Oblate Program at Belmont Abbey, NC

Tag: evil

Priest: Why holy water comes with me whenever I travel

Fr. Edward Looney explains why he brings holy water with him into every hotel room, and shares the prayers he prays. Every now and again, I have the opportunity to travel and speak at conferences, sharing about Mary’s importance in the spiritual life. When I do so, I usually have to spend the night in… Read More ›

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Evil is truly the great Banality

“Imaginary evil is romantic and varied; real evil is gloomy, monotonous, barren, boring. Imaginary good is boring; real good is always new, marvelous, intoxicating.” ― Simone Weil When I was in the Navy, people often made fun of those who were on some kind of disciplined spiritual path. They believed that they must be unhappy… Read More ›

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I am both

As I monitor how I live up to my own beliefs, my many failures, starting over again and again; it is hard for me to be shocked, though I am often saddened, and yes angered by evils committed by others. For I can find excuses for my own weaknesses, often playing down the harm I… Read More ›

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7 Spiritual Themes to Look for in Star Wars VII

The Force Awakens can help us appreciate anew our religious heritage and the stories that guide our choices George Lucas wanted Star Wars to be a new mythology that teaches a new generation about spirituality, good and evil. He deliberately used common themes in biblical stories and various religions in his movies. Here are seven… Read More ›

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The evil rising around us is now extraordinary

The evil rising around us is now extraordinary. It is volcanic — on fire. It portends many things, including flame. Evil is now good and good is evil (as prophesied). Should we be surprised? Many disorientations, in our time. Is the horse out of the barn — the horse of Revelation? Ireland votes overwhelmingly to… Read More ›

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The Return of the (Pagan) Gods

A modern historian would have to labor to get a grip on the soup of religious ideas and practices that existed in the first century at the very dawn of Christianity. Yet the modern world is reviving precisely that as it progressively detaches itself from Christianity. Those ideas and practices are inspired by evil spirits now,… Read More ›

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High-profile Rome exorcist: ‘ISIS is Satan’

Rome, Italy, Apr 15, 2015 / 02:25 am (CNA).- In a recent Facebook post, well-known Roman exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth said the Islamic State (ISIS) “is Satan,” also questioning the lack of response from Western nations. “ISIS is Satan. Things first happen in the spiritual realms, then they are made concrete on this earth,” he… Read More ›

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Tuesday of Holy Week

There is an inner coldness, A deep emptiness that comes upon me this time of the year, Perhaps it is the radiating darkness From the occupied tomb of Holy Saturday, An ending known, The ending of us all A tomb waiting after our own passion, Ending in the bleakness of death. Beyond that day of… Read More ›

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Speak a word; how are we to be saved?

The brethren came to the Abba Anthony and said to him, ‘Speak a word; how are we to be saved?’ The old man said to them, ‘You have heard the Scriptures. That should teach you how.’ But they said, ‘We want to hear from you too, Father.’ Then the old man said to them, ‘The… Read More ›

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Stretch (prt 2)

If Christ came to save, why do many insist on believing that God created an economy of salvation, in which the greatest possible numbers of people are lost, merely because they had the bad luck in being born in a place where they would not hear the Gospel? Or even more common, the message made… Read More ›

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