National Catholic Register, Matt D’Antuono: St. Augustine explains that the word prayer does not simply mean speaking to God, though that is certainly one way to pray. Prayer, in its broadest sense, means desire: What else is intended by the words … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Saint Augustine
A Humorous Quote By . . .
Saint Augustine? Yes. “Dancing demands a freed person, one who vibrates with the equipoise of all his powers. I praise the dance. O man, learn to dance, or else the angels in heaven will not know what to do with … Continue reading
Saint Augustine on Friendship
This paper was written in preparation for a talk at the 2006 Saint Benedict Center Conference. My talk — which was not a mere reading of the paper — is available on CD and MP3. The conference’s theme was “Catholic … Continue reading
Has the Church Changed Its Teaching on No Salvation Outside the Church?
Brother André Marie introduced me to the Called to Communion: Reformation Meets Rome website this morning. The writers for the site are all young scholars who have converted to the Catholic Faith during the past decade. One of them, Tom … Continue reading
Baptism of Desire: Its Origin and Abandonment in the Thought of Saint Augustine
Perish the thought that a person predestined to eternal life could be allowed to end this life without the sacrament of the mediator. (Saint Augustine) This article will focus on the question of explicit baptism of desire — as it … Continue reading
Holy Father Calls Saint Augustine His “Traveling Companion”
Here’s a clip from the pope’s Wednesday address: Zenit News: “As you know, I am also united in a special way to some saints: among these, in addition to St. Joseph and St. Benedict, whose names I bear, and of … Continue reading
To “Do” the Truth and “Speak” the Works
My heart hath uttered a good word, I speak my works to the king; My tongue is the pen of a scrivener that writeth swiftly. (Ps. 44:2 Introit of Our Lady’s Mass for Saturday). But he that doth truth, cometh … Continue reading
A Note on History
One of the few things on which most Americans will agree is that dates are not worth remembering. A typical conversation might run like this: “Oh! You’re going to college?”
Happy Feast Day Saint Monica
I haven’t much time left in my workday to give enough praise to Saint Monica whose feast day we celebrate today, but I would like to emphasize a few of the virtues that made her so great. This is a … Continue reading
Pelagius Lives
(See the From the Housetops editor’s introduction to this article.) The February 1991 issue of the Catholic magazine 30 Days featured a very striking cover designed by Romano Sicillani. Michelangelo’s famous painting from the Sistine Chapel, the Fall and Expulsion … Continue reading
The Holy Name of Jesus and Free Will
“But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name.” (John 1:12) On this Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, it was my privilege to … Continue reading
The Woman at the Well
“This is indeed the Saviour of the world.” John 4:42 Fools miss the sublime truths of Holy Scripture. While the story of Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman is one of the most well known episodes in Holy Scripture, few … Continue reading
Mary’s Perpetual Virginity
“The friends of Christ refuse to admit subsequent marital relations between Joseph and Mary. Accordingly, those who denied the virginity post partum are not the friends of Christ; they are not true Christians.” (St. Basil the Great +379) People of … Continue reading
Confess Your Sins!
St. Francis de Sales, the Bishop of Geneva, was responsible for the conversion of Lady Stafford, a Protestant noble woman, who had formerly been intransigent in her opposition to the Catholic Faith. After going to one of his Masses, she … Continue reading