What Happened at St. Patrick’s Cathedral?
If the nonsense at St. Patrick’s had happened on my watch, I think I would have stopped the whole carnival, turned off the microphones and lights, and called the cops.
Exit the Pope?
It is not disrespect of papal magisterium to register difficulties with supposedly pastoral recommendations on the basis of prudential criteria.
Is Abstaining From Voting Sinful?
The cynicism that skepticism about the integrity of the political system should make us absent ourselves from the process can’t be the answer.
The Emperor’s New Theologian
The emperor needed a new theologian to defend the marvelous cloth in which he paraded.
Worship for God…or for Us?
The primary focus of Catholic worship, unlike Protestant worship, is to be directed toward God, not the people.
Prudence and Symbolic Ambiguity
If you knew that the person was going to misunderstand your blessing, would it be right to let him or her be in vincible ignorance?
The Path to Dystopia is Paved with Ideology
Treating “gender distress” as something caused by a societal injustice is an attempt to normalize a condition and behaviors that have been considered unhealthy for millennia.
The Utilitarianism of “Effective Altruists”
The “Effective Altruists” like Samuel Bankman-Fried claim to want to help the world, but their underlying utilitarianism threatens to destroy it.
Welcome to Muck Island
The sacking of Bishop Strickland brings to mind the sad plot of Brian Moore’s novella “Catholics”.
Ruling vs. Leading the Church
In Pope Francis’s favorite book “The Lord of the World,” the fictional pope does not lead but rules the Church. Ecclesiastical power is centralized in his person. The Cardinal Legates are his supervisors of the local Church. Some might see a pattern here.
We Live Among Barbarians
The vote to enshrine abortion in Ohio should be a revelation to us: we live among barbarians who do not care about human life in the womb.
Our Emersonian Pontiff
Is clerical haberdashery really such a problem that it merits a prominent place in the pope’s intervention in a synod as overhyped as the one concluding in Rome these days?
Diálogo de Sordos: Catholic Discussion of the Immigration Chaos
Some have accused the Church of being complicit in creating the broken mess of the immigration system. That is like blaming the staff of the emergency room attending gunshot victims for the violence in the streets.
Troubled Thoughts About the Synod
The Instrumentum Laboris is not as bad as some argue, but it is worrisome because of the impression it gives of structuring a supposed listening session in order to achieve previously conceived results.
Heartbeat Laws Are Not a “Terrible Mistake,” President Trump
While president, Donald Trump achieved many pro-life goals. But now he hides in ambiguity, trying to sound ethical while opening a loophole for abortion that should outrage many of his supporters.
A Muslim Sheikh’s Unfortunate First Communion
An Archbishop defended giving a Muslim sheikh Holy Communion, contrary to the longstanding teaching and praxis of the Church.
A Papal Silence Would Be Welcome at Times
A religious leader should be very careful about spreading his thinking too thin; a pope is not an omniscient source of opinions about everything.
Alarms About the St. Michael Prayer
The idea that it is wrong to pray the St. Michael Prayer after Mass is only something that could be believed by a rubricist out of touch with reality.
Cardinal Ratzinger on Why Pro-lifers Are Losing Referenda Like Ohio’s Issue One
Cardinal Ratzinger’s prophecy about a “new oligarchy” who decide what is modern and progressive is coming to pass before our eyes.
What Does the Pope Have Against Opus Dei?
Is there some problem with Opus Dei that led Pope Francis to take so many steps to contradict what its founder thought a key to its continued usefulness to the Church?