“What would happen,” asks St. Maximilian, “if a soldier — who did not always know the plan of the general — began to act on his own: open fire when he must remain silent, or march forward when he must … Continue reading
Category: Articles
Which Christian Nation Are We Defending?
But the ally of Pontiffs [— the Christian Roman Emperor —] would possess a dignity touching upon the heavenly; for such are the sacred interests whereof he would assume the filial guardianship. Without in the least encroaching on the domain … Continue reading
Israel’s Catholic Problem
Initial Catholic Reactions to the Establishment of the State of Israel At midnight, on May 14, 1948, the British Mandate for the Administration of Palestine — first assigned by the Supreme Allied Council in 1920, and confirmed by the League of Nations in … Continue reading
The Inseparability of the Three Hearts
Heart of Jesus I adore thee; Heart of Mary, I implore thee; Heart of Joseph, pure and just; In these three hearts I put my trust. August 22 in the traditional calendar is the feast of the Immaculate Heart of … Continue reading
St. Alphonsus de Liguori and the Dispelling of Spiritual Vertigo
Quotes Worth Contemplating for the Feast of St. Alphonsus de Liguori St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696–1787) knew all about spiritual vertigo. He had lived with it. He had lived through it. For those of us who struggle with an ordered … Continue reading
How Clericalism Can Kill the Faith
One of the great post Vatican II mysteries was how three heavily Catholic areas — the Southern Netherlands, Quebec, and Ireland — could lose the Faith so quickly and completely in the wake of Vatican II. These three regions did … Continue reading
The Rampart of Faith
It is one thing to have the supernatural virtue of faith as it is instilled in us at baptism: the virtue by which we firmly believe all those truths God has revealed. It is another thing to have the personal … Continue reading
The Unholy Trinity of the American Public School
School days, school days Dear old Golden Rule days ‘Reading and ‘riting and ‘rithmetic Taught to the tune of the hick’ry stick You were my queen in calico I was your bashful, barefoot beau And you wrote on my slate, … Continue reading
Wielding the Holy Saber of Love
We are all pretty familiar with the idea of sacramentals as weapons. We know St. Maximilian called Miraculous Medals his “bullets”; we have often heard the Rosary spoken of as a “sword.” We probably have at least a vague sense … Continue reading
Entering the Fray: Catholics, Muslims, and the True God
“Do Muslims worship the same God we Catholics do?” This simple question has generated a big dust-up online recently, with many people entering the fray. Here is my contribution. While I am not sure what sparked this particular permutation of … Continue reading
Noted Scholastic Theologians on the Question Whether Muslims Worship the True God
An X-user who employs the screen name, “Fanatic Thomist,” produced a very useful florilegium of passages from scholastic theologians answering affirmatively to the question, “Do Jews and Muslims worship the true God as Christians?” Below are embedded all of his … Continue reading
How Not to Be Orcs
You may remember the scene in third Lord of the Rings movie where Frodo is unconscious up in the tower of Cirith Ungol, and orcs who captured him start fighting over his “shiny shirt.” One ugly orc fellow pushes the … Continue reading
Checks and Balances: Medieval Style
Tie in a living tether the prince and priest and thrall, bind all our lives together, smite us and save us all; in ire and exultation aflame with faith, and free, lift up a living nation, a single sword to … Continue reading
The Attack on Iran Does Not Meet Christian Just War Standards
The following news release of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts was published on the night of the attack, Saturday, June 21, 2025. President Donald J. Trump, who surprised and rallied Republican primary voters in 2016, by denouncing the invasion … Continue reading
Apostle to the Russians: Fr. Feodor Wilcock, S.J.
Los Angeles in the late 1970s, when I was in High School, was an interesting place in some ways, and deadly dull in others. As a young lad I sought colour and the picturesque in a place burned dull brown … Continue reading
