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The Innate Qualities of the Child

Father Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. (1877-1964) was one of the greatest theologians of modern times. He was a staunch anti-modernist, who engaged and exposed the twerpy upstarts responsible for the neo-modernist Nouvelle Théologie (”New Theology”). Much more than a controversialist, the Dominican Friar could write of the deepest spiritual truths with a relish and lucidity that make his theology engaging to study.

In a series of three Ad Rem, I purpose to present his thoughts on “spiritual childhood.”

by Brother André Marie March 11th, 2010

No Way to Anime


Brian Kelly

Anime cartoons and their characters are a huge cultic phenomenon, the most popular of all escapist media venues. It is very addictive and very dangerous, to the soul and the mind. I don’t post weird stories, but this blog by Zoe Romanowski from Inside Catholic, along with another, even …


CDF Prefect Affirms: ‘Union with the Catholic Church is the goal of ecumenism’


Brother André Marie

One of the commentators on the relevant CWN article expressed it well: “It’s past time someone said this. Too often ecumenism is taken to mean the weakening of the teachings of the Church and the addition of non-Catholic ritual and beliefs.” A-m-e-n-!

Past time is better than no time — or, “better late than never.” All the scandal that has transpired, and is ongoing, in the name of ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue should cease at these words of Cardinal Levada defining its purpose (or “final cause” to you Aristotelians out there): “Union with the Catholic Church is the goal of ecumenism.”


2010 Saint Benedict Center Conference


The Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Our 2010 conference will be held on October 8 and 9 at Saint Benedict Center in Richmond, New Hampshire.

The information currently available is as follows:

Theme: “The Romance of Wisdom”

Cost: $100 for both days (Friday and Saturday). This includes meals. Single days without meals: $40.

Note: This year, Friday and Saturday will both be full days. There will be eight speakers giving presentations in addition to the master of ceremonies, our Prior, Brother Andre Marie.


Why Buddhism Is Open to Suicide


Brian Kelly

Archbishop Alberto Bottari de Castello, apostolic nuncio to Japan, has a very perceptive insight into the subversive effects Buddhist doctrine  has on the soul of a suffering devotee confronting hopelessness.  From Sandro Magister’s latest column: “Why Life is Worth So Little in Prosperous Japan.”

“The Japanese do not have a personal …


Is the False Apparition in Medjugorje Finally to Be Condemned?


The Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

[March 5, 2010 - Rome Reports (with hat tip to Rorate Caeli)]

Benedict XVI has formed a commission to investigate if Our Lady truly appeared in Medjugorje, a small town in Bosnia.

The commission is part of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Cardinal Camillo Ruini will preside over the commission. Ruini is the pope’s former vicar of Rome’s diocese. Ruini goal will be to explain to the pope what’s happening at the sanctuary which has become the third most visited in Europe.

Allegedly, at least 6 people have witnessed the Virgins apparitions there since 1981.


Yet Another Defense of Pius XII


Brother André Marie

When the enemies of the Church, the enemies of Christianity in general, and those who want to “hold” the Catholic hierarchy’s “feet to the fire” constantly jabber about Pius XII’s supposed complicity in the Nazi murder of Jews, it becomes necessary to defend the truth as well as the honor of the Holy Father. He was, after all, not only innocent of the crime of which he stands accused by an angry mob, but was also proactive in the protection of innocent Jews. That’s history. Catholics have a particular duty to defend the Church’s honor, but even secular historians of the era ought to vindicate Pius XII, if only to protect the integrity of their science.


The ‘Woman’ of Genesis


Brian Kelly

In changing the traditional Douay-Rheims rendering of Genesis 3:15 from “I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel” to the Catholic Revised Standard Version translation (based on the King James Bible), “I will put enmities between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed: he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel,” the scriptural foundation for the dogma of the Immaculate Conception is compromised. So, too, is the traditional doctrine concerning Our Lady’s essential role in salvation history, which has been translated into her more modern title of “Co-redemptrix.”


Iraq’s Dechristianization Continues


Brother André Marie

“The United Nations estimated that 683 Christians fled Mosul between February 20 and February 27. Chaldean Catholic Bishop Emil Shimoun Nona of Mosul estimated that ‘about 400 families’ had left the city’s community of 4,000 Christians.”

This disheartening data comes from an article in Catholic World News. The Iraqi Catholic bishops themselves are bemoaning the situation. But that’s not all they are doing; they are also praying, fasting, and organizing their people to protest peacefully. The facts are not to be denied, and they are not the “spin” of liberal news pundits trying to make a Republican effort look bad.


Manchester Bishop John B. McCormack to Lead Pilgrimage for Brother André’s Canonization


The Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Bishop John B. McCormack is inviting New Hampshire Catholics to join him on a pilgrimage to Rome and other Italian holy sites from October 15-25 in celebration of the canonization of Blessed Brother André Bessette.

Pope Benedict XVI recently announced that Blessed Brother André will be formally declared a saint at a ceremony in Saint Peter’s Square on October 17, 2010.

The pilgrimage will be organized by Canterbury Tours of Bedford, NH. It will also include visits to other Italian holy sites in Rome, Assisi, and Siena.


