How it died. The ramifications. And what one Dominican university plans to do about it.

All of this was deliberately discarded, and it is now
the case that most Catholic universities are indistinguishable from any other.
As a consequence, the positions of Catholic alumni on social questions, even on
issues that directly reflect the Church’s moral teaching, do not differ
significantly from the rest of the population...

There have, I think, been two principal consequences of the general collapse of Catholic higher education. First, it has compromised our ability to entrust the whole of the Catholic tradition to the generations that have followed my own. Second, it has had the ironic effect of clericalizing the Church, of marginalizing the contribution to the Church that most properly belongs to the laity.

An article worth a quick read. This was written by Fr. Michael Sweeney, OP, of the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Berkeley, a place where I dabbled in Christian History.

Labels: catholic, education, Oakland

I have recently discovered the joys of hand-made Rosaries on Etsy.

A former spiritual director from my beloved Church in Oakland in directing me to pray the Rosary daily taught me that it was helpful to have a very beautiful Rosary with a nice feel to it, something that is a delight to touch and behold and you instinctively clutch. I thought his advice slightly silly at first, because isn't what's in your heart more important that what's in your hands when you pray? I heeded his advice however. I only had a very simple Rosary with small beads. It is a treasure to me because it was the same one I had since first communion and I had used it throughout childhood and still have it and treasure it. But I thought, perhaps it's time for an upgrade, since I was getting more serious about my Rosaries. So I went to Sagrada on Telegraph, which was in walking distance of my apartment. There I found a beautiful blue crystal Rosary, which had Marian medals as the Our Father beads. I immediately loved it and rushed to take it back to St. Margaret Mary's and have Fr. Wiener bless it. Since then it has been one of my primary Rosaries. But I have found keeping multiple Rosaries helpful. I keep one in room by my bed, one in the Chapel downstairs (I live in a convent of sorts), one in my car, one in my purse. I received a Rosary upon entering Operation TEACH and have in this past year acquired several more. One day I went to Church without a Rosary and a church-lady felt the need to press a Rosary that smells of roses into my hands. I went on a youth pilgrimage in downtown Baltimore on the eve of Palm Sunday and received a beautiful Rosary from the Knights of Columbus and had it blessed by the new Archbishop O'Brien.

I know some people simply count their Hail Marys on their fingers, and indeed there is something to be said for that. I however, have found having beautiful beads a helpful aide to the devotion. If there is something worthy of fine craftsmanship and art it is surely the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Sometimes just holding a Rosary directs my thoughts Christ-ward and begins an unconscious praying.

So I am all in favor of beautiful Rosaries. If you want the recommendation of some good sellers on Etsy, just ask and I'll pass on some names. And if you want a Rosary, just ask, and I'll send one your way. :-)

Labels: art, Baltimore, Oakland, prayer, Rosary

Police, SWAT teams and bomb units from throughout Alameda County detained more than a dozen suspects after raids at Your Black Muslim Bakery on San Pablo Avenue and three related locations this morning, police said.

The people are being held in connection with murder, kidnapping, assault and robbery investigations, Assistant Police Chief Howard Jordan said. San Pablo Avenue was cordoned off for several blocks near the bakery at 5832 San Pablo Ave.

But they made such wonderful pies! How sad to discover the truth behind one of my favorite local Oakland businesses.

Labels: Oakland