Suppose a man was presented the opportunity to live a double life filled with both esteem and vice, dignity and debauchery. Would the man jump at the chance? Glaucon, in Plato’s Book II of the Republic, argues that if a just man held possession of an invisible ring, he would undoubtedly live only for self-seeking pleasure and power. On…
When I was about 16 years old, I remember lying in my bed and hearing the muffled conversation of my parents in the next room. All of my five younger siblings were asleep, and whatever it was that my parents were talking about, whatever stresses were upon them in that moment, I felt this overwhelming…
An interesting thing has been happening in the world of online Catholic commentary over the past year. Where we once stood among only a scant few outlets crying out about the corruption at the highest levels of the Church, we are quickly seeing a rising chorus of voices following our lead. Everywhere you look, Catholics…
On the great Solemnity of the Annunciation of Our Lord, we celebrate not only the conception of the Second Person of the Trinity, but also Mary’s Fiat — her “yes” to the will of God in her life. In addition, Mary’s Fiat also delivered a definitive and fatal blow to the devil, often depicted in…
At Christmas in 2013, I traveled from my home in Sydney, Australia to visit my mother in Britain. One morning, I was up early and decided to sort through a tea chest containing my belongings in the cellar below the kitchen. I left the warmth of the kitchen and descended the worn stone steps to…
Editor’s note: Bishop Athanasius Schneider — who recently launched his own website to help instruct and encourage Catholics — has previously discussed his thoughts on questions regarding the legitimacy of Francis’s papacy in an interview with 1P5. Today, he offers the following in-depth analysis “on the question of a heretical pope.” We offer our gratitude to…
Last year, Archbishop Viganò alleged that Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Pope Francis’s handpicked secretary of state, was “complicit in covering up the misdeeds” of ex-cardinal Theodore McCarrick. Despite that grave accusation, Antonio Socci says that meetings of cardinals about a possible conclave have been taking place, with Parolin as the clear frontrunner. A year ago, Parolin…
This is Part II in a two-part series. Read Part I here. To briefly recap what was shown in Part I, the peaceful and universal acceptance of a pope, following his election, is an infallible sign of his legitimacy and of the presence of all the conditions required for legitimacy. Practically speaking, when the cardinals…
When looking at the problems facing both the world and the Church today, it’s tempting to try to reduce those problems to one and only one cause. Whether it be the sexual revolution, Vatican II, or certain political ideologies, we are attracted to simple answers to complex problems. That being said, there are certain causes…
The indefatigable blogger Fr. Dwight Longenecker is at it again. In a new article from March 15, 2019, entitled “Tradition is the Democracy of the Dead,” he writes to assure us that he is a lover of tradition — but not excessively. He rightly says one should be or become Catholic for the sake of…
This is Part I in a two-part series. Read Part II here. Near the end of the 19th century, the High Church Anglican and virulent anti-Catholic scholar, Rev. Dr. Richard Littledale, dean of Windsor, published a book titled, The Petrine Claims. The book examined the history of the papacy in light of canon law, papal…
