Below is a little talk I gave this morning to our school students (most of whom are little), who are accustomed to hearing a few minutes’ meditation about the saint of the day before each Mass. Since today is a … 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.
The Miracle of the Sun and a Public Witness for Our Lady
The stunning Miracle of the Sun, described below in an eyewitness account, was a modern miracle testifying to the truth of the Catholic Faith and Our Lady’s exalted role in the economy of salvation. It was heaven’s seal of approval … Continue reading
Tired Old Arguments against Tradition
As the September-14 liftoff date for the Motu Proprio approaches, commentators are busy trying to frame public opinion about the Traditional Mass. There have been some very good and penetrating positive responses to the document, and there have been some … Continue reading
For the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
This Feast, the patronal feast of our congregation, falls on the Octave day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. The mystery under consideration, namely, Our Lady’s most pure heart, is something that was brought to the fore in the … Continue reading
Way off Center: The Southern Poverty Law Center on St. Benedict Center
Well, by the grace of God, we must be doing something right. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) published an article on Saint Benedict Center in the Summer issue of their Intelligence Report. It turns out they don’t like us. … Continue reading
Thank You, Holy Father!
The main page of our web site currently features a triumphalistic image of Pope Benedict XVI, with the words, “Thank you, Holy Father, for Summorum Pontificum!” Some have criticized us for this gratitude to the Roman Pontiff because of certain … Continue reading
Peace, a Fruit of the Holy Ghost
I began to write this on the feast of St. John of San Facundo, a Spanish Augustinian Friar of the fifteenth century. He is the patron of the city of Salamanca. Conspicuous for being a peace maker among factions, he … Continue reading
Considerations on the Conversion of Russia
A report on the Interfax-Religion web site has caused a stir in Fatima circles. The headline says it all, or almost all: Vatican has no plans to convert Russia to Catholicism – Cardinal Paul Poupard. According to the article, The … Continue reading
Tolkien and the Eucharist
In honor of yesterday’s Feast of Corpus Christi and its Octave, remnants of which still exist in the 1962 Liturgy, this is something of a literary tribute to the Bread of Life.
A Marian Primer
A recent convert to the Faith wrote us asking “how I can get to know Our Lady” because “the Virgin Mary has eluded me on my religious journey”? We sent him the following answer (edited for his privacy). We offer … Continue reading
Politicizing the Eucharist
Recently, a group of 18 congressmen, nominally Catholic, have insulted the Vicar of Christ as they publicly rejected the Church’s teaching on abortion. What occasioned the fashionable agitprop stunt was an interview that Pope Benedict gave in flight to Brazil, … Continue reading
Romano Amerio: The Rehabilitation of an ‘Integrist’
A major figure of the Traditional movement is now undergoing something of a posthumous rehabilitation. Dr. Romano Amerio has a singular status among those who object to present ecclesial novelties in the name of tradition. This Swiss-Italian philosopher and philologist … Continue reading
Father Feeney and the Bloggers, Part II
This is about where I left off in the last Ad Rem, with my (slightly edited) “blogger swan song”: Father Feeney’s statements on Judaism were very strong, yes. So were the statements of St. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, and a … Continue reading
Father Feeney and the Bloggers
I have already mentioned that media attention has come our way because of a site-plan-review process we are undergoing (see The Problem of Pluralism and the Delight of Demographics). Four distinct blogs have been born as a result of this … Continue reading
On the Church and the World: Lessons from the Easter Liturgy and the Russian Prophet
Lessons from Today’s Liturgy. During Easter Week, the traditional liturgy presents us with rich Scripture readings proper to every day of the week. Today, Wednesday of Easter Week, we read the Gospel account from John 21 about the post-Resurrection miraculous … Continue reading
