Owing to its density and complexity, the traditional Roman liturgy—and the same, of course, would be true of any traditional liturgy—gives rise to multiple “hierarchies” of participation, which I will call here “ecclesiastical, sanctuarial, and congregational.” What I have noticed …
Category: Holy Orders
Incarnate Realism and the Catholic Priesthood
Editor’s Note: In light of the news that Pope Francis has changed canon law to accommodate official women “lectors” and “acolytes,” we are re-publishing this article, which originally appeared here on July 17, 2015. In many contemporary debates concerning the …
A Priest Just Doing His Job
Sixteen years ago this summer, when the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter was just making inroads here in the Archdiocese of Phoenix, the first priest they sent was a newly ordained young man from France named Fr. Stéphane Dupré. My …
A Father to His Flock: In Defense of Priestly Celibacy
Our Lady spoke to St. Bridget a divine warning that seems to be a message directly from Heaven to His Holiness Pope Francis: Know this too: that if some Pope concedes to priests a license to contract carnal marriage, God …
When (Eastern) Catholics Argue against Priestly Celibacy
In the past, Western Catholics have at times tried to force their own discipline on Eastern Catholics (the name of Bishop John Ireland still haunts the conversation). We now recognize that this was a mistake, and one that is not …
Encouraging and Uniting Our Priests: The Real Message of Benedict XVI’s New Book
By Giuseppe Pellegrino Amidst all the controversy surrounding the book, has anyone stopped to actually read and reflect on the majestic words and profound theological reflection offered to the Church in the excerpts published Sunday in Le Figaro of the …
“I Cannot Be Silent!” – Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI & Cardinal Robert Sarah Co-Author Book Defending Priestly Celibacy
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” …
Religious Life or Marriage? Vocational Wisdom from the Parents of Saints
For years, a friend of mine wrestled with his vocation. Should I be a priest? Should I get married? Which one, Lord, are you calling me to? One roadblock stood in his way. Surprisingly, celibacy was not holding him back; …
Assault on Altar Boys: What Have We Done?
One day, following Mass, a Polish man, in his fifties, shared a childhood story with me. It seems that he and his brother were serving Mass with another boy who, to their frustration, was being deliberately unruly and obstinate. The …
Requiem for a Synod: Female Deacons Rally Again
The Amazon Synod is finally over. Three weeks of nonsense, tree-hugging, and pagan idolatry was mixed in with the important issue of the supposed female diaconate. The issue of the female diaconate was studied in 2002. Pope Francis later convened …