Is My Phylactery Showing?

Ed Peters responds to a recent episcopal ordination by Cardinal Milingo of several married men in a recent blog post, This time, Milingo made it easy. Since I can't comment there, I will here.

Although Milingo is affected by this act, would the ordained men be excommunicated? From what it appears, they're part of a schismatic sect anyway (the Old Catholic Church. of which there are apparently many splinter groups). A clarification would be great.

Perhaps aftermath isn't the right word. Maybe long-term repercussions would be more accurate.

If you haven't read the first part of the story of my crucifixion, you'll want to read Young Martyr at Play.

I grew up, for many reasons, with some damaged ideas of what I had to do to be loved. I won't go into that issue in this post, but suffice it to say that I grew up with a bit of a savior complex.

My morning scripture reading today was Matthew 25. Jesus tells three parables in this chapter, two of which seem to enunciate Catholic teaching on grace and works quite clearly.

The first, the parable of the 10 maidens, asserts the need for vigilance. One could interpret the five wise as those who commit works and are prepared for judgement. Frankly, I think that stretching the symbol a bit. Suffice it to say, we must be prepared for the bridegroom. We should not wait until it's too late.

Not surprisingly, now we learn that what the BBC and AP claimed the Pope said wasn't quite what the Pope said. Aside from the rather sensationalist headlines, the mainstream media took a very small part of a larger lecture, given in an academic setting, and made it out to be the primary issue in the Holy Father's speech. The lecture actually discussed faith and reason, and the tendency in the West to divorce the two—even to the point of "de-Hellenizing" religion.

AP is finally carrying a story that lays it all out. I wonder if the MSM will recognize their complicity in this debacle?

Al-Qaida in Iraq and its allies said Muslims would be victorious and addressed the pope as "the worshipper of the cross," saying "you and the West are doomed as you can see from the defeat in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya and elsewhere. ...

Nothing like taking words out of context. Here's the full text of the speech. You'll note that the words that have the Muslim world up in arms are quotes from a 13th century text, not the opinions of the Holy father.

As for me, da Pope's da Man.

Some anonymous commentor who's name is MY BROTHER sent me a request to explain the Catholic teaching of Purgatory. You see, I made the mistake of telling the whole fam damily about the crucifixion story that I posted a few days back. Anyway, big brudder did some poking around and figured out which one was mine—probably not a difficult guess.

I blame Dale Price for this.

Based on a recommendation he made to which I NEVER should have heeded ( stoopid!), I read Dies the Fire. Tonight, I wandered shaking and foaming at the mouth to Barnes & Noble to pick up The Protector's War.

Because I've lived in the Pacific Northwest for most of my life, I'm a sucker for pretty much anything set here (which doesn't include much). This series by Stirling runs all over my stomping grounds, so I felt compelled to check it out.

2,996 is a tribute to the victims of 9/11.

On September 11, 2006, 2,996 volunteer bloggers

will join together for a tribute to the victims of 9/11.

Each person will pay tribute to a single victim.

We will honor them by remembering their lives,

and not by remembering their murderers.

I am honoring the memory of Richard J. Klares, age 59, of Somers, NY.

There's a tribute to him at Legacy.com.

HT to Julie D. for the link.

Michael Barber has a link to a great essay concering the Catholic doctrine of justification written by a former Protestant theology student who eventually converted.