Category: Guest Post

December 12th, 2017

The Challenge and the Gift of Darkness

Okay, I admit it. I’m not a fan of the dark. This season of the year, needless to say, is not my favorite. Although I hear so many rail against the excess of the coming weeks, I have to confess to being so grateful for the holiday light show and hubbub that keeps darkness, albeit…
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December 9th, 2017

The Second Sunday of Advent

The following is a preview from the Comprehensive Catholic Lectionary, a project by women priests Jane Via and Nancy Corran that aims to include every significant story about women in the bible, eliminate exclusive language for God and humans, and bring a spectrum of Biblical theologies to readers and communities. Advent reflections (below the readings) will…
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December 5th, 2017

Mourning the Loss of a Good Man

I went to a funeral today after seeing a movie that reminded me of loving and losing my own good man. This morning, it was John Raines,  a colleague at Temple University. You may have read his obituary in the New York Times a week ago Sunday. The Times headline blared “Evaded Capture in F.B.I.…
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December 2nd, 2017

The First Sunday in Advent

The following is a preview from the Comprehensive Catholic Lectionary, a project by women priests Jane Via and Nancy Corran that aims to include every significant story about women in the bible, eliminate exclusive language for God and humans, and bring a spectrum of Biblical theologies to readers and communities. Advent reflections (below the readings)…
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November 28th, 2017

A Dynamic and Living Reality

Scripture Reflections, Advent 2017 Isaiah 40; Psalm 85; Mk:13; Lk.1; 1Thess.5 Each week I receive a prayer/reflection from US Catholic. Today we pray with Anne Frank: “I can feel the suffering of millions…and, yet, when I look up at the heavens, I know this cruelty will end”. (Just a note: Historians tell us that Anne Frank…
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November 25th, 2017

The Bishops, the Pope, and the King

So how did the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops do on the inspired leadership front? (See “Ain’t that a Shame,” November 4, 2017, The Table) The surprise that made lots of news was the election of Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann as chair of the Pro-Life Committee over Cardinal Blaise Cupich, 96 to 82: no…
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November 21st, 2017

Grace, Blessings, Thanks, and Giving

Sometimes we rail, rant, raise verbal fists (and even, with any luck, consciences!) in newsletters, tweets, posts — on The Table, in the world. Sometimes we burst out in energy and enthusiasm in the streets, in the parks, on the concrete steps outside our churches, and the concrete piazza outside the Vatican. And sometimes, imitating…
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November 17th, 2017

Does inclusive language matter?

This question was raised in my mind at a meeting this fall. When the speaker mentioned “inclusive language” in the context of liturgical work, a listener interpreted it to mean something like promoting diversity. But that is not it at all, at least for me and for my small faith community, which modifies language in…
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November 14th, 2017

We should run…

…not away from but toward! What we learned from the recent November 7 election is that our kind of activism, the grassroots kind, can have tremendous power and influence. Dedicated, inspired, fired up people, even when little known in activist circles or the media, can achieve amazing victories if they only take the chance and…
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November 11th, 2017

The Influence of Bishops

This Pope is so infuriating. Do you remember the great video done a few years ago by WOC with really embarrassing Francis quotes about women? (“Vatican: It’s a Man’s World“) Things have not improved significantly in that department, unfortunately. On the other hand, he’s pastoral. That’s my conclusion in reading about the current kerfuffle involving…
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