For many years, German leaders had been struggling to cope with an influx of peoples across their borders. While the crisis was one that had afflicted much of Europe, it was Germany that bore the brunt. Year after year they had been coming, crossing from the steppes of the . . . . Continue Reading »
As I am writing these lines at the end of November, the county and city of Passau (where I am from) is putting up more refugees than whole countries in Eastern Europe have agreed to accept. Winter is coming, so things must be done safely and well. I am proud of the charity and hospitality I see . . . . Continue Reading »
The following is a public statement from Dr. Bishop Rudolf Voderholzer of Regensburg, Germany.On October 22nd, 2015, the German Bishops' Conference in a press release called attention to a gender flyer entitled “Geschlechtersensibel. Gender katholisch gelesen” [Gender Sensitive: A Catholic . . . . Continue Reading »
Romanticism: A German Affair by rüdiger safranski northwestern, 376 pages, $35 During the early Romantic era, subjective sentiments and an often solipsistic quest for personal fulfillment began to challenge Enlightenment ideals of rational dialogue. John Keats’s 1817 plea “for a life of . . . . Continue Reading »
The following four letters regarding the situation of refugees in Germany were sent from a German observer to a curious American. They are re-printed here with the permission of the correspondents.September 11, 2015Dear American Friend: Thank you for asking about the mounting waves of refugees in . . . . Continue Reading »
The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm by jacob and wilhelm grimm translated and edited by jack zipes princeton, 568 pages, $35 F or two hundred years, the Grimms’ fairy tales have charmed the world. Yet their wide circulation has gone hand in hand with a systematic dilution. . . . . Continue Reading »
Björn Odendahl, an editor at Katholisch.de, writes the following in the course of commenting on the Pope's plans for Africa in a piece entitled “The Romantic, Poor Church”:So also in Africa. Of course the Church is growing there. It grows because the people are socially dependent and . . . . Continue Reading »
Currently, visitors to the Vatican Museums in Rome have the opportunity to visit an exhibition devoted to Cardinal Bolesław Kominek (1903-1974), aptly titled “Europe’s Forgotten Founding Father.” The author of the “Pastoral Letter of the Polish Bishops to Their German Brothers,” sent . . . . Continue Reading »
In the run-up to this fall’s Synod on the Family, we’ve been hearing a lot from the German bishops. They argue that church teaching and discipline must be informed by Lebenswirklichkeit, the reality of life. The Church should engage “the reality of human beings and of the world,” they say, . . . . Continue Reading »
Last week was a momentous one for the European project. On Monday, the Greek Parliament passed an austerity package that other Eurozone members, especially Germany, had demanded as a condition for considering Greece’s request for an €86 bailout. Negotiations will now begin. How they will end is . . . . Continue Reading »
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