Toward the end of His life on Earth, Our Lord Jesus Christ was walking one day through the temple in Jerusalem – a vast structure of noble design, made by human hands, fashioned by Hebrews who dared to dream that …
Why Do People Have A Problem With the Novus Ordo?
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 …
German Dioceses Respond to ‘Give Protestants Communion’ Guidelines. It’s Not Good.
At an astonishing pace, one third of the 27 German dioceses have already now come out with statements concerning the recently published controversial intercommunion guide of the German Bishops’ Conference. Only one diocese has, so far, declared that it will …
Spiritual Works of Mercy: A Contemporary Retelling of Matthew 25:31–46
The twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew is surely one of the most rousing of all chapters in the New Testament. It has shocked into spiritual wakefulness unnumbered Christians down through the centuries; it has inspired the art of church doors and …
Traditional Priests Account for 20% of 2018 Ordinations in France
Image courtesy of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. Tradition is the future. Authenticity continues to bear fruit wherever it is permitted to take root and grow. While many within the Church still seek to limit (or in some cases …
Are Faithful Catholics Allowed to Question the Liturgical Reform?—A Dialogue
William: My good fellow, I simply can’t go along with your position that the Novus Ordo is inherently defective. A pope could never promulgate a liturgy that was harmful to the faithful. Terence: Bill, you amaze me! What prevents you from …
Monasticism Will Save the Liturgy
Fr. Zuhlsdorf’s famous adage, “Save the Liturgy, Save the World,” nicely sums up the way God’s presence and grace are conveyed through the sacraments and how our disposition to receive the graces they provide is enhanced by well performed ritual. …
Unambiguous Theocentricity: Church Architecture and the Traditional Mass
Shortly after my wife and I were married in 1998, we were able to spend some time in Venice. Visiting the churches there was a particular delight, as there was so much to discover. I recall especially the church of …
Does the New CDF Statement on Female Priests Imply an Opening to Female Deacons?
A few days ago, Archbishop Luis Ladaria, the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), restated the Church’s infallible teaching about the ordaining of female priests in the Catholic Church. The statement was followed by many …
Celebration of Vatican’s Intercommunion Rejection is Premature
When the story first broke in April that the CDF had, with the pope’s explicit blessing, rejected the German Bishops’ intercommunion handout, people weren’t sure what to think. Nobody had seen the communication, and it was very intentionally kept under …
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