This headline greeted the announcement that Pope Francis was establishing a commission to make suggestions for altering the annulment process in the Catholic Church. The word “streamlining” is, perhaps, not the Vatican’s word, but it does ca … [Read more...]
Articles
May We Donate Our Organs?
October 29, 2014 by Drs. Jay Boyd and Paul A. Byrne
It is likely that most Catholics consider the question of the morality of organ donation to be a settled matter, and to view it as a noble and generous gesture on the part of donors. After all, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) … [Read more...]
What Every Chancery Needs to Consider
Six Reasons Why Some Chanceries Work Better than Others
October 29, 2014 by Jim Lundholm-Eades
While every chancery is unique, some clearly function better than others. There are, in fact, six common, key differentiators (listed below) which separate the highest functioning chanceries from those that are simply well functioning. I … [Read more...]
Scriptural Iconography Communicating Our Vision of God
October 29, 2014 by Fr. John Navone, SJ
Literature, whether in the form of narratives, plays, autobiographies, biographies, or histories, is a question-raising work of art for the inquisitive mind seeking understanding. As such, it presents what scholastic philosophy called “the s … [Read more...]
True, Virginal Wife of Joseph
October 29, 2014 by Jonathan Fleischmann
Recently, a holy, married couple made the following claim regarding the central place of sexual intercourse in sacramental marriage, expressed as a personal insight, gained over the course of more than 50 years of sacramental … [Read more...]
Private Revelation and the Revelations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
October 29, 2014 by Dr. William R. Luckey, PhD
The Nature of Private Revelation When thinking about the idea of private revelation, it occurs to one that there is, and has been, a lot of it going around for centuries; and the reason that it is so successful, both the true and the … [Read more...]
Past and Present Conceptions of Tradition: Looking at the Synod on the Family
October 13, 2014 by Joshua Brotherton
“Tradition” is one of the most important concepts in Christianity, and yet, it is a term very often misunderstood among Catholics, let alone other Christians. I propose that this is precisely why the Extraordinary Synod on the Family, which … [Read more...]
In the Fullness of Time: The Fullness of Family
October 13, 2014 by Joseph Keith Woodard, PhD
The incident related in the Gospel of Luke, celebrated as the “Finding in the Temple,” has always been troubling. It’s the one and only glimpse we’re given into the “secret life” of the Holy Family. Earlier, we see baby Jesus with Simeon and … [Read more...]
The Eucharist: From Corinth to Liege
October 13, 2014 by Fr. Stanley Smolenski, SPMA
Many converts to the Catholic faith are surprised by the lack of devotion to the Eucharist evident among those attending Mass—their poor unconvincing responses to the liturgy, their matter of fact attitude at Holy Communion. As one such c … [Read more...]
The Sacred and Inspired Page
A Proper Understanding of Biblical Inspiration
October 13, 2014 by Fr. Athanasius Murphy, O.P.
In recent years, there has been a renewed discussion on biblical inspiration. “The key concept for understanding the Bible as ‘the word of God in human words’ is certainly that of inspiration.”[1. Verbum Domini (VD) No. 19. ] This statement … [Read more...]
The Real Presence
October 13, 2014 by Fr. James Duncan, SJ
One of the pillars of Catholic doctrine is the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. According to this doctrine, at the consecration of the bread and wine during the Mass, although the appearances remain unchanged, the bread becomes the … [Read more...]
Cardinal Walter Kasper on “Artificial” Birth Control
September 25, 2014 by John F. Kippley
I grant that there are some today who erroneously refer to unnatural forms of birth control as “artificial contraception,” but no one today is arguing that the evil of marital contraception is its use of an artifact. In the online edit … [Read more...]
Lest They Receive It in Vain
September 25, 2014 by R. Thomas Richard, PhD
Right lay preparation and interior disposition is necessary to effectively and fruitfully receive the grace of the sacraments, including and especially, the Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharist. The Vatican II Constitution on Sacred … [Read more...]
The Liturgy and the New Evangelization
September 25, 2014 by Dr. Jeremy Sienkiewicz and Celina Pinedo
Not only does the liturgy compel the People of God to spread the Gospel to all nations, but it also gives them the grace to do so. The “reform of the reform” of the Roman Rite is still in its infancy.[1. The argument on whether or not … [Read more...]
The Sacraments as True Causes of Grace: An Ecumenical Obstacle
September 25, 2014 by Dr. Joshua Madden
If the Church can be accused of anything at all, (it is that) she attributes too much power to God, for it is only she who proclaims to the world that God is so powerful that he takes up creation and uses it to bring about that which he … [Read more...]
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