Many Catholics attached to the traditional rites of the Church are familiar with the brief video “Why the Latin Mass.” Fr. Gommar-Albert DePauw, the speaker, was a priest famous for his celebration of the Tridentine Mass during the pre … [Read more...]
Articles
Reclaiming a Lost Voice in Catholic Moral Theology
Who Was Fr. Gommar DePauw?
Hope in the Darkness
For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth. . . . I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more. – Psalm 71:5, 14 Many psychological and scientific studies will be published in the upcoming months r … [Read more...]
Cultivating Time for Eternity
Ecology, Exceptionalism, and Apocalypse
The importance of ecology is no longer disputed. We must listen to the language of nature and we must answer accordingly. Yet I would like to underline a point that seems to me to be neglected, today as in the past: there is also an ecology … [Read more...]
Healing Paralysis in Contemporary Society
An Ecclesial Reading for Division and Isolation
The dramatic Markan narrative of the healing of the paralytic prompts a dialogue with contemporary issues, allowing an addressing of the complexities of our current era. There are two programmatic keys that highlight our reading: (1) Mark … [Read more...]
Father, Receive These Gifts
Pope Francis, in his 2016 annual meeting of the pontifical academies, called for local parishes to be “oases of beauty, peace, acceptance.” This is consistent with the Church being “Mother of us all” (Gal 4:26) — a place where all can be fed … [Read more...]
Vatican II’s “Religious Liberty” Revisited
Today, threats to religious liberty in the United States are very much in the news. The most striking example is the Supreme Court’s recent decision in June 2020 that the LGBT community must be granted civil rights status in employment m … [Read more...]
I Will Give You a New Heart
It was not until after I finished my undergraduate degree in theology that I was explicitly introduced to the idea of theosis, the doctrine of God making men sharers in his divine life. Based on my personal experience, as well as my … [Read more...]
Alpha and Omega
Francis of Assisi is known to have said: “Sanctify yourself, and you will sanctify society.” On the Christian map, there are many roads to sanctity. Whatever the road, there is only one major and very necessary guide for this journey. His na … [Read more...]
The Pornography Epidemic
A Comprehensive Catholic Pastoral Response
One of the greatest problems facing the Church and the world today is that of pornography. Studies show the devastating consequences of pornography to the human person, to the marriage, to the family, and to the moral life of society at … [Read more...]
How Should We Think about Diversity of Religions?
There seems to be some confusion abroad these days about diversity of religions. We can find in the writings of Fr. Henri de Lubac, SJ, as well as in St. Thomas Aquinas, principles helpful on this question. Does every human person need … [Read more...]
The Hidden Cloister of Suffering
Open to All
One of the great omissions in contemporary psychology is its failure to account for suffering. Yet people ask why, and continue to ask why they suffer, and will do so till the end of time. Yes, of course, psychologists try to alleviate … [Read more...]
Recent Works on St. John Henry Cardinal Newman
A Review Essay
Cimorelli, Christopher. John Henry Newman’s Theology of History: Historical Consciousness, Theological ‘Imaginaries’, and the Development of Tradition. Leuven: Peeters, 2017. xii + 356 pages. Softcover: $98.00. ISBN: 978-9 … [Read more...]
Forgive and You Will Be Forgiven
Is forgiveness a completely dispensable act, a gift we receive from God and others, or, is it something we all require and need? Is not forgiveness an act which originates in the mercy of God? And, if so, isn’t the act of forgiveness e … [Read more...]
In the Midst of a Pandemic
The Priesthood Is a Beacon of Light
For centuries nautical explorers traveled the earth seeking new lands and civilizations. For weeks and months, they sailed following their maps by day and the stars by night. Often they would find themselves in the midst of horrific storms … [Read more...]















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