From the Boston Pilot:



    Hundreds prepare to enter the Church with Rite of Election

"MALDEN -- Nearly 500 people preparing to enter the Church at Easter gathered at Immaculate Conception Parish in Malden March 10 for the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion. These ceremonies were one of the last steps for catechumens, who had never been baptized, and candidates, who are Christian but not Catholic, in their preparation to enter the Catholic Church.
"One of the catechumens from Mission Church was Ahmed Salem, who has a Muslim background. He came to the United States from Egypt, where, he said, he saw churches explode "on (a) weekly basis," yet Christians continued to meet.

"The model of love and peace they showed was amazing for me. So I was curious," Salem said."

Godfried Danneels

 

Cardinal Godfried Danneels died today and although Pope Francis called him a 'Zealous Pastor' and John Allen declared him a 'gentleman', the truth is he was a bad person.  He tried to keep an abuse victim from reporting anything and was captured on tape doing it.  He led the Church in Belgium for many years while known as a leading liberal who was part of the group that pushed for Pope Francis to be elected.  So what do you think happened to his Church?  Exactly what one would expect as this older article in the Catholic Herald shows:  Belgium’s crisis of faith. 

 

 

"More so even than most European countries, it looks as if Belgian Catholicism has been living off the glories of previous centuries rather than having much to say to modern society. Certainly, most of the country’s nominal Catholics seem to have little interest in it. Unless it rediscovers a sense of purpose, there is a serious risk of the Church becoming little more than a government-funded heritage agency for the preservation of ancient churches."

 

Brooklyn diocese condemns SNL R. Kelly sex abuse jokes

I don't know who at the Brooklyn Diocese thought to issue this statement but they are tone deaf to the anger Catholics have at our leadership.  The defensive posture just does not work anymore as the commentary on social media from serious Catholics show.  Maybe 10 years ago many public Catholics would have agreed with the Diocese but not today.  No one cares about a joke at the Church's handling of the sex abuser priests, we care about punishing those responsible and stopping it from ever occurring again.  We care about how long the evil men like McCarrick, Weakland, and Macial were able to get away with what they did.

"Brooklyn, N.Y., Mar 12, 2019 / 12:30 pm (CNA).- The Diocese of Brooklyn has demanded an apology from the NBC network, calling jokes comparing Catholics to supporters of a disgraced singer charged with child sexual abuse “disgraceful and offensive.”
The jokes were broadcast by the late-night comedy show Saturday Night Live on March 9. Cast member Pete Davidson suggested that the only difference between practicing Catholicism and supporting disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly is that Kelly’s music is “significantly better.”
The Brooklyn diocese released a statement condemning the routine on Monday.
“The Diocese of Brooklyn is demanding an immediate public apology from Saturday Night Live and NBC,” the statement from the diocese said."


No apology is necessary at all!  The only issue I have with this Pete Davidson joke is this part: 


"The SNL audience had a mixed reaction in response to the joke, while Davidson added that the only difference between the Catholic Church and R. Kelly is that “one’s music is significantly better.”     “The other day, my Mom is like ‘I’m going to Mass’ and I’m like OK, I’m going to go listen to the Ignition remix,” said Davidson, referring to Kelly’s hit single from 2002.

Ok, maybe in the average suburban parish Mass this joke works because it would be true.   But historically, the greatest music in human history was done for the Church or by the Church - classical music compositions, Gregorian Chant, Polyphony, etc.. 

Charles Coulombe and Americanism

I do not know why I am only noticing Charles Coulombe but he is very interesting and funny. I have only seen a couple of videos with him but I am think I will enjoy some of these.   In the video linked above, he discusses the book The Star-Spangled Heresy: Americanism by Solange Hertz.