The church was crowded with worshipers that Holy Thursday evening. James was late and had to look hard for a seat. There’s always a seat in the front, he said to himself and pushed forward. This was a Catholic church, …
Category: The Eucharist
A Brief Tale of ‘Eucharistic Inhospitality’
We hear a lot nowadays about “Eucharistic inhospitality,” a phrase generally abused, but we would do well to reflect on a previous and far more damaging exclusion from the table that has cast a long and still lengthening shadow over …
The Splendor of the Corpus Christi Procession in Spain
Spain is blessed with a deep Catholic soul. Yes, despite the gradual apostasy of Western civilization. Yes, even despite the unhappy post–Vatican II “reforms.” And yes, despite even the ever accelerating and ever deepening quagmire in which the Church finds …
Paprocki vs. Cupich on Communion for Pro-Abortion Politicians: Who’s Right?
On June 5, in reaction to radical new pro-abortion laws passed in the state of Illinois, Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield issued a decree “declaring that Illinois legislative leaders who promoted and voted for the act … …
If a Thing’s Worth Doing, It’s Worth Doing Extravagantly
We all know the old saying: “If a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth doing badly.” We take comfort in the sentiment, since far too often in this life we are compelled, either by circumstances beyond our control, or by our …
How Perpetual Adoration Is Transforming My Parish
Perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament was introduced a little over a year ago at St. Catherine of Siena parish of Franklin Square, Long Island. The parish had already had adoration for a few hours a month, but then pastor Msgr. Rick …
Comparing First Holy Communion at Two Parishes
Recently, my grandson Thomas received his first Holy Communion at a parish I have visited only a few times. My wife and I assist at Mass at a different parish, in part because it offers the traditional Latin Mass. The …
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 …
The True Story of Communion in the Hand Revealed
Don Federico Bortoli is presently the pastor of the parish of Sant’Andrea Apostolo in Acquaviva in the Diocese of San Marino Montefeltro. He is also diocesan chancellor, judicial vicar, and ecclesiastical counselor for the Unione Cristiana Imprenditori Dirigenti (Christian Union …
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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