Thursday, March 04, 2010

Consecration of Sagrada Familia


So the pope is planning to visit Spain in November and will consecrate the infamous Sagrada Familia.
Regarding the stop in Barcelona, Cardinal Martínez Sistach already last month said the Holy Father had expressed interest in consecrating the church of the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family).

The cardinal noted that the church's architect, Antoni Gaudí, has a cause of canonization being studied.

The church is also important to the Holy Father, according to the cardinal, because of its title, "given the maximum importance that the family has for the Holy Father, since the good of people, society and the Church is directly related with the protection, defense and promotion of the family."
Awesome! Thank you, Benedict!

7 Reasons why...

... you should go to confession during Lent. Courtesy of Taylor Marshall.
1. Priestly absolution is an awesome gift that Jesus gave us.
2. You are a sinner.
3. Confession is a means of grace.
4. You may have committed mortal sin.
5. Guilt is unpleasant.
6. Confession unites you more fully to the Church.
7. Receiving the Eucharist becomes even more powerful.
Speaking of which, I plan to go this weekend :)

The 5th Marian Dogma

In light of a recent forum in Rome concerning the so-called "Fifth Marian Dogma" (which hasn't yet been formally declared as such), Eric Sammons has an excellent post explaining the implications of what a formal, dogmatic declaration would entail as well as a couple reasons why one might want to oppose such an act. I am speaking, of course, of the understanding of Mary as Coredemptrix and Mediatrix of All Graces. Is it time for the pope to formally define this as dogma?

I first encountered speculation concerning this dogma not too long after I entered the Church in 1997. A sensationalistic article was published in Newsweek, I believe, and I spent much of the following year correcting and explaining the issue to my Evangelical friends who thought Catholics wanted to make Mary a fourth person of the Godhead. Being a new Catholic who was still making sense of all things Catholic, I remember feeling a bit angry and left out that the Church was moving too fast - but since when is that ever true? I came to realize that I wasn't angry at the Church but rather at the stupid article. Nevertheless, while I acknowledge Mary as coredemptrix, I'd have to place myself in the "not-right-now" camp insofar as a formal declaration of dogma is concerned. I suspect that this is where Pope Benedict XVI is as well. It is my opinion that such a move would have series ramifications on our relationship with the Eastern Orthodox, and this has been a significant theme of his pontificate. That said, I understand also why one might want the pope to act.

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

The Bell

Every time I hear the bell on my cat's collar ring, I can't help but think of John Donne: therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. Memento mori. I hope Lent has been a formative experience for all of you!

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