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Fiddling while Rome burns

Fiddling while Rome burns

The myth goes that Nero played the fiddle while Rome burned. In reality, the fiddle as we know it hadn't been invented. Fiddle while Rome burns, has come to mean neglecting one’s duties while instead doing something frivolous. In fact, the word “fiddling” has come to...

The Chanted Word: Assumption

The Chanted Word: Assumption

The Assumption of Mary is, according to the beliefs of the Catholic Church, the bodily taking up of Mary, the mother of Jesus, into Heaven at the end of her earthly life.

Exit ramp under construction?

Exit ramp under construction?

California freeways are a handy metaphor for worrisome situations and difficult choices: traffic-choked, pockmarked with potholes, and lined with litter. Exit ramps shoot off in all directions.

The Fourth Gospel

The Fourth Gospel

In the extraordinary form of the Latin rite, it is customary to read the prologue to the Gospel of John at the end of Mass. Some think this is not only unnecessary, but liturgically nonsensical.

Meeting people where they are

Meeting people where they are

We should meet people where they are is one of the most common reasons given for the secular-sounding popular music we hear at Mass. You can’t feed a baby steak, is a reason given to provide children’s Masses with music that is modeled on pre-school television entertainment.