“I Don’t Know How You’ll Help Me, But I Know You Will” Why would a philosopher go to bat for the Rosary? I’d better ‘fess up right off. I’ve never been able to convince myself that I’m a philosopher, even though I own a Ph.D. in that disc … [Read more...]
The 2016 Vote: What is an Informed Catholic to Do?
September 27, 2016 by Fr. Richard Gribble, CSC
While national elections always generate much interest and have their share of controversies, this election cycle can be classified as one “for the record books.” Originally seventeen Republican candidates have now withered away to one, Dona … [Read more...]
A Pastoral Approach to Bullying
September 13, 2016 by Deacon W. Patrick Cunningham
In a little over a two-month period, two men in our city killed themselves because of what can only be called “bullying.” Shortly after the New Year, a student, attending a high school I had attended and taught at decades before, ended his l … [Read more...]
Can Philosophy Strengthen an Ecumenical Approach to Issues of Morality?
September 13, 2016 by Kathleen Curran Sweeney
There has been considerable discussion in recent years about the philosophical assumptions that underlie false understandings of morality in our society. These assumptions have affected not only secular developments but also practices and … [Read more...]
Contraception as a Lesser Evil
From Modern Moral Problems
February 29, 2016 by Msgr. William B. Smith
The following are excerpts from a new book which is a compilation of the writings of Msgr. William B. Smith who was a regular contributor to Homiletic and Pastoral Review, from October 1992 to July 2005, for the magazine's "Questions … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
May 12, 2015 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Can you give me some advice on the morality of anger? Is it always evil? Does the Church give practical moral norms for hiring in companies? Question: Can you give me some advice on the morality of anger? Is it always … [Read more...]
Accusations against Priests
The Need for More Justice and Psychological Science
January 29, 2015 by Dr. Richard P. Fitzgibbons, MD
The evaluation process of accusations against priests in regard to determining their suitability for priestly ministry would benefit from greater justice and knowledge of psychological science. There are presently severe weaknesses in this … [Read more...]
Religious Freedom, Slavery, and Usury
Three Challenges to the Hermeneutic of Continuity
January 12, 2015 by Dr. William Newton
Early on in his pontificate, Benedict XVI laid down the challenge of reading the Church’s teaching according to a hermeneutic of continuity, rather than according to what he characterized as a hermeneutic of rupture.[1. Benedict XVI, A … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
January 12, 2015 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Is there some Catholic teaching on the morality of the nanny state and its tendency to try to control all of life through federal law? Can you give me some guidance as to the use of the media? We used to have a Legion of Decency which … [Read more...]
A Liberationist Pope
February 7, 2014 by Dr. Michel Therrien, STD
Read carefully: We should see in this critique (by Pope Francis), not an embrace of socialism, or a condemnation of the market economy, but a call to adopt a different ethic for the marketplace. Pope Francis is a Jesuit, a prelate from … [Read more...]
Grace and Reason According to St. Paul and St. Thomas
February 5, 2014 by Dr. Eric M. Johnston, PhD
...the world we live in is overwhelmingly irrational. Our popular discourse doesn’t make any sense at all. As Catholics, we need to understand what our faith teaches about this irrationality. We need to look to Scripture and t … [Read more...]
A Defense of Thomistic Natural Law
September 11, 2013 by Dr. Howard P. Kainz, PhD
If there is any other moral theory besides natural law that provides even better guidance for major and common life decisions, then this theory should be proposed, and natural law should take the proverbial back seat. Natural law theory … [Read more...]
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