Some web browsing..........

This weeks round up of articles and pieces from the web that caught our attention:

• What love means -  a group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds
• A weakening of faith in God, a rise in selfishness and a drop in the number of people going to Mass can be traced to liturgical abuse or Masses that are not reverent, two Vatican cardinals and a consultant have said - Catholic Herald.
• David Quinn notes that it is ironic that representatives of an officially atheistic regime should be saying "Christianity is the reason for the West's success"
• Pope Benedict XVI is about to publish his second book in his series of Jesus of Nazareth and in the new volume due March 9th he reminds us of the Church's teaching that the Jewish people must never again be blamed for crucifixtion. Further information from Rocco Palmer here. Pope Benedict XVI is reinterating the teaching which was published at the second Vatican Council in Nostra Aetate - Declaration on the relation of the Church to non-Christian religions. 
• An interesting blog we came across during the week called The Poached Egg which is the Christian apologetics journal where theology, science, philosophy, history, and pop culture collide. It is our goal to help guide believers, seekers, and skeptics alike to the Ultimate Source of Truth and a better understanding of the Christian worldview. An interesting piece this week - "Can you prove the existence of God?"
• Blogger Kathy Schiffer offers us a timely reminder about not forgetting to pray for those in purgatory with a very personal take on it

"some of you may know that my mother died recently; and over a period of days, I talked with many people—many of whom assured me that she was most certainly already in heaven.  They said it in different ways:  “She suffered her Purgatory here on earth, during her time in the nursing home.”  “She’s finally at rest.”  “God has taken her to be with Him.”  “She’s happy with your dad now, at last.” To which I say (excuse my bluntness), “How the hell would you know that?” The effect of Purgation, as I understand it, is that the person becomes Shiny Like God.  Only when all sin is eliminated, when the soul shines with a purity and grace unknown on this earth, will he or she be ready to enter into eternal happiness in heaven. That could happen in an instant, or over a long period of time.  In our casual culture, it’s common to act as though the deceased person has already passed through any unfortunate suffering which might be imposed, and is already in the arms of the Father.  But why would we presume that?"

• Given so many bishops in Ireland have retired, resigned or are ill and will have to be replaced, Do we need so many of them?
• Bono gives us his thoughts on grace, Jesus and the power of the Cross.
• On dating nice Catholic Girls, Max Lindenman realises that with no hook-ups but no long-term ego-busts; nice Catholic girls teach tenderness and the valuable security of the everyday.
• What can the Irish Catholic Church learn from Fianna Fail?
• Ever get tired of all the chatter in church which makes you almost want to shout "For the love of God - Shut up!"
• This week we had more reminders of the struggles of our fellow Christians to be able to practise their faith with the murder of a Christian minister in Pakistan - Further articles here, here and here.

• An interesting video which was posted on Irish Dominican Vocations this week where David Quinn of the Iona Institute gave a talk on the 'Dictatorship of Relativism' - a term used by Pope Benedict with greater frequency. This is an excellent presentation which raises many questions: