Shopping cart Shopping cart | Log in / Register | Pressroom
Your shopping cart is empty
Home About Us WOF TV WOF Radio Written Word Catholicism Series News Community Ambassador Store Contact Donate end cap
November 2010 > Recent Events: The Pope's interview with Peter Seewald
The Word On Fire Blog

Recent Events: The Pope's interview with Peter Seewald



Father Barron offers his commentary on the recent media coverage surrounding Pope Benedict XVI's comments on condoms in his interview with Peter Seewald. The interview was recently published as a book entitled, Light of the World. Read Father Barron's explanation here.

One of the stupidest and most dispiriting expressions of the media culture that I have ever encountered is the “coverage” of Pope Benedict’s recently-published interview entitled Light of the World. I can’t really say that I was surprised. I had received an advance copy of the book and had prepared a piece on it when I met a woman involved in organizing the publicity for its release. I said, “they’re going to talk about condoms.” She said, but it’s such a minor theme and it’s mentioned on, like, a quarter of a page at the end of one chapter.” I replied, “they’re going to talk about condoms.” Sure enough, prompted by a leak by L’Osservatore Romano (that’s a story for another day), the leading news organizations screamed about “changes in the church’s teaching” and “the Pope allowing the use of condoms” and “a revolution in Catholic theology.”

Of course, even the most cursory reading of the text and context of the Pope’s remarks would reveal that nothing of the kind was on offer. Benedict remarked that a male prostitute’s willingness to use a condom would signal a first step, on his part, toward a more mature and responsible moral attitude. Did this imply that the Pope was giving the green light to condom use? Absolutely not. Dr. Janet Smith, a respected Catholic moral theologian, provided an apt comparison. A bank robber would indeed be demonstrating a heightened moral consciousness should he resolve to pull off his next robbery using a gun with no bullets. But applauding such a move, she argues, would hardly be tantamount to “permitting” or “condoning” armed robbery.

But the gross misunderstanding of the Pope’s words is actually not the major problem. The biggest difficulty is the obsession with sexual issues which bedevils, not only the secular media, but too many within the church itself, both on the left and the right. About ten years ago, the New York Times Magazine ran a story on the new generation of seminarians. It demonstrated their vigor, their enthusiastic orthodoxy, and their eagerness to preach the Gospel. But when the reporter asked one young man, soon to be ordained to the priesthood, what topic he especially wanted to proclaim from the pulpit, he responded, “I want people to stop masturbating!” Now say what you want about the morality of masturbation, I think that you’d be hard pressed to read the Gospel of Matthew or Paul to the Romans or the book of Revelation or the book of the prophet Isaiah and conclude that the central point is “don’t masturbate.”

Though you’d never guess it from most discussions in the media (or many in the church), the central point is grace and divine friendship. On the Biblical reading, the spiritual thing always begins with grace—the offer of the divine life—and grace leads to joyful transformation. It doesn’t commence with moralizing. In his opening speech in the Gospel of Mark, Jesus says, “The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the Good News.” Notice that the kingdom—the inbreaking of God’s love—comes first and the call to moral conversion follows. In his encounter with the woman at the well, Jesus did not immediately call the woman to change her immoral ways; rather, he invited her into a relationship with him. Then, in the warmth and light provided by that friendship, she was ready to listen and to change. Joyfully, she set down her bucket (symbolic of her addictive patterns of life) and went into the town to proclaim the one “who told her everything she’d ever done.” When the spiritual project begins with moralizing, it ends in fruitless guilt and resentment. When it begins with grace, it ends in enthusiastic conversion.

The Pope understands this dynamic perfectly—which is precisely why the bulk of his interview is about God and God’s offer of love. What particularly vexes Benedict XVI is that many in the West have either denied or conveniently forgotten about God. And this has conduced, he sees, to deep alienation, isolation, and spiritual drift—even in the midst of much material wealth. When God is brought back to the center of our concern, when we enter into friendship with God, then spontaneously we want to change; we want to live lives of radical love. And this is where the moral teaching of the church—including and especially its sexual teaching—comes in. Everything that the church says about human sexuality is designed to conduct people along a path of ever greater self-gift—in response to the God who has given himself to them. But abstracted from grace, the sexual teaching of the church will seem to most, almost certainly, as fussy, puritanical moralizing.

