One of the major themes of the Church’s Advent liturgy is hope as exemplified in the lovely hymn, Rorate Caeli. That this is a season of hope is something of a commonplace in considerations on these first four weeks of … 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.
Religious Sisters, an Appreciation and an Appeal
Pax Christi. In this Ad Rem, I offer a brief reflection on religious life and especially on female religious; I give a long overdue public appreciation of our own Sisters here at Saint Benedict Center; and, finally, I make an … Continue reading
A Letter to Employers on the Ethics of the COVID-19 Jabs
In recent months and especially recent weeks, I have been asked by several individuals to provide letters for them as they seek religious exemptions from draconian COVID-19 “vaccine” mandates. As many of these drugs do not fit the definition of … Continue reading
The ‘Lex Orandi’ of Christ the King
This coming Sunday is the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King in the Traditional Roman calendar. A feast of recent origin, Pope Pius XI gave it to the Church in 1925 specifically as a perpetual monument to the … Continue reading
On the Virtue Stubbornness
Our 2021 Saint Benedict Center Conference is now history. Thankfully, it is a pleasant history — so we are being told by many in attendance — and one that can be relived in part by listening to or viewing the … Continue reading
On Wrath and Wine: How Virtue Can Surprise Us
One of the lessons we frequently meet in the lives of the saints is that true virtue can be very surprising. For instance, the “hilaritas mentis” (cheerfulness of heart) of many saints who were very ascetic — e.g., Saint Philip … Continue reading
Pope Francis and the Senseless Galatians
In two back-to-back Wednesday audiences last month, Pope Francis managed to bring upon himself a great deal of criticism from two quite different audiences: faithful Catholics and the Grand Rabbinate of Israel. While Catholic outlets were quick to pick up … Continue reading
Ordered Virtue as Resistance to Revolution
Next week, our IHM School resumes classes. ‘Tis that time of year! In honor of all the students, parents, and teachers preparing for a new academic year, I thought I would make this Ad Rem a “back-to-school special” edition. It … Continue reading
On ‘Traditionis Custodes,’ Keeping Calm, and Carrying on
“Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:10). So goes the eighth Beatitude, which is the only one of the eight followed up by an inspired “footnote” at the end: … Continue reading
Prudence and Charity
In this third and last installment of my mini-series on Prudentia according to Josef Pieper, I will focus on one chapter from the fine book, The Four Cardinal Virtues, the title of which I borrow for this Ad Rem: “Prudence … Continue reading
Knowing the Real and Doing the Good
Last week, I began what I intend to be a three-part study of the cardinal virtue of prudence using the insights of the German Catholic philosopher, Dr. Josef Pieper, with an eye to current events. There is a lot of … Continue reading
The ‘Mother’ of Virtues as a Remedy to Pervasive Surrealism
German Catholic philosopher, Josef Pieper, had very much to say about the theological and moral virtues in a number of his writings. Of interest here are chapters in his 1964 collection of previously written studies, The Four Cardinal Virtues, wherein … Continue reading
Dystopian Fantasy versus Reality
The following is a brief speech I gave at IHM School’s graduation this past Sunday. Readers should know that our school in rural New Hampshire is very small. We had two graduates this year. Over the last eighteen months, we have all … Continue reading
Saint Bernard’s ‘Three Freedoms’
Over eight centuries before Franklin D. Roosevelt articulated his “Four Freedoms,” a shorter and much better list of freedoms was elucidated by the young abbot of the new monastery of Clairvaux, one Bernard by name. In his work On Grace … Continue reading
The Progress of Salvation
“Are you saved, brother?” That question, often asked by a certain kind of “reformed” Protestant, can be answered in different ways, depending on the precise meaning given to the word “saved.” We might answer, “No, I’m not dead yet,” or, … Continue reading
