Part 1 | Part 2 The Sacrament of Penance (now commonly called “Reconciliation”) is the ordinary means by which the Christian soul is restored to an objective State of Grace/Habitual Grace/Sanctifying Grace. The soul must be in the State of Sanctifying Grace at the moment of death for it to be welcomed by God into…
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 In Part 1 of this series, we explored how, in a parish committed to the full Catholic paradigm, even something as simple as entering the church can become an exercise in multi-sensory learning, and therefore a highly effective means to help the people become recollected before Mass. In…
Dear God, Will you please tell book publishers to stop publishing books about “two homes” for children of divorce? Every time I see one, I want to scream. I know those authors and publishers think they are performing a needed service, but in reality they are whitewashing an extremely painful experience that never ends. Please…
In my life, I have often encountered people who say something like the following to Catholics who love the traditional liturgy—or, for that matter, who wish to see the modern liturgy celebrated in a manner manifestly in continuity with its predecessor: “You’re making too much of incidental things. No matter what form or style, it’s…
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 How Does the Complete Mass Build Motivated Focus? How Does the Minimal Mass Induce Blur? Motivated vs. Coerced Focus In order to clarify the reasons why the “complete Mass”[1] is highly beneficial to the people, but the “minimal Mass”[2] is much less so, it will be helpful…
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 How Does Multi-sensory Learning Theory Help Us Understand the Difference Between a “Complete” Mass and a “Minimal” Mass? Reasoning by analogy can open up new and helpful ways of thinking. The Holy Mass may be viewed as a school for souls, an instructional method, similar to the methods skillful…
Reflections on a Recent Essay by Msgr. Charles Pope on the Future of the Traditional Latin Mass The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Matthew 13:45-46 The Parable of the Pearl…
There’s an old article of mine making the rounds. The title sort of gives it away: They Will Know We Are Traddies By Our Love. Someone resurrected it from the archives in a coy attempt to paint me as a hypocrite, the same day I published this. I had intended to just let it pass, since this,…
“Ecclesial communities derived from the Reformation and separated from the Catholic Church, “have not preserved the proper reality of the Eucharistic mystery in its fullness, especially because of the absence of the sacrament of Holy Orders.” It is for this reason that, for the Catholic Church, Eucharistic intercommunion with these communities is not possible.” – Catechism…
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” They were testing him. He said to them in reply, “What did Moses command you?” They replied,”Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and dismiss her.” But Jesus told them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this…
I’ve had a special fondness for the Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem for several years now. In 2011, I discovered their fledgling priory in Charles Town, WV, where they had recently found a home with the gracious permission of Bishop Michael Bransfield of Wheeling-Charleston. As an Augustinian community dedicated to the Church’s traditional liturgy and…
