A new report out of China yesterday indicates that the Vatican has now, for a second time, asked a legitimate bishop to step down and give his episcopal see to a Communist government-appointed bishop who was excommunicated in 2011 after …
Category: Church & State
Connecting the Papal Dots: Amoris Laetitia and the Separation of Church and State
Editor’s note: The following comes from a contributor who wishes to remain anonymous. Orthodox Catholics often accuse Pope Francis’s theology of being incoherent. However, while it is true that many of his theological beliefs do not cohere with each other …
From Casuistry to ‘Mercy’: Toward a New Art of Pleasing?
Image: Antonio Escobar y Mendoza, a prominent casuist of the 17th century. One might think casuistry is dead and buried, that the controversies of the 17th century should be over once and for all. Rarely do any of our contemporaries …
If the Church No Longer Engages in Politics, Politics Will Silence the Church
Editor’s Note: This article, written by Professor Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, was first published in Italy, in the newspaper La Verità, on 17 September. In this text, the author discusses first a 15 September article written by Ernesto Galli della Loggia, …
On Light and Lawyers: A Response to Dr. Edward Peters
My article – regarding the dilemma created for Catholic lawyers related to whether or not the local ordinary’s permission is required before seeking a civil divorce – has received a reply from the internet’s pre-eminent canon lawyer, Edward Peters. Since I am …
Trump to Little Sisters of the Poor: “Your Long Ordeal is Over” But is it?
It has arguably been the most high-profile Catholic news item in the United States for years. The Little Sisters of the Poor became the poster children in the fight over over religious freedom in America during the Obama administration and …
Pope Francis Praises Soros-Funded Organization; Encourages “Resistance”
On 17 February, Pope Francis released a letter written for those gathered for the World Meeting of Popular Movements held in California from 16-19 February — a meeting organized by the Vatican. Such meetings regularly take place in the Vatican and are initiated …
Congress Shall Make No Law: The Church and the Johnson Amendment
Christ said at His ascension, “Go forth and make disciples of all nations.” This singular command permeates all aspects of Catholic life, both public and private. As Catholics, we are called to conform our entire life to the Gospel message. …
Reflecting on the Catholic View of Good and Just Government
The 2016 presidential election in the United States presents an occasion for us to reflect upon the Catholic view on what constitutes a good and just government. In order to understand the Catholic perspective, we must first ask the question: …
Does Pope Francis Understand the Social Kingship of Christ?
Judeo-Christian revelation has always taught that, in view of God’s absolute sovereignty over the whole creation, the First Commandment of the Decalogue obliges not just individuals, but societies as such, including the political community. Over a century ago, Pope Leo …