I had not yet seen HERE the celebration of the Pachamama with Bergoglio in front of the altar at Saint Peter’s Basilica last October 4 at the opening of the Amazon Synod. It is stunning. Now I understand why people are talking about idolatrous profanation and of the need to reconsecrate Saint Peter’s Basilica. Perhaps…
As our secular culture mandates, ’tis the season to break the bank and lavishly buy gifts for those close, and not so close, to us. It is difficult to find the perfect present for that special someone (should I buy my wife the ThighMaster?). One could say a spirit of listening and discernment is needed.…
Today on the podcast, Steve talks with Alexander Tschugguel, most famously known for removing the Pachamama idols that were kept in Santa Maria in Transpontina during the Amazon synod and disposing of them in the Tiber river. Alexander is also the founder of the St. Boniface Institute, based in Vienna, Austria, which is dedicated to opposing…
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 Gospel: Luke 3:1-6 Stir up Thy power and come, we pray Thee, O Lord, and with great might succour us; that our deliverance, which our sins impede, may be hastened by the help of Thy grace and the forgiveness of Thy mercy. – From the Collect for the Fourth Sunday of…
Earlier today, I wrote about the move by the German bishops to re-examine Church teaching on human sexuality — particularly pertaining to the questions of homosexual acts and contraception. In that same analysis, I mentioned some early reporting on a 300-page study commissioned by Pope Francis and published by the Pontifical Biblical Commission (PBC) on…
As I sit down to write this today, I feel my brain grasping to make sense of what I’m seeing. I literally don’t know how to process or adequately explain what appears to be a full court press to push acceptance of homosexuality by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church herself. But I would be…
We continue our series on the Four Last Things. See the first two parts on death and judgment. Hell Is Proof of Man’s Exalted Dignity The Offertory prayers speak of how God “wondrously endowed dignity to human nature” [1]. The eternity of Hell manifests the proof of this exalted dignity in two ways. The first…
On this episode of the 1P5 Minute, we cover a lot of ground, beginning with an explanation of Advent Embertide, which starts today. Pope Francis has removed the pontifical secret that kept all information pertaining to clerical sexual abuse cases under wraps; we discuss whether our expectations should change on transparency regarding abuse. ALSO: Archbishop…
Readers may already know about the delightful book The Gentle Traditionalist: A Catholic Fairy-Tale from Ireland by Roger Buck (Angelico Press, 2015). Buck is back with an equally dashing although more earnest sequel: The Gentle Traditionalist Returns (Angelico Press, 2019). So many are the excellent insights in this book that I will undoubtedly return to…
I hope you read the title of this post to the tune of Silver Bells. The Bing Crosby version, naturally. Have you ever heard about the Ember days, observed for most of the history of the Church prior to the late 20th century? If you haven’t, don’t feel bad. Like many traditional practices in the Church laden…
The great saintly mystics and masters of the spiritual life tell us that one of the surest means to advance virtually by light years is by frequent meditation on the passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, on His love and sufferings, and on the heroic pains He endured for us. Thus, St. Louis Marie de…
