Monthly Archives: September 2014

First ISIS, Now Winter Threatens Christians in Kurdistan

Posted on September 30, 2014 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

Originally at: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/first-isis-now-winter-threatens-christians-in-kurdistan#ixzz3EPnXqdFm by PETER JESSERER SMITH ERBIL, Kurdistan — Hundreds of thousands of Christian, Yazidi and other minority refugees who escaped death from the hands of Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists now face another lethal foe: the Kurdistan winter. Time is running … Continue reading →

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William, my brother and my father

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

Originally at: http://www.joefessenden.com/2014/09/12/william-my-brother-and-my-father/ by Joe Fessensen This entry is a cross between a reflection, a rambling, and a eulogy. Take it for what it is. I debated how to go about this, and I’m going to do even less polishing than … Continue reading →

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The Wrong Meme in Chicago

Posted on September 28, 2014 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

Originally at: http://ncronline.org/blogs/distinctly-catholic/wrong-meme-chicago by Michael Sean Winters A dominant meme has emerged in the media about the appointment of Archbishop-elect Blase Cupich as the next Archbishop of Chicago, succeeding Cardinal Francis George. The meme is that the great liberal +Cupich is replacing … Continue reading →

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The upcoming synod and the real crisis of marriage

Posted on September 27, 2014 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

Originally at: https://www.osv.com/OSVNewsweekly/DailyTake/Article/TabId/736/ArtMID/13645/ArticleID/16072/The-upcoming-synod-and-the-real-crisis-of-marriage.aspx by Russell Shaw Expectations and anxieties regarding next month’s assembly in Rome of the world Synod of Bishops are running exceptionally high. The subject matter alone — the crisis of marriage and family — would be reason enough … Continue reading →

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Cajun Catholic!

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

This is a brand new Blogger that is worth following — The Cajun Catholic: Theological Reflections on Catholic Social Teaching. Here’s his first entry: What is the world? This in my opinion seems to be the question that tends to go … Continue reading →

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The old debate on divorce and Communion has a new wildcard: Francis

Posted on September 25, 2014 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

Originally at: http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2014/09/09/the-old-debate-on-divorce-has-a-new-wildcard-francis/ by John Allen As summer turns to autumn, the most compelling storyline in Rome is a highly anticipated summit of Catholic bishops from around the world, which shapes up as a key test of how much the status … Continue reading →

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Christianity in Iraq is finished

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

Originally at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/christianity-in-iraq-is-finished/2014/09/19/21feaa7c-3f2f-11e4-b0ea-8141703bbf6f_story.html by Daniel Williams In the part of his Sept. 10 speech on confronting the Islamic State that probably drew the least attention, President Obama mentioned the need to help Christians and other minorities, expelled from cities and villages in … Continue reading →

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+Cupich to Chicago: What Does This Mean?

Posted on September 23, 2014 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

Originally at: http://ncronline.org/blogs/distinctly-catholic/cupich-chicago-what-does-mean by Michael Sean Winters Perhaps it was a coincidence. Last night, watching the fifth installment of Ken Burns’ “The Roosevelts,” Jon Meachem was explaining that, as happens at key moments in history, in FDR and Churchill, the moment had … Continue reading →

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Doctrinal wars? Both sides fire over Communion for divorced, remarried

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

Originally at: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1403860.htm by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family will not open until Oct. 5, but some of its most prominent members are already publicly debating what is bound to be one … Continue reading →

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You ask, “Who is this new Archbishop of Chicago?” Here’s a sample. . .

Posted on September 21, 2014 by Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D.

Originally at: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zC0cvn39aQ483-rKAlp74cu-BE4UxCQsqafTa8_EA4I/mobilebasic?pli=1 Response to Presentation by Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga June 3, 2014 By Bishop Blase Cupich Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga’s knowledge of this topic, as we have just witnessed, is nothing short of encyclopedic. Both broad and deep, he has … Continue reading →

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