The Rorate Mass takes its name from the opening words of the Introit, which comes to us from Isaiah 45:8: “Rorate, caeli, desuper, et nubes pluant justum, aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem.” “Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above, and …
Category: Catholic Life

Eastern Catholicism and the Universal Church
I began life in the broad mainstream of American Evangelicalism, a tradition quite similar in many respects to the Baptists, the notable differences being the contemporary worship style of my denomination and the greater freedom of theological speculation enjoyed by …

Tuesday Within the Octave of Black Friday
According to the traditional reckoning, on years when Black Friday falls on a Friday, the Tuesday following is known as Giving Tuesday. Customary devotionals for Giving Tuesday include avoiding Turkey sandwiches, complaining about “all this Christmas stuff during Advent,” and …

In Pursuit of the Imago Dei: An Interview With Fr. Barron
Dr. Mark Nowakowski sat down with Fr. Robert Barron, Rector of Mundelein Seminary in Chicago and founder of Word on Fire Ministries, for this exclusive 1P5 interview. They discuss the image of Christ, masculine spirituality, true beauty, and the nascent artistic …

Te Deum – A Catholic Thanksgiving Symposium
For our readers in the United States, today is Thanksgiving – a holiday set aside for us to take stock of our many blessings and to offer our gratitude to God. (It’s also a day for feasting with family …

An Orwellian Reform of Worship: “We Have Always Been at War With Liturgica”
“October 18th was a memorable day in the long history of the Roman Church. On that day, fifty years ago, Pope Paul VI celebrated Mass according to the unique rites of the papacy for the very last time. Papal Mass, …

It’s Time for a New Holy League
According to Catholic evangelist Matthew Christoff, “There is a serious “man-crisis” in the Catholic Church.” How bad is it? It is widespread and serious. Unless the Church, including its bishops, priests and lay men begin to take notice and …

“I’ve Got Your Six!” – Praying for the Holy Souls
“I’ve got your six” is a military phrase that means “I’ve got your back.” It comes from the old pilot system in which directions correspond to hours on the clock, where 12 o’clock is forward and 6 o’clock is behind. …

Lumen Gentium at 50
Today marks the 50th anniversary of ‘Lumen Gentium‘, the Vatican II constitution on the Church. With this brief post I present its highlights, while encouraging you to read the document in its entirety. The First Vatican Council was preparing to …

Reviving the True Meaning of Death
“Every moment of our lives we stand on the brink of eternity.” – Dom Lorenzo Scupolli There are many precious traditions in the Sacred Liturgy that almost entirely disappeared after the liturgical reforms following the Second Vatican Council. We realize …