Almost everyone I know has been living through a stressful time since last year. So, I hesitate to claim anything extraordinary about what I have experienced. But is there not at least something ironic about losing one’s eyesight in the …
Category: Featured Commentary
What Do We Do Now? A Reflection On Catacomb Catholicism
If there’s one question that has come up over the years of covering the crisis in the Church, again and again, it’s this: what do we do now? I’ve come to realize that we are, in many respects, through the …
Currentism: The Perennial Lie
“Justice being taken away, then, what are kingdoms but great robberies?” —St. Augustine, The City of God Precis: Currentism is any political ideology which insists that it is rapidly progressing toward some vision of a human paradise. It recognizes only …
Hope is a Fragile Thing; Without It We Can Do Nothing
For we are sojourners before thee, and strangers, as were all our fathers. Our days upon earth are as a shadow, and there is no hope. (1Chron: 15) A Good Day for Starting Over: Doing the Thing Fr. Cassian …
A Screwtape Letter For the Unappreciated Mom
My Dear Wormwood, I was thrilled to hear you have been making progress with the mother. You have a good lead, from what I hear. She’s feels over-worked, unappreciated, and discouraged? I’m so glad to hear it. If you tread …
Sun, Moon, and Stars: Tradition for the Saints
A reader sent me this letter; my reply is given after it. Greetings in Christ! I thought I would share my reflections on your article “Do New Saints Vindicate the New Mass?” First, I agree with the majority of your …
It’s Weird to Say It, But Pope Francis Has a Point
As I mentioned in a recent post, I haven’t been writing as much lately because I have less to say that feels important enough to put into words. I’m in this amorphous phase of thought right now where I’m doing …
On Doing the Little Things First: A Teacher’s Story
This story begins in my third year of teaching. Among other things, I was, perhaps mistakenly, assigned to teach grade two Physical Education. Teaching smaller children is not exactly my forte. Thankfully, the young class was generally moving along without …
Follow the Science, Man!
“Do not be led astray by diverse and strange teachings” (Hebrews 13:9 RSV). ———- Precis: Jesus–“Follow me” (Mt 10:38//Mk 8:34//Lk 9:23//Jn 21:19, 22). Saint Paul–“Be ye followers of me, as I am also of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1, DRB). Joe …
What if St. Jean-Marie Vianney Were Assigned to a Parish Today?
Bear with me in a little folly. I present a fictional account on a hypothetical “what if?” question. That is, what if the great patron saint of parish priests, the Curé of Ars (St. Jean-Marie Vianney), were alive in our …
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