We’ve always had a fancy for the word potpourri which for a long time we pronounced “pot pouri.” It’s French and means a mixture of dried flowers kept in a jar for fragrance, or a collection of miscellaneous literary material and that’s about all we have for you today: a potpourri of miscellaneous facts gleaned from many sources, but not a lot of detail.
Terri Schiavo Countdown
In the Terri Schiavo case, in “A Countdown to Tragedy,” Troy Newman of Operation Rescue is inviting anyone who can to travel to Florida for a Rose Rally Friday, March 18, the day she is scheduled to have her feeding tube removed. Most vigils will be held in front of the State Capitol in Tallahasse. Other events are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday vigils in various parts of town
If you cannot come to Florida, keep praying for a miracle and write Terri’s husband, Michael Schiavo at 2807 Marie Court, Clearwater, FL 33761. Try hard to be polite.
True Moral Leadership?
Jack Turley writes in the Chicago Tribune Sunday that a true moral leader sets aside his moral convictions for what is pragmatic. He quotes John F. Kennedy who paved the way by saying his Catholicism didn’t mean all that much to him when before a bunch of Baptists He insisted, “I am not the Catholic candidate for president. I’m the Democratic Party’s candidate for president who happens to also be a Catholic.”
What a wimp—and Jack Turley, a law teacher at George Washington Law School, seems to have the same philosophy. Don’t let your basic morel convictions get in the way of expediency.
Wrong, Spong
What ever happened to Bishop John Shelby Spong, the sometime Episcopalian Bishop of Newark. He is still giving lectures that are replete with nearly every heresy he can dream up, he still makes fun of “right wing religious” who believe the old truths—but he is becoming a has-been.
In the past he has denied that Jesus rose from the dead, denied that theism has any relevance for modern believers and ordained homosexual priests. Religion has been a kind of fun game with Spong who loved to shock people.
Tom Tooley of the Institute on Religion and Democracy says Spong is still brandishing the stale theologies and ideologies of a half-century ago, most of them in open retreat and the old bishop is a caricature of what we expect from liberal has-been prelates. He calls Spong a dying breed
One priest told me recently we old guys just have to die out. They’re has-beens and nobody’s listening to what used to sound like fresh ideas.
The Year of the Eucharist
This is the year of the Eucharist, and all of us are to concentrate, study, meditate and make the Holy Eucharist the center of our lives. The real crisis of faith in the catholic Church is a lack of deep and sound belief in the real presence of Jesus Christ, body, blood, soul and divinity present under the appearance of bread and wine following the Consecration.
Some people kind of believe it, some know there’s something special happening, some believe it is a powerful symbol. But the very centre of or the Catholic Faith is this reality: that Christ is still with us and we can receive him every day.
It’s difficult to explain this to a non-believer, and almost as difficult to bring a former believer back. But we have to know as much as we can about the Eucharist and how to explain it to others so that they can eventually receive this Heavenly Gift and live closer to Christ than they can imagine.
Pope John Paul instituted this year of the Eucharist because he understands full well that we are in a crisis. The Holy Father calls the Eucharist the Source and Summit of Life and the Mission of the Church. We will all have many opportunities this year to learn more about the Eucharist. Use them.
Truth Day March 23
Try to join us Wednesday, March 23 for our first Truth Tour of the new Year. 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. at Madison and Wacker and 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the Wrigley Building. See you there.
