Fr. Bob's Corner

There are few Catholic Journalist that provide an in-depth analysis of international concerns and issues from a Catholic Perspective. John L. Allen is almost in a class by himself, in my humble opinion. [Please, if you know of others like him, post a comment] This week he visits Honduras and gives us a glimpse of Honduras today.
John Allen never runs away from the tough questions, and this is the question he poses: “Why haven’t five centuries of Catholicism left a more impressive social fingerprint?” Read his response at the link below. It is kind of important that we have some insight as we prepare to celebrate and discuss the Pope’s visit to Latin America for the CELAM Conference in early May:Why hasn’t Catholicism had a more positive effect? National Catholic Reporter Conversation Cafe

“We had had so much fun together, did so many FIRSTS together? Not all parents are lucky enough to travel to an exotic location with their children and enjoy the experience with them? Not all parents get to share in their children’s honeymoon either. We felt very blessed.” Annie Richard wrote during her recent visit (with her husband Paul) to Thailand to visit their son Mark and and his wife Val. View pictures and the full account of their adventure on her post of March 25th, 2007 on Mark and Val’s Asian Stir Fry
Paul and Annie are parishioner’s of St. Mary’s Parish.

The words of Jesus “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (Jn 13:34) inspired Pope Benedict XVI for his message on the occasion of the 22nd World Youth Day, to be celebrated on Passion Sunday, 1 April 2007.
Message for the 22nd World Youth Day (1st April 2007)

Many give little thought to what it means to be human, sexual, and spiritual. Instead they absorb the cultural thought of the day, and dismiss any thought or idea which is in contradiction. Here is a little article to challenge such thinking. Read

Indifference greatest sin against poor, pope’s preacher says – Catholic Online

You might not have heard of this nun before, but to the poor of Honduras there is no other person like her. Read her inspiring story:
Sr. Maria Rosa Leggol: ‘Nobody gave me this job — I made it’ National Catholic Reporter Conversation Cafe

Fr. Thomas Dowd of Montreal has written a book review of this new book by John Allen. Quote from review: “The inside story of how the Vatican really thinks. My grade: A+. My Amazon score: 5/5.”
Read Review

Why do we go to church? Bishop Paul-André Durocher has an answer: Read answer
(blog post of Marie-Linda Boghdady at www.adventus.org)

CECC / CCCB – Most Reverend Richard Smith named Archbishop of Edmonton

I just finished reading John Allen’s sequel to his first article on Jon Sobrino. I’m not sure what to make of all the fuss about Jesus (human and divine). Throughout the centuries we have always stressed one over the other (teetering back and forth depending on the spirituality and needs of the era), finding it difficult to fully appreciate and vocalize the divine mystery of the incarnation. As church, we live in very threatening times, and it is difficult to watch over and protect God’s revelation. Maybe the church needs to verbalize this fact more clearly, and enlist everyone’s support and prayers (even a little sympathy and appreciation would be welcomed).
How we protect the faith, seems to be one of the most relevant questions for our times.
Edicts, disciplinary tactics, punishments, excommunication are an obvious response option. But in our times, this option just seems to tear the church apart and undermine the church’s credibility in the eyes of the world; inside the church, disciplinary control seems to cultivate a climate of fear within the hearts and minds of God’s people, undermining the very spirit which transforms and gives life. We live in very challenging and diffcult times, and there are no easy answers.

Are there other options? Let us pray there are, and that we find them soon!