigh in unless you're going to shed light rather than heat. I'm not sure why I'm indulging this, but it's a first for this liddle bwog ... :)

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-77317256588261676412008-07-12T17:24:00.000-04:002008-07-12T17:24:32.537-04:00

Minnesota professor encourages theft and desecration of Eucharist

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-19348074297991740652008-07-12T17:17:00.000-04:002008-07-12T17:17:29.486-04:00

Something of this nature happens every time WYD is held in a Western country. Australia denies visas to Iraqi WYD pilgrims

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-16367966324699216452008-07-11T21:22:00.001-04:002008-07-11T21:24:47.714-04:00

For the funeral of Fr. Tim's dad. Blogging will be light. Back in GA tomorrow night.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-51496955606869376142008-07-11T09:37:00.000-04:002008-07-11T09:37:00.952-04:00

Cow killing triggers new round of anti-Christian violence in IndiaIt's really bizarre. One can go to restaurants in Bombay or Delhi and eat beef, though certainly not at every restaurant (and McDonald's only serves chicken burgers). My Hindu family eats beef (though not regularly). I grew up eating beef. Muslims and Christians all over India eat beef. In college the most popular dish in the

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-89733871515439195642008-07-10T21:34:00.000-04:002008-07-10T21:34:11.876-04:00

The Ironic Catholic: Announcing: The 2008 World Old Day

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-32132532767493717442008-07-10T08:04:00.003-04:002008-07-10T08:08:06.630-04:00

The tragic story of a young man, a postulant for the Friars of the Renewal, who drowned while trying to save his father. [Via Spirit Daily.]

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-40873789105288423922008-07-09T23:14:00.001-04:002008-07-09T23:16:40.195-04:00

Pritcher. Digest version (lots of good reading links)... and what being pro-life in a positive sense might mean.

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-40420251939953496052008-07-09T21:20:00.002-04:002008-07-09T21:25:18.792-04:00

[Continuing selections from Pensieri su Paolo by Pope Benedict XVI] "This life which I live in the flesh, I live in the faith of the Son of God, who has loved me and has given himself for me." (Gal. 2:20). Paul doesn't live any more for himself, by his own justification. He lives of and with Christ, giving himself, not any more looking for, or building up, himself. This is the new

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-34248749840056445182008-07-09T00:19:00.004-04:002008-07-09T00:39:15.710-04:00

The chapelIt took a while getting there -- it's about 40 miles away, but the terrain is hilly. The road we took was blocked because of a wreck, and we had to turn around make a 40 mile long detour, via Calhoun! The monastery is at the southern end of Gordon County, south of Dalton, located on woody, gently hilly acres. It consists of a simple, single story family home, that presumably, at some

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-87893078491019344632008-07-08T23:52:00.003-04:002008-07-09T00:01:27.787-04:00

[Sorry for the interruption. Fourth of July weekend, etc. Continuing selections from the collection, Pensieri su Paolo by Pope Benedict XVI.] "The theme 'God' is essential. St. Paul says in the Letter to the Ephesians, "Remember that at that time you were ... without hope and without God. Now, however, in Christ Jesus, you, who at one time were far away, have come close.' (Eph. 2:12-13). Thus

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-54373838325951995832008-07-08T23:44:00.000-04:002008-07-08T23:46:34.272-04:00

[I wrote this over the weekend but am just getting around to posting it.] At the ball game on Friday in Greenville, I ended up sitting next to the new boyfriend of the best friend of a good friend's girlfriend (did you get that? :)). Nice fellow. Over swigs of Sweetwater beer (now there's a good Atlanta brew), the conversation took a philosophical turn. Always a hazard in my vicinity. It

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-28828565616690176252008-07-08T11:56:00.005-04:002008-07-08T12:20:43.999-04:00

Just been busy getting my application to seminary all put together, as well as traveling (over the 4th). A good friend is visiting right now and we're tramping around the N. GA mountains. The plan today is to visit an Orthodox monastery that is about an hour away from here! This is where we were yesterday. Vogel State Park, south of Blairsville, GA

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-50631618649703222722008-07-07T13:29:00.004-04:002008-07-08T11:53:58.387-04:00

An update on George Lijewski: Fr. Tim just called, his dad is not doing too well at all. His heart is not holding out well after the recent bypass and aneurism surgeries. Father is on his way down to Summerville. Please pray for Fr. Tim and his family.:: UPDATE :: 11:00 pm EDT, July 7. Fr. Tim just called, and his father is not expected to make it through the night. Please keep the Lijewski

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-50045098511189030872008-07-07T08:29:00.000-04:002008-07-07T08:29:31.049-04:00

40 dead in Indian embassy blast in Afghan capital - Yahoo! News

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-18502614913615212092008-07-07T00:24:00.003-04:002008-07-07T10:49:02.314-04:00

