Green Orthodoxy

Folks who’ve been following my writings might remember my comments on Catholics Going Green and keeping their sanity, well it seems that some separated brothers in the Eastern Orthodox church are joining the discussion.  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholemew I gave a statement to the UN-sponsered World Enviornment Day emphasizing the sacred nature of the created order and the place, who is blessed with reason and the power to distinguish good and evil, in protecting and acting as a steward over God’s creation.

According to the theological understanding of the Orthodox Christian Church, the natural environment is part of Creation and is characterized by sacredness. This is why its abuse and destruction is a sacrilegious and sinful act, revealing prideful despise toward the work of God the Creator.

You can read the full version of the Patriarch’s statement here and I further encourage everyone to read (or re-read) Stratford Caldecott’s essay “Ecology“.

 

A Bold New Venture

I am starting a new blog community for all thing Chesterton with the hopes of posting news and book reviews and giving the larger Chestertonian community a place to learn the latest news and further the cause of the man from Beaconsfiedl.   Please don’t think that the uber-large coffee cup has run empty on this forum, I still have plenty to say and will be posting as regularly as I can.  The hope is that with the Best of GKC I can have several other contributors keeping up to date on it and contributing to bring about an overall unity to Chesterton’s fans on the web.  If you would like to check it out, and maybe become a contributor, feel free to check it out at http://gkcblog.wordpress.com/

 

Holy Beautification, Batman!

The Catholic Herald, an English rag of religious news published a report today announcing a conference to take place 4 July in Oxford regarding the holiness of Mr. GK Chesterton and the possibility of advancing his cause of

GKC, ora pro nobis!

canonization.  I have heard it said that the Argentinian Chesterton Society asking for his cause to be opened years ago, but I have not heard much since then.  Attending this conference will be great scholars such as Ian Ker and Aidan Nichols, OP, men renowned for their intellect both Chesterton and non-Chesterton related.  As well, if the rumors be true, this years TMC Ian Boyd Fellows will have a chance to attend this conference! If any of my readers happen to attend, I would appreciate some comments and pictures.

As for any questions about Chesterton and his theology, I highly recommend Stratfrod Caldedotts article, “Was Chesterton a Theologian?” and Aidan Nichols soon to be released book, G. K. Chesterton, Theologian.  I had the pleasure of reading part of the manuscript of Fr. Nichols’ book and will have a review forthcoming, but I can say that it stands a chance to make the mind of Chesterton respected again.

 

I Thought You Were Visiting For My Writing!

A lot of folks have been searching for info on my beloved (and feared) alma mater, Thomas More College in New Hampshire, and I’m curious why that might be?  I guess some are looking for controversy, even on summer break, or they’re hoping for news.  Sorry to say, though, yes, TMC is a place full of drama and rumors and tears, fears, triumphs, and songs and shouting, but I cannot really provide news of the place and don’t know that I’m quite capable of seeking controversy.

NB: This is directed at those doing query searches such as “Thomas More College firing” or “Thomas More College controversy.”  I am happy to discuss the school in any depth in any fashion, and would encourage people to
write me an email at this link but do be sure to subject it “TMC Info?” or something of that sort.  Happy to talk!  However, this is not the forum for gossiping and whispering behind the curtains.  Thanks for checking in!

 

Silver Lining

My coments to the Nashua Telegraph regarding graduation were selectively quoted to be quite negative.  I’ll admit that graduating in this economy has me and many other graduates quite frightened, but I also hold out for a lot of hope that the future of any grad from TMC will be something beautiful.  In many ways I enjoy the economic woes simply because every other college graduate finds their degrees as worthless lacking immediate value as much as most liberal arts majors have.  For far too  many years we have had to endure a lot of sneering from Marketing and Business majors about how we Philosophy and Lit majors would never find much value for our degree once we were in the real world.  Now, those same Marketing majors are finding their struggle to be as great as mine and I meanwhile have had plenty of practice defending my degree as worth it for the life of the mind.  Pardon me, dear reader, if I find this more than a bit humorous.

As for the article, the folks at the Cabinet publish some thoughts of a silver lining for many of us graduates who are going to graduate school to deal with the economic woes.  “That’s great for them,” we are thus encouraged, “and it might also be, in the long run, good for the nation.”  The lining looks silver to these good writers for the simple reason that they see a population of well educated men and women in this generation being beneficial for the broader community.  With that, dear reader, I’m going to beg from you in the great Dominican tradition for money.  However, this wannabe barking friar shall do it in a fashion more befitting of the modern era for now you can do it by paypal!  Your donation will ensure a little extra help while I try to catch up on my finances to go to the Divinity School at the University of Chicago and further discern a vocation to my beloved Order.

Just Click ME to Donate!

I will promise to not use any donated money for coffee, cigars, or beer (unless the donor wishes it were so) but promise that every donation will enable me to make a happy face similar to this:

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Ok, Enough With the Extremists.

A Muslim convert “with political and religious motives” shot two uniformed soldiers outside an Arkansas military recruiting center Monday, killing one and wounding the other

You can get the full story here.  Please pray for the repose of the soul of one serviceman and the speedy recovery of the other.

HT to Carl at Insight Scoop.

 

Another Abortion Doctor Dies Unjustly

This, as reported by CW News, 22 May, reports that Dr. Lakshmi Garg had commited suicide after an Indian court upheld her conviction for violating the nations laws on gender-selective abortions.  India, like China, is suffering from a gender imbalance wherein the men far out number the women due to the fact that most parents in these traditional societies greatly prefer to have sons over daughters.  India has responded to this growing crisis, as reported by CW News:

Due to deeply ingrained pattern in Indian culture that favors male children, more than 10 million girls have been found “missing” in the country over the past two decades, because women choose to abort after determining that they are carrying a female baby. In one of several efforts to stop the trend, the government has banned sex-determination tests. But many doctors quietly skirt that law, making a point of telling prospective parents the gender of the baby after a “routine” prenatal examination.

Dr. Garg consumed poison after being convicted and sentenced to thirty months in prison, taking the life of another person unjustly.

I suppose I sum this up with a challenge of how we as society may permit abortion freely but then deal with the consequences of gender-selection in the procedure.  I’m especially interested in hearing from feminists on this issue.

For more information, do check out the National Catholic Registers article “Killed for Being A Girl”.

 

Padre in Jerusalem

In case you didn’t have enough to pray for, one of my former parish priests and a great Dominican is gearing to go to Jerusalem for study.  Keep him in your prayers, my dear reader!

Fr. Carl, OP has his blog available here.

 

Wow, I Wish I Never Left New England

According to various news reports, Boston has promised to warn citizens of any zombie invasions.  Given my natural tendancy to look over every building in preparation of a zombie attack this is quite good news for me.  So, DHS, where’s your contigency plan?  Get the story here.HT to bodhran man.

 

The Rabble That Shouted Down Our Voice

I, like the rest of blogsphere, offer up my prayers for the repose of the soul of Dr. George Tiller who was viciously gunned down in his holy place this morning.  Anyone who reads this site knows my position on life issues and I apply that position quite broadly and will be the first to say that murder in any form and at any time is wrong and quite disgusting.  The Pro-Life position is to hold all life sacred–life created as imago dei–from conception until natural death and this heinous act not only opposes the pro-life message as it ought to be preached but even goes on to further silence and malign the message.  I shall have more to say in future posts, but out of respect I shall remain silent until tomorrow.