It is a wonderful sign that the study of serious mystical theology is gaining momentum in Catholic circles. We have much cause for joy in the revival of the deep, fortifying works of spiritual masters such as St. John of … Continue reading
Category: Articles
Review of The Faithful Departed: The Collapse of Boston’s Catholic Culture by Philip Lawler
In 1985 the US bishops received a confidential report on sexual abuse by clerics, warning them that there was “simply too much at stake for the Church” for the hierarchy to ignore the issue. (From the Introduction to The Faithful … Continue reading
The Rosary and the Republic
You may not have noticed it, but this is an election year. For a moment, though, we would do well to look beyond electioneering to the true hope of the Republic. This is not to dismiss politics — the way … Continue reading
For Christ the King
Sunday, October 28 is the Feast of Christ the King. That is, it is the feast in the 1962 Calendar followed by those who adhere to the “extraordinary form” of the Roman Liturgy. The feast is celebrated on November 25 … Continue reading
The Mystical Incarnation
Saint Louis de Montfort says that the true Slaves of Jesus through Mary will have a special devotion to the Incarnation (True Devotion , No. 243). Those who desire to be disciples of this great spiritual writer of the Church … Continue reading
Questions and Answers on Salvation by Rev. Michael Muller, C.SS.R.
Father Muller was one of the most widely read theologians of the nineteenth century. This article was first published in 1875.
Modern Philosophical Anthropology and the Catholic Conception of Man
The assignment: “Explain how modern ideas about the relation of body to soul have affected the Biblical idea of the human person.” To answer this question, we must first explain the Biblical idea itself. Father Ashley states that human persons … Continue reading
Saint Boniface and the Missionary Culture of the Faith
Oh you who are anxious to learn what it is to enjoy the Word, prepare not your ear but your soul; for it is grace that teaches it and not language. This secret remains hidden from the wise and the … Continue reading
Saint Peregrine: Anti-Cleric to Saint
The scene is in Italy in the troubled thirteenth century. The city of Forli had revolted against the authority of the Church. For this reason, it had been placed under an interdict by Pope Martin IV. The Pope chose a … Continue reading
The Image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Of the countless portraits depicting the Madonna and Child there is none more widely venerated than that of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Facsimiles of this ancient icon can be found in almost every country throughout the entire world. Wherever … Continue reading
Aristotelian Epistemology and Leo XIII’s Thomist Revival
Of the three major approaches to Epistemology, (also known as “Major Logic,” or “Criteriology,” i.e., that philosophical discipline which studies the theory of knowledge), two constitute opposite, erroneous poles, while the third strikes a happy medium between them.
Venerable Emmanuel d’Alzon: ‘A Noble and Frank Intolerance’
Venerable Emmanuel d’Alzon first caught my attention when I came upon the following paragraph from an address he gave to his religious congregation. “We love Christ with the same kind of love as the early Christians because He still faces … Continue reading
Red is for Martyrdom: Unsung Heroes of the Sacred College
Well then, on the Cardinal’s ring that I will consign in a few moments to the new members of the Sacred College is portrayed precisely the Crucifixion. This, dear new Cardinal-Brothers, will always be an invitation for you to remember … Continue reading
Cardinal Biffi’s Bombshell
He retired as Archbishop of Bologna in 2003. In June of 2008, he will be eighty and therefore ineligible to vote in conclave. All the same, Giacomo Cardinal Biffi is exerting tremendous influence — if only moral influence — in … Continue reading
The Lesser of Two Evils
In the movie “Master and Commander,” Rear Admiral Sir John Aubrey (played by Russell Crowe) pretends to ask one of his officers a difficult question. He inquires which of two weevils that have appeared on the ship’s table would be … Continue reading
