Author: Sal

The DC Sniper

A telling article appears in the Washington Post today. The sniper is holding the area ransom, threatening more shootings if he doesn’t get $10 million. He left a three-page, handwritten letter for police after the attack in Ashland, VA. The last line in his missive read “Your children are not safe anywhere at any time.”

Please pray for those of us who live in this area, for the authorities who are desparately trying to catch the sniper, and for the sniper. He has chosen to be an instrument of great evil. Christ suffers with those who do not even know they are suffering. Pray for him.

“James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus”

This is an enhanced photo of the text on the ossuary

RC linked to this story below. CNN promises that this ossuary, which could be the oldest archeological evidence of Jesus, will “revive the debate on whether or not Jesus had siblings.” In Aramaic the word “brother” had a wider usage than it does in English. See the article John has linked to above for more info.

Question regarding the Age of Reason

Perhaps our resident canonist can answer this one. How was the age at which a child receives First Communion determined?

Lest we forget the business of a newspaper is selling newspapers rather than providing timely and accurate information, Mark Shea reminds us.

“Martyrs”
Stories from foxnews and cnn on the Holy Father’s beatification of six individuals both refer to the two Ugandan missionary matyrs with quotes around the word “martyrs.” Why the quotes around the word martyrs? Both stories contain this paragraph:

The pope praised the six on Sunday as role models for Catholics, saying their faith, humbleness and willingness to die for their religion was a source of strength.

When an un-churched American hears that someone is willing to die for their faith, they assume it means they are willing to kill for their faith. Villians are not victims. Has the word “martyr” been associated with murderers so long that it has lost its true meaning?