“Today, however, with ever-increasing frequency, questions are being raised about the legitimacy of presenting to others—so that they might in turn accept it—that which is held to be true for oneself. Often this is seen as an infringement on … [Read more...]
Articles
Evangelization and Truth
The Christian spirit has always been animated by a passion to lead all humanity to Christ in the Church.
April 1, 2009 by Fr. James V. Schall, SJ
The Mass is Serious Business
The priest must do everything in his power to directly instill an attitude of seriousness and reverence in the faithful.
April 1, 2009 by Fr. Bryce Sibley
As a Catholic priest and pastor, a great source of sadness for me is the large number of Catholics who do not attend Sunday Mass as they ought. These are not just “fallen-away” Catholics, but even more those who attend Mass on an irregular b … [Read more...]
Humanae Vitae at Forty
Humanae Vitae not only contains the truth about the right ordering of the marital act but it has much to teach us about the right ordering of society.
March 25, 2009 by Msgr. Robert J. Batule
Moral issues are always being influenced by cultural patterns. And the Church’s official teaching is always being understood through cultural filters. Contraception and Humanae Vitae are no exceptions to these two general maxims. In this a … [Read more...]
Pastors and Stability of Office
The canonical provision for stability has been set aside in favor of the frequent changing of pastors as a positive good in itself.
March 25, 2009 by Fr. Mark A. Pilon
A common complaint heard from pastors and laity alike these days has to do with the frequent transfer of pastors from parish to parish.[1. Church petitions Vatican to keep priest,” Eileen E. Flynn, The Austin American Statesman, July 30, 2 … [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.
March 25, 2009 by Fr. James V. Schall, SJ
“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...]
Curran’s Attack on John Paul II Rebutted
Dr. May shows how utterly false are four major criticisms Charles Curran levels against the moral thought of John Paul II.
March 25, 2009 by Dr. William E. May
Shortly prior to Pope John Paul II’s death on April 2, 2005 Georgetown University Press published Charles E. Curran’s book entitled The Moral Theology of Pope John Paul II. [1. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press, 2005, xii+262 pag … [Read more...]
NFP: A Defense and an Explanation
What are the conditions according to which one may use NFP without offending Almighty God?
March 25, 2009 by Thomas Storck
When is it licit for a married couple to use natural family planning (NFP)? What are the conditions according to which we may use this method without offending Almighty God? This will be my subject in this article both with reference to … [Read more...]
Is Christianity a Comfortable Religion?
Right thinking about the Incarnation seems to be the single most important issue behind our contemporary turmoil.
March 25, 2009 by Fr. James V. Schall, SJ
“Make sure that no one traps you and deprives you of your freedom by some second-hand philosophy based on the principles of this world instead of on Christ.” —Colossians, 2, 8. “Jesus’ mission concerns all humanity. Therefore, the Church is … [Read more...]
Contemporary Music in Church?
The church is the domain of the sacred, not the home for an adapted, accommodated worldliness.
March 25, 2009 by Dr. Peter Kwasniewski
Do not model your behavior on the contemporary world, but let the renewing of your minds transform you, so that you may discern for yourselves what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and mature. (Romans 12:2)[1. As rendered in t … [Read more...]
First Millennium Petrine ministry
The teachings of the Fathers show that the Church has always affirmed the primacy and supremacy of the bishop of Rome.
March 1, 2009 by Joseph F. Previtali
As I followed on television the pastoral visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States in April 2008, I was reminded of an observation made by a friend of mine during our vacation together the previous Christmas. My friend, marveling at … [Read more...]
Ravenna and the Roman primacy
How is it that no other bishop but the Roman bishop ever claimed a universal primacy in the Church?
February 1, 2009 by Msgr. Daniel S. Hamilton
After two decades of modest progress, the Joint International Catholic-Orthodox Theological Commission, meeting in Ravenna, Italy, October 8-14, 2007, issued a study document on ecclesial communion, conciliarity and authority[1. … [Read more...]
Reading Genesis with Cardinal Ratzinger
The author answers Catholic creationists by arguing that contemporary exegetes have sufficient reason to go beyond a literalist reading of Genesis.
January 1, 2009 by Rev. Nicanor Pier Giorgio Austriaco, OP
How is a Catholic supposed to read the first chapter of Genesis that details the six days of creation? In a lecture entitled, “Restoration of Traditional Catholic Theology on Origins,” given at the First International Catholic Symposium on C … [Read more...]
The U.S. Religious Landscape Survey
Pastors across the country know that large numbers of individuals who were baptized Catholic have left the Catholic Church.
January 1, 2009 by Rev. Joseph A. Sirba
From May 8 to August 13, 2007, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life surveyed over 35,000 adults in an effort to learn more about current religious beliefs and practices within the United States. The first report on survey findings, … [Read more...]
Priests and the Importance of Fatherhood
Priests are not just "hosts" to the parish community; they are really fathers and consequently the heads of their parish families.
December 1, 2008 by Prof. Paul C. Vitz
Many thoughtful people today recognize that the United States—and indeed much of Western society—is in a cultural crisis. It takes little reflection to note that this crisis is centered in the family. The increase in divorce, the decrease in … [Read more...]
The Magisterium: A Precious Gift
Without an authority able to teach divine truth unerringly, we could never be sure we correctly understood divine revelation.
November 1, 2008 by John Young
The Magisterium is one of God’s greatest gifts to his Church. For without an authority able to teach divine truth unerringly, we could never be sure we correctly understood divine revelation. History confirms this, showing the variety of i … [Read more...]
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