Articles

Preaching Dogma Kerygmatically

Thirteen years a priest, I have often heard Catholic faithful lament that their priests and deacons “don’t preach the hard truths,” but for many years I was reluctant to listen. This wasn’t because I was hostile to truth; rather, I didn’t wa … [Read more...]

Interior Peace, a Critical Capability

The theories of Carl Von Clausewitz, former Prussian General Officer, on military strategy are used today by many of the world’s leading military powers. Clausewitz stated that military operations are supported by critical capabilities. A c … [Read more...]

“Lord, Teach Us to Pray”

A Theological Reflection on the LORD’S Prayer as a Model for the Parish

Voices constantly scream at us with urgent demand, including our own anxieties. How is it that only a third of Catholics believe in the Eucharist? How am I supposed to evangelize a culture that is increasingly hostile to truth? Is there a … [Read more...]

The Formation of Altar Servers for the Current Times

Note: I would like to thank Br. Jonathan Ibarra, M.Id for his insights into this topic. Many dioceses in the United States and around the world are facing a decrease in the number of altar servers and a lack of formation of the altar … [Read more...]

The Moral Uncertainty of “Brain Death”

1968 was a year of upheaval, perhaps best remembered by Americans for the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Robert Kennedy, and by Catholics for the promulgation of Humanae vitae. But the unobtrusive coining of a new definition … [Read more...]

Same Sex Attraction in Catholic Women who Desire to Live Chastely

Abstract A growing number of Catholic women with same sex attraction (SSA) are interested to know the Catholic Church teaching on this issue. Thus far there are no specific Magisterial documents solely dedicated to women with same sex … [Read more...]

Cherishing and Respecting One’s Fertility

Discussions about ending marital fertility by vasectomy or tubal ligation, even among Catholics, can often be nonchalant as if this procedure is no big deal with no moral implications. Such an attitude is likely the product of a culture … [Read more...]

Revelation as Dialogical

Dei Verbum as a Hermeneutic for Praying with Theology

Understanding Divine Revelation in its first instance as the desire of the Father to communicate himself in love to human persons serves as an opportunity for more deeply integrating one’s intellectual life with one’s spiritual life. The mov … [Read more...]

Embodiment and Integral Witness

Pope Francis’ Early Teaching on Catechesis

As a bishop, Jorge Bergoglio communicated profound truth in a simple manner. In words as in deeds he embodied the goal of total identification: “My people are poor and I am one of them” was a plain fact that undergirded his episcopal min … [Read more...]

What Eye Has Not Seen: A Vision of Catholic Education

St. James sent a strong message and warning to the Christians of his time when he advised them, “Let not many among you become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly [than those who a … [Read more...]

Resurrecting Catholic Schools

In his unforgettable book Out of the Ashes: Rebuilding American Culture, Anthony Esolen, with his typical elegance of prose, articulates the dissipation of American culture along with a clarion call to rebuild it. At a key moment in his … [Read more...]

Priests’ Perspectives on American Catholic School Identity

Introduction Catholic education is one of the great contributions of the Catholic Church to the United States. From the early Franciscan missionaries who built faith communities in the new world to the new religious orders, Catholic … [Read more...]

Upbuild, Encourage, and Console: On Becoming a More Prophetic Church

I have a personal motto, one that unfortunately I don’t always follow: don’t read the comments! I am referring to the comments that often accompany posts on Facebook, or blogs, or other social media. My reason for avoiding them is to avoid t … [Read more...]

Reading as an Act of Homage

Can reading be considered as “an act of homage”? At first blush, this seems a strange question. We regularly read for the sake of leisure and learning, but aside from overtly religious pursuits — such as Lectio Divina, proclamation of the Wo … [Read more...]

Military Zeal in the Priesthood

What Priests Can Learn from the Ukrainian Military

The United States military is not tactically nor morally perfect. Yet it is rightly known to be one of the strongest forces in the world. Its ability to respond to global threats within hours and display impressive power makes it ready to … [Read more...]