Mercy has a human face.Some people find the television program NYPD Blue NYPD Blue is an Emmy Award-winning hour long-running American television police drama set in New York City. It was created by Steven Bochco and David Milch and inspired by Milch's relationship with a former member of the New York City Police Department Bill Clark (who offensive. I find it very Catholic. I find it Catholic in the sense that it deals with questions of sin and grace and portrays some very human characters struggling to rise above the effects of original sin original sin, in Christian theology, the sin of Adam, by which all humankind fell from divine grace. Saint Augustine was the fundamental theologian in the formulation of this doctrine, which states that the essentially graceless nature of humanity requires redemption . Dennis Franz' character, Andy Sipowicz Andy Sipowicz was a fictional character on the popular ABC television series NYPD Blue. He was played for the entire run of the show by Dennis Franz. Sipowicz is a New York City police detective working in a fictionalized 15th Precinct placed on the lower east side , reminds me of guys I grew up with and guys who live on my block. They might not be poster boys for the spiritual-growth movement, but they try to live right and to do the right thing. When Sipowicz, a recovering alcoholic, went off the wagon after his son was murdered, he faced certain and complete ruin, a living hell. His partner, Bobby Simone Bobby Simone was a fictional character in the television series NYPD Blue. He was played by Jimmy Smits from near the start of the second season until the beginning of the sixth. , tried one last time to reach him. "Do you want help, Andy? Just say it. Say you want help!" his friend pleaded. Sipowicz nodded. In that moment we witnessed a man's redemption. He said the words, "I need help"--and his whole life opened up before him. Jesus said, "Behold, I make all things new." Notice that he didn't say, "Behold, I make all new things." The miracle that takes place when we open our hearts to God's love is that our external circumstances may not change, and yet all things are made new. In "Mercy me: How to crack open a hardened heart" (pages 12-17), theologian and storyteller John Shea continues his exploration of the sacraments as a spiritual path by looking in on a family drifting toward the edge of crisis. Together they attend a Reconciliation service and find that abundant life is as close as their own open hands. Author Catherine Wallace tells of her own discovery. On a book tour to promote For Fidelity, Wallace was surprised to find that her book tapped into such deep spiritual hunger among the supposedly cynical and hardened media professionals she met. She tells of lessons she learned on the road as an "Accidental evangelist" (pages 30-33). Renowned artist Franklin McMahon and columnist Peter Gilmour took to the road, too, and offer a fascinating report, in word and picture, of the recent gathering of the Parliament of the World's Religions There have been several meetings referred to as a Parliament of the World’s Religions, most notably the World's Parliament of Religions of 1893, the first attempt to create a global dialogue of faiths. in Cape Town Cape Town or Capetown, city (1991 pop. 854,616), legislative capital of South Africa and capital of Western Cape, a port on the Atlantic Ocean. It was the capital of Cape Province before that province's subdivision in 1994. , South Africa South Africa, Afrikaans Suid-Afrika, officially Republic of South Africa, republic (2005 est. pop. 44,344,000), 471,442 sq mi (1,221,037 sq km), S Africa. . And we have two reports on vocations: Sister Doris Gottemoeller, R.S.M. tells the editors about the vitality of religious orders of women, and Sue Fox McGovern reflects on the value of renewing one's wedding vows. As we were going to press we received news that U.S. CATHOLIC's founding editor, Robert E. Burns, died in Portage, Wisconsin (see The Examined Life, page 50). A day later we received word that Dorothy Day would be officially considered for canonization canonization (kăn'ənĭzā`shən), in the Roman Catholic Church, process by which a person is classified as a saint. It is now performed at Rome alone, although in the Middle Ages and earlier bishops elsewhere used to canonize. . Burns was a great admirer of Day and was instrumental in getting Claretian Publications involved in advocating the cause of her canonization. I'd love to listen in on their conversation when they meet in heaven. |
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