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
Category: Articles
The Latin Mass and the Orthodox
Under the headline “Russian Orthodox prelate welcomes return of Latin Mass,” Catholic World News ran a report on Patriarch Alexei II’s positive reception on Pope Benedict’s motu proprio giving more freedom to the ceremonies of the Classical Roman Rite. Summorum … Continue reading
Jesus Christ and the Church: The Fullness of Divine Revelation
The assignment: Write a three page paper responding to the following questions. How can the finite man Jesus be the fullness of divine revelation? How can the finite Roman Catholic Church transmit the fullness of divine revelation? Include reference to … Continue reading
Saint Leo the Great: No Fear, No Compromise, the Lion in the Chair
Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation, for there is no conflict without an enemy, no victory without strife. (Pope St. Leo the Great) Attila, the great Khan of the Huns, trained his mobile soldiers to sleep on their … Continue reading
The Political Side of Pope Benedict
Gary Potter is deeply read on the Church’s traditional social teaching. He has spoken and written extensively on the Social Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Boniface VIII and the Heresy of Statism
A Review of The Church at the Turning Points of History, by Godfrey Kurth. Paperback: 160 pages Publisher: IHS Press (September 1, 2007) ISBN-10: 1932528091 ISBN-13: 978-1932528091 History is the laboratory of wisdom, says my mentor. But for all the … Continue reading
Islam Versus the Faith
Much of history since the seventh century has been shaped by an unending conflict between the One True Church and Islam. Today’s Church having fallen into a sorry state with many of her members no longer understanding that they belong … Continue reading
The Edict of Nantes, Wars of Religion, and Damnable Nationalism
The Edict of Nantes was a pragmatic, political solution to the civil strife that existed in a sixteenth-century France ravaged by wars of religion. Though the edict itself was not trusted, appreciated, or liked by most Frenchmen at the time, … Continue reading
Is Bible Reading Safe?
We often hear the question asked, sometimes even by the well-instructed: “Is it safe to read the Bible?” The answer, of course, is: “Yes, certainly; the Church blesses and encourages the habitual reading of Holy Scripture by all the faithful.” … Continue reading
A Great Catholic Historian: Godfrey Kurth C. S. G.
I have finished reading the wonderful volume of Godfrey Kurth, The Church at the Turning Points of History, now happily brought back into print by my friends at IHS Press. This accomplished author is not so well known as he … Continue reading
The Divine Maternity
One of the most effective means by which Holy Church exercises her office of teaching is the institution of feasts in the liturgical year. During the seasons of Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost, to mention only three prominent examples, the whole … Continue reading
Christmas and the Expectation of the Nations
One of the striking triumphs of God in our difficult world is the recurring miracle of Christmas. Once a year the whole of mankind, believers and unbelievers, must think of an event from which all history before and after is … Continue reading
Trinitarian Processions
This paper summarizes Catholic teaching on the procession of the Son from the Father, and of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son. Given that the Son and the Holy Ghost are consubstantial with the Father, that is, … Continue reading
What’s the Filioque?
One of the doctrinal controversies between the schismatic, so-called Orthodox churches of the East and the Catholic Church is a dogma expressed in one word: Filioque (Fee-lee-OH-kway). But what does this word mean? Filioque is Latin for “and the Son.” … Continue reading
Why is the Holy Ghost called “Holy”?
The following is from Blessed Columba Marmion’s masterful Christ, the Life of the Soul. In the larger context, Abbot Marmion is considering the mystery of holiness, first in God, then in men. After speaking of holiness considered as an attribute … Continue reading
