In May citizens in Ireland will vote on a marriage referendum. The Roman Catholic bishops state their opposition to a change in the constitution.
Category: roman catholicism
Pope Francis’s Plans
This article assesses Francis’s popularity after two years and then lists five areas where he plans to make changes in the Roman Catholic Church.
Pope finds popularity and dissent at 2-year mark | OregonLive.com.
Benedict XV and the Sinking of the Lusitania
This article explores the Vatican archives, which reveals the in-house discussion of how Pope Benedict XV and his advisors responded to the sinking of the Lusitania at the beginning of WWI.
Father Theodore Martin Hesburgh, C.S.C.
Recent reports describe the life of Fr. Hesburgh, former Pres. of the University of Notre Dame. You can read about him here: http://a.msn.com/01/en-us/BBi1L9t There are two biographies available on Amazon. I add below information about his book publications.
Theodore Martin Hesburgh. The Hesburgh Papers: Higher Values in Higher Education. Andrews and McMeel, 1979.
Theodore M. Mesburgh, C.S.C. [Congregation of the Holy Cross] The Challenge and Promise of a Catholic University. University of Notre Dame Press, 1994.
Theodore Hesburgh. Travels with Ned and Ted. Doubleday, 1995.
He also wrote forewords to the following books:
Elie Wiesel. Four Hasidic Masters and Their Struggle against Melancholy. University of Notre Dame Press, 1987.
R. Scott Appleby. The Ambivalence of the Sacred: Religion, Violence, and Reconciliation. Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 1999.
Lynn Cassella. Making Your way after You Parents’ Divorce: A Supportive Guide for Personal Growth. Ligouri, 2002.
George S. Howard. How Should I Live My Life?: Psychology, Environmental Science, and Moral Traditions. Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2013.
The Pope Francis Revolution
John L. Allen Jr. asks the question in a recent Time magazine article of whether Pope Francis will bring lasting change.
If one means substantive alterations in Church teaching—for instance, acceptance of abortion; gay marriage; allowing couples to use contraception; and welcoming women priests—then the answer is no. Francis has made it clear that he’s not a doctrinal radical and does not intend to upend the catechism (the official collection of Catholic doctrine). On the other hand, if one sees change as a reorientation of Catholicism toward the political center, the geographical and existential peripheries and the heart of the gospel, then it’s possible Francis will leave an imprint on the Church that will outlive his own reign, however long or short it turns out to be.
I understand the bit about geography, that Francis is involving Catholic leaders from outside of Italy and outside of Europe. But the rest of Allen’s comment seems nebulous. You can read the full article here:
http://www.time.com/3730218/francis-revolution/
church history review 