Abbé Georges de Nantes, R.I.P.


Brother André Marie

The Abbé Georges de Nantes, a very controversial figure in the traditionalist movement, and one of the most brilliant, who surrounded himself also with very gifted consecrated souls dedicated to the spirituality of Venerable Charles de Foucald, has died. Rorate Caeli has a small tribute to him, and the web site of the Catholic Counter Reformation in the XXIst Century has further details.


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Catechesis and Fundamentals

“Let’s get back to the fundamentals.” Usually one hears this said when complications arise from hyperactivity or novel experimentation. As the saying goes “the old ways are tried and true.”

The Church teaches that our holy Faith comes to us from the two fountains of scripture and tradition. There are no new doctrines, no new, inspired revelations. Everything that we believe by Faith is found explicitly in at least one of these, and at least implicitly in the other.

When we speak of Catholic fundamentals, we are speaking of the basic tenets of our religion. Where are these tenets found? In our Creeds, in the Ten Commandments, in the theology of the seven sacraments, and in our prayers. In fact the structure of every good catechism begins with questions and answers about each of the articles of the Apostles Creed, followed by an inquiry of each of the Ten Commandments, questions about grace and the seven sacraments, the petitions of the Our Father, and ending with questions pertaining to discipline and the laws of the Church. Of course the common prayers approved by the Church are also listed in the final pages of every catechism.

So, getting back to the fundamentals in Catholic parlance means to get back to the catechism and the things that we learned directly therein, or indirectly as an extension thereof.

In “Christology for Joe,” an article that answers questions from a thoughtful young man, I made some observations about the way the English language has been Protestantized. In this number of the Ad Rem, I excerpt from that article the part explaining the words used to distinguish the “cult” of the Blessed Virgin and the saints from the “cult” of the Blessed Trinity. This knowledge may prove useful in helping readers to think through, and deal with, certain objections that come to our religion from its critics. Read More »

Mar 2
Brother André Marie

Christology for Joe

by Brother André MarieMarch 02nd, 2010

Christology is that branch of sacred theology that studies the Incarnation. All theology is the study of God, for that is what the word means; this branch specifically studies the Man-God. Keeping in mind the precedence of the intellect to the will, we can say that knowledge of this science can help us with the arts of praying well and serving our Lord well. Remember: science applies to knowing, art to doing. Summarily, the study of Christology helps us to know Jesus better, that we may love and serve Him better. Read More »

How clever! Probably got a chuckle or two from the audience. The trouble is the speaker actually meant what he said.  Edward Schillebeeckx, O.P., summarized his theological legacy in these words in December 2008 at a symposium held in his honor at the University of Louvain in Belgium. He was ninety-four years old. He died one year later, on December 23. (Although Schillebeeckx was Belgian, most of his many years teaching and writing were in the Netherlands.) Read More »

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In Catholic countries, before the year 1000, it was a pious cus­tom for the layfolk to recite three Hail Marys to honor Our Lady in her singularly exalted role as the Mother of God. This was done towards evening, usually as the bell rang when religious in local monasteries were chanting that part of the Divine Office called Compline. Read More »

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LET’S HAVE A LITTLE TALK, my young friend, just you and I. It is private, yes. Read More »

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To Our Venerable Brethren, Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, Bishops, and to all Ordinaries in Peace and Communion with the Apostolic See.

Pius XI, Pontifex Maximus.

Venerable Brethren: Greetings and Apostolic Benediction: Read More »

(Webmaster’s Note: We are indebted to the Ukrainian Catholic daily, The New Star, of Chicago, for the following inspirational excerpt.)

Throughout his life Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky was a friend to Ukrainian youth. Read More »

The following extract from the Catechism on Catholic Doctrine, written by the renowned Scottish Bishop, George Hay (1729-1811), is presented for you as a testimony to the Faith of the centuries. A con­vert from Episcopalianism, Bishop Hay understood, far better than most of our present day Catholic clergy, the need for infallible authority in religious matters. Read More »

Listen, my brothers: If the Blessed Virgin is so honored, as it is right, since she carried Him in her most holy womb; if the blessed Baptist trembled and did not dare to touch the holy head of God; if the tomb in which He lay for some time is so venerated, how holy, just, and worthy must be the person who touches Him with his hands, receives Him in his heart and mouth, and offers Him to others to be received. This is He Who is now not about to die, but Who is eternally victorious and glorified, upon Whom the angels desire to gaze (1 Pet 1:12). Read More »

LOYAL ROMAN CATHOLICS are familiar with Pope Saint Pius V’s Bull Quo Primum, but many are not aware that this same great pope brought forth under the direction of The Council of Trent an authoritative Catechism that was to have priority of use by all parish priests in the world. From the Council of Trent we receive this directive: “But the Fathers deemed it of the first im­portance that a work should ap­pear, sanctioned by the authority of the Council, from which pastors and all others on whom the duty of imparting instruction devolves, may be able to seek and find reliable matter for the edification of the faithful; that, as there is one Lord, one Faith, there may also be one standard and prescribed form of propounding the dogmas of faith, and instruc­ting Christians in all of the duties of piety.” Read More »