And it is precisely to this question of the prophetic power of Populorum Progressio that Benedict turns in Chapter 2, paragraphs 21 through 33: “After so many years, as we observe with concern the developments and perspectives of the succession of crises that afflict the world today, we ask to . . . . Continue Reading »
The death of Robert McNamara on July 6 has generated some reflections, here and there: a little remembering of the man’s strange place in history. One of the most interesting accounts of his role as secretary of defense appeared in the December 2000 issue of First Things : Adam . . . . Continue Reading »
Scientists claim to have created sperm using embryonic stem cells. From the story:Researchers led by Professor Karim Nayernia at Newcastle University and the NorthEast England Stem Cell Institute (NESCI) developed a new technique that allows the creation of human sperm in the laboratory. They . . . . Continue Reading »
Introduction Caritas in Veritate is the first social encyclical of the 21st century, and Pope Benedict XVI’s chosen topic couldn’t be timelier. Forty years after the publication of Pope Paul VI’s Populorum Progressio, and following in the footsteps of his predecessor John Paul II . . . . Continue Reading »
From the Church Music Association of America: Gregorian Chant at the National Shrine, Washington, DC, September 25-26, 2009.Chant is good. I imagine this pilgrimage will be all right, too, though it’s hard to consider it perfect when it hasn’t even happened yet.[Rating: 97 out of . . . . Continue Reading »
The House of Lords has turned back the attempt of assisted suicide advocates to hijack an anti-suicide bill to specifically legalize suicide tourism. Baroness Campbell summarized the case for the opposition. From the story:Baroness Campbell of Surbiton, who has spinal muscular atrophy, said: . . . . Continue Reading »
So my friend Carl Scott sent me an email asking if he could contribute a reflection on the Porcher-Pomo debate that is a bit long for a normal comment on the thread below. I usually wouldn’t do this but it’s so good—especially when it criticizes ME—that . . . . Continue Reading »
In Chapter 1, paragraphs 10 through 20, Benedict takes up Paul VI’s forty-year-old encyclical letter, Populorum Progressio . George Weigel notes the long hunger among some more left-leaning Catholics to revive Paul VI’s work and pit it against the economics implied in John Paul II’s . . . . Continue Reading »
I’ve been good for very little lately, distracted by an upper-respiratory-tract virus that conjures new symptoms with which to persecute me every day. This afternoon I found myself turning on the TV around the time that the memorial event for Michael Jackson was getting underway. I . . . . Continue Reading »
It’s not that the media is ignoring the story , Jody, its just that there are so many more important subjects to report on. For example, according to Google the number of news stories posted between yesterday and today on Pope Benedict almost reaches two hundred (see chart below) while . . . . Continue Reading »
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