De Omnibus Dubitandum Est.

  Some important issues discussed in this week's episode of Catholic Unscripted. The Seal of the Confessional.  The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has taken aim at the seal of the confessional, purportedly in an attempt to protect children. Secular society is looking for scapegoats for the rampant abuse of minors in our society. Does this exist because of sexual moral or because it naturally comes when you relax the norms that protect intimate relationships. As religious illiteracy grows in society, one repercussion is seen through IICSA taking aim at the sanctity of the seal of confession. Our discussion about why is this challenge is problematic quickly turns into an explanation of the importance, power & beauty of this incredible Sacrament of grace. For more on what the seal of confession is see here https://www.catholic.com/magazine/onl...   Priestly celibacy  This discussion was sparked by Gavin's podcasted conversation with Ann Widdecom...

Life-size cat figure in the garden of Huttenstrasse 9, Zurich, where Erwin Schrödinger lived 1921–1926. Depending on the light conditions, the cat appears either alive or dead. Schrödinger's famous thought experiment poses the question, " when does a quantum system stop existing as a superposition of states and become one or the other? " Schrödinger wanted people to imagine that a cat, poison, a geiger counter, radioactive material, and a hammer were inside of a sealed container. The amount of radioactive material was minuscule enough that it only had a 50/50 shot of being detected over the course of an hour. If the geiger counter detected radiation, the hammer would smash the poison, killing the cat. Until someone opened the container and observed the system, it was impossible to predict if the cat’s outcome. Thus, until the system collapsed into one configuration, the cat would exist in some superposition zombie state of being both alive and dead. Of course, S...

Cardinal Robert Sarah has again made a public announcement in respect of his new book which caused so much controversy last week ( see my post here ). In a series of three tweets, the Prefect for the Congregation of Divine Worship lambasted those who have weaponised the book launch as engaging in "nauseating and deceptive controversies" I have translated his tweets from the original French and embedded the originals for your information here: Because of the incessant, nauseating and deceptive controversies that have never stopped since the beginning of the week, concerning the book From the Depths of Our Hearts , I met Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI this evening. With Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, we have seen how there is no misunderstanding between us. I came out very happy, full of peace and courage from this beautiful interview. I call you to read and meditate From the Depths of Our Hearts . I warmly thank my editor, Nicolas Diat, as well as the house Fayard, for the tho...

Yesterday  it was reported that Leonardo Boff, an infamous, liberal, eccentric ex-priest, has claimed that Pope Francis may grant a special request by the Brazilian bishops to allow married priests to resume their priestly ministry. It seems the idea is intended in some way to address the devastating shortage of vocations in that country; Brazil has 140 million Catholics, but only 1,800 priests, which Boff correctly assesses to be a “catastrophe”. Of course, the idiot answer is to increase the liberal momentum that has caused this erosion. Perhaps a more intelligent approach might be to look to countries who benefit from better ratios in this regard as I have alluded to here and here . Some of you might be scratching your heads as to who this Boff character is. Well, you can read the CDF's opinion of him for yourself here . But I have blogged before about him in the context of ecumenism .  Fundamentally, the flaw in Boff’s thinking is the thesis he promotes...