«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.
There were many interesting reactions to my piece, “The Yuck Factor.” Some accused me of Manicheanism, Islamic voluntarism, “rantings and ravings against gay and lesbian people,” insanity, “innate, inbred bigotry,” and being simultaneously a “closet gay” and a “homophobe.” Others … Continue reading
In our increasingly superficial culture, many moral decisions are made based on surface appearances, emotional reactions to those appearances, and an alarming lack of intellectual or volitional activity to check those emotional reactions. This has serious ramifications for all of … Continue reading
The great mandate to the Church can be called “educational,” for Jesus commanded His apostles to make disciples of all nations. A disciple is one who learns. One who “makes” a disciple teaches him. Ergo, the Church’s mission is (largely, … Continue reading
In his humorous but informative documentary “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed,” Ben Stein refers to Darwinism as a “quaint nineteenth-century theory.” This is what is known as “damning by faint praise,” and it is a commonly employed rhetorical device. Oftentimes, it … Continue reading
In a conversation with some of our conference speakers, who are also all contributors to this web site, the question “What is Christendom?” was presented for our consideration. The hope was expressed that these writers would each offer his thoughts … Continue reading
A dedicated and much loved Catholic priest, who has been ordained just over a decade dies at the age of forty-nine. It seems like a tragedy, especially since many were dependent on him for the traditional liturgical life that he, … Continue reading
Two writings recently emanated from officials very high in the Holy See concerning marriage and the family. The statements are frank and blunt, especially by today’s standards. The first was penned by Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller, the Prefect of the … Continue reading
The Church’s calendar is soon to reach its dramatic terminus. We are yet in the lengthy last part of it, the Pentecost cycle, which, this year, began on Sunday, May 19. Since, liturgically, we are in the Reign of the … Continue reading
When speaking of liberalism, it is important to define our terms, for if we do not, certain assumptions will be made, with reference to the popular lexicon of American partisan politics. This would be a grave mistake, for much of … Continue reading
The heresy of antinomianism received its name from Martin Luther, who, wrote against the more “extreme” doctrines of Johannes Agricola, the enfant terrible of Luther’s own novel doctrine of Justification by faith only. In brief, antinomianism — coming from anti … Continue reading
There were natives in our New World when the missionaries came, who thought it a good idea to eat the heart and drink the blood of the enemy they killed, if that enemy showed exemplary courage. Like other pagans — … Continue reading
Years ago, on the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, a priest who was visiting Saint Benedict Center began his sermon on the feast with the words “God loves mountains!” He then preached a tour de force on the … Continue reading
Philosophers tell us that the essence of a relation is to be ad aliquid — “towards another.” In considering our own relationships, the most important ones we can speak of are those we have with the Holy Trinity and Our … Continue reading
A fallen-away Catholic once told me, “I gave up that religion for a relationship.” What she was saying is that Catholicism, with all its ceremonies, doctrines, and other “formalities,” did not give her a relationship with Jesus, which is exactly … Continue reading
In philosophy, we consider being under three different aspects that we call the transcendentals. They are the true, good, and beautiful (verum, bonum, et pulchrum). As being is knowable to our intellects, it is true; as being is loved by … Continue reading
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