A Perfect Storm is defined as “a critical or disastrous situation created by a powerful concurrence of [movements].” A Perfect Theological Storm differs only in the time required for the concurrence: decades rather than hours...
In modern Catholicism, the term “theology” is often linked to Church doctrine, much of which is regarded as definitive, and even infallible, and thus not open to question. That linkage has inclined the hierarchy to be averse to dialogue, to expect...
A friend recently recommended a slender spiritual book, Poverty of Spirit. Written by Johannes Baptist Metz, a German Catholic theologian, it was first published in 1968 and republished thirty years later. What I found most interesting in reading it...
In a recent address to the International Theological Commission, Pope Benedict responded to critics of the Church. Much of what he said is both insightful and helpful. For example, he pointed out that the concept of the “sense of the faithful”...
Cardinal Dolan’s book, True Freedom, is available from Amazon. Actually, it’s not a book but an essay, followed by an excerpt from journalist John L. Allen Jr.’s book about the Cardinal, A People of Hope, together totaling 37 pages. The Allen...
Many Catholics first encountered the term “liberation theology” during the 2008 presidential campaign, when then-candidate Obama’s pastor said from the pulpit, “not God bless America—God d*** America,” and was identified as a supporter of a related...
Most people’s reaction to an incoming missile is to seek shelter, a safe place to hide. The reaction is not much different from some people’s response to the new English translation of the Latin Roman Missal. Change is never easy, and Catholics have...
The psychology of body language has been around for several decades now. Most of us are aware of its existence, and some of us may even know some of its tell-tale signs. For example, if you ask a person about his possible participation in a crime or...
