The best known Catholic theologian in the world today is probably Hans Kϋng, a Swiss priest celebrated as teacher and writer. Ironically, however, this renowned interpreter of Christianity to the modern world has operated since 1979 under a cloud. In that year the Vatican withdrew official approval of him as a teacher of Catholic theology. He continues a priest in good standing but he is not allowed to claim church backing for his teaching.
Going Out in the Slush
What does retirement mean for ordinary people? That’s the question Bob Weiss at UMass Boston’s Gerontology Center is looking into.
He knows what he is talking about from personal experience. Several years ago he retired from the sociology faculty at the university only to emerge later as a researcher into the same phenomenon which he had tasted for himself.
A Parish That Lives/Valuing the Sabbath
This past fall I reviewed The Best Spiritual Writing 1998, a book that provided me with inspiration as well as pleasure. Notable among the contributions from various writers, one entitled “Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy” struck me as particularly insightful.
In only one page and a half author Cynthia Ozick reveals the meaning of the Jewish Sabbath with deep appreciation. Her brief chapter both reinforces my understanding of that special day and carries it much further.
Restless to the Last
“Talking lessened my anxiety and I felt peaceful again. No one can ever heal this wound, but when I can talk about it with a good friend I feel better.
“What to do with this inner wound that is so easily touched and starts bleeding again? It is such a familiar wound. It has been with me for many years. I don’t think this wound – – this immense need for affection, and this immense fear of rejection – – will ever go away. It is there to stay, but maybe for a good reason.”
These were private words written in his journal by Henri Nouwen on Wednesday September 27, 1995 in Watertown, Massachusetts. They were recently published in Sabbatical Journey, subtitled The Diary of His Final Year.
America’s Future Self
Florida is still the only place where, standing in front of an ATM or waiting in front of a supermarket check-out register, a seventy-year-old columnist may find himself the youngest person in line.
In this respect, the state of Florida is America’s future self. By the year 2025, many other states across the country will look the way the Sunshine State does now.
A Veteran Recalls Guadalcanal and Much More
Arranging to see a film depicting a World War II battle with a veteran of that battle and several more does not necessarily mean a shared aesthetic experience. That’s what I discovered last week after synchronizing my viewing of “The Thin Red Line” with a former navy officer who took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal.
Valuing the Sabbath
This past fall I reviewed The Best Spiritual Writing 1998, a book that provided me with inspiration as well as pleasure. Notable among the contributions from various writers, one entitled “Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy” struck me as particularly insightful.
In only one page and a half author Cynthia Ozick reveals the meaning of the Jewish Sabbath with deep appreciation. Her brief chapter both reinforces my understanding of that special day and carries it much further.