It has been less than 24 hours since the news broke about the book arguing in favor of priestly celibacy co-authored by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Cardinal Robert Sarah, and it seems to be the thing everyone is talking about across Catholic social media. Many see the book and its premise as a direct…
As a young Marine Corps lieutenant, I was once told by a commanding officer that “words have meanings.” This advice or admonition came on the heels of an operations order I had given to my infantry platoon. The Captain had been observing, and his comments implied he was neither impressed by nor appalled at my…
By Giuseppe Pellegrino & Steve Skojec Le Figaro has published a preview today (French language; paywall) of a forthcoming book co-authored by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Cardinal Robert Sarah in support of priestly celibacy, entitled “Des profondeurs de nos cœurs” – “From the Depths of our Hearts,” scheduled to be released on January 15. The…
In a recent article, John Paul II biographer and Catholic author George Weigel suggested that among the New Year’s resolutions the faithful should adopt this year, they should, “Resolve to limit … exposure to the Catholic blogosphere. In 2019, many Catholic websites went bonkers. There is no need to click on sites that specialize in…
Dear friends and enemies … we are publishing a letter that Cardinal Joseph Zen sent some time ago to all the cardinals, and that he has now decided to make public. Needless to say, the latest news coming from mainland China only confirms and augments the concerns expressed for some time by many people about…
It was the slap heard ’round the world — two slaps in fact — when Pope Francis smacked a female pilgrim in Rome on New Year’s Eve who grabbed his hand and wouldn’t let go. Was it an isolated incident? Was he justified? Is this part of a pattern of angry behavior? Those are the…
The Church on January 6 celebrates the great feast of the Epiphany of the Lord (or Theophany, as our Byzantine brethren call it [i]): the revelation of God to the nations and peoples of the world, represented by the three wise men who, guided by divine Providence, walked from the darkness of paganism to the…
The Catholic life is filled with resolutions. Confession is not valid without a good resolution to avoid sin [1]. Every morning offering is a new resolution, and every new year is an occasion for resolutions. Why is the Devil so successful in bringing our resolutions to naught? In this article, we will cover the most common…
I had never read the Bible, which is to say, the whole Bible. The extent of my Bible reading had been the passages read during Sunday Mass and the occasional daily Mass. So when I learned about Dr. Taylor Marshall’s plan for reading the entire (Catholic) Bible in one year, I decided to do it.…
While it is true to say that only God can ultimately convert people, it is equally true to assert that God wills to employ men as instruments in the great work of conversion. Pius XII wrote in Mystici Corporis, “As our Savior does not rule the Church directly in a visible manner, He wills to…
“Mom, why are you cutting a piece of the roast off?” asks a little girl, watching her mother place a roast beef into a roasting pan. “Because that’s what my mom did.” “Grandma,” asks the girl later, “why did you cut a piece of the roast off before cooking it?” “Because that’s what my mom…
