Today, after the email version of my latest Ad Rem went out (“Priestly Celibacy: Apostolic Tradition, not a ‘Mere Discipline’”), I received an email from a reader who had some objections to what I wrote. As I believe that some … Continue reading
Category: Sacraments
Priestly Celibacy: Apostolic Tradition, not a ‘Mere Discipline’
There are numerous indicators that the October 6-27 Synod on the Amazon will have as one of its effects the dismantling or mitigating of the Latin Church’s ancient discipline of priestly celibacy. At least that is what is being claimed … Continue reading
Some Thoughts on the Epiclesis in the Divine Liturgy
The epiclesis (also spelled epiklesis, and sometimes capitalized) is the prayer found in most if not all of the traditional Eastern Liturgies by which the priest-celebrant calls the Holy Ghost down upon the gifts. The Latin equivalent to this Greek … Continue reading
Gregory of Nyssa on the Holy Eucharist
Catholic Exchange, Stephen Beale: If the truth of the Eucharist has ever seemed strange to you, that’s because it should. St. Paul said, “We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews indeed a stumbling block, and to the Gentiles foolishness.” The Eucharist … Continue reading
Rorate Caeli Takes Issue With Sandro Magister on Paul VI’s Role in Promoting Novus Ordo
Rorate Caeli: Sandro Magister, the great Vaticanist of our age, has an article today [Monday] with important excerpts from a biography of Paul VI in which it is claimed that he was almost a victim of the liturgical revolution, a bystander who had … Continue reading
Cardinal Mueller on Who Can Receive Holy Communion, Who Cannot, and Why
First Things: According to Reinhard Cardinal Marx, the German bishops recently prepared guidelines that contemplate the possible admission to Holy Communion of Protestants who are married to a Catholic spouse. The only absolute prerequisite would be that these Protestants affirm the faith … Continue reading
Give Us This Day Our Supersubstantial Bread
In the Latin Vulgate Bible, Saint Jerome renders the Greek word epiousion in the fourth petition of the Our Father both as “daily” (quotidianum) and as “supersubstantial” (supersubstantialem), The Our Father is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. … Continue reading
The POWER of Christ’s Baptism, Saint Porphyrius
Today is the feast day of Saint Porphyrius. He was an actor or “comedian” in Rome when Emperor Julian the Apostate ruled (361-363). Julian had reinstituted persecution against the Christians. The amazing fact about Porphyrius is that he was converted while … Continue reading
Good Things
He hath filled the hungry with the good things (Our Lady’s Magnificat) It seems that no matter where I turn in the scriptures I find the term “good things.” Doing a tally from the Douay Concordance, one finds ninety-one usages … Continue reading
Shrove Tuesday: A Convert ‘Gets’ Confession
National Catholic Register, Tod Worner: “Why should I have to go to Confession?” I was being testy. And my wife knew it. The rest is here.
For La Civilta Cattolica the Ordination of Women Is Still Debatable
Catholic Culture, Jeff Mirus: La Civilta Cattolica has published an essay by its deputy editor, Father Giancarlo Pani, which seeks to reopen the possibility of ordaining women to the priesthood. This journal, published by the Jesuits but vetted by the … Continue reading
The Language of Gesture
Your author dedicates this essay to his mentor and beloved friend, the valiant Baron Arnaud de Lassus, renowned leader of traditional Catholics in France, organizer of the Chartres Pilgrimage, editor of the magazine Action Familiale et Scolaire and author of … Continue reading
An Evangelical Convert on the ‘Incredible Gift’ of Confession
This is a good article to give to your Protestant friends, maybe even for Christmas. First, I have a quick story to tell — and it is a true story — regarding another Protestant convert’s first two confessions; he is … Continue reading
O Sacred Banquet!
Saint Paul twice speaks of handing on to others things which he himself had received. One of these things was the truth concerning the Death and Resurrection of Christ (I Cor. 15:3-4); the other was the mystery of the Holy … Continue reading
The Mass in Type and Prophecy
This week’s Reconquest show is called The Mass in the Old Testament. The title is not meant to connote an anachronism: I am well aware that the Mass was instituted on that first Holy Thursday, the night before Our Lord … Continue reading
