Pope Benedict XVI Blog

02/20/2009 - Living Joy

Catholic Culture Insights

From Dr. Jeff Mirus, President, Trinity Communications:

Among many other things, the person of Jesus Christ is living joy, and those who are joined to Christ share in this joy. In fact, Our Lord once summarized His mission thus: "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full" (Jn 15:11).

Yet often we experience our Faith as hard work, and the majority of the resources offered by CatholicCulture.org may reasonably be perceived as designed to make that work more effective. So are we missing something here? That's the question I raise in this week's column: Am I Writing about Nothing Today?.

Joyful or not, Lent is nearly upon us, as Ash Wednesday falls on the 25th. Within the context of Lent, a new website we've reviewed might be of particular interest. See The Purgatory Project which offers a spiritual work of mercy: enrolling deceased relatives and friends who may need prayers.

I'd also like to call attention to the many documents we've now posted on the quarrels over religious liberty and ecumenism which we had earlier reported would be at the center of talks between the SSPX and the Vatican. In addition to those mentioned in my previous message, see:

Fr. William Most, Vatican II vs. Pius IX? A Study in Lefebvrism

Fr. William Most, Religious Liberty: What the Texts Demand

William H. Marshner, Dignitatis Humanae and Traditional Teaching on Church and State

William Sockey, Religious Freedom and Human Rights

Fr. Brian Harrison, Is Ecumenism a Heresy?

In addition to providing the news, Phil Lawler has also written some marvelous opinion pieces over the last few days. See his commentary The crucial test for the pontificate of Benedict XVI; and see two of his blog entries: Icy Vatican reception damaging to Pelosi and What is it about Obama's choice(s) for HHS?

Speaking of the new President, we still have one slot open tomorrow night in our second perpetual Rosary for the new administration (a slot for tomorrow) and quite a few openings next week--the final week.

posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 8:06 PM