Inaugural Benediction, Rabbi Marvin Hier Cites

unnamed-1The first orthodox Rabbi to give benediction at a US presidential inauguration cited a psalm highlighting Jerusalem at Friday’s ceremony.

Rabbi Marvin Hier —  the 77-year-old founder and dean of the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center — said in his prayer for President Donald Trump: “Bless all of our allies around the world who share our beliefs, ‘By the rivers of Babylon, we wept as we remember Zion…If I forget you O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill’ (Psalm 137).” MORE

Black Catholic Church births first US opera company

(From L) US-born soprano Adina Aaron, TrPeople of African descent have long been involved in “classical music” — as creators, interpreters, performers and entrepreneurs. A number of well-known black singers — from William Warfield to Jessye Norman — have made their mark in the rarefied world of opera. So it’s no surprise that even in the age of hip-hop, young African Americans are a growing presence on opera stages around the world. MORE

How the movie Silence “teaches” and “justifies” apostasy

silence-1-680x352For The Catholic Thing, Scorsese’s film “is not a Christian film by a Catholic filmmaker, but a justification of faithlessness: apostasy becomes an act of Christian charity when it saves lives, just as martyrdom becomes almost satanic when it increases persecution.” According to Brad Miner, Scorsese goes even farther: since Christ did not prevent His own martyrdom, it is He who, somehow, in this infernal logic, bears responsibility for the torments, the pains, the suffering of those who followed Him until the end.” MORE

 

Mankind and Unity “That all may be one”

unityON THE EVE of His passion, Christ prayed, “That all may be one. even as thou, Father, in me and I in thee; that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:21)

Far back in the fifth century St. Prosper of Aquitaine wrote, “The Church pleads before God everywhere, not only for the saints and those regenerated in Christ, but also for all infidels and all enemies of the cross of Christ, for all worshipers of Idols, for all who persecute Christ in his members, for the Jews whose blindness does not see the light of the Gospel, for heretics and schismatics who are alien to the unity of faith and charity.” Continue reading

Archbishop of Canterbury to express remorse over Reformation violence

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby speaks flanked by Pope Francis during vespers prayers at the monastery church of San Gregorio al Celio in RomeBelated apologies – Just another inter-faith ploy and 500 years late.

CANTERBURY, England (RNS) The archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, is expected to issue a statement this week apologizing for the violence that followed the Protestant Reformation 500 years ago.

The statement, according to news accounts, will express remorse that the (Protestant) Church of England carried out so many acts of violence — including burning Roman Catholics at the stake. MORE

Sea-hawks Display On Altar

02032015_Seahawks-Alter_Catholic-BlogThe above display is from St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Marysville, Washington. Behind the altar is the Seahawks’ 12th man flag, the phrase ‘GO HAWKS’ below the flag, and the team’s helmet logo with ‘Super Bowl XLIX’ on either side. MORE

In Defence of Male and Female

face-of-the-future“The contemporary woman’s liberation drive toward a decrease in sexual differentiation, to the extent that is leading toward androgyny and unisexual values, implies a social and cultural death-wish and the end of the civilization that endorses it. The scientific and historical record shows that all the way from unicellular organisms to human beings, progress in evolution has been stimulated by the increase in sexual differentiation.”  Amaury de Riencourt, Sex and Power in History, (1974) MORE

Jim Caviezel a real Catholic American Hero

Jim Caviezel a real Catholic American HeroJames Patrick “Jim” Caviezel[1] (born September 26, 1968) is an American actor, best known for portraying Jesus Christ in the 2004 film The Passion of the Christ. Other notable roles include Private Witt in The Thin Red Line (1998), Detective John Sullivan in Frequency (2000), Jim McCormick in Madison, Catch in Angel Eyes (2001), Johannes in I Am David, Edmond Dantès in The Count of Monte Cristo (2002), golfer Bobby Jones in Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004), and Carroll Oerstadt in Déjà Vu (2006). From 2011 until 2016, he starred as John Reese on the CBS science-fiction crime drama series Person of Interest. Continue reading