In the past few weeks there have been several reports on the Vatican decision to allow scholars and journalist greater access to the Vatican Archives. Here are a few links and video:
This weekend we celebrate Trinity Sunday. It can become every preachers nightmare, If it is approached from the point of view of doctrine and theology. Ultimately, no matter how hard we try, we always fall short when we try to explain and make sense of ‘three persons in one God.” Preachers and meditators might consider approaching this feast from the point of view of spirituality. Trinity Sunday can be a time to explore the mystery of God, being human, and something that Fr. Ronald Rolheiser calls, ‘the divine fire within’. He states: "We humans are infinite spirits in a finite situation, and that’s a sure formula for restlessness. You want to make love to the whole world, you want to consume the planet but you’re confined to one person, one place. … These energies — this divine fire —make up our spirit. How we direct that spirit is spirituality. Our spirit is restless because it’s divine and insatiable."
I haven’t totally figured out my homily for this Sunday, but after listening to Fr. Rolheiser interview on the NCR website, I think that with a little thought, prayer and meditation, his words and insights will be a great help. Anyway, I hope many of you will find this two part interview to be insightful and spiritually inspiring.
A little over a month ago, the “Deepwater Horizon” drilling rig blew up in the Gulf of Mexico. Since that date The New York Times reports that 210,000 Gallons of crude oil have been gushing into the gulf each and every day. I don’t think there has ever been a more catastrophic environmental disaster – and it just keeps gushing! Last Sunday night (May 16th, 2010) CBS reporter Scott Pelley of 60 Minutes interviewed a fellow by the name of Mike Williams. Mike was the chief electronics technician aboard the drilling rig who narrowly escaped with his life and some horrific memories.
Just seven months before Mike Williams had been part of a team that had drilled the deepest under water well in history (35,000 feet). On that day I am sure that Mike and the team had felt a great pride in their human achievement, but a few months later he tells a humbling, courageous, and revealing story of individual human survival amidst death and destruction. It is also a story that I believe reflects these three adjectives: mistaken, greedy, and stupid. It is a story that hopefully will remind the human race that co-creation is serious business, and can not to be taken lightly.
I am not a scientist, but from what I can gather from recent media reports, scientists are now capable of taking the simplest living cell and theoretically turning it into any kind of cell they want.
Theologians have identified us as co-creators with God, and indeed, I think we are. In some ways one could say it is part of being human and should be celebrated as the dignity of human life. On the other hand, humans are finite individuals who often lack the wisdom of the big picture. We act, but often with great immaturity, pride, and selfishness. We are co-creators and not creators! Let us hope and pray that scientist will have the humility to act and co-create with great caution, and recognize in all sincerity and absolute practicality the limitations of the human situation.
In response to Pope Benedict’s request that Catholics “make astute use of the unique possibilities offered by modern communications,” the Bishops of Canada have answered the call: http://www.cccb.ca/
Not long ago, the Pope, while encouraging faith sharing and evangelization through the internet, also spoke of “giving the internet a soul.” Danielle Bean took up his challenge of ‘soul giving’. Maybe you won’t agree with everything she suggests, but the topic, in my opinion, is long overdue for thoughtful discussion. I welcome the post, and I think many others will also welcome and appreciate it. 10 WAY TO GIVE THE INTERNET A SOUL
If you looked up with your own eyes from the Planet Mars, this is what we would look like. Nasa’s OPPORTUNITY ROVER captured this picture of PLANET EARTH from the surface of Mars. I find the picture rather mysterious and humbling. It sort of puts a lot of things in perspective, doesn’t it?
I am old enough to have experienced hundreds of Tridentine Masses, but I never saw this:
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The long awaited report from the Vatican on the Legionaries of Christ was released today. The NATIONAL CATHOLIC REGISTER has just published the document in English. Deception and Betrayal are horrible to experience in life, and I can imagine that many in the Legion are experiencing all kinds of mixed emotions. Why their founder (Father Marcial Maciel Degollado) did what he did is now in God’s hands, but the scandalization, hurts, and scars he has left behind are just horrible. Let us remember in our prayers the thousands and thousands of very good and holy people he has hurt and betrayed, and pray that the church will be able to comfort and heal the wounds of so many. Here is a brief quote of assurance from the Vatican report.
“The Holy Father wishes to assure all Legionaries and members of the Regnum Christi Movement that they will not be left on their own: The Church is firmly resolved to accompany them and help them on the path of purification that awaits them. It will also mean dealing sincerely with all of those who, within and outside the Legion, were victims of sexual abuse and of the power system devised by the founder: They are in the Holy Father’s thoughts and prayers at this time, along with his gratitude to those of them who, even in the midst of great difficulties, had the courage and constancy to demand the truth.” FULL REPORT
