A sub-category of News.
Above: one of the televised sessions of Vatican II. The liturgical reform document, Sacrosanctum Concilium, was promulgated sixty years ago today on December 4th, 1963. Introduction Turning 60 can be traumatic: all of a sudden retirement looms on the horizon, less than optimal physical fitness or even the prospect of bad heath beckons—if it has…
Is the Theory of Evolution compatible with the Christian faith? It depends on who you ask. For many traditionally-minded Christians, the answer is a quick “no.” But is the answer that easy? The bad relationship between Science and the Church is proverbial, but it need not be. “Reality is like a jewel with many facets…
In any area of human endeavor, the testimony of others and certain types of authority are necessary to producing agreement about what is true and false, even in the realm of the natural sciences. The historian Steven Shapin argued many years ago that We must find our interlocutors in debate credible, and trust their basic…
Early on living in Rome I learned always to close doors so they latched and to block or latch windows, often the tall, vertical kind that meet in the middle. Why? Because when the wind is blowing, by opening a door in one area, the air flow changes, and – BAM! – a door or…
Editor’s note: since we have a very short Advent this year, we will begin our annual Advent reflections on the Four Last things today and continue henceforth every Friday until Christmas. The World Fears Death, but Catholics Must Remember It There is perhaps no truth today more shunned, suppressed, and vehemently ignored than the reality…
Along with the usual repeated exhortations regarding submission to the bishop on matters of faith and supplications to God for St. Ignatius of Antioch on the matter of martyrdom—to cite the two most obvious and defining themes of the correspondence—there is a third item of unfinished business about which we cannot remain silent. Even in…
Editor’s note: embrace Trad advent and fast with the Fellowship of St. Nicholas. In this book, Cardinal Zen guides us through the liturgical themes of Advent and Christmas, unveiling the beauty of the Holy Family and the significance of Epiphany. – The Most Rev. Athanasius Schneider Time is like a spiral We would probably agree…
Several years ago, a young Colombian postulant made headlines for leaving the convent to become a “camgirl,” and, subsequently, signing a contract with a major U.S.-based pornography studio. Her debut performance, perhaps unsurprisingly, included a priest-nun motif. Her new employer lauded her decision as an exemplar of female empowerment and self-expression: “Her beauty, her raw…
Bari Weiss is an incredibly appealing young woman. She is smart and brave and a wonderful writer. She first came to prominence as an undergraduate at Columbia University for her outspoken support for Israel among the antisemites who seem to inhabit Morningside Heights up in New York City. She went to the New York Times…
Amidst more reports of the Holy Father’s poor health, it has now been confirmed by multiple sources that the Pope intends to remove Cardinal Burke’s salary and apartment in Rome. It has not been confirmed, however, if Cardinal Burke would also be removed from the College of Cardinals. Neither Cardinal Burke nor the Vatican have…
