Sadly, the following story was recently posted on the online version of the American Bar Association Journal (ABA Journal): A Catholic priest already facing criminal sexual-assault charges in a Texas has been re-arrested and jailed in lieu of $700,000 bail in Dallas County after allegedly seeking a contract hit on the claimed victim, who is […]
On doctrinal canons and disciplinary canons
There is a division found in the Orthodox Church that is also found in the Roman Catholic Church and also the Anglican Church. It is a division that is so old, that is predates the division between East and West. That is the division between what are called doctrinal canons and disciplinary canons. This has […]
Orthodoxy and Alcoholics Anonymous
The same nun about whom I wrote yesterday commented to me that many priests do not know how to deal with people with addictions. In particular, she commented to me about dealing with alcoholism. She mentioned, in particular, the group Alcoholics Anonymous as being a very helpful group. Alcoholics Anonymous has always had trouble with […]
Anorexia and Orthodox fasting rules
Recently I received an e-mail from an Orthodox nun which said in part: I have also discovered, through speaking with people with eating disorders, that priests tend to know very little in that area as well. It is difficult for someone with a tendency to anorexia to fast in a moderate way. In yesterday’s post, […]
Fasting, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Jewish Nev’im
I am often surprised at the number of interesting tales that exist with regards to our fasting rules. For instance, there are tales such as the reason for why only olive oil is on the forbidden list during our fasts. Some, of course, will argue that the rule must be extended to all oils because only […]
Some thoughts on Thanksgiving and Ebenezer Scrooge
Today is a day when we stop to thank God for what he has given us over the last year. It is a day steeped in cultural symbols and celebrations. But, it is a day that is fast fading as a family day in favor of the Ebenezer Scrooges that are so in vogue right […]
Death and “till we meet”
Till we meet, till we meet, Till we meet at Jesus’ feet; Till we meet, till we meet, God be with you till we meet again. So goes the refrain from an old hymn. Whenever I counsel someone on death’s doorstep, it leaves me thinking for a couple of days. Today, I found myself remembering this old hymn. […]
To escort someone out
Yesterday I received one of those phone calls that are much more frequent in stories than they are in reality, but they do come every so often. That phone call is the late night phone call that asks you to go to the bedside of someone who is in imminent danger of death. And, it […]
On the Orthodox Liturgical Year
Recently I was asked to write on the Orthodox liturgical year. Since that post was published today, I feel free to reproduce it here on my blog. The article was oriented towards people who are not Orthodox and followed a discussion on that blog about the Western Liturgical Year. I was asked to write about […]
Is the question justice or convictions?
I am quoting from part of an article that came out on Fox News today (11/18/2010): The White House is pushing back against criticism of its commitment to prosecuting some terror suspects in civilian courts after a federal jury convicted former Guantanamo Bay detainee Ahmed Ghailani on only one of 285 charges. Ghailani was convicted […]
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