And this is why it is so tragic that Benedict’s wide-ranging, smart, and spiritually alert book is reduced to the question of condom use. For the Pope, as for the mainstream of the Catholic tradition, what matters—first and last—is the gift that God gives. Those who have received that gift want to learn how they can become, in turn, more and more conformed to love.

Father Barron's commentary was also featured on the Chicago Tribune's Seeker Blog. Read it here. 
Posted: 11/24/2010 6:19:42 PM by Word On Fire | with 7 comments
Filed under: FAtherBarron, LightoftheWorld, PeterSeewald, PopeBenedict, recentevents


Trackback URL: http://www.wordonfire.org/trackback/078e1c86-3027-4224-8a0a-b7f0e78e0be1/Recent-Events--The-Pope-s-interview-with-Peter-Seewald.aspx

Comments
tlh
Interesting take on the woman at the well, Father. I've never encountered that perspective before. I always thought that she and her co-villagers were, perhaps, ancestor worshippers or something. I suppose I was completely off base!
11/25/2010 3:42:22 AM
Report abuse
Robert Callino
"If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him (John 14:23)" The rules are important; they are a way to God. When we realize that we cannot keep them without the help of Jesus, then we are drawn into friendship with him. It worked for me this way. I think St. Paul also realized this. That's why the Church calls it moral theology.
11/25/2010 9:29:24 AM
Report abuse
Ana
Very nice Father. I'm so happy that you pointed out the obvious -- yet often missed point about God, which is GOD IS LOVE.

I would like to add one point to the discussion. Reading the Pope's comments as they were intended still offers what I see as a blessing to the world. As sinners we often feel we are not good enough for God. And the acceptance we receive through Jesus' loving friendship where he comes to us where we ARE is like a soothing balm to our wounded souls. He doesn't wait for us to be good enough, His Merciful love gives us acceptance and through it we are transformed.

I perceived the Pope's comments on as a validation of where many people are. He showed that he understood people's need to do *something* right. We are GOOD as God created us and we were wired to seek HIM, our nature is to do Good and avoid evil. When a person is caught up in the filth of their lives, a ray of hope does filter through their turning of the mind to act more responsibly. It may surprise some to believe that even certain psychological/emotional wounds actually make it hard for some to even bother trying to use "protection". Many individuals show irresponsible condom use related to childhood sex abuse, etc. So it's not even that easy for them to *just* use a condom (the sexual hero of the secular world)

I think the Pope's comments though misunderstood, have allowed a softening of the world's heart and an openness to Catholicism which we hadn't seen before.

I LOVE it when God allows an evil (misunderstanding the Pope's words) so that a greater good can be accomplished (the gathering of his sheep and softening of their hearts)