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation: Good friends Mr. & Mrs. Dell (of Dogwood Dell) are riding in the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes in August. :: UPDATE :: Support them, and send some money to this worthwhile cause! Many thanks to blogger Mary Martha for pointing out that the JDRF supports embryonic stem cell research. (See this link: their support is unequivocal, and they are dismissive of

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-88622571276463246552008-07-06T20:56:00.005-04:002008-07-07T00:29:01.621-04:00

I first saw this last night at good friend Leonardo's blog. [He's been getting lots of hits today, he showed up second in a Google search on the story. Go over and add to his traffic! :) Decent comments there as well.] Answer, to me, at least: this tablet will not revolutionize Christianity or Christology. First, some links from the Catholic blogosphere: The Curt Jester: great commentary and

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-33583376798045626122008-07-06T18:46:00.003-04:002008-07-06T19:13:40.949-04:00

Over at Get Religion, great coverage of a piece in the Washington Post about a new movie, that explores forgiveness in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Here's the WaPo story itself: Acts of Reconciliation: A student filmmaker turns her lens on Rwanda and finds a personal truth reflected back at her. In the film we meet Rosaria, who pulls up the hem of her dress to reveal mounds of

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-43528239445389778122008-07-05T21:23:00.000-04:002008-07-05T21:23:58.336-04:00

'Body Of Christ' Snatched From Church, Held Hostage By UCF Student - News Story - WFTV Orlando [Via the Curt Jester.]

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-72185364009856705182008-07-04T11:01:00.003-04:002008-07-04T11:02:23.429-04:00

Happy Fourth y'all! It took me 3+h to drive to G'ville, most of it backroads. Man, I'm in the middle nowhere up there in GA!

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-7576463081169916282008-07-03T18:06:00.004-04:002008-07-03T18:10:12.227-04:00

After class tonight* I am driving to Greenville, SC and will be spending the holiday with some friends there. Will be back on Saturday, in time to serve the Vigil Masses. And [gasp] I am not taking my laptop with me! [gasp] So, no blogging till I return. Perhaps an update or two from the phone. HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY Y'ALL! And if you're traveling, drinking, or burning money lighting

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-83643833519795551242008-07-03T17:52:00.003-04:002008-07-03T18:01:25.790-04:00

Today is the feast of St. Thomas, "called Didymus." The Gospel today focuses on Thomas' doubt. Once he did see the Lord, and said, "My Lord and my God!" though, he was a changed man. He traveled far and wide, and brought the Gospel to my native land, and established the Church of Christ there. He also gave the highest witness to his beloved Lord, by shedding his blood for the sake of the faith

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-80888447806799978762008-07-03T16:36:00.004-04:002008-07-03T16:42:36.396-04:00

Surely the editors at Asia News must realize the ... um ... disjunct in that headline? :) Here's what the Bishop in charge of youth affairs for the CBCI said: "Globalisation", Archbishop Cornelio continues, "along with its positive impact, has sadly also brought along with it negative consequences, and our Indian youth are struggling with this consumerism and individualist materialism and the

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-18776064007885793202008-07-03T16:17:00.003-04:002008-07-03T16:24:41.509-04:00

The latest Georgia Bulletin has a slew of articles on the Eucharistic Congress (June 20-21) and the first ever Catholic New Media Celebration. (links are to my posts on the two events.) Here's a sample: Faith-filled Congress-goers embrace the Living Bread.Event draws Catholics who are evangelizing online.And: Deaf Catholics taught about Benedict's encyclicals. David Klinger, a member of

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-26326340345775600482008-07-03T11:11:00.004-04:002008-07-03T11:25:29.319-04:00

[From the collection, "Pensieri su Paolo" by Benedict XVI.]Strangers become friends; beyond every boundary, we recognize brothers. With this is brought to fulfillment the mission of St. Paul, who knew himself to be "a liturgy of Jesus Christ among the gentiles ... a pleasing oblation, sanctified by the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 15:16). The scope of the mission is a humanity that has itself become a

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-44534894207769859162008-07-03T10:56:00.003-04:002008-07-03T11:11:09.847-04:00

In yesterday's Wednesday Catechesis, the Holy Father inaugurates a new cycle, focused on St. Paul. He starts with an overview (informative, succinct and easy to follow) illustration of the Mediterranean world that St. Paul inhabited: Jewish, Gentile, the nature of pagan religion, Stoicism and the philosophers, and touching briefly upon the "mystery religions." The universalistic vision typical

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17309896.post-76180206957386744342008-07-02T11:15:00.000-04:002008-07-02T11:15:30.260-04:00

[From Pensieri su Paulo, by Pope Benedict XVI] "St. Paul was tirelessly on the journey, bearing with himself the Gospel. He felt himself absolutely under a sort of "compulsion" to announce the Gospel (1 Cor 9:16) -- not so much because of a preoccupation for the salvation of any individual non-baptized person, not yet joined to the Gospel, but because he was aware that the whole history could

Gashwinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04964314266441708310noreply@blogger.com0