Around the blogs today

By Domenico Bettinelli, Jr. ( articles - email ) | Nov 03, 2003

Here's what's new and interesting on Catholic blogs today (it's a long list considering the weekend and the feast days just concluded):

• Mark Shea warns that the toppling of despotisms in the Middle East paradoxically could lead to difficult times for Christians in those countries. Also, considering the ABC News program tonight based on the "DaVinci Code" novel that claims it is fact and that alleges that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married, Mark offers some facts on who she really was.
• The Mighty Barrister also has some comments on the "DaVinci Code" TV show tonight, including the primary claim that DaVinci depicts Mary Magdalene and not John the Evangelist at Christ's right hand in "The Last Supper."
• A number of blogs commented on a Boston Globe Magazine article about the "conservative Catholics who control everything in the Church even though they're a tiny minority." See especially Catholic Light, Recta Ratio, and especially this hysterical "fisking" by Dale Price.
• Jeff Miller notes that many groups that "have problems" with the Church's teaching often call themselves "prophetic." Ironic, isn't it?
• Fr. Rob Johansen used the opportunity of All Souls' Day to try to teach children that animals don't go to heaven, but he discovers that's a tough row to hoe.
• Lane Core notes a Catholic priest--who teaches ethics at Loyola University's medical school-- said that saving Terri Schiavo's life was "blasphemy". And Lane provides space for a pro-life retort. (The priest obviously didn't have all the facts about Terri. You'd think people would do a little research before saying something sure to ruffle a lot of feathers.)
• Leon Podles observes the disturbing tendency of some Catholics to dismiss the sexual molestation by favored priests as "mistakes" and to ignore the need for repentance and acceptance of responsibility by the molester for his actions.
• Patrick Sweeney sees the Archdiocese of Anchorage's report on clergy "sexual misconduct" and notes that the percentage of abusers among the priests is quite high and objects to the diocese's use of the term "misconduct"--which can include a lot of things not nearly as serious as raping a child.
• Dale Price also has a few words about the recent document from a US Catholic-Orthodox ecumenical dialogue group that suggests that the Catholic Church drop the filioque from the Nicene Creed.
• Kelly Clark has some thoughts on the Massachusetts' bishops recent jig over whether one of their number agreed with giving benefits to same-sex couples or not.
• Barabara Nicolosi offers what she wished she said and what she actually said to a priest who responded to her saying, "Hello, Father" with "Everybody calls me Joe." I like both of her responses.