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 by Pope Francis himself in his attempt to work together with a variety of grassroots…
Der Papst – Sendung und Auftrag (The Pope – Mission and Mandate) Cardinal Gerhard Müller Publisher Herder 608 pages € 29.99 Today, 20 February, the German publishing house, Herder Verlag (Freiburg), has released a new book written by Cardinal Gerhard Müller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. (Ignatius Press is already preparing an English…
Some time ago, a Catholic priest wrote me a wonderful letter about tradition and youth ministry, which turned into a correspondence that struck me as worth sharing with a wider readership. So many of us face the issues discussed therein, week in and week out. I asked the priest his permission to include some of…
I usually only publish correspondence with readers that is in some way inspiring or uplifting, or illustrates an important point. But I received an email a couple of days ago that surprised me. And since our contact page has a clear disclaimer — “Please note: we reserve the right to share or publish any correspondence…
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. Conformity with the precepts of the Gospel message – which forms the essence of conversion…
In the past 24 hours, I’ve heard from two separate people who said that if they were in RCIA today, instead of during Pope Benedict XVI’s pontificate, they’re not sure they would have gone through with it. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this. It won’t be the last. But it raises an important…
Yesterday’s letter from a seminarian about the trials and hopes of training to be a priest in 2017 received a very positive response. Among those we heard from was another U.S. seminarian — from a completely different diocese — who emailed us to share his own thoughts. He graciously gave me permission to share them with…
Justin Welby, the Church of England’s Archbishop of Canterbury, is allowing a full Masonic service to be conducted in Canterbury cathedral on the same day that Cardinal Nichols reconsecrates England and Wales to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Westminster cathedral on the18th February 2017. Canterbury cathedral was the Mother-Church of All England from 597 till the…
(Image: Bonn, home of the Secretariat of the German Bishops’ Conference) On 14 February, Steve Skojec reported on his own attempts to receive, in justice, some clarifications – specific and unambiguous ones – concerning steps now to be taken by the Archdiocese of Newark with regard to the outspoken and conservative Catholic priest, Father Peter…
Editor’s note: the following letter was submitted to us by a young man currently studying for the priesthood in the United States. Sadly, expressing even these measured thoughts on some of the difficulties facing seminarians in the current ecclesiastical climate could provoke retribution. For this reason, we have agreed to keep his identity anonymous. While…
On 15 February, the Italian journal Il Timone published an article written by Cardinal Camillo Ruini – former Vicar General of the Diocese of Rome – in which he defends the traditional Catholic teaching on marriage according to which the “remarried” divorcees may not receive the Sacraments if they do not live as brother and sister.…
