While I was re-reading Cardinal Walter Kasper’s book “Mercy: The Essence of the Gospel and the Key to Christian Life” (Translated by Walter Madges), I was also working through the philosophy of personalism with students at St. John’s University.
Arts and Culture
Fr. Robert Lauder is a philosophy professor at St. John’s University and the author of “Pope Francis’ Spirituality and Our Story” (Resurrection Press).
Infinite Love and Infinite Mercy
As I am re-reading Cardinal Walter Kasper’s book, “Mercy: The Essence of the Gospel and the Key to Christian Life” (Translated by William Madges. New York: Paulist Press, 2014, pp. 288), I keep finding passages that I wish to quote in order to share Cardinal Kasper’s insights with readers of this column.
The God of the Old Testament
We should trust in God when it seems that everything in our lives is going the way we want our lives to be; we should trust in God when nothing in our lives is going the way we want it to go.
Perfect Book for This Year
I can’t think of a better book to read in 2016 than Cardinal Walter Kasper’s “Mercy: The Essence of the Gospel and the Key to the Christian Life” (Translated by Walter Madges. New York: Paulist Press, 2014, pp. 288).
Reflections on The Self
Put simply, the problem is how to get people who are unchurched to reflect seriously on their lives, on what their goals are and what they think is important.
A Marvelous Experience
Back in March I received a telephone call from Cassie Zelic, the principal of Our Lady of Fatima School in Jackson Heights. She had arranged that a Queens movie theatre would open its doors one morning during the week to screen the film “Risen” for her seventh and eighth graders.
The Power of Art
One reason that this is a preoccupation is that when I was in college I co-wrote my senior philosophy thesis with two other seminarians on the nature of art. Another reason is that in several philosophy courses at St. John’s University the students and I deal with the nature of art. One of my courses is on the “Catholic novel,” another is on film. Add to that the fact that for approximately 30 years, I have been conducting film festivals and also adult education courses on the “Catholic novel.” I also regularly encourage people to read “Catholic novels” and to see great films.
The Need for Pre-Evangelization
The Church is offering beautiful, attractive and exciting answers, but many people are not asking the questions for which these answers are profound responses.
Belief and Action
Our culture does not encourage us to ask the ultimate questions, such as why are we here, what is the meaning of human life, where are we heading, what is the good life.
Recognizing Our Sinfulness
One image of mercy that the pope offers is the wives and mothers who line up in front of the jails on Saturdays and Sundays bringing food and presents to their husbands and sons.