Leon J. Podles :: DIALOGUE

The Greek philosophers in general and Christian thinkers after them have seen the emotions (passions) as innate parts of human nature. Even the Stoics, who seem to condemn the passions, really only condemn disorderly, irrational passions, as Aquinas and others have noted. 
John Chrysostom cautions against anger, but he implicitly means disorderly anger, as he sees [...]

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I heard Bach’s cantata, Wenn die stolze Feinde schnauben, at Christ Lutheran Church in Baltimore.
 
It is the last part of the Christmas oratorio, and was sung on Epiphany.
 
While the recitative recounts the narrative of the Three Kings, the meditative parts focus on the evil that already desires to destroy the Child.
 
Herr, wenn die stolzen [...]

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One of my responders is fortunate enough to live in the parish to which Father Dwight Longenecker is attached. 
Father Longenecker in his blog on Con Men has written one of the best analyses of clerical abusers, Maciel being the most famous. 

Why do people fall for priests who turn out to be such stinkers? It’s pretty [...]

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