I want to compare two different passages from Luke 1. The first is the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist by the angel Gabriel. This is Luke 1:5-22, In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth… Continue reading Zechariah, Gabriel, and Mary
Tag: priesthood
Seven Quick Thoughts from a Catholic Priest’s Wife
The wife of a Byzantine Catholic priest penned her responses to these seven frequently-heard comments / questions: “That’s weird.” “That’s great! Father John Western-rite should get married, too!” “That’s great! Are you a priest, too?” “So, you’re Orthodox?” “It must be really burdensome on your church to pay for a family.” “That’s a bad idea;… Continue reading Seven Quick Thoughts from a Catholic Priest’s Wife
The American and Catholic Understanding of the Episcopacy
First of all, happy St. Nicholas’ Day. Totally forgot to mention that this morning. Second, John Allen wrote a worthwhile article on the legal troubles which faced Cardinal Michele Giordano. He uses this example to illustrate the difference between the American and Catholic understanding of what it is to be a Church leader: The typical American… Continue reading The American and Catholic Understanding of the Episcopacy
The Old and New Testament Priesthood
I’m convinced that most Protestants haven’t thought through the question of the New Testament priesthood very much. For example, John MacArthur, a popular Evangelical Calvinist, in one of his many sermons against the Catholic Church argued: “We don’t need any priests. Revelation 1: You are a kingdom of priests. We only need one high priest, and… Continue reading The Old and New Testament Priesthood
Congratulations, John Wilson!
John Wilson, a friend of some friends, has announced that he’s leaving his position as a columnist and editorial writer of the New York Post to join the priesthood. It’s a big transition, of course, and I’m very pleased for him. I’ve only met John once. We carpooled together to attend a Mass for St.… Continue reading Congratulations, John Wilson!
How Can Bad Priests Consecrate the Eucharist?
I. How Can Pedophile Priests Turn Bread and Wine into the Living God? A Protestant on a Catholic forum I was reading had some serious issues with the idea that evil (particularly pedophile) priests were still able to consecrate bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. He quoted a former priest named… Continue reading How Can Bad Priests Consecrate the Eucharist?
Why Do Popes Call Themselves “We”?
In Pope Paul VI’s 1967 social encyclical, Populorum Progressio, he writes: 4. Before We became pope, We traveled to Latin America (1960) and Africa (1962). There We saw the perplexing problems that vex and besiege these continents, which are otherwise full of life and promise. On being elected pope, We became the father of all men.… Continue reading Why Do Popes Call Themselves “We”?
Shepherds and Singing Sheep
Speaking of music, a reader commented on an older post I wrote on the subject of music. In it, I complained – amongst other things – of the tendency for modern songs to have us singing as God. To my knowledge, you won’t find any Christian songs from more than a few decades ago which… Continue reading Shepherds and Singing Sheep
Priests as the New Levites
That the New Covenant would include priests was prophesied in the Old Testament countless times. For this post, I’m looking only at the Levitical prophesies: the times when God prophesies that within the New Covenant, He will set apart some (but not all) Christians to serve as His priests, as the new Levites. I. Genesis… Continue reading Priests as the New Levites
The Dark Side of the Eucharist
In the United Kingdom, April’s Fools hoaxes are all revealed at noon — mostly because if you keep pretending for too long, it stops being funny. So it seems fitting to have a more serious post for the afternoon. More importantly, of course, it’s Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday. I did a post… Continue reading The Dark Side of the Eucharist