The Narthex
Lessons from Mrs. Tkac
Death is a part of life, and pondering it should not be something alien to us
By John M. Grondelski | October 15th 2024 11:47 AMEach year as Columbus Day rolls around, I recall Mrs. Tkac. Mrs. Tkac was a childhood neighbor whose funeral I attended on Columbus Day 1968. They say that childhood impressions last longest and, I have to say, in this case, it’s true. I didn’t know Mrs. Tkac personally; I was…
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The practice of cremation clashes with many elements of Christian tradition
By John M. Grondelski | March 18th 2024 2:04 PMI’ve regularly criticized the contemporary Church’s generous toleration of cremation. I’ve voiced many reasons why this indulgence of cremation is wrongheaded, but one reason that I think gets too little attention is the symbolic confusion that cremation generates. Man is a symbolic creature, one who is prone to see, recognize,…
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