“I launch an appeal to the international community: is it not time to act to save and protect this mosaic of minorities that is today at risk of being eradicated? If they disappear, it is the history of the world that will vanish. Push back these jihadists who have taken our land, and let us return to our homes, and live in security! And if not that, then help those who wish to leave for another country where they can live with dignity.”
Read moreMonth: August 2014
Pope Francis Arrives in South Korea
CNN and other news outlets report that Pope Francis has just touched down in South Korea. The last time a Pope visited South Korea was when Pope John Paul II visited in 1989.
Read moreCatholic Funeral Mass Celebrated for Evangelical Bishop Tony Palmer
“The bishop agreed but said that Tony could not be buried as a bishop as he was not a Roman Catholic bishop. However, Pope Francis said he should and could be buried as a bishop…and so that put an end to that little bit of ecclesiastical nonsense!”
Read moreAncient Basis for Liturgical Dance
Paul Dilley at Bible History Daily has an interesting post titled “Jesus as Lord of the Dance.” In his post he talks about ancient forms of Christian dance.
Read moreIn Case You Missed It: The Homily in the Context of Evangelii Gaudium
The specific request for this contribution to the Pray Tell blog is to examine what Francis says about liturgical preaching in Evangelii Gaudium.
Read moreMusings on the Permanent Diaconate
We have much more to lose by continuing to underutilize our permanent deacons than by being willing to delegate to them roles once under the sole purview of the priesthood.
Read moreViewpoint: New Bible Translation – The Message – Is a Notable Achievement
I recommend highly The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition, and find it very helpful for reading alongside The New American Bible, with which we are familiar from the liturgy.
Read moreFrom Greek Orthodoxy: Priest Facing the People across the Altar
Versus populum isn’t just a post-Vatican II Roman thing.
Read more“This is the end” says the Archbishop of Erbil, Iraq
At the end of June Pray Tell reported on the current conflict in Iraq and what it means for one of the oldest Christian communities. Since June, the situation has deteriorated further leading Pope Francis to send an envoy to Iraq to show solidarity with Christians in the region.
Read moreLiturgy in Collegeville: From the Archives – Part VIII
“As to the form of a Solemn High Mass, Father Daniel wondered if we were being insincere by deviating from our plan of having a solemnized Low Mass on this Sunday for the benefit of our students and if we weren’t staging something of a show instead.”
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