The Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis, written in 1992, was a major gift to priestly formation from Pope St. John Paul II. Most fundamentally, it was an encouragement to all involved in priestly formation to take seriously the human … [Read more...]
“Father, forgive me, for I have sinned—again, and again”
September 30, 2022 by Fr. Anthony J. Pinizzotto
How do priests respond to penitents who come into the confessional or seek counsel in the office saying, “I feel like a hypocrite. I come to confession every (day, week, month), and I confess the same sin” (gambling, drinking, pornography, m … [Read more...]
Clergy Sex Abuse: Why Do We Still Need to Talk About This?
Often at the scene of a horrific accident, police will tell bystanders to “Move along. There is nothing to see here.” The Catholic Church sex abuse scandal is a terrible tragedy and many laity feel they are being given this very mess … [Read more...]
Book Reviews – February 2020
February 26, 2020 by Book Reviews
Habits for a Healthy Marriage: A Handbook for Catholic Couples By Richard P. Fitzgibbons. Reviewed by Christopher Siuzdak. (skip to review) Debating Religious Liberty and Discrimination By John Corvino, Ryan Anderson, and Sherif … [Read more...]
Pastoral Care of Women Who Have Left the Convent
January 26, 2020 by Rachel M. Daly
In the fall of 2014, I got on a train to enter the convent. I was happy and healthy, with an intact family, great friends, a list of accomplishments I was proud of, and no history of mental health trouble, having passed my psychological … [Read more...]
Well Directed — Lessons Learned
from Saint Paul
The Importance of Spiritual Direction in the Ministry and Mission of Evangelization in Light of the Life and Ministry of the Apostle Paul
January 26, 2020 by Fr. William Dillard
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may … [Read more...]
Book Reviews – January 2020
January 18, 2020 by Book Reviews
The Catholic Gentleman: Living Authentic Manhood Today By Sam Guzman. Reviewed by Austin Barnes. (skip to review) Still Amidst the Storm: A Family Man’s Search for Peace in an Anxious World By Conor Gallagher. Reviewed by Seth G … [Read more...]
Parental and Spousal Alienation in Catholic Marriages
June 30, 2019 by Dr. Richard P. Fitzgibbons, MD
Marital separation and divorce in Catholic couples can result in intense levels of stress and sadness, particularly in the majority of spouses who report, while this is occurring, being happily married, committed to the marriage, and … [Read more...]
Christ’s Resurrection and Ours
April 20, 2019 by Audrey Yu
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory? (Lk 24:26) After the death of Jesus, it seems that even those who had been closest to Him were blinded by the pain of disappointment and despair. … [Read more...]
Conscience
The Echo of God's Voice
January 28, 2019 by Brent Withers
Conscience is the voice of God, whereas it is fashionable on all hands now to consider it in one way or another a creation of man.[1. John Henry Newman, in The Genius of John Henry Newman: Selections from his Writings, ed. Ian Ker (Oxford: … [Read more...]
The Screening, Protection, and Crisis Education of Seminarians
January 17, 2019 by Dr. Richard P. Fitzgibbons, MD
Fr. D. Paul Sullins, PhD, is a married Catholic priest. He was formerly an Episcopal minister and has been blessed with a marriage of 30 years and three children. Fr. Sullins recently retired as a Professor of Sociology at the Catholic … [Read more...]
Believing and Praying
The Power of Homilies
January 1, 2019 by Dr. Ralph Martin, STD
It’s often been said that by reflecting on what we have received in the tradition of liturgical prayer we can discover what we believe; prayer as a source of doctrine. The reverse is also true. What we believe determines what we pray — or wh … [Read more...]
Exploring Harmful Anger in and at Marriage and the Priesthood
November 30, 2018 by Dr. Richard P. Fitzgibbons, MD
The protection of one’s marriage and children from the harm caused by excessive anger is an important responsibility for parents in their vocation. Particularly challenging is the uncovering and addressing of anger expressed in a covert, m … [Read more...]
Psychopathy
A Deeper Reality Revealed Through Catholicism
March 30, 2018 by Brent Withers
It is my hope that through the lens of the wisdom of the Church’s tradition, I am able to reveal the deeper reality that remains hidden behind the label of psychopathy. By its very nature, an exploration into the world of the psychopath s … [Read more...]
Briefly Revisiting Pre-1983 Canonical Practice for a Better Response to Marriage Issues
March 15, 2018 by Catherine Godfrey Howell, JCD
The juridical significance of mental illness and psychic anomalies in marriage has shifted over centuries from a description of an illicit act to one of invalid consent. Early pronouncements on insane individuals who contracted marriage … [Read more...]
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