As a Church we need to use this opportunity and welcome from the world to acknowledge and validate where they are coming from and offer Jesus' loving friendship and offer for salvation.
11/25/2010 10:19:20 AM
Report abuse
Julie Brown
Terrific, important insights! The approach in evangelization must be delicate - not wimpy, but individualized, reasonable AND intellectually/emotionally enticing. Truth must be the grounding of beauty, but the beauty of the message is essential, and it's the first thing that people notice. Thank you, Fr. Barron!
11/26/2010 2:40:39 AM
Report abuse
Carole
I certainly concur w/your sentiments; however might not it be good to consider that even in this
"abuse" or "misuse" of the Holy Father's words and intention, God has given grace. Initially, I was dismayed, I admit, that this particular subject "ruled the day", as it were, regarding all else in the new book w/insights from Pope Benedict XVI. Then suddenly I saw it as an opportunity to engage w/the whole of society on the subject and usage of condoms. The door has been opened, as it were, to enlighten the world, secular and even Christianity itself, by bringing
the whole subject into the context of TRUTH of meaningfulness of this teaching by the Catholic Church perhaps as never before. Reality and Faith are akin and every human needs to take a step forward in understanding both. God Who created man surely can lead us to this awareness. Thanks be to Him for His Vicar, Pope Benedict XVI who represents Him so profoundly.
11/27/2010 1:19:44 PM
Report abuse
Allen
Thank you Fr Barron!! I appreciate your level headed response to this media made up issue. Yet again the media wishes to see the fall of God so that sinners everywhere may justify their sickness. In my own passionate manner I would have blasted the reports who made this purposeful blunder. You have showed charity. Thank you. --Allen, friend of Eric & jeff of DCMissioin
11/28/2010 1:47:05 AM
Report abuse
Carole
!-29-10: See Catholic News Service this date re Cardinal Rodiguez' comments on this subject ... as a "teachable moment". I rest my case.
11/29/2010 2:59:03 PM
Report abuse
Leave comment Subscribe
Name:

E-mail:

Your URL:
Comments:

Enter security code:
 Security code

Share with your friends

Add to FacebookAdd to DeliciousAdd to TwitterAdd to RedditAdd to StumbleUponAdd to DiggAdd to Yahoo MyWebAdd to NewsvineAdd to MySpaceAdd to FarkAdd to Google Bookmarks

About the WOF Blog

Father Robert BarronFather Robert Barron is a sought-after speaker on the spiritual life-from prestigious universities to YouTube to national conferences and private retreats. The prominent theologian and podcasting priest is one of the world's great and most innovative teachers of Catholicism. His global media ministry called Word On Fire has a simple but revolutionary mission - to evangelize the culture.

The Word on Fire blog serves as the online magazine for the ministry, exploring the relationships of faith, culture, and theology. It will serve as a way to keep all our friends up to date on the latest information concerning Father Barron and Word on Fire Catholic Ministries.

WOF Blog RSS Feed SubscriptionSubscribe to our RSS Feed to receive blog updates

Blog Contributors: 

Father Robert Barron

Father Stephen Grunow


Robert Mixa

Kerry Trotter


Ellyn Smith von Huben

 

Father Damian Ference

 

Rozann Carter

 

