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worth noting . . .
DISAPPEARING DADS . . . In this country, each year sees more and more children growing up without a father in the home. An estimated 24 million children live without their father present. A caring and present father influences the mental, social, physical and spiritual development of the child—whether a boy or a girl. In this issue Professor James C. Stroud and Fr. Brian A. Dudzinski present the facts of the case in clear language; they also then go on to offer some suggestions on what should be done and what the Catholic Church might do to reverse a trend that bodes ill for the future of our society).
OLD AND NEW IN THE NEW TESTAMENT . . . One often reads that the God of the Old Testament was a God of wrath, while the God of the New Testament is a God of love. That this is a very distorted and false view of God is demonstrated by Dr. Frederick W. Marks in this issue of HPR. By a careful analysis of the texts, Dr. Marks shows that the God of mercy in the OT is the same as the God of love in the NT. He shows that many themes that run through both testaments are the same—mercy, love, forgiveness, election and so forth. He also points to what is new in the New Testament—for example, the Sacraments, poverty and love of enemies.
MINISTRY OF CONSOLATION . . . Funeral celebrations are a ministry of consolation. The priest is very much involved in consoling the mourners who are family members and friends. In this issue Fr. J. Anthony Meis, who has had extensive experience in burying the dead, offers some helpful suggestions to us priests on how to handle funeral Masses, vigils and the graveside prayers. He maintains that the presence and conduct of the priest makes a profound impression on the mourners and is a key factor in bringing them to accept God’s will in the death of a loved one. He puts special emphasis on the importance of good music and singing.
MORALITY IN MOVIES . . . There is no doubt that dramas, movies and television programs can and do influence the way people think about what is good and what is evil, about morality and ethics. Depending on how the hero is portrayed, the audience can be moved in various ways to accept his moral thinking and acting. In this issue Fr. Patrick F. Norris, O.P., analyzes the moral persuasion operative in a recent film about abortion, The Cider House Rules. The film makes a powerful pitch for the pro-abortion position. Fr. Norris offers a penetrating critique of the film and points out its errors and false assumptions.
Back to Homiletic & Pastoral Review Table of Contents December 2000