The Curious Case of the Purloined Precept
Why did the sixth precept—”To observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage”—disappear from Catholic catechisms?
From Marital Debt to Marital Credit
While the language of “marital debt” can turn the self-giving human relationship of marriage into a legalistic project of obedience, what is the proper approach to the marital relationship?
We Have Seen This Show Before
Contrary to some modern protests, there exists a norm or standard of right reason which applies to everyone in every place and time.
Forgive Them, Father
The hardest people to forgive are those men called to be our spiritual fathers and shepherds who are blatantly and publicly inflicting wounds on the mystical body of the Church.
A Convert Among Communists and Carmelites
Roy Campbell is mostly unknown today, but he once enjoyed fame and endured infamy—attacked bitterly by C.S. Lewis and defended vociferously by J.R.R. Tolkien.
What Attracts Homosexuals to the Priesthood?
Why would a young homosexual man today, in a time of general acceptance of homosexuals in all walks of life, choose the priesthood?
The Better, the Worse, and the Masculine
In a time of attacks from all sides, faithful Catholics must not emulate our enemies.
Advent Memories of Ireland on Retreat
I once experienced Ireland as being warmed by peat fires, laughter, and locals who rose from benches to sing old emigration songs. But now I saw it covered in what seemed a blanketed indifference and cold-heartedness.
How Detachment from the “Real” Has Impacted the Church
One wonders how different things would be if the prominent Churchmen who have done such damage to the Church had the experience of a more “real” life.
Our Lady of Guadalupe’s Message: Paradise Can Be Ours
As we approach the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, let us ponder in our hearts again the unique and powerful effect Our Lady of Guadalupe had on the history of the Americas.
A Culture That Needs the Immaculate Conception
A correct understanding of the power of the Immaculate Conception can immensely aid Catholics in navigating our tumultuous times.
I Believe in Santa
Believe it (or in him) or not, but Santa Claus was instrumental in my return to the sacraments.
Is Traditionalism an Essence or a Reaction?
Second-wave traditionalists are often less ideologically-driven than first-wave traditionalists, but instead have simply found no allure in the predominant Catholicism of recent decades.
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.
This Advent, Don’t Forget That Satan Hates You
The Incarnation serves as the supreme reason as to why Satan harbors such a tremendous hatred for us and desires and works tirelessly to drag us to the depths of Hell.
Elite “Ethics” (and the “Ethicist” Advising Them)
Modern ethics has gotten so ridiculous it’s become impossible to parody.
If G.K. Chesterton Were a Doctor Today
G.K. Chesterton would declare that a commonsense Catholic medical response needs to put human dignity at the center of its work.
Cardinal Zen: Reorient Your Lives This Advent!
One of the most prophetic voices in the Church today urges us to deep conversion this Advent.
The Pope, the Bishops, and the Church’s Crisis of Trust
Trust in institutions is at an all-time low, and this includes the Catholic Church, whose leaders have done little to generate trust.
Faithful Reasoning and Reasonable Faith: Genetics at the Dawn of Humanity
How far can genetics take us in explaining what makes humans different from other animals?