The other day I was speaking to a priest about the challenges of the apostolate today. In the bleak modern landscape, where so much militates against revealed religion (and even common sense), “You have to have the faith of Abraham and the … 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.
Noah’s Ark and Peter’s Bark
In this number of the Ad Rem, I wish to consider the interesting and dogmatically significant subject of Ark-Church typology. In order to do so, I am going to excerpt from two other pieces — one written by Brother Thomas … Continue reading →
Truth and Its Enemies
Preparing myself for the regular Tuesday night meeting of Mike Church’s philosophy discussion group, I attentively read (and then twice reread) a passage in Brother Francis’ Logic Notes that he called “Truth and its enemies.” It is a wonderful elucidation of … Continue reading →
So Much Evil, So Many Opportunities!
The days are evil. We are beset. It reminds me of a quote attributed to that great philosopher, Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller, USMC: “All right, they’re on our left, they’re on our right, they’re in front of us, they’re behind … Continue reading →
Obergefell v. Hodges: A Moment of Grace
At the end of a short posting on our site, “Rod Dreher on Obergefell and Living as Exiles,” I said about that horrible SCOTUS ruling: “this is a moment of grace for us.” The promise was made to develop that … Continue reading →
The Phenomenon of Laudato Si’
The publication of Laudato Si’ has been met with a variety of reactions both positive and negative. “Weighing in” on the contents of the encyclical would be ill-advised for me on a number of counts, so I will not do … Continue reading →
To the Men
On Saturday, April 25, I was one of three speakers at the Napa Valley Catholic Men’s Conference. My two talks were entitled “Religious Liberty vs. Religious Right” and “Montfortian Masculinity” (those links will take you to our store site, where … Continue reading →
The Father, an Appreciation
The First Person of the Holy Trinity gets shabby treatment. I say that without any irony whatsoever. God the Father gets shabby treatment in His Person, in His works, by the disregarding of His Law, and by the current, widespread … Continue reading →
God is Good
When my religion class was recently discussing “goodness,” I asked them a tricky question. How is it that, in the creation account of Genesis, God calls His creation, including man, “good” seven times (Cf. Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, … Continue reading →
The Drama of Holy Week
Contrary to custom, I’m reposting/resending this piece I wrote for Holy Week four years ago. A blessed Holy Week, Triduum, and Easter to all our readers! If the Church’s liturgical calendar were a temple of time consecrated to God, what we are … Continue reading →
Art, Religion, and Purpose
Brother Francis used often to speak of the importance of purpose. He would begin with Aristotle, but not end there — for “the Philosopher,” as he was known, did not ascend to the truths of supernatural revelation. Aristotle saw the … Continue reading →
Good Servants, Poor Masters
[As Lent begins, please let me draw the readers’ attention to two relevant offerings on our web site: Suggested Lenten Penances, and Guilt Transformed, Some Lenten Thoughts. Also, for those beginning the preparation for Total Consecration on February 20 in … Continue reading →
The Evil in Our Hearts
“Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.” (Mt. 5:8). Without a doubt, the sixth Beatitude pertains to sexual purity, but not exclusively so. Its scope also includes purity of charity and of faith, as well as … Continue reading →
Montfortian Masculinity
“I am therefore very worried, and I call upon all Catholics, laymen, priests, and bishops, to involve themselves, from now up to the upcoming [October, 2015] Synodal assembly, in order to highlight the truth on marriage.” The words come to … Continue reading →
The Divine Infancy
Pax Christi! The month of December is dedicated to the “Divine Infancy.” As with so many consecrated phrases in the Religion, that innocent pairing of words touches upon a great mystery that a little child can understand, while the greatest … Continue reading →