Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic

2019-06-24T22:39:06-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

SHEPHERDS THROWING PRIESTS TO THE WOLVES–MISTAKES OF THE BISHOPS PART TWO

Last updated on: June 24, 2019 at 10:39 pm By Monsignor Eric Barr, STL

So they lawyered up. That was the first mistake the bishops made in the sex abuse crisis. Deciding to be CEOs rather than shepherds. Thinking that money would solve what pastoral care would not attempt. Then the leaders of the Church made a second mistake: the bishops broke the foundational sacramental link between a bishop and his priests. What was supposed to be a firm partnership of brothers in ministering to the People of God became a standoff between a... Read more

bishops

clergy sex abuse crisis

priests

ripped from the headlines

zero tolerance

bishops

bishops accountability

church sex abuse crisis

priests

ripped from the headlines

zero tolerance

2019-06-19T20:15:26-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

BROADWAY SONG BECOMES HONG KONG ANTHEM

Last updated on: June 19, 2019 at 8:15 pm By Monsignor Eric Barr, STL

A Broadway song has unexpectedly taken a prominent place in the real life fight for freedom in Hong Kong. Probably the most famous musical of all time, LES MISERABLES, has provided the struggling city of Hong Kong with a freedom anthem. This past weekend, two million people took to the streets of the metropolis to march for freedom from an increasingly oppressive mainland China. Many of the marchers were heard singing “Do You Hear The People Sing”, the freedom song... Read more

Uncategorized

2019-06-17T09:44:50-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

NEW AGE AMAZON SYNOD DOCUMENT PORTENDS DISASTER

Last updated on: June 17, 2019 at 9:44 am By Monsignor Eric Barr, STL

Anybody remember the BILLY JACK movies from the early 1970’s? As a teen-ager, I just loved them. Billy Jack, a Vietnam vet, a Native American, returns home and fights people who are persecuting Native Americans. He was Chuck Norris before Chuck Norris and his martial arts feats captivated us kids. Then we grew up and realized that the movies were a mish mash of naive social justice concepts and stereotypical portrays of tribal customs and life on a reservation. I... Read more

Amazon Synod

Celibacy

Conversion to Catholicism

Inculturation

Missionary activity

Amazon Synod

Catholic Church in Latin America

2019-06-15T21:41:40-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

MISTAKES OF THE BISHOPS–PART ONE

Last updated on: June 15, 2019 at 9:41 pm By Monsignor Eric Barr, STL

The U.S. Bishops had an unimpressive week at their biannual meeting. That means this first paragraph will be boring. But take heart! It shall get better. They approved three measures to help alleviate last year’s iteration of the sex abuse crisis, namely, the ex-cardinal Theodore McCarrick controversy. First, they approved a way for a bishop to discipline another bishop within his diocese. Next, they approved norms to codify Pope Francis’ February Conference on Sex Abuse results. And finally, they approved... Read more

bishops

cardinal McCarrick

catholic teaching

clergy sex abuse crisis

ripped from the headlines

bishops and authority

canon law

Cardinal McCarrick

clergy sex abuse crisis

lawyers

ripped from the headlines

US Bishops

USCCB Meeting

2019-06-15T21:02:01-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

NO HARD HAT BIRETTAS–THE CHURCH HAS FAILED AGAIN!

Last updated on: June 15, 2019 at 9:02 pm By Monsignor Eric Barr, STL

NO HARD HAT BIRETTAS? THE CHURCH HAS LET US DOWN AGAIN. Picture from the Daily Mail, showing the first Mass in Notre Dame Cathedral since the fire. Priest celebrants had to wear hard hats in case of falling debris. Even the Archbishop has to wear one in place of his miter. Seems like a good opportunity for all Church Supply companies to take advantage of. Read more

notre dame

ripped from the headlines

ripped from the headlines

2019-06-10T19:20:14-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS CARDINAL BURKE DOING?

