The Pope is Dead. Long Live the Papacy.
Pope Francis famously called on Catholics to “make a mess.” He surely did, and now it’s up to us to clean up. Pray for the soul of Pope Francis, pray for the next pope, and pray for Holy Mother Church.
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 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.
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.
What is a Catholic’s Duty to the Pope?
There’s a lot of confusion among Catholics regarding our obligations to the pope. Do we have to agree with everything he says? Must we implement his political views? Are we allowed to ignore him? We’ll break down exactly when we must adhere to the pope’s views and when we don’t have to.
Love for St. Peter and His Successor
My love for Peter endures because he is like me, fragile flesh and blood, but also unlike me, in that he became holy, despite his sin. I must love the successor of Peter, even when that successor causes me to suffer.
Is a Pope Beyond Criticism?
Since the Church claims that the pope has the special gift from Christ as the successor of St. Peter, we must ask what this infallibility consists of and if a pope is then beyond scrutiny and criticism?
Why I Didn’t Sign the Call for the Resignation of Pope Francis
A number of Catholics recently called for the resignation or deposition of Pope Francis. I did not join them – why?
Today’s Church Needs a Renaissance Pope
Right now, the Church needs proud leaders devoted to preserving civilization and inspiring excellence. What it doesn’t need are pusillanimous demagogues committed to seeking approval.
The Hyperinflation of the Papacy
The role of the papacy in the minds of too many Catholics has morphed from being the center of Church unity to the source of Church teaching.
Rome Is Falling! Rome Is Falling!
The next papal election will be more important than the next presidential election.
Identifying the Problem is Only Half the Battle
Fr. James Altman is largely correct in identifying today’s problems in the Church, but his cure is as bad as the disease.
The Papacy, Doctrine, and Development
The pope is not a free agent. His authority, humanly considered, flows from his submission to and dependence upon Peter, that fisherman, that first pilot of the bark of the Church.
Defending the Papacy In the Age of Francis
Perhaps the greatest apologetical challenge for Catholics today is defending the papacy when its occupant is doing such a poor job. How can Catholics still support the papacy from the attacks of Protestants, Orthodox, and others?
Which Is Greater: The Pope or Tradition?
Pope Francis has made a habit of denigrating those who look to the past for answers. But isn’t tradition an important part of Catholicism? We’ll look at the proper relationship between the pope and tradition.
Ultramontanism: A Means Not an End
Ultramontanism itself—the hailing of the reigning pontiff as Supreme Leader of the faithful, whose every utterance must be accepted unquestioningly—is a relatively recent phenomenon in the life of the Church.
The Fallibility of Popes, According to St. Paul and St. Gregory
Infallibility is not to be generalized to all the pope’s statements, just as it must not be confused with impeccability. The pope is human and can sin like all of us. He can also be mistaken about things.
Understanding the Papacy in a Time of Confusion
A new book takes a deep dive into one of today’s most controversial topics: the papacy.
A Faithful Pope of the Enlightenment
In the early 1950s, children watched a puppet show Kukla, Fran, and Ollie broadcast from Chicago all the way to the Eastern seaboard through the innovative marvel of television. It was more of a children’s show for adults, for how else could the sophisticated puns make sense, or what child could understand how Ollie the … Read more
What We Talk About When We Talk About The Young Pope
Hollywood’s brush tends to paint the Vatican in colors dark and foreboding, a lavishly decorated place of simony and secret sexual sins. The papal throne is made to look smug and malevolent, even diabolical. Catholic priests are either buffoons or sex-crazed loonies. The laity are gullible, superstitious, or secretly Protestant. The HBO limited series The Young … Read more