Tags

. 11 2 Kings 2:23-25 21 Jump Street 30 Day Shred 300 7 Deadly Sins 9/11 A Catholic Mom's Guide to Books A Closer Look A Prophet for Our Time A Secular Age A Tale of Two Emperors Abbey Road ABCNews.com abortion Abraham abstincence academic freedom Academy Awards Acts of the Apostles Adam Gopnik addiction additional commentary adoration Advent advent book recommendations advent reading Adversus Haereses aging Agnus Dei Agora Al Qaeda Alasdair MacIntyre Alfred Delp All Saints All Saints Day All Souls All Souls Day almsgiving Alpha Course Alpha for Catholics Alphonse ambassador America American dream ancient greece ancient greeks and I will give you rest And Now I See and with your spirit Andrew Law Andrew McNabb Andrew Sullivan Andrew Wilson Smith Angel Time Angeles Angelicum Angelology angels anger Anne Rice annulment annunciation anointing Anonymous Answering the Skeptics Anti-Catholic Anti-Catholicism apatheists apocalypse apostasy apostolic succession applause Aquinas arab spring archangels Archbishop Celli Archbishop Chaput Archbishop Fulton Sheen Archbishop Ravasi Archbishop Timothy Dolan Archdiocese for the Military Services Archdiocese for the Military, USA architecture art Art Institute of Chicago Ascension asceticism Ash Wednesday ashes Asia Bibi atheism atheists Athiest Tapes athletics attachment Attenborough Augustine Auschwitz Australia authority automaton Autonomy Avengers Babies baby Babylon Baghdad baptism Barbara Johnson Barbara Nicolosi Barney's Version Barron Barsoom Bartimaeus Battle of Lepanto BBC beatification Beatitudes Bedford Falls Belief Belief Blog bella figura Bellarmine Benedict Benedict XVI Best Picture Betrayal of Charity bible biblical family values Biblical interpretation Biblical theology Billy Collins Bishop Olmstead Blasphemy blessed Marianne Cope Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati blessed sacrament blog Bloggers' Meeting Blogs Bob Dylan Body of Christ boko haram Bonaventure book club Book of Genesis Book Recommendations Book Review Books Borgia Born Again Boy Scouts of America BP Oil Spill Brandon Vogt Brant Pitre Brett McCracken Brideshead Revisited Bridging the Great Divide bruce Springsteen brutta figura Bully bullying burdens bus placards C.S.Lewis Cabin in the Woods Caesar Calcutta Caleb calling Candelmas canonization Captain CARA Caravaggio Cardinal Dolan Cardinal George Career Carl Olson Caryll Houselander catechesis Catechist's Journey Cathedral of Toledo Catherine Pickstock Cathleen Kaveny Catholic Catholic Bloggers Catholic books Catholic Church Catholic colleges Catholic identity Catholic Institutions Catholic News Agency Catholic reading list Catholic Schools Catholic Schools Week catholic symbolism Catholic writers Catholicism Catholicism book Catholicism companion book Catholicism in Chicago CATHOLICISM Merchandise catholicism on television catholicism on TV catholicism premier catholicism premiere Catholicism Project catholicism review Catholicism reviews Catholicism Series Catholicism Soundtrack Catholics Seeking Christ CDF Chair of St. Peter Chalcedon changes to the mass Channel Channel 11 Channing Tatum chaplain character Charles Dickens Charles Lewis Charles Taylor Charlie Brown Christmas Special Chartres Cathedral Chicago Chicago Live Chicago Live! chicago marathon Chicago Sun-Times Chicago Tribune children China Chora Church Chris Chris Gugliotti Christ Christ and Culture Christ the King Christchurch Christian Persecution Christianity in Crisis christianity in the middle east christians in the middle east Christmas christmas books christmas carol Christmas carols Christmas classics Christmas movies Christology Christopher Hibbert Christopher Hitchens Christopher Hitchens' death Christopher Kerzich christophobia church Church of All Nations Church of the Holy Sepulchre Clarence Clemons Clash of the Titans Classic films Claus clothes CNN CNN Belief CNN Belief Blog CNNBelief blog coat of arms Coen Brothers cohabitation Colleen Carroll Campbell Collin Raye Cologne Cathedral comedy comic comment box comments Commonweal Compostela Conan the Barbarian confession Confession app conscience consequentialism Constantine Consumerism Contagion contemplation contemplative life contraception conversion Conversion of St. Paul Conversion Stories Conversion Story coptic christian Corporal & Spiritual Works of Mercy corruption country music courage Crain's Chicago Business Crazy Stupid Love creation creationism creator Cross Crucifixion Crusades crypto-marcianism Cult of Superficiality culture Culture of Life current events Daniel Danielle Trussoni Dante Dappled Things daughters Dave Brenner David David Archuleta Deacon John Green dead Dear Father Jenkins death death penalty debt decorating Denis McNamara