Last updated on: June 10, 2019 at 7:20 pm By Monsignor Eric Barr, STL

What in the world is Cardinal Burke doing? What can he and his compatriots be thinking? The cardinal and several other clerics have published a Declaration of Truths which purports to be a clarification of Catholic beliefs that the signatories hold to be under attack by theologians and clerics within the Church, including the Pope himself. Please check out the story and the actual document here: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/new-declaration-of-truths-affirms-key-church-teachings. I’ve had the honor and privilege of meeting Cardinal Burke several times. He is... Read more

ripped from the headlines

2019-06-09T03:43:13-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

SUMMER OF SCANDAL II–IN HELL WE’LL BE IN GOOD COMPANY

Last updated on: June 9, 2019 at 3:43 am By Monsignor Eric Barr, STL

Great bluegrass song out called “In Hell I’ll Be In Good Company.” By the time summer ends, we Catholics will be humming it as we grapple with the crisis in the Church once again. Looks like last year’s Cardinal scandal will have a sequel this year after the Washington Post’s expose of Bishop Bransfield of West Virginia. But before we get on the bandwagon of bashing priests, bishops, etc. again, perhaps we Catholics could all agree to share... Read more

Uncategorized

abuse of authority

bishops accountability

2019-06-06T12:28:11-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

D-DAY: THE FADING GLORY OF VALOR

Last updated on: June 6, 2019 at 12:28 pm By Monsignor Eric Barr, STL

On the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, the governmental elites, the ordinary folks, and most especially the remaining living soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy so long ago, gathered on that hallowed ground to remember. Who cannot stand stunned at the enormity of what the Allies accomplished? I’ll tell you who–most of us. The notion of Valor has faded in our consciousness. What boys of 20 years did decades ago seems impossible to replicate now. Heroism is left to Hollywood... Read more

2019-06-06T12:28:56-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

SINNERS WHO DO GREAT THINGS

Last updated on: June 6, 2019 at 12:28 pm By Monsignor Eric Barr, STL

And no one lived happily ever after. That’s what I got out of eight seasons of Game of Thrones–that awful parable for our time. It’s a storyline with no heroes, no hope, and the constant, unremitting triumph of death and evil. Humans defined only as sinners. But how surprisingly appropriate for our times. In this millennium, evil conquers everything. Commit Sin; Go To Hell Know how I know this? The New York Yankees cast the soul of Kate Smith into... Read more

2019-05-20T21:10:00-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

WELCOME TO THIN PLACES

Last updated on: May 20, 2019 at 9:10 pm By Monsignor Eric Barr, STL

Welcome to the newest Catholic blog on Patheos. It’s called “Thin Places“. My name is Monsignor Eric R. Barr, STL, and I’m the author of what I hope you will find to be an exciting, challenging, enjoyable and spiritual blog experience. Sure, it’s a little bit Celtic, a little bit theological, and rather wide in the net it casts. Primarily, though, this blog is about the struggle of folks in this world who are trying to find hints of the... Read more

Uncategorized

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Ezra famously do upon learning about the people's intermarriage?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Fled to Babylon Tore his robe and pulled hair Fasted for 40 days Broke the tablets

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category abortion afterlife Amazon Synod American pope apostles Archbishop Gregory Aslan bishop schneider Bishop Sheen bishops blessed virgin mary book banning bunker busters C. S. Lewis canonization cardinal burke cardinal McCarrick Cardinal Newman Catechism catholic anthropology Catholic Church Catholic decline Catholic future Catholic laity Catholic missionary activity Catholic population catholic schools catholic stories catholic teaching Ccardinal newman Celibacy Christian fantasy christology Chronicles of Narnia clergy sex abuse crisis climate change conclave confession Conversion to Catholicism covid 19 curses demons diplomacy dissent Eucharistic belief evangelization exorcism exorcisms fast and abstinence G. K. Chesterton gay marriage genocide gnosticism harry potter heaven heresy human autonomy iconoclasm idolatry Inculturation Iran Iraq Christians J. D. Vance J. R. R. Tolkien Jesus Christ Joe Biden John Denver just war theory latin liturgy law and order Madeleine L'Engle magic martyrdom Mary Magdalene Mass Mass attendance mass shootings mercy Missionary activity morality music Nature nihilism notre dame nuclear war pandemic papal election papal funeral papal funeral Persecution politics pope pope benedict pope francis Pope Leo XIV popular movies Popular Novels poverty prayer President Trump Presidential Election priests Pro-life racism Rad Trads Radical Left radical traditionalist Real Presence Religious leaders right to life ripped from the headlines Roe V. Wade rosary Sacrament saints satanism Scripture sins spells spirituality St. John Paul II Summorum Pontificum sunday obligation Supreme Court syncretism third world Catholicism tolerance Traditionis Custodes Uncategorized unchurched urbi et orbi US Bishops violence zero tolerance

Select a Month September 2026 September 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 February 2025 October 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 December 2021 October 2021 July 2021 November 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Catholic