Editor’s Note: This essay is the second installment of three on synodality and diocesan life. You may find the first installment HERE. Part Two: What Is Synodality? Synodality is the “expression of the Church’s nature, her form, style and … [Read more...]
Rebuilding the Church, Within the Church
An Editorial on Pope Leo XIV’s Declaration of the Year of Saint Francis (2026)
I begin with an admission that may surprise some readers. When I was discerning my vocation, Franciscanism never appealed to me. I never quite got it. To my young clerical imagination, Saint Francis of Assisi was a kind of “hippie saint,” al … [Read more...]
Disciplining Priests: A Synodal Moment?
August 29, 2025 by Daniel Cere
In the past few decades, the Catholic Church has faced major challenges ranging from the sexual abuse crisis to financial collapse of numerous dioceses. One area that receives little attention is the deepening malaise of morale among … [Read more...]
Strengthening the Priesthood in the United States
August 29, 2025 by Matthew Robinson
Practically speaking, the contemporary Church has made a strategic error in its renewal efforts: attempting a new evangelization without revitalizing its priests. I say “practically speaking” because, while there have been high-level eff … [Read more...]
Corpus Christi: The Original Eucharistic Revival
May 29, 2025 by Jason Openo
At the height of his power and prestige in 1215, Pope Innocent III called the Fourth Lateran Council to put forth reforms to root out the weaknesses and wickedness of the clergy.[1. Derek Holmes and Bernard W. Bickers, A Short History of … [Read more...]
Book Reviews – March 2025
February 21, 2025 by Book Reviews
The Roots of Moral Evil. By Dietrich von Hildebrand. Edited by Martin Cajthmal. Reviewed by Dr. Alexander Montes. (skip to review) The Deacon: Icon of Christ the Servant, Ministers of the Threshold. By Tim O’Donnell. Reviewed by Msgr. M … [Read more...]
Perseverance in Ministry: Lessons from Saint Peter Faber for Discouraging Times
December 30, 2024 by Rev. Philip Smith
The Catholic Church in Germany was a total mess. Prelates were more interested in secular affairs and maintaining their own comfort than actually worshipping Jesus or sharing his teachings. When they did preach and engage in “spiritual” or “ … [Read more...]
“Lord, Teach Us to Pray”
A Theological Reflection on the LORD’S Prayer as a Model for the Parish
February 23, 2024 by John Grim
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...]
Book Reviews – January 2024
December 29, 2023 by Book Reviews
Ecclesial Exegesis: A Synthesis of Ancient and Modern Approaches to Scripture. By Gregory Vall. Reviewed by D. Malachi Walker. (skip to review) God’s Call is Everywhere: A Global Analysis of Contemporary Religious Vocations for Women. By … [Read more...]
Love for Liturgy, Love for the Church: An Ongoing Dialogue
Editor’s Note: Due to the high interest and lively discussion prompted by Fr. Robert McTeigue’s recent article, “What Many Priests No Longer Believe,” the following two responses have been published to offer additional viewpoints on the chal … [Read more...]
Sacred God, Sacred Church
The Catholic Church and the Hermeneutic of Mystery
April 26, 2023 by J.T. Knox
In the religion of the Old Testament, Hebrew knowledge and experience of covenantal obligations inspired God’s people to treat his name as particularly sacred and holy, and to refer to it as the great, the only, and the glorious and t … [Read more...]
What Many Priests No Longer Believe
March 29, 2023 by Fr. Robert McTeigue
Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi. Loosely translated: “The norm of prayer governs the norm of belief; the norm of belief governs the norm of living.” Many priests nowadays (including myself) are asking, “What if there’s deficient lex in … [Read more...]
Book Reviews – February 2023
January 27, 2023 by Book Reviews
The Church and the Age of Reformations (1350-1650): Martin Luther, the Renaissance, and the Council of Trent. Joseph T. and Barbara A. Stuart. Reviewed by Argene Águila Clasara. (skip to review) Forming Fathers: Seminary Wisdom for Every … [Read more...]
Can Forgiveness Help Heal a Hurting Church?
September 30, 2022 by Rev. Thomas V. Berg, PhD
“Love is the greatest strength of the powerless . . . Love is all-powerful and will even overcome hatred. And only love can do this!” ― Václav Havel Forgiveness is a great wellspring of personal healing. It can repair shattered relati … [Read more...]
The Wheat and the Tares
A Reflection upon Contemporary Priestly Formation
May 27, 2022 by Kevin Symonds
In St. Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the tares (13:24–30). Some tares had been sown by an enemy and grew up alongside the wheat. The wise owner of the field instructed his servants to let both grow together until the harvest “ … [Read more...]
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