Denver Broncos Denys Turner DePaul University de-racinated Christ Descartes desire desires detachment Deuteronomy Diet Dinesh D'Souza discernment Discovery Channel Disney distraction Divine justice Divine Life divinization dogma Dominican Sisters Dominican Sisters of Mary Donna Reed Downey Downton Abbey Dr. Denis McNamara Dr. Scott Hahn dreams Eagle Scout Earthly Powers earthquake Easter e-books ecclesiastical heraldry Eckhart economics of population control Edgar Rice Burroughs Edith Stein Edith Stein project Eduardo Verastegui education Egypt egyptian violence Einstein elderly elevation of virtue Elijah Elizabeth Scalia, Elleyn vonHuben Ellyn von Huben Ellyn vonHuben Elmhurst College embodied Christianity Emmanuel Mounier England English Martyrs erotic escapism ethics ETWN Eucharist Eucharistic Congress Eucharistic Convention euthanasia evangelization Evans Eve Evelyn Waugh evil evolution EWTN EWTN Live exercise exorcism experiential expressive Facebook faith Faith and Culture Faith Clips Faith Seeks Understanding Fake Christianity Fallible Blogma family crest fantasy FAQs farce fast fasting fat tuesday Father Father Barron Father Augustus Tolton Father Barron Father Barron, Father Damian Ference Father George Coyne Father Guarnizo Father Luke Willenberg Father Paul Murray Father Robert Barron Father Steve Father Steve Grunow Father Tom Rosica fatherhood Feast of the Holy Innocents Feast of the Immaculate Conception Feast of the Ugandan Martyrs fiat Film film review Fire Fire Watch First Letter of John First Things fitness Flannery O'Connor fleur-de-lis Florence FocusTV football forgetfulness forgiveness forgotten Fourth of July Fr. Fr. Barron Fr. Bob Lombardo Fr. Damian Ference Fr. Eduardo Ortega Fr. John Muir Fr. Luke Willenberg Fr. Mitch Pacwa Fr. Paul Murray Fr. Robert Barron Francine Prose Francis Cardinal George Franciscans of the Eucharist freedom french philosophy Freud Fright Night funerals funny G.K. Chesterton Galileo Game of Thrones Gandalf Gandhi gender gender wars Genealogy Genesis genuflect George Bailey George Clooney George Weigel Georges Lemaitre Germany Gift Girard Glory Be gnostic Christ Gnostic problem Gnosticism God God Debate God is Love God is Not Great God of the Old Testament gods and humans God's Battalions God's Plan Golden Globes Golf Good Friday Google gospel Gospels grace grandfather graphic novel gratitude Great Britain great evangelization greek mythology Gregorian chant Grunewald Gun violence H. Richard Neibuhr H.P. Lovecraft Hagia Sofia Hail Mary Halloween Hanie Hans Urs von Balthasar Harry Potter HBO health care debate healthcare Heather Heather King Heather King, heaven Heaven in Stone and Glass Hebrews hell Hemsworth Herbert McCabe hero Herod Herod the Great heroic virtue Hesiod HHS Contraception Mandate HHS Mandate Hipster Hipster Christianity hipsterdon Historical Jesus history Hitch 22 Hitch-22 Hoarders Holiness holy day Holy Family Holy Innocents Holy Land Holy Saturday Holy Spirit Holy Thursday Holy Week Homer Simpson homily hook-up culture hope horror Host a Screening Hugo Hugo Cabret Hulk human experience Human freedom human rights humility humor Hyandai Commercial Hypostatic Union iconoclasm Ides of March idolatry Image of God imago dei Immaculate Conception Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church Immaculee Ilibagiza Immortals Incarnation Inception Incredible Independence Day India Indianapolis Institutionalism intelligent design interpretation of the Bible interview introduction iPhone Iran Iraq Iraqi Christians Ireland Irenaeus Iron Isaiah Isenheim Altarpiece Islam Israel Italian Italy It's a Wonderful Life J.W. Blakely Jack Jack Leonard Jack Thornton Jackson JackThornton Jacob and Esau Japan Jean-Luc Marion Jean-Paul Sartre Jeff Grabosky Jennifer Jeremy jerry sandusky Jerusalem Jessica Thornton Jesus Jesus Christ Jesus of Nazareth: Part II Jesus Wars Jewish Roots Jillian Michaels Jimmy Stewart Joachim and Anna Joe Block joe paterno Johan Hill Johansen John 3:16 John Carter John Cornwell John Dominic Crossan John Henry Newman John Milbank John Paul II John Stuart Mill John the Baptist John the Priest John Updike Jon Stewart Jonah Jones Joseph Ratzinger Joss Whedon joy Jr. Judas Just Kids Just War Juvenile detention center kangaroo Karl Barth Karolyn Grimes Kateri Tekakwitha Kathleen Sebelius Kathryn Tanner Kay Hymowitz Keith Richards Kentucky Derby Kerry Trotter Kierkegaard King King David King Herod Kingdom of God kings and queens kneel Krakow LA Congress Lady GaGa Larry Doyle Last Supper Latino Lawrence Krauss Lazarus LCWR leadership L'Eau Vive Leaving the Church Lent Lent Club Lenten Meditations Lenten Reflection Leonard Leonard Cohen Leonard Porter Leonard Sax let the life out Liam Neeson