I give thanks for the grace of being present when the Holy Father declared my patron, Brother André Bessette, CSC, to be a Saint. It happened in St. Peter’s Square this very morning. Thanks to the good graces of a … Continue reading
Category: Columns
St. Joseph, St. Theresa, and Your Friendly Neighborhood Brothers
Here’s a little secret I reveal to readers while the Brothers are on our Roman pilgrimage. Exactly a year ago today — on the feast of St. Theresa of Avila — the MICM Brothers in Richmond, N.H. instituted a new … Continue reading
Very Good News: a New Priest for SBC
All friends and supporters of Saint Benedict Center are hereby informed that Father David Phillipson has been appointed to serve at Saint Benedict Center, Richmond. Father has been granted faculties by the Bishop of Manchester to offer Mass and hear … Continue reading
Christopher Columbus More Than an Explorer, Harbinger of the Gospel of Salvation
Joe Hargrave has a fantastic little article, with no apologies, on Christopher Columbus, which is posted on the American Catholic website. Catholic historians used to rave about Columbus. They told what a brave sailor and explorer he was, and, above … Continue reading
Great Article on Auriesville Pilgrimage
Our conference is progressing nicely. Some of the talks are already available, including my own opening remarks; Liberal Learning, Manual Labor, and Experience by Dr. William Fahey; and Faithful and Wise Servant by Christine Bryan. What I interrupt my conference … Continue reading
The Blessed Shepherd Who Received Blessed Shepherd John Newman into the Catholic Church
With the recent beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman some attention was given to the Passionist priest who received Newman into the Catholic Church. His name is Blessed Dominic Barberi.
Benedict XVI to the Brazilian Bishops: A Message of Indifferentism?
Yesterday, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the Holy Father received a delegation of Brazilian Bishops in Rome for their ad limina visit. In his address, the Supreme Pontiff reminded their Excellencies that “mission” is integral to the life, … Continue reading
Joe Sobran, RIP
We are saddened by the news that Joe Sobran has died. Mr. Sobran was an eloquent writer and gifted thinker whom we were privileged to have speak at one of our Saint Benedict Center conferences. I was informed by a … Continue reading
The Unjust Excommunication of Bl. Mary McKillop
The religious foundress scheduled to be canonized on October 17 as Australia’s first saint was unjustly excommunicated by her bishop. So much has been known for a long time. It is claimed now that documents support the assertion that Blessed … Continue reading
Do the New Norms Forbid a Priest From Mentioning Purgatory?
No. But they don’t advocate preaching about it either. As far as I know there’s no mention of purgatory in the Order of Christian Funerals directives for priests. The Mass of the Resurrection in white vestments is about as far … Continue reading
On Pilgrimage
Members of the IHM and St. Joseph Brigades are in our respective caravans headed to Lake George, NY. Tomorrow, bright and early, we will meet up with the other brigades and begin the Pilgrimage for Restoration. We will keep all … Continue reading
New Look for the Ad Rem
My email newsletter has a new look. We’re operating it on updated software, but all previous subscribers have been migrated to the improved system. NOTE: Because of the strict anti-spamming parameters of some Internet providers, we are sending text-only versions … Continue reading
Father Thomas Sherman, S.J., Son of General William Tecumseh Sherman
For all of you history buffs, especially those who are keen to Catholic American history, Donald McClaren has an interesting article on the Shermans on The American Catholic website. The General was married to Ellen Ewing, a devout Catholic who … Continue reading
Proper Limits on Governmental Hubris, and You
The central government in Washington D.C. now maintains lists of U.S. citizens who will be killed without due process of law, for unspecified crimes, determined by secret, unaccountable, departments of state. These walking doomed will be terminated by unmanned killer … Continue reading
Liturgical Shoes
Whatever you think of Msgr. Charles Pope’s defense of the new Mass, one thing jumps off the monitor. It used to be the Traditional Mass that needed so much defending, since many rank-and-file Catholics questioned its worth. Now that serious … Continue reading
