The escalating crisis in the Church is lately having the sad effect of fostering enmities between those who ought to be, or who once were, allies. Aided by a social media that lets us too easily forget our good manners … Continue reading
Category: Theology
Queen of Heaven
As I noted in my article defending Padre Pio’s miraculous stigmata, if the belief is Catholic and traditional, you can bet that my friend, Pastor Joe, a Pentecostal minister, will be against it. The latest missive I received from him … Continue reading
Recovering a Bright Medieval Vision for the Future
“I try to be unoriginal.” That quote was attributed to Brother Francis in a recent conversation I had with a friend, who, like me, regards Brother as a beloved mentor. Our teacher’s point, which he made in various ways over … Continue reading
Dr. Andrew Jones: ‘The Liturgical Cosmos: The Worldview of the High Middle Ages’
The YouTube videos below constitute a three-part series of lectures by Dr. Andrew Jones. The lectures treat of Pope Innocent III and the ecumenical council he summoned, Lateran IV, which set about the difficult tasks of teaching orthodoxy, bringing about … Continue reading
One of the Great Paradoxes of Catholicism
The philosophical definition of truth is “the conformity of the mind to reality.”1 Truth is, therefore, a conformity. And as the etymology of that word suggests, it is the mind being “shaped,” — or bent into the shape of — … Continue reading
Separating What God Has Joined
Protestantism and Liberalism promote divorce. In saying so, I do not limit my meaning specifically to marital divorce; I mean broadly that both the heresy and the ideology separate what God has joined together — sometimes including man and wife … Continue reading
Plenary Inerrancy of Holy Scripture: Settled Issue and Irreformable
Catholic Culture, Mark Joseph Zia: It is December of 1965. The world eagerly waits to learn what the Second Vatican Council will authoritatively teach in Dei verbum,the Dogmatic Constitution concerning the Church’s understanding of Divine Revelation. More than any other document, Dei … Continue reading
Suggestions for a Good Lent
Seven years ago, I published some “Suggested Lenten Penances” on Catholicism.org. Our website statistics tell me that they get looked at every year, right around the beginning of Lent. By the time readers receive this Ad Rem in their email … Continue reading
Why Everlasting Punishment Is Just for a Sinner Dying Impenitent
Good explanations here based on the teaching of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Catholic Answers, Karlo Brousard; Critics of the doctrine of hell often argue that it’s unjust, because eternal punishment exceeds the temporal nature of a mortal sin. Why should any sin we commit on earth, … Continue reading
The Hell of Faith: ‘Dreadful Possibility’ and ‘Terrible Reality’ at Once
There is a sense of mounting intensity in the Church. Within the last ten days alone, the following has happened: Pope Francis and Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Mosque, signed a “Document on Human Fraternity,” which says that … Continue reading
Bishop Athanasius Schneider: ‘The Gift of Filial Adoption’
(With the kind permission of Rorate Caeli, we post this op-ed by His Excellency Bishop Athanasius Schneider. It should be read in concert with Cdl. Müller’s “Manifesto of Faith.”) The Gift of Filial Adoption The Christian Faith: the only valid … Continue reading
Longing for Life Everlasting
If Heaven is where we hope to spend our eternity, it ought to be something that is on our minds here below. “For,” after all, “we have not here a lasting city, but we seek one that is to come,” … Continue reading
How Is It That Jesus ‘Grew’ in Wisdom and Knowledge If He Was Ignorant of Nothing
Father Regis Scanlon: One last thought as we leave the Christmas season. Lk. 2:52 points out that from His infancy “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” People often ask, how can Jesus “grow” in … Continue reading
Irreconcilable Doctrines on Justification
An article I came across recently quoted a very high-ranking churchman saying, not in so many words, that Martin Luther was right about the doctrine of Justification. It was alarming to see, though not entirely surprising in these days when … Continue reading
For the Record: Father Harrison’s Comment on Bishop Barron’s Words to Ben Shapiro
Father Brian Harrison made a thoughtful comment on YouTube, motivated by Michael Voris’ “Vortex” episode critiquing Bishop Robert Barron for his now well known remarks to Ben Shapiro. Father Harrison sent me his comment via email, after he posted it … Continue reading
