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All Catholic commentary from October 2024
Francis, false hopes, and the Church’s Divine Constitution
It defies the imagination how dense so many Catholic leaders can be about what constitutes authentic Catholic renewal. People always seem to want to tinker with structures, rules, sacraments, liturgy or patterns of consultation when the fundamental call to renewal has always been exactly the same as when Our Lord proclaimed it at the beginning of his public ministry: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel.”
St. John Henry Newman—Three Poems on the Angels
"My oldest friend, mine from the hour / When first I drew my breath; My faithful friend, that shall be mine, / Unfailing, till my death..."
Vance’s incoherence on abortion
If it is barbaric to watch a living baby die after a botched abortion, why isn’t it barbaric a few minutes earlier, when the abortionist tries to kill the baby in the womb?
Three blockbuster books on our contemporary gender crisis
When the Pontifical Academy for Life muddied the waters of human sexuality still further in 2022 by casting doubt on the veracity of Catholic teaching on contraception, a group of distinguished Catholic scholars participated in a conference in Rome designed to offer a response to the PAL. Out of this conference grew three major works on the severe problems occasioned by our contemporary confusion about human sexuality and gender identity.
St. Francis of Assisi—Setting the Record Straight
Who is St Francis? A saint who radically followed the heart of the Gospel.
An extraordinary statement from the world’s Orthodox leaders
"Our Churches categorically reject the justification of same-sex relations ...."
The Israel-Gaza War: Evangelical vs. Catholic reactions
I am aware of no distinctly Catholic theological reason for supporting Israel. In fact, the distinctly Catholic commentaries that I have seen on the Israel—Gaza War tend to run the other way. Nevertheless, I’m with Israel. Not “to the hilt, no questions asked, end of story.” But at the end of the day, yes, with Israel and against her enemies. Here’s why.
Highlights: making the Church less worldly, a Catholic movie from 1903, music and conversion
A collection of highlight clips from past episodes.
Jesus Does Not Follow the Science
The social sciences also reveal -- with absolute certainty -- that the abuse of human sexuality and the breakdown of the family leads to poverty, despair, single mothers, abortion, perversions, disease, gangland violence, and a host of other disorders.
Harris campaign rhetoric in the Vatican newspaper
What makes his analysis remarkable is not his obvious sympathy for the Harris campaign, but the reasoning that leads him to the conclusion that a Trump victory would cause “an unprecedented twisting of democracy.”
My truth? The real Personal truth is neither mine nor yours
If the first mark of our human freedom is indeed that we are capable of seeking the truth, then the chief result of our proper exercise of that freedom is not only the conformity of our minds to reality (the human definition of “truth”), but also a direct participation in the life of our loving Father, to whom we come through Christ, who is not only the truth, but the way and the life (Jn 14:6)
Pope St. Stephen and the Sacraments
After the controversies in the mid-third century, in the aftermath of the persecution of the emperor Decius and the schism of Novatian, Pope St. Stephen was instrumental in clarifying the Church’s theology of the sacraments of Baptism and Penance and Reconciliation.
When top Vatican officials clash on sex-abuse discipline...
It is difficult to imagine that in this case, Archbishop Peña Parra would have rescinded the priest’s laicization without having discussed the case with Pope Francis.
Sifting the Synod for the Divinity
The limitation of the power of meetings in the Church explains why there is such continuity between the Church in one age and the Church in another age, and why the Church has the same structure and teaches the same thing today as she did 2,000 years ago. There are always many who purvey false teaching, and others who refute them. But the intrinsically limited power of even synodal sessions ought to alter the way we evaluate the fruitfulness of “meetings” in ecclesiastical affairs.
Yes, we should celebrate Columbus Day
But Columbus did what no European did before him. Whatever Europeans may have been here prior to Columbus left no lasting legacy. You and I are part of a civilization in this hemisphere that begins with—and is in direct continuity with—the great explorer. Yes, he was motivated by ambition. He was also motivated by a deep Catholic piety.
The splendor of the priesthood
A priest may remain faithful to the Church, orthodox in teaching, but cold in devotion to the Lord.
Silent and smiling, Pope offers an opening to ‘transgender’ advocates
The Pope didn’t say anything himself. He didn’t need to.
What it means to be “welcome” in the Catholic Church
The Church in the West needs to learn once again that conversion is always a process of improvement not only by addition but by subtraction. All are welcome who are willing to accept the truth that Christ teaches through His Church. In fact, the difference between those who are welcome and unwelcome in the Church is the difference between sinners who are willing to allow Christ and the Church to help them conquer their sins and sinners who intend instead to conquer Christ and the Church.
185—The Stigmatists—Paul Kengor
In his new book, The Stigmatists: Their Gifts, Their Revelations, Their Warnings, Paul Kengor gives a historical overview of the phenomenon of the stigmata, focusing especially on one thing many stigmatists have in common: they receive visions, often prophetic ones.
Father Radcliffe blames the Russians—not the Bible
Perhaps we are entering a different sort of conflict in the world: a conflict between the morally decadent West, which promotes a hedonistic culture, and a resurgent Africa, where Christian leaders are unapologetic about their faith and— not coincidentally— Christian influence is growing.
The Reformation is over
Now, I fight for a living. But when it comes to Evangelical Protestants, I’m a lover, not a fighter. And what I want to say to my Evangelical friends, whom I love, is this: The Reformation is over. Come home.
Truth and Goodness? Yes, but we must not forget Beauty.
Catholics today are developing a keener sense of the formative power of the arts, as compared with my own generation, which was focused almost exclusively on the new and very bad philosophical and theological propositions and ideas which haunted the Church.
Freedom in vocation: The Sound of Music (1965)
The Sound of Music is rightly beloved by Catholics. James and Thomas discuss the movie's all-around excellence, break down Julie Andrews's virtuosic performance, and explore what the film says about the freedom and openness necessary to discern and pursue one's vocation in life.
Catholic hospitals must witness to the Truth
Legally-speaking, the use of the word “Catholic” in a name or statement of purpose has always involved a certain connection with, or at least permission of, the bishop of the diocese in which an organization is located or controlled. This may not always be upheld in secular law, but it must certainly be assumed in ecclesiastical law, and any organization which bears the Catholic name ought to be approved, or if necessary repudiated, by the official Church.
Chicken Man
The Christian redefinition of greatness allows even the most ordinary people to be great... No job is too small for greatness, provided we perform our tasks with love and diligence.
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