On this Saturday in the 1st Week of Lent, we have a reading from Gaudium et spes, the “Pastoral” Constitution on the Church in the Modern World from the Second Vatican Council.
GS 9-10 is the second reading in the Office of Readings in the Liturgia horarum.
This is a highly controversial document. First, it is hard to say what a “Pastoral” Constitution is in contrast to a “Dogmatic” Constitution such as Dei Verbum. People on both ends of the debate over Gaudium et spes have strong positions. Some say GS is infected with “modernism” or is too centered on man. Others turn GS and other conciliar documents into “super-dogma”.
Whatever your side is, Gaudium et spes is fascinating. It can be read benignity or with hostility. But we should read it critically, in the best sense. Even the present Pope Benedict XVI in years past has strong negative criticisms of Gaudium et spes.
I will talk about these things and more.
Also, we have another installment of stories about the fictional don Camillo Tarocci, (+ A.D. … ?) parish priest of “The Little World” created by Giovanni Guareschi.
I began a to read stories from The Little World of Don Camillo back in PODCAzT 65. There is a Don Camillo tag you can use to find the others easily.
These delightful pieces are set in post-war Nothern Italy.
They blend brilliant insight into the human condition with solid applied Catholic Faith. ![]()
Today we hear two tales:
and
The Defeat
Finally, I have an interesting voicemail from a layman in the USA who attends a chapel of the SSPX. He has observations about the blog, SSPXers, and being a Catholic.
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https://zuhlsdorf.computer/podcazt/09_03_07.mp3Not sure if the iTunes feed is working. It stops and starts again… mysteriously. Beats me!
Some of the last offerings (check out the PODCAzT PAGE):
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