Author: Richard Chonak

In a comment to my post below about Blessed Sacrament parish in Alexandria, Fr. Jim Tucker remarked: It’s a pity they didn’t show a photograph of Blessed Sacrament. That alone would convince even an atheist that the thing needs to be fixed. Looks like he was right. Here’s the parish’s current Eucharistic Closet, um, Chapel.

If Christians and Muslims can coexist amicably in Iraq now, is it unrealistic to hope that they can do so post-Saddam?

Speaking to The Telegraph (LRR), [Francis] Crick, 86, said: “The god hypothesis is rather discredited.” If Crick’s concept of “God” refers to something that can be measured empirically, then he and I and the Pope are all unbelievers.

The WaPo goes into some detail about a pastor’s plan to beautify his modern and somewhat spartan parish church in Alexandria. From what I’ve heard of church renovation projects, though, $425,000 is not a shocking amount to spend, and the substance of the renovation — moving the Eucharist from a “tiny room” to a suitably adorned chapel visible to the faithful — sounds like it’s in conformity with the Church’s directives.
So why is this news? Because some parishioners (cue the violins) are disgruntled about a shift away from the parish’s old-style liberal manner. The Postista says, “Priest’s Vision, Style Deeply Divide Parishioners at Alexandria Church” but the subhead could just have well have run, “Neo-Puritans Oppose Art and Decoration in Worship”. Here’s a motto if they need one (Jn. 12:5): “Why wasn’t the money given to the poor?”

When the Pope has ordered a review (presumably leading to some clean-up) of US seminaries, choosing a vice-rector for Louvain from one of the most “progressive” dioceses in the country doesn’t reassure me. But I shouldn’t pre-judge. Does anybody know Fr. DeSocio’s work?
On July 1, Father DeSocio will begin as vice-rector of the American College of the Immaculate Conception at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. There he will work with major seminarians for a five-year period.
Father DeSocio has served since 1993 as the Rochester Diocese’s assistant to the bishop for vocations and priestly formation. He is also vice president of the National Conference of Diocesan Vocation Directors.