Catholics Are Rapidly Losing Ground
A new survey shows that for every 100 new Catholics, more than 800 people leave the Church. As bad as that is, the news is actually worse when we look more closely at the numbers. Radical changes are needed.
Keep Ringin’ Those Bells!
Are ringing bells during Mass a vestige of the bad old pre-1969 Mass, where everything was hidden from the People of God in a dead language and the priest had to get the congregation’s attention?
Geopolitics and Papal Elections
If you have any doubt that geopolitics should play a role in papal elections, think of this: while choosing someone to step into the shoes of the poor fisherman from Galilee, the cardinals are also electing the head of a sovereign, juridical entity.
Liturgy, Redemption, and Contemplation
All too many modern Catholics seem to think that the only hope for renewal in the modern Church is to find it in the liturgy alone, and they seem to be blind to the importance of deep personal prayer.
Setting St. Augustine on Fire
It was never mere proof of God’s existence that set Augustine on fire; it was, rather, the grace to remain steadfast in following the Lord, indeed, in falling in love with the Lord.
The Coming Trumpian Pope
As we pray for the Holy Father in his final agony, we wonder who the next pope will be and pray he will be a Trumpian pope, a bull in the china shop who will “make a mess.”
The “Higher Things” Budget
Let us consider the “higher things” together. Some say they are useless extravagances. But I say (with all sane men before me) that they are teachers of mysteries, to be revered.
The Pope I Pray For
I must admit to having—as every Catholic must—an idea of what I would wish for from and in a pope.
The Struggles of a Scrupulous Trad
What should we do in a modern Church full of questionable shepherds? Obviously, the solution isn’t to double down and justify our compulsive behavior. “I can’t trust anyone” is never supernaturally true.
Why Are They Leaving?
Before asking what to do with those who want to come to America, it may be helpful to ask why they are seeking to leave their homeland in the first place. And what can we do about that?
Feminism and the Destruction of Hierarchy
Western patriarchy had nothing to do with blanket, across-the-board control of women by men. Patriarchal authority of husbands over wives was one form of hierarchical authority among others, some of which gave women authority over men.
Preparing for the Pope’s Passing
There is an apologia brewing for the spirit of the Francis papacy as secular stakeholders recoil to lose his fast-and-loose presence in the Vatican with the same vehemence as they recoil at Donald Trump’s fast-and-furious return to the White House.
“America First” Does Not Mean Unlimited Support for Israel
Trump and his supporters have touted an “America First” agenda, but this goes out the window when it comes to Israel.
A Priest’s Warning to Trump Regarding Ukraine
President Trump’s recent actions toward Ukraine has led me to withdraw my support for him, not out of political expediency but out of fidelity to Christ whom I represent.
Owing Death
Not even the cleverest or wealthiest among us will escape the long arm of death. We all owe God a death.
TV Stars Who No Longer Shine
Malcolm Muggeridge and Marshall McLuhan are two now-mostly-forgotten TV stars who converted to Catholicism.
Catholics: First and Final Defense Against IVF
The Catholic Church was not only the first to warn against IVF and its consequences, but it is also now the work of today’s Church to be the final defense against the practice of IVF too.
Please, America, Stop Trying to “Liberate” Canada
Americans, if you think Canada needs to be “liberated,” I would urge you to liberate your own nation from the iniquity that is as prevalent within your borders as in any nation on earth.
It’s Time We Stop Singing About Ourselves at Mass
What makes for a “suitable hymn”? How should we gauge “good” and “bad” hymns? I would suggest using a very simple litmus test by asking this question: “Whom are we singing to?”
What the British Have Forgotten—and Can Teach Us
So many of what we consider peculiarly British customs and practices are really survivals—shorn of Catholic meaning—that were universal among Catholic peoples prior to the Protestant revolt.
