Links for 08/13/15 | National Catholic Reporter

Links for 08/13/15 | National Catholic Reporter by MSW. MGB: That there is some distictly ordered code for an orderly society outside of Israel during the exile and in the imperial period is news to me.  Jesus said that his morality was easy and its burden light, that he was gentle and humble of heart - which essentially means that morality is for us, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which all claim (not just the hierarchy).  Indeed, the Patriarchs and Judges would have blanched at any formal government ordering that benefited the worthies of the chruch-state establishment, having escaped from the God-King Pharoh and overthrown the God-King of Canaan.  If morality is for us and not for God, it can change as we know more about ourselves.  You must ask yourself, who does the reluctance to change benefit?



John Allen has to be leaving something else.  No abandonned spouse is prohibited from Communion unless they also remarry. I hope the bishop in question did not think otherwise.  Even then, they should be free to approach the rail, as should abused spouses and spouses of active alcoholics or adulterers.  Those who are on the abusing end, however, should be banned from Communion and further marriage, permitted reentry only if forgiven by the original spouse (who is granted divorce, enough of the annulment ruse).  While there is some question on process, including adding a memo to the baptismal record of why the offending spouse cannot marry again, that process should not impinge on the damaged spouse.



The yoga report is interesting.  I know of many who want to do "Christian yoga and meditation."  I would say that getting into the Zen or Yogic spirit of things is useful and not an abandonment of one's Christianity (unless it was weak already).  The pagan imagery is not about other gods, as those other gods are human archetypes.  Rome needs to get over that examinations of these characteristics can be useful and healthy, provided that they are not used as a cudgel by a religious government to violate the rights of non-practitioners of the sanctioned religion.



Interesting news about why Pope Francis is coming to the U.S. from the Hackett interview.  Its all about the upcoming trip and how Francis loves Barack.