Welcome to Wisdom Wednesday, a special edition during the week of the annual assembly of the AUSCP. We will try to provide updates, but in the meantime, following are some items prepared earlier – on the environment, God and guns, Pius XII and Hitler, Vatican II and today’s Catholics, Polynesian agro-forestry and a suggestion from Pope Francis for a year-long marriage catechumenate.”
But first, Today’s American Catholic (TAC) promises to be “on location” in Baltimore at the AUSCP Assembly. Michael Centore said, “We’ll be publishing daily dispatches from the event, which features speakers such as Bishop John Stowe, president of Pax Christi USA; Mary Novak, president of NETWORK; and Cardinal Peter K. A. Turkson.”
Dennis Sadowski plans to cover a portion of the assembly for Catholic News Service. We hope it will be published on the accessible site.
To keep up with news about our church and world, we recommend C NS and the following sources:
From the days before our assembly, we found some notable items about two popes
- Pope Francis. Saying “superficial” marriage preparation programs leave many couples at risk of having invalid marriages or unprepared to cope with the struggles that arise in every marriage, Pope Francis endorsed suggestions for a yearlong “marriage catechumenate” drafted by the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life.
Pope Francis says traditionalist Catholics “gag” church reforms. He told a gathering of Jesuit editors in comments published Tuesday (June 14) that he was convinced that some Catholics simply have never accepted the Second Vatican Council.
Pius XII. New research from the Vatican archives appears to show evidence of previously unknown backchannel negotiations between Pope Pius XII and Adolf Hitler during the Second World War. There is also a disturbing document from the Vatican ordering the burning of files regarding German priests who had abused children.
Abortion
American bishops don’t always agree with each other. That’s no surprise; contrary to what Oakland’s bishop says, Cardinal-designate McElroy abhors abortion, according to NCR.
NCR also publishes reader views on significant topics including thoughts on Cordileone barring Pelosi from Communion.
All recent features on readers views are available from NCR.
Climate and Environment
A good news item: Two people have transformed 25 acres of lifeless land into a thriving, organized jumble of edible and non-edible codependent plants, a technique the family calls Polynesian agroforestry. The story is from the Guardian.
The Times of Israel reports on a new study: The world’s first cultivated fruit trees were planted 7,000 years ago in the Jordan Valley. Analysis of charcoal from Tel Tsaf dig reveals olive and fig tree wood, indicating first examples of orchards in an advanced, wealthy society.
Perhaps the ultimate notion regarding environment comes from Religion News Service. California again seeks to pass a human composting bill as Catholic bishops oppose it.
Ecumenical and Interfaith news
Bart Barber, the longtime pastor of a small Texas church and a frequent leader of prominent Southern Baptist committees, has been elected the next president of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.
The pastor of the Church of Notre Dame in Morningside Heights, NY, practices “double belonging,” a term coined by Paul Knitter in his 2009 book “Without Buddha, I Could Not Be a Christian.”
Gun Control
Here’s an opinion not shared with many Americans, but the author directs it directly to Catholics, as reported by Today’s American Catholic. No Godly Justification for Guns.
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We hope you have enjoyed this roundup of recent news about faith, politics, and culture. We will return next week with another edition of Wisdom Wednesday.
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