Love for Liturgy, Love for the Church: An Ongoing Dialogue

Editor’s Note: Due to the high interest and lively discussion prompted by Fr. Robert McTeigue’s recent article, “What Many Priests No Longer Believe,” the following two responses have been published to offer additional viewpoints on the chal … [Read more...]

The Patterns of Heavenly Things

Sacredness and Beauty in the Liturgy

The history of the Catholic Church has produced an extensive tradition of sacred art, especially in the fields of painting, music, and architecture. Although this tradition has expanded and diversified over time, with variations across … [Read more...]

The Spirit of Truth

The Holy Spirit’s Role in a Deeper Understanding of Revelation

Jesus, who identified himself as the truth (Jn 14:6), indicated that it was “to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you” (Jn 16:7). Indeed, Christ promised to pray to the Father to send ano … [Read more...]

Priestly Obedience in a Post-McCarrick Church, Part II

Go to Part I Now that we have traced the nature and the theological implications of obedience and ecclesial authority, let us now look at authority and obedience as complementary responsibilities. Church documents emphasize that … [Read more...]

Perhaps Another Minor Ministry

When St. Paul VI dissolved the minor orders for the Latin Church and instituted a ecclesiastical reality called “minor ministries” of acolyte and lector, he wanted laymen only to assume these ministries of the liturgy in a more ins … [Read more...]

Questions Answered – December 2022

The Mass as Sacrifice Question: Why do you call the Mass a sacrifice? Does not Paul say the sacrifice of the Gentiles is a sacrifice to demons? “A broken and contrite heart O Lord thou will not despise,” I read in the psalms. Answer: Sac … [Read more...]

How Appealing to “Inclusivity” Is Detrimental

On February 7, 2022, Brantly Millegan was fired as the director of operations for Ethereum Name Services (ENS). The cause for his termination was a Tweet that he posted in 2016 that expressed Catholic moral teachings in blunt form. It read: … [Read more...]

Questions Answered – October 2022

Church Teaching and the Theological Ethics of Life Question: There has been much talk about the Church changing her teaching on Humanae Vitae. This apparently is due to a recent document from the Pontifical Academy of Life: Theological … [Read more...]

Overview of Desiderio Desideravi

On the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, June 29, 2022, Pope Francis promulgated the Apostolic Letter Desiderio Desideravi.[1. Francis, Desiderio Desideravi (Rome: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2022), … [Read more...]

The Eucharist: The Prima Via of Divinization

The current state of the Church in our contemporary age, and those salient points to which she sets her vision, would suggest that the Eucharist remains at the core of all her efforts and activity.[1. Catechism of the Catholic Church (Citta … [Read more...]

Overcoming Polarization Within the Church

Reconnecting the Sacraments with the Moral Life

Note: This article originally appeared in The Catholic Journal, July 4, 2019. Introduction: Framing the Issue Sadly, our world is more divided than ever before. Even a cursory glance at politics, education, or culture suffices to give one … [Read more...]

“Not My Will But Yours Be Done”

Understanding the Agony in the Garden

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.” And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him. He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like dro … [Read more...]

The Church’s Teaching on Marriage, Part Three

Go to Part I Go to Part II In Vitro Fertilization, Artificial Insemination, and Surrogate Motherhood It bears repeating that “‘[e]ach human person, in his absolutely unique singularity, is constituted not only by his spirit, but by his … [Read more...]

The Church’s Teaching on Marriage, Part Two

Go to Part I Go to Part III Contribution of Families to Society “The very experience of communion and sharing that should characterize the family’s daily life represents its first and fundamental contribution to society.” FC at 43. “The … [Read more...]

Questions Answered – February 2022

What Is the Church’s Magisterial Teaching? Question: Do we owe religious submission of intellect and will to those teachings of the Pope contained in documents (addresses, allocutions, letters, etc.) that were not published in the Acta A … [Read more...]