Book Reviews – October 2021

The Burden of Betrayal: Non-Offending Priests and the Clergy Child Sexual Abuse Scandals. By Barry O’Sullivan. Reviewed by Christopher Siuzdak. (skip to review) Our Lady of Hope: The Soul of the Cathedral of Notre Dame. By Patrick C … [Read more...]

A Sure Way to Save the Church

Developing the Doctrine on the Eucharist

Part I – Jesus Christ Seems to Be Just a Memory It’s been centuries since there has been such open opposition between cardinals and bishops as there is today over Pope Francis’s perplexing Amoris Laetitia, which has spawned so much discord … [Read more...]

Purgatory: A Key Doctrine

The dogma of Purgatory is an all-but-forgotten teaching of the Church, yet it is extremely valuable in supporting the call to perfection. The fundamental purpose of Purgatory is not forgiveness of sins, but making up for sins, reparation. … [Read more...]

Understanding the Four Aspects of Dogma According to Bernard Lonergan in The Way to Nicea

Introduction As a professor of theology, and as academic dean of a seminary, I feel it’s important to lay a solid foundation for the student who is beginning his study of theology. In my introductory seminar in fundamental theology, t … [Read more...]

In defense of dogma

Editorial, May 2010

I want to raise my voice in defense of dogma. Since the Vatican Council dogma has been neglected, downplayed and even reviled by some theologians. This has been the result of the emphasis on Holy Scripture, because the Council urged … [Read more...]

Development of Moral Teaching

A CHURCH THAT CAN AND CANNOT CHANGE: The Development of Catholic Moral Teaching, by John T. Noonan, Jr., University of Notre Dame Press, 2005, cloth, 297 pages, HB $30.00

This is an important book. It argues strongly that, just as the Church revised dogmatic teaching over the years as it saw authentic development in some dogmas, so it has revised its practice (and thus its teaching) over the years as it has … [Read more...]

The Meaning of Dogma

Catholicism has always taken dogmatic statements seriously because it realizes that the failure to state the truth properly often leads to error.

“If the average man is going to be interested in Christ at all, it is the dogma that will provide the interest. The trouble is that, in nine cases out of ten, he has never been offered the dogma.” — Dorothy Sayers, “Creed or Chaos?” [1. Dor … [Read more...]