The Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Philadelphia hosts a weekly novena service and Mass, attracting many seeking intercession from Mary. Confession plays a key role, offering consolation and a personal connection to God. The sacrament’s modern emphasis on reconciliation aims to heal and renew relationships rather than impose guilt.
Category Archives: Ethics
Join the Circus
by Joseph Stoutzenberger When I began the graduate program in English at Temple University, I took a course on medieval English literature. The professor was nearing retirement and perhaps nearing senility as well. He brought with him to class a cassette tape player and played classical music while he lectured for an hour and aContinue reading “Join the Circus”
How Can We Find the Holy in a Secular Age?
The city of Ephesus hosts a chapel believed to mark the home of Mary, where pilgrimage offers a chance to connect with the holy. The author reflects on modern secularism’s impact on reverence, contrasting tourists with pilgrims. Reclaiming a sense of the sacred requires wonder and contemplation in daily life.
The Gospels: Myth or Parable?
Joseph Stoutzenberger reflects on the evolving understanding of myths in teaching since the 1970s. He contrasts myths with parables, highlighting how religious stories, particularly in Christianity, challenge societal norms. Stoutzenberger argues that Jesus’s life embodies parabolic themes, subverting common beliefs about power, righteousness, and the nature of God’s love.
Christ in a Keffiyeh
I was in Jerusalem seventeen years ago. A friend and I went looking for an ATM to withdraw money. Three blocks from our hotel, we came across a gas station where a young man was filling up his car. We asked him if he knew where we could find an ATM, and he told usContinue reading “Christ in a Keffiyeh”
Is Liberation Still Central to the Christian Message?
During the 1970s there was much talk of “liberation” among religions, especially in Catholicism. Gustavo Gutierrez and other Latin American theologians laid out a biblical and theological foundation for liberation as an essential element of the Christian message.
Will U.S. Catholicism Survive?
That sounds exactly like what Pope John XXIII and Pope Francis feared. They warned that the church was not meant to be a museum. If it was to survive it had to be a living, growing, thriving garden. To be that blossoming garden, both of these popes saw a need for change—what Pope John XXIII called aggiornamento, “updating.”
Catholicism: Does It Liberate?
In the 1990s, U.S. Catholic bishops noted the widespread use of artificial birth control among Catholic couples, citing poor teaching on the issue, and it was declared immoral in a 1968 papal encyclical. Joseph Stoutzenberger, drawing from his research, argues for critical thinking in Catholic education, suggesting that liberation involves questioning and analyzing beliefs, encouraging a deeper understanding of Catholicism aligned with Jesus’s teachings.
Roots and Wings
Joseph Stoutzenberger reflects on the division within Catholicism since Vatican Council II, highlighting contrasting views on change and tradition among clergy and congregants. Pope Francis seeks to bridge these divides by promoting both rootedness in faith and responsiveness to contemporary issues. The ongoing tension over moral teachings remains unresolved, challenging unity.
When the Saints Go Marching In
Joseph Stoutzenberger reflects on the negative focus of local news, contrasting it with the myriad of kindnesses often overlooked. He highlights the virtues celebrated in Catholicism, emphasizing love, kindness, and patience. Despite negative discourse among some Catholics, he advocates for embodying the fruits of the Holy Spirit to foster compassion in communities.
Joseph Stoutzenberger 