Seven years ago, near the beginning of the current pontificate, OnePeterFive was born. Increasingly concerned by the words and actions of Pope Francis as well as the massive apostasy within the Catholic Church, Steve Skojec sought to resist these troubling trends and fight back. OnePeterFive was the result, and its stated purpose was to “rebuild…
For the past couple of years, many readers and friends have expressed their concern, telling me, “You need to take a long break from all of this.” And by “all of this,” they meant covering the crisis in the Church. It was hurting me, and they could see it. My response was always, “I know.…
It has become a cliché with a slightly dark comedic undertone: the perfect family Christmas card photo, with artfully mis-matched clothing, a beach or forest background, and everyone gazing at the same imaginary point in the middle distance. What hides behind the slightly stressed smiles and too-casual-for-comfort poses? The accompanying yearly letter probably won’t mention…
“Ground zero.” Such haunting words. They bring to mind, of course, the hideous images from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Unforgettable in their horror. And, ever since, the words “Ground Zero” have become embedded in our collective vocabulary. The words “Ground Zero” became embedded in another generation’s vocabulary as well. Almost eight decades…
As the initial reactions to Pope Francis’ Traditionis Custodes continue to pour in, I wish to join my voice with others in analyzing and responding to this document. But I cannot, at least not yet. It is not that the document is free from any legitimate criticism, but that it is of such a disturbing…
For those who love the traditional Latin Mass, it’s been a rough few days. Pope Francis unleashed a new motu proprio last Friday — “Traditionis Custodes” — that overturned Benedict XVI’s Summorum Pontificum and returned the TLM’s legal status to the days of the indult offered by Pope John Paul II. Except I think it’s fair…
Today, a new motu proprio letter was issued by Pope Francis imposing new (and in some respects brutal) suppressions on the usus antiquior of the Roman Rite. The truth is, we saw this coming. Rumors have been circulating for a while, and though the fact that we’ve heard similar things throughout this pontificate dulled our…
In the mid-1240s, the Carmelite order left Mt. Carmel for England because of persecution from the Saracens. The Carmelites were small in number before migrating to Europe, and now the order appeared to be on the verge of extinction as some opted not to make the journey. The Carmelites faced further hardships in their new…
Ever since the new rite of Mass was introduced in 1969, battles over liturgy have ensued. But something has changed: we have reached a critical moment in Church history, namely, the widespread recognition that simply because a pope says or does something does not necessarily mean it is in the best interest of the Church…
Over one century ago, G.K. Chesterton wrote a masterpiece poem titled The Ballad of the White Horse. Today, more than ever, it strikes chords in the hearts of all who love the Catholic Church and her traditions. In soul-stirring rhymes, Chesterton tells the story of ragged King Alfred, who mournfully wanders through his once Catholic…
Another day, another church vandalized. Welcome to Canada, the land formerly called glorious and free. It turns out not everyone in Canada is obsessed with hockey, maple syrup, and saying “sorry” needlessly. Arson, vandalism, and violence are now legitimate pastimes. That churches are being torched in my home country is, of course, a horrific reaction…