Libya Life After People Life and Hope Foundation Light of the World Little Flower Liturgical Institute Liturgy Live, Laugh, Love Liverpool London Lord's Prayer Los Lost Lough Derg Louisiana Lourdes Love Love in the Ruins lupercalia Mabel Tolkien MacArthur Foundation Madrid Magi Magnificat Malta Man marathon March For Life mardi gras Margaret Thatcher Marge Simpson Marianne Cope Mark marriage Mars Martha Martin Luther King Martin Scorcese martyr Martyrdom Martyrs Marvel Marx Mary Mary Eberstadt Mass Masterpiece Theater Matt Leonard Matt Warner Matthew Matthew Levering Matthew Lickona Matthias Grunewald may the lord be with you Meister Mel Gibson memento mori memory mercy killing Meryl Streep messenger Messiah metanoia Michael Burleigh Michael Hanby middle east Midnight in Paris Mike Mike Leonard military Millenials Mimetic desire missal changes mission Missionaries of Charity Missionary Mixa Modern Spirituality Modernism modernity mom moms monastery monasticism Moneyball monophysicism Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete moral leadership morality mormon Moses Mother Teresa mothering mothers Mothers Day movie movie review movie reviews Movies Mubarak Mundelein Seminary Music music reviews My Beloved Son Mystery myth Mythology names of God nation state National Catholic Register National Post Nativity Nativity of Mary Nature of Christ NBC News NBC Nightly News Nehemiah nestorianism New Apologetics New Atheism New Atheists new evangelization New Evangelizer New Israel New Jerusalem new media New Mellary Abbey new missal new roman missal New Translation New translation of the Roman Missal new year New Year's Resolutions New York New York City New York Times New Zealand News Newsweek Nietzsche Nigeria Ninevah nones nonthreatening Jesus North American College Notre Dame novels nun O Come, O Come Emmanuel Obama Obamacare obsession Of Gods and Men Oh Magnum Mysterium old atheism Old Ideas Old Testament on Once in Royal David's City online community online magazine Oprah Origen original sin Orthodoxy Osama bin Laden Oscar nominated films Oscar Nominees Oscars Our Lady of Lourdes Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Our Lady of Sorrows our lady of the angels our lady of the angels fire Our Lady of the Rosary Our Sunday Visitor overpopulation P90X pakistan Palm Springs Palm Sunday Pantheon papacy Papal Infallibility parenting participation passion Patheos Patti Smith Paul Paul Bhatti Paul Stephenson pearls to swine penn state penn state football Penny Lane persecuted Christians Persecution persecution of Christians Perseus personal personalism personalist personhood Peter Peter Kreeft Peter Seewald Peter Steinfels Pew Research Center phenomenology Philip Jenkins philosophy pilgrim pilgrimage Pillar of Fire pinterest planetary romance Planned Parenthood Please Give Pledge of Allegiance poetry politics Pontifical Council for Culture Poor Baby pope Pope Alexander VI Pope Benedict Pope Benedict XVI Pope Innocent X Pope Innocent XI Pope John Paul II population Positive Preaching post-religious society Potlatch poverty Power Prayer Prayer for the New Evangelization Praying for Rain praying for the dead Premiere Presentation of the Lord press release Priest priesthood Prince of Persia prison prison ministry pro-choice Project Pro-Life Prolonged Adolescence prophet isaiah prophets Protestantism Providence College provocative non-violence Public Ministry Public Television purgatory purpose R.Crumb R.R.Reno race Radical Orthodoxy Radio rally for religious freedom rapture RCIA reading Real Assent Real Men Love Jesus real presence Reality television reason Rebuild My Church recent events recollection Reconciliation rector reflections relationships Relevant Radio Religion Religion and Politics religion and violence religious fervor religious freedom religious liberty religious persecution religious songs Rene Girard Renner reproductive technology resolutions responsibility restoration Resurrection retreat revelation revelatory review Rich Young Man Rick Santorum Rise of the Planet of the Apes riu riu chiu Rob Bell Robert Robert Mixa Rodney Stark Roe Vs. Wade Rogers Roman Empire Roman Missal roman missal third edition Roman Polanski romanic comedy rome RomeReports rosary Rousseau royalty Rozann Carter Ruffalo run running nun rural Ruth Bader Ginsburg Sabat Mater Sabbath saccharin sacraments Sacred Causes sacred secreat sacrifice saint Saint Bernadette Saint Charles Lwanga Saint Nicholas Saint Valentine Sainte Chapelle saints Saints Cyril and Methodius Salt + Light salvation Samuel San Egidio San Xavier del Bac Mission Sanctity Santa scandal scapegoat mechanism scapegoating Scarlett Schopenhauer science science fiction Scientific American Scott Hahh Scott Hahn