The Pride Flag – “St. Augustine calls pride the libido dominandi — the lust for domination — and he describes this as a spiritual disposition which is fundamentally disordering.” The Two Cities in June (Post Liberal Order)
Omission of Race – Frank James, the man arrested for Tuesday’s New York City subway shooting, is a black nationalist and outspoken racist who railed against whites, Jews, and Hispanics. Yes, the Media Bury the Race of Murderers—If They’re Not White (The Washington Free Beacon)
Sustained Economic Growth – Two economic historians explain what made the Industrial Revolution, and modern life, possible. About 200 years ago, the world started getting rich. Why? (The Vox)
Choosing Pronouns – A majority share of polled Americans state children should not be able to choose their pronouns if they do not align with their biological sex. Harvard-Harris poll: Majority believe children should not be able to choose their pronouns (The Blaze)
Pride Month – If anybody wants to understand what is happening to the public square in America … they need look no further than Pride Month. Welcome to Pride Month, Christian (World)
Catholic Actor’s Family – Having interviewed Mark Wahlberg recently about his film Father Stu, it was wonderful to hear him talk about Stu with such compassion and enthusiasm. Here’s just another reason to love Mark Wahlberg (Aleteia)
Blaming Baby Boomers – How often the youngsters use the Boomer—sometimes, BOOMER!—when airing their grievances. The Myth of the Boomer Bogeyman (American Greatness)
Most Catholics – Just a third of Catholics report the church has had an influence on their political views. Most Catholic Americans disagree with hardline positions of church leadership (AP NORC)
Unsourced Speculation – Pope Francis added fuel to rumors about the future of his pontificate by announcing he would visit the central Italian city of L’Aquila in August for a feast initiated by Pope Celestine V. Pope Francis fuels new speculation on future of pontificate (Crux Now)
A Sterile Society – Pope Francis declared what he called “the alliance of the generations” to be “indispensable.” Grandparents & Handing Down the Faith (Catholic Exchange)
Body of Christ – Dating back to the 13th century, Eucharistic processions offer the faithful the opportunity for adoration as one body, regardless of language or culture. Diverse Cultures United by Eucharist (Orlando Diocese)
Abortion Was Never an Option – “Only once, during my teenage years, did I ever ask my mother whether she had considered having an abortion.” Why My Parents Chose Life (The Atlantic)
Chicken Fried Pride – “Chick-fil-A has finally come around to celebrating pride month this year.” In Honor Of Pride Month Chick-Fil-A Waffle Fries Will Be Seasoned With Salt From Lot’s Wife (Babylon Bee)
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About “Sustained Economic Growth,” there’s now the question whether democratization of wealth–combined with what sociologists term the ever-ascending sense of “relative deprivation”–can be sustained by the underlying natural ecology. Is nature being treated as a sort of slave culture now showing its limits?
For all of its flaws (written in too much haste, to both influence and display itself at the Paris Climate Accord), Laudato Si manufactured 43,000 words to make this simple point.
On a small scale, the Dust Bowl already did happen. On a global scale, what to do about “it”, and even clarifying what “it” actually is in its details, of course, involves the intersection of imperfect science and imperfect prudential judgment (yes, all blurred by politics), about which there should be sober debate leading to cautionary and timely action.
This is to correct my second paragraph, and then to elaborate…
Laudato Si was not even partly about making a “display [of] itself.” As for its “flaws,” I refer to its roughness, due to the decision to tie it off in time to still influence the Paris Climate Accord, rather than not.
The result of this urgency is a lack of synthesis, with many bundles of points left freestanding, more-or-less alongside of each other (245 sections). Four points:
(1) I take the thesis sentence to be this (from n. 161): “The pace of consumption, waste and environmental change has so stretched the planet’s capacity that our contemporary lifestyle, unsustainable as it is, can only precipitate catastrophies [e.g., future “social unrest,” n. 204], such as those which even now periodically occur in different areas of the world” (e.g., desertification),
(2) more effort should be evident to build on corrective efforts already underway, e.g., early use of “environmental impact statements” (e.g., in the U.S. since 1969, the national and international and public-private work of the Nature Conservancy, etc.); and
(3) greater clarity on “subsidiarity” (n. 195) versus solidarity as the “the need of a true world political authority” (n. 175), with some kind of recognition on the Accord’s distorted impacts on advanced economies versus China and India.
