I have been struck by reading that the movie’s (Barbie) creator was influenced by her Catholic high school experience for this film and an earlier one. Every upbringing makes an impact that carries over into adult life, but my antennae are attuned to reading about how Catholicism has made a difference in people’s lives.
Tag Archives: Compassion
Beauty and Awe
by Joseph Stoutzenberger Those of us watching the news this August 2023 are seeing images of what was once the beautiful, lush, verdant Maui Island of Hawaii, now devasted by wildfires sparked by unusually dry conditions. We have also been constantly viewing beautiful people and places in Ukraine being destroyed, such as the magnificent TransfigurationContinue reading “Beauty and Awe”
A House of Many Mansions
He said that “each person encounters God by their own way.” When Pope Francis made those remarks, he was not sitting in his study pouring over law books. He was looking out over the sea of young faces, each one of which he saw as beautiful.
Should People Follow Their Conscience? Seeking Common Ground
by Joseph Stoutzenber
I recently ran across a quote that spoke to me about my own ventures into writing about religious topics. In his book The Enthusiast, Jon M. Sweeney quotes religion scholar Wendy Doniger as saying: “It’s hard to imagine how you could write about any subject as sensitive as religion or history without outraging someone.”
The Woman Wearing a Hat
I do know that I left bothered by what I had done or, in this case, not done. Wasn’t the message of Jesus that we are supposed to be bothered by people around us in need? Didn’t he tell us that no one is to be left out? And I gave voice to that message when I called out “hospitality” as being a sign of God at work within the human community.
Aidan’s Grandpas
All of a sudden, that person in front of us is not just an isolated individual separate from us but is someone who wishes us peace, as we wish them peace as well. In some more progressive settings, people actually move out of their pew and wander around, offering peace to as many people as they can reach. The symbolism is clear: We are family.
Vatican Council II: Evolution or Revolution?
Vatican II ended in 1965 and ushered in not only external changes but also changes in attitude and ambiance as well. I noticed the transformation that took place over the next decade and presumed that this was unanticipated and unprecedented for Catholicism, not just a renovation but a revolution.
Compassion vs. Dispassion
I saw a value to general principles providing guidance for moral decision making, but I also feared that this top-down approach could miss the rich variety that exists among individual persons and the complexity of situations in which they find themselves.
The Holiness of the Ordinary
It struck me that what my friend was doing was reminding people that holiness wasn’t just present with the birth of Jesus two thousand years ago but that the holy exists in our world today, and in very ordinary circumstances.
Joseph Stoutzenberger 