Scott Nolan Screening screenings Screwtape Letters scripture Second Vatican Council, Secretariat Secular Narrative Secular Reason secularism Seeker September 11 Series sermon service Seth Godin Seven Deadly Sins Seven Lively Virtues Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Lively Virtues Seventeen Magazine Project Sex & the City sex abuse scandal sexuality shadows and light Shakespeare Shaw Air Force Base sheep and Goats Sheila Liaugminas Shirt of Flame Shirt of Flame: A Year with St. Therese of Lisieux Shroud of Turin Shutter Island silence sinners Sister Rose Hawthorne sister stephanie slavic slavs Soccer Social Media Solomon's Temple Soren Sorrowful Mother soul and body sperm bank sperm donors Spinoza Spirit Catholic Radio Spiritual Study spiritualit spirituality Spoilt Rotten: The Toxic Cult of Sentimentality spoose sports sr. stephanie St Katharine Drexel St. Anselm St. Augustine St. Bernadette St. Blaise St. Charles Borromeo St. Clare of Assisi St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Francis St. Francis Borgia St. Francis of Assissi St. Gabriel St. Gregory the Great St. Irenaeus St. James the Greater St. Jerome St. John Lateran St. John of the Cross St. Joseph St. Josephine Bakhita St. Katharine Drexel St. Lawrence St. Lucy St. Luke St. Martha the Dragonslayer St. Martin of Tours St. Mary's St. Mary's College St. Mary's Lake Forest St. Matthew St. Maximilian Kolbe St. Michael St. Nicholas St. Patrick St. Patrick's Cathedral St. Patrick's Purgatory St. Paul St. Peter St. Peter's St. Peter's Basilica St. Polycarp St. Raphael St. Scholastica St. Stephen St. Teresa Benedicta a Croce St. Teresa of Avila St. Therese St. Therese of Lisieux St. Thomas Aquinas St. Thomas Becket St. Valentine St. Vincent de Paul St.Bartholomew Stations of the Cross statment stephanie baliga Stephen Colbert Stephen Greenblatt Stephen Hawking Steve Mitchell Steve Mullen Streetwalking with Jesus Sts. Cyril and Methodius study guide Sudan suffering servant Sunday Super Bowl Supernatural Susan G Komen Susan G. Komen SXSW Takeru Kobayashi Taylor Kitsch teachings of Jesus Tebowing technology television Temperence temple Temple Mount Terrence Malick Terri Schiavo Thanksgiving The Bad Catholic's Guide The Beatles The Biggest Loser The Body of This The Borgias and Their Enemies The Boss The Catholic Thing The Catholicism Project The Cavern Club The Church and New Media The Conspirator The Coventry Carol The Daily Show The Descendants The Devil Inside The Divine Comedy The Exorcist The Fighter The Fleur Cinema The Food Network The Grey The Habit of Being The Help The Hunger Games The Inferno The Iron Lady The King's Speech The Little Flower the Little way The Loser Letters The Lost Painting The Moviegoer The Myth of Religious Violence The New Yorker The Office of Readings The Paradiso The Paradoxes of Christianity The Pew Forum The Pope's Maestro The Priority of Christ the problem of evil The Purgatorio The Rite The Screwtape Letters The Secret The Seeker The Simpsons The Song of Bernadette The Strangest Way the stump of Jesse The Swerve The temple The Temple of the Holy Ghost The Temple of the Holy Spirit The Thin Veil The Tree of Life The Vow The Woman in Black Theodore Dalrymple theological notes theology theophany There Be Dragons Thomas Aquinas Thomas Jefferson Thomas Merton Thor Thornton Tiger Mother Tim Tebow Today Show tomb of St. Peter Tonight tradition trailer Transfiguration transformation trappist Trappists Tre Ore triathalon trinity triumph True Grit tsunami Tucson Turkey TV TV Schedule Twilight Twitter Two-minus-One pregnancy Uganda Under God unemployment Unintentional Evangelization universalism universalist university Untold Blessing Untold Blessing: Three Paths to Holiness Update from Rome urban Ursuline Convent USCCB Valentines Day Valentine's Day vampire craze Vanity Fair Vatican Vatican Observatory victim villancico violence violence in egypt Virgin Mary Virtual Pilgrimage virtues Visitation vocation vocations voluntarism Walker Percy Wallace Stevens Warrior Warrior King Washington Post wedding weddings weight loss Westeros Westminster Abbey Westminster Cathedral Choir Westminster Choir WGN WGN America WGNAmerica whale What is God Who is God? Why did God become Human? Why Did God Create the World Why I hate Religion, but Love Jesus Why men are in trouble Will of God William Cavanaugh winter Wiseblood witness Woman at the Well Woody Allen Word Word on Fire Word on Fire Book Word on Fire Book Club Word on Fire, World Communications Day World Cup World Day of Communications World Youth Day worship wrath of the titans Wrecking Ball writing WTTW XVI Year of Faith Youcef Nadarkhani Yousef Nadarkhani YouTube Heresies Zechariah Zenit zeus Zuzu zuzu's petals

