Virtus In Medio Stat

This is another one of those films where the trailer was much better than the film itself. Even if I had no religious biases or preferences for older cinematic versions of the Exodus story, I would have to say that this film falls flat even as movies go in general. It was quite lengthy at 2 hours and 40 minutes. What bothered me most about this film was that it seemed to be confused in its perspective on how it interprets the Exodus narrative. The first half of the film has rather strong skeptical undertones, naturalistic explanations to the plagues of Egypt, but then all of a sudden the rationally or scientifically inexplicable deaths of Egyptian first born and the parting of the Red Sea takes place. Is Moses schizophrenic or not? Did he hit his head a little too hard or not. Is the might of his side the might of military expertise or is the God of Abraham really with Moses, or rather Moses with God? Hard to say. In summary, this film did very little to inspire me, neither on a pu...

Just finished watching this documentary. Yet another account of the systemic problems inherent to the hierarchical structure and culture of the Catholic Church. Not quite sure what to make of all of it yet. I'm beginning to get the impression that the abusers in the clergy of the Church are not limited to the direct abusers themselves, but also the enablers most especially those that had overseeing power over these perverts who turned the other way as these crimes took place through the decades. Knowing the cycle of child sexual abuse, that these priests were also likely abused themselves. you have to wonder how far back this cycle goes. I have concluded that this is not a fault of the liberalizing theology and praxis that came during and after the Second Vatican Council, but is a systemic flaw in the power structures of Holy Mother Church.

I decided to sit through this debate with great interest. Sedevacantism is an interesting subject for me and has been irritating me as well as attracted me for the last five or so years. This was an interesting debate. I have to say first off that I don't think this ended up being a debate on Vatican II ecclesiology. It quickly became a debate on submission to the Roman Pontiff versus alleged schism. I believe that the debate should have been: "John Paul II, is not a valid successor to St. Peter, the Pope". I don't want to make this review too long and so I will just note some strengths and weaknesses. Strengths: Bishop Sanborn did an excellent job in identifying the key issues regarding Vatican II and post-Vatican II ecclesiology, in contrast with classical understanding of the nature of the Church, pre-Vatican II. To which, I do not believe Dr. Fastiggi did an adequate job in defending. Dr. Fastiggi seems to see the Vatican II and following teaching as a de...

Buen Camino A Review of the film, The Way I heard about this film due to a blog I read about Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s recommendation: http://cnsblog.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/cardinal-designate-dolans-address-to-pope-benedict-and-the-college-of-cardinals/ This film is not a “Christian” film in the same sense as the film Fireproof or The Passion of the Christ was. I don’t think it was intended for it to be that way. It is a secular film that I think tries to tap into the natural human desire, nay, human need, for the transcendent. From a Catholic perspective, I know what this hunger for the transcendent is; it is called actual grace, calling all men and women to the Truth, which is knowable and attainable through the instruments which Jesus Christ has left behind for the world to come to the knowledge of it. C.S. Lewis used the experience of this hunger for a thing which this world cannot satisfy as a proof for the existence of God. In my opinion, this film can be appreciated by p...