http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/ Exploring The Character And Mission Of The Catholic Laity Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:33:03 -0600 http://www.typepad.com/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2009/02/michael-dubriel.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2009/02/michael-dubriel.html I have been away for a while from blogging due to personal life events. But, through a friend, I was alerted to the sad news of the sudden passing of Michael Dubruiel (Amy Welborn's husband). Please join me in saying a prayer for Michael, Amy and their whole family. Michael will be missed. Nearly all of St. Blog's, as far as I can tell, can trace its origins in some way back to Michael. Rest in peace, Michael. JACK Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:33:03 -0600 http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2009/01/questions-about-christopher-wests-work.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2009/01/questions-about-christopher-wests-work.html So I am interested in reading more about the Theology of the Body. Naturally, one can't do an internet search on that topic these days without the first twenty results all being about Christopher West. Yet, my personal experience has been that whenever I mention his name to serious, faithful Catholics with degrees in moral theology, they tend to cringe. At best, though, all you can drag out of them as an explanation of the basis for their reaction is... JACK Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:49:08 -0600 http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2008/10/the-conversation-continued.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2008/10/the-conversation-continued.html One of the challenges of having a conversation like the voting one in the blogosphere is that it tends to happen in bits and parts all over the place. As I am aware now that some people (other than the commentators) have read my entry into the conversation, I thought I'd point out this post by Disputations. I think Tom offers up here a subtle but important contribution and is the first response to Zippy's critique that I find meritorious.... JACK Sat, 25 Oct 2008 20:41:54 -0500 http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2008/10/on-building-a-catholic-political-culture.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2008/10/on-building-a-catholic-political-culture.html If you have been around the Catholic blogosphere, you will know that Zippy Catholic (http://zippycatholic.blogspot.com) and Mark Shea (http://markshea.blogspot.com) have caused quite a brouhaha with their comments that they could not see how, as a Catholic, they could vote for John McCain. A big back and forth has erupted about what a Catholic is permitted to do with his vote and tempers have gotten heated as the discussion has ensued. I do want to weigh in on the meat of... JACK Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:57:50 -0500 http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2008/03/st-john-cantius.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2008/03/st-john-cantius.html St John Cantius is a paradox to me. Everyone tells me that I should love the place. You love the liturgy, you will love St John Cantius. You love sung liturgies, you will love St John Cantius. You love Latin, you will love St John Cantius. And so on. I have been there twice now. It has been a lousy experience both times. Last week, I left the celebration of Tenebrae early it was that bad. And I have pinpointed... Commentary JACK Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:37:59 -0500 http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2008/01/experience.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2008/01/experience.html [Yeah, I know it has been a long time and here I jump right into inside minutia. Well, what do you expect from a blogger? BTW, if you haven't checked out Rethinking Economics in a while, I'm back to blogging there. Also, take a look at Diary of a Disillusioned Voter if you're interested in politics but frustrated with the present political landscape.] Something mentioned tonight at School of Community triggered me thinking about the role of experience. Don't take... CL JACK Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:38:13 -0600 http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/10/so-it-has-been-.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/10/so-it-has-been-.html I know that it has been a while since I have posted anything on Integrity. Well, I hate to disappoint, but you will have to wait a bit longer. I've got much to do between now and when I return from a trip. But I do plan to restart this blog, in that ever-starting-ever-stopping sort of way that has been its life. I'll even post again over at Intentional Disciples soon. (I promise Sherry!) In the meantime, visit Rethinking Economics.... Weblogs JACK Tue, 16 Oct 2007 23:38:15 -0500 http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/04/some_fruits_of_.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/04/some_fruits_of_.html I know I haven't been around the blog much. I've been quite busy at work and, in what free time I have had, I've been busily organizing my videos, pictures, etc., from my Rome trip onto a DVD. My, oh my, did I not realize how tedious that would be. Still working on it, but I thought I would share the fruits of some of my labor. Here's the intro to the DVD. The pictures are all mine. The music... Travel JACK Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:08:15 -0500 http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/04/way_of_the_cros.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/04/way_of_the_cros.html No fabulous commentary this year as I was only able to stay for the first couple stations of the Way of the Cross that our local CL community conducted through the streets of downtown Chicago. Nonetheless, it is amazing how much the event has grown. We have a website now. Parishes (including my own) announced the event. This year, the city not only didn't lose our permit application, but granted us a permit! And the police fully supported us in... CL JACK Sat, 07 Apr 2007 09:57:12 -0500 http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/03/home_at_last.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/03/home_at_last.html Well, after a day's delay, I finally walked in the door at my house about 6pm. Much to do, so the reflections on the papal audience will have to wait a bit. But in the meantime, here's a couple of pictures, a link to a Flickr photo album of the raw digital files and the audio broadcast of Vatican Radio's coverage. (I'm guessing they will indulge me in my posting of it.) Exhausted, I'm now off to do what I... Blog News JACK Tue, 27 Mar 2007 18:52:14 -0500 http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/03/see_you_when_i_.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/03/see_you_when_i_.html Well, I hope that those two new The Religious Sense posts keeps my few readers busy for the next couple of days. As those of you who follow Intentional Disciples know, I am heading to Rome for a papal audience in honor of the 25th anniversary of pontifical recognition of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation, which is the lay movement founded by Fr. Giussani. When I return, we will resume our look at Fr. Giussani's writings. Plus, I'll have... CL JACK Thu, 22 Mar 2007 16:57:00 -0500 http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/03/religious_sense_2.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/03/religious_sense_2.html Recap: We have finally worked our way through the three premises -- realism, reasonableness and the need for a love of truth more than yourself -- that Fr. Giussani finds critical to understanding any element of human experience. Fr. Giussani summarizes this all by saying, "one must be open to the demands imposed by the question [the thing being studied] itself." Intro: Now we will begin to look at the phenomenon of religious experience, or the "religious sense", as Fr.... CL JACK Wed, 21 Mar 2007 05:19:00 -0500 http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/03/religious_sense_1.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/03/religious_sense_1.html Recap: In the previous summaries, we took a look at two of the three premises that Fr. Giussani wants us to consider. First, in the summary of Chapter 1, we looked at the need for realism. Second, in the summary of Chapter 2, we looked at the nature of reasonableness, how it is the capacity to become aware of reality and how we perceive a behavior as reasonable if it indicates adequate reasons for itself. Today, we will look at... CL JACK Mon, 19 Mar 2007 06:00:00 -0500 http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/03/religious_sense.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/03/religious_sense.html Recap: In these first three chapters of The Religious Sense, we are examining three premises about the human experience that will help us in examining religion in particular. In the summary of Chapter 1, we looked at the need for realism in our approach to the things -- the objects -- we encounter in life. And from that we considered that the method to learn the truth of an object is given by the object and how matters of human... CL JACK Fri, 02 Mar 2007 00:01:00 -0600 http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/02/religious_sense_1.html http://jackblogs.typepad.com/integrity/2007/02/religious_sense_1.html Background: Before I dive into the review of The Religious Sense, it makes some sense to set the stage. As I mentioned in my first post, Fr. Giussani is tracing out a long path. This first book of his Trilogy focuses on the human experience. Fr. Giussani is convinced, much in the same way that St. Augustine suggests in his famous line, "Lord, our hearts are restless until they rest in you," that our very humanity points the way to... CL JACK Wed, 28 Feb 2007 23:04:15 -0600