Recent posts

Books: Heather King on Abortion, Suffering and Forgiveness
Culture of Life: Introduction
Culture: Additional Commentary on Religious Liberty
Spirituality: A Life Lived As a Fountain, Not a Drain
Spirituality: God Doesn't Care What You Wear to Church...

Syndication

RSS

Post archive

May 2012(17)
April 2012(23)
March 2012(26)
February 2012(28)
January 2012(25)
December 2011(26)
November 2011(23)
October 2011(24)
September 2011(27)
August 2011(23)
July 2011(21)
June 2011(22)
May 2011(24)
April 2011(30)
March 2011(30)
February 2011(25)
January 2011(29)
December 2010(23)
November 2010(25)
October 2010(29)
September 2010(26)
August 2010(22)
July 2010(26)
June 2010(24)
May 2010(23)
April 2010(25)
March 2010(27)
WORD ON FIRE CATHOLIC MINISTRIES | 5215 Old Orchard Road Suite 410 | Skokie, IL 60077
Privacy policy
Add to FacebookAdd to DeliciousAdd to TwitterAdd to RedditAdd to StumbleUponAdd to DiggAdd to Yahoo MyWebAdd to NewsvineAdd to MySpaceAdd to FarkAdd to Google Bookmarks
Copyright © 2010 WordOnFire.org