“He that is of God heareth the words of God.” — a meditation on Passiontide, based on the Gospel and Epistle for Passion Sunday. Passion Sunday. Today is Passion Sunday. The Church gives it this name because the two weeks … Continue reading
Category: «Ad Rem» A Fortnightly Email Message from the Prior
«Ad Rem» is our Prior’s fortnightly email message offering news and commentary regarding the Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Crusade of St. Benedict Center, and issues affecting the universal Church. Each number offers brief, ad rem (“to the point”) commentary on timely or otherwise important matters. Click here to subscribe to our email list and receive the «Ad Rem» each time it’s published.
What is the Natural Law?
It is not uncommon to run across the term “natural law” in Catholic journals and newspapers. Frequently, the context is a discussion of hot-button moral issues in the culture war, such as abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, birth control, and so-called “end-of-life … Continue reading
Lenten Combat Considerations
For your edification, I offer some thoughts on this week’s Sunday Gospel and Epistle, which focus us on the spiritual combat of the Lenten season, and of the Christian life. These meditations were prepared for Sunday, so they refer to … Continue reading
Cardinal Biffi and Soloviev’s Antichrist
Much attention has justly been given to Cardinal Biffi’s Lenten Retreat to the Pope and leaders of the Roman Curia (e.g., “Pope’s Retreat Preacher Speaks on Antichrist As a ‘Pacifist, Ecologist and Ecumenist’”). Soon after the retreat — because papal … Continue reading
On the Hatred of ‘the World’
Below is a sublime liturgical reflection from the pen of my favorite spiritual writer, Abbot Prosper Guéranger. It is an excerpt from The Liturgical Year for the Tuesday of Quinquagesima Week, where that profound Benedictine master writes about the hatred we … Continue reading
Archbishop Ranjith and His Frank Assessment
Earlier this week, we linked to Anthony Valle’s interview with Archbishop Albert Malcom Ranjith Patabendige Don, the Sri Lankan secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship. The interview was published by Inside the Vatican and has been made available on … Continue reading
‘Oriental Orthodox’ Dialogue, the Problem of Pluralism
Zenit news agency ran a story on the ecumenical dialogue with the Oriental Orthodox (Report of Catholic-Oriental Orthodox Commission). Noteworthy in that report is the list of papers that were presented at the Commission’s meeting. Please notice the topics: “Mission, … Continue reading
Liberal Hate Profiteers Slam Traditionalists
Anybody not gullible enough to swallow everything the liberal media cram down his throat knows that the word “anti-Semitism” is a serious verbal weapon frequently hurled around by ideologues and opportunists alike. An organization that fits both categories has recently … Continue reading
The Candidates and Church Teaching
It is a privilege to treat our friends to some of Gary Potter’s discerning thoughts concerning the election. — Brother André Marie, M.I.C.M. The Candidates and Church Teaching By Gary Potter There is still more than a year to go … Continue reading
Part III of the Review of ‘Harvard to Harvard’
This is the final installment of our review of Abbot Gabriel’s book. (Click Here for Part I / Click Here for Part II) The “Regularization.” When Abbot Gabriel told me that there would be things Brother Francis would not agree … Continue reading
Part II of the Review of ‘Harvard to Harvard’
In the last edition, I mentioned that my review of Abbot Gabriel’s book would cover both its positive and its negative aspects. I also mentioned that, should the parts we view as less favorable get more attention, it is not … Continue reading
Review of ‘Harvard to Harvard’ by Abbot Gabriel Gibbs (Part I)
The Abbot of St. Benedict Abbey in Still River has made an important contribution to the historical literature on Father Feeney and his Crusade, Harvard to Harvard. Abbot Gabriel Gibbs, O.S.B., one of the early members of the Slaves of … Continue reading
A Tale of Two Monasteries
The Australian-based CathNews web site has been reviewing the major news stories of 2006. Two of those stories side-by-side made for an alarming study in ecclesiastical confusion. The first covered the unconventional conversion of Frere Roger of Taize, the ecumenical … Continue reading
Christmas and the Battle
The Holy Father’s Angelus Address on the Feast of St. Stephen reminded us of some thoughts of Father Feeney’s in Bread of Life, namely, that the Christ Child came into an evil world and was very soon surrounded by violence. … Continue reading
False Ecumenism: An Old Error, On Hanukkah and Christmas
What we call today, ecumenism, is not a new thing. (Neither, for that matter, is its cousin, syncretism, or its twin sister, indifferentism. Error is very old.) The not-very-venerable antiquity of ecumenism struck me the other day as I was … Continue reading