And, possibly a personal a bias—
(4) the distinct but interrelated “human ecology” and “natural ecology” (as in Centesimus Annus) need not be conflated into an “integral ecology,” at the possible risk of violating the inborn natural law and Veritatis Splendor regarding moral errors: the Fundamental Option, Proportionalism, Consequentialism. How to preach the entire Gospel (as in n. 136), consistently and now on foreseeable global circumstances, without collective moral ambiguity?
Catholics who attend Mass at least monthly are less inclined to support the ordination of women, gay men, or divorced people, while Catholics who are less observant strongly favor allowing women, gay men, and divorced people to become priests (Most Catholics AP NORC).
We can’t place all the blame on Pope Francis, as many of us are inclined. Downward spiraling took impetus in the sixties with the explosion that shattered morality. The jagged pill [Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill]. Pilloried Pope Paul VI took a beating from Left and Right. The Left for Humanae Vitae the Right for responsibility of Hannibal Bugnini’s liturgical cannibalization for Protestant sensitivities. Although there had to be a rising of the waters within Catholicism ready to bust the dam. All the progressives did not suddenly appear due to spontaneous combustion. All the radical clerics were sons [and the radical nuns also daughters of the traditional Latin Mass].
If Pope Francis is anything, he’s a type of matador waving his red muleta in the face of Traditionalists in anticipation of the coup de grace. Perhaps we can assign the final thrust, the estocada, to the great Synod on Synodality. Amazonia the resulting German Synodal Way the useful canard. Mercy is merciful when sin is remedied. The Holy Eucharist is indeed a saving remedy for the struggling penitent trying to free himself from El Diablo’s grip. For the non repentant sinner seeking Christ’s approval a self inflicted deadly wound.
Dear Dr. Morello:
You present God’s word to the flock He has given you. This forum allows you to address a wider flock! Praise God.
Additionally you have a heart for the down trodden sinner. We also praise God for this gift He has given you.
In your comment, you touch on “Hannibal Bugnini’s liturgical cannibalization for Protestant sensitivities.” Would you elaborate on one of his points where you feel he is off the mark?
Thank you for your work, it is valued.
Yours in Christ,
Brian
Brian in the Novus Ordo words of consecration prior to Benedict’s thankful revision are as follows, this is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you [and for all]. Christ’s original words are for many. The understanding of exclusivity is more Catholic, in recognition that it became apparent that not all will be saved, that Christianity by its nature would be an ongoing contest with the world and its values. Protestantism [not all denominations, for example other than Baptists, Evangelicals] largely hold to a more universal redemption and a greater association with the secular world. One more, the word sacrifice was omitted. Except for the Eucharistic prayer I, the Roman Canon. That remained untouched. Unfortunately, since the usage of the NO very few priests offer Mass in accord with the Roman Canon.
Also, does the word “everlasting” (which implies a beginning) in place of “eternal” insinuate a touch of Arianism?
So it seems. Remarkably ancient heresies continue to reappear in different forms. I suppose the basic disbeliefs are basic because they are usually centered on the identity of Christ.
A trend today is rehash of Zoroaster’s complementary relationship and eventual reconciliation of good and evil. That’s evident in the current accommodation of adultery [D&R] other irregular relationships significantly what was judged an abomination [Aquinas perceived it as such because it abrogated nature] homosexual behavior, now adult relationships as advocated by Cardinal Jean Claude Hollerich SJ appointed by Pope Francis with full knowledge of Hollerich’s predilections as the relator to the Synod on Synodality.
You’ve referred to the cardinal frequently and rightly so. The dilemma regarding laity and their disbelief of the real presence in the Eucharist, their support of LGBT and abortion lies primarily with clergy feeding them innocuous pablum instead of the truths that matter.
Dear Dr Morello:
Thank you for your response!
As I read, the essence of your comment is that we are not doing as we should! In my own life there is “an ongoing contest with the world and its values.” Of course, Paul speaks of this dilemma in his own walk.
It is humbling to ask the Lord for forgiveness time and time again. Yet, “He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and cleans us from all unrighteousness”, as we confess our sins. This allows us a far greater appreciation for His enduring mercy.
What has been a help is doing one day at a time. I make a commitment not to do something this day and the following day re-commit to avoid the besetting sin. One day at a time and yet, the evil one pursues! Still we remind ourselves that “He who is within us is greater than he who is in the world”.
Once again, thank you for your fidelity to Christ and His precepts.
Brian