From the editor, 'Pray Tell': Avvenire, the daily newspaper of the Italian bishops’ conference, reports that the revised translation of the missal for Italy has been approved by Pope Francis. At the bishops’ most recent general assembly, conference president Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti announced that Francis authorized the publication of the revised translation of the third edition of the Messale…
Author: Fr. Michael Campion
Don’t throw baby Jesus out with bath water
By Oliver Callan in The Irish Times, 8 June 2019 Last August when I was asked to join a panel covering the Pope’s visit, I feared I was expected to be the token church-bashing gay. I explained that while there was much the Catholic Church had done wrong, I believe we need to acknowledge the…
‘Lead us not into temptation’ falls out of Lord’s Prayer
From Christopher Lamb in THE TABLET, 6 June 2019 Pope Francis has approved a revised translation of The Lord’s prayer which will no longer say “lead us not into temptation” but instead reads “do not let us fall/be abandoned to temptation”. It is part of a revised translation of the Roman Missal for Italy. The…
Homily, Seventh Sunday of Easter (C) 2019
The Gospel of St John 17:20-26 On this last Sunday before Pentecost, the Gospel text for Mass is always from the 17th chapter of St John's Gospel. This chapter comes at the conclusion of what is known as Our Lord’s ‘Farewell Discourse’ – a lengthy ‘speech’ he delivers to his disciples at the Last Supper.…
Catholic education battling ‘immense tide’ of ignorance and indifference
By Liz Dodd in The Tablet, 31 May 2019 Ruth Kelly pictured at St Mary's University, Twickenham Catholic schools and universities are kept from their task of moral formation by the “immense” theological illiteracy of British society, former education minister Ruth Kelly has said. Kelly, Pro Vice-Chancellor at St Mary's University, Twickenham, told a prize-giving…
Why Jürgen Klopp keeps smiling through triumph and disaster
By the Reverend John Root in THE TIMES, 1 June 2019 Jürgen Klopp, the manager of Liverpool, who play Tottenham Hotspur in the final of the Champions League tonight, has openly professed his Christian faith. Explaining the impact of his upbringing in a Lutheran home, he says: “There is nothing so important to me that…
Women Deacons 101: Final Exam
By Phyllis Zagano in The National Catholic Reporter (USA), 21 May 2019 The questions below are related to your reading and study on the question of women deacons. You may consult your notes regarding your personal examination of ancient liturgies, historical documents, epigraphical evidence (tombstones), frescos, mosaics, and early literary descriptions of ministry by women. Please…
2004 quote on ‘pro-life’ versus ‘pro-birth’ goes viral
by Heidi Schlumpf in The National Catholic Reporter (USA), 23 May 2019 Screenshot of Gigi Hadid's Instagram post A recent Instagram post earned supermodel Gigi Hadid nearly a half a million likes, but it wasn't a photo of herself or of the latest fashion trend. It was a quote from Benedictine Sr. Joan Chittister on the importance…
Homily, Sixth Sunday of Easter (C) 2019
In the Gospel text for today’s Mass (John 14:23-29) we hear Jesus promising his disciples at the Last Supper – in part of a long farewell discourse - that after he left them God would send them an ‘Advocate’. Although he would be physically absent – because he was ‘going to the Father’ in heaven…
Homily, Fifth Sunday of Easter (C) 2019
The Swiss actor Bruno Ganz, who died in February this year, had a film career that spanned over 50 years. Most of us may never have heard of him. However, some will be familiar with one of his roles, for which he is now best known, because of a You Tube video meme that sprang…
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