CrossCurrents: A Catholic Reflects on Faith in Our Times

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by Bernard F. McSwain, Ph.D.

A lifelong layperson, Bernie Swain has devoted more than 35 years to adult spiritual formation in dioceses in the US, Canada, and France. Since 1991 he has had a private practice as trainer, teacher, and consultant to leaders in parishes and other religious organizations.
PLEASE NOTE: Dr. Swain’s opinions do not represent the views of this parish or any other official body.


Issue #296 - Some Good News About Scandal


Now that Benedict XVI is sending Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley to manage the sex scandal in Ireland, it is clear that those dismissing this problem as a media invention or minimizing it as an “American problem” were wrong all along . But even as the scandal widens to a global scale, some good news is emerging...


Issue #286 - So Many Different Differences


With a battle looming over pending changes in the English text for our Mass prayers, I tend to agree with those who regard current disputes about liturgy as overreactions on both sides. Even so, they provide a timely opportunity make a more enduring point: despite the strong emotions unleashed by such conflicts, not all our differences over liturgy are equal...


Issue #285 - Our Worship Experiences


As we approach Holy Week’s Triduum, the "highest" liturgies of the church's worship-calendar, a battle looms over pending changes in the English text for our Mass prayers. Part of me agrees with a recent reader comment on my blog saying that this is a misplaced debate ...


Issue #284 - Cause or Coincidence?


During a recent visit to my home parish, I had a flashback to the Lent of my youth: lacing up my “combat boots” in the early morning dark to attend daily 6:45 Mass with my parents. Those days, the church was nearly full. Few parishes today have such turnouts, daily OR weekend. What happened?


Issue #283 - Noisy Catholicism?


George Weigel has done it again--just in time for Lent! He has turned a perfectly sensible appeal for silent reflection and prayer during Lent into a rant aimed at a variety of Catholics whose behavior he deplores.


Issue #281 - Losing Faith


Listening to Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, I was especially struck by this passage: Unfortunately, too many of our citizens have lost faith...


Issue #280 - Renewal Without Revolution?


When radical feminist theologian Mary Daly died recently, the Boston Globe described her times this way: When she joined the faculty at Boston College in 1966, the liberalizing Vatican II conference had recently concluded...
"As later developments showed, not every moment of upheaval becomes a revolution. Contrary to the hopes of Daly and others, it wasn’t foreordained that tectonic movements in American society would also transform Catholic doctrine...Changes in the church itself were, in the end, less forthcoming."
Many Catholics today might say the Globe has understated the reality. Some would say the euphoria of post- Vatican II 1960s Catholicism has deteriorated into the despair of post-scandal 21st century Catholicism. They might not be right -- but they can make a strong case....


Issue #278 - Leading Us Astray

Issue #277 - Obama's Catholic Case for Peace

Issue #276 - The Long and Winding Road

Issue #274 - Like the Air We Breathe

Issue #273 - A Second Reformation?

Issue #272 - Travel Lessons: Cultural and Spiritual

Issue #271 - Spirituality and/or Religion?



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