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March 27, 2015Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent    Reading 1 Jer 20:10-13 I hear the whisperings of many:“Terror on every side!Denounce! let us denounce him!”All those who were my friendsare on the watch for any misstep of mine.“Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,and take our vengeance on him.”But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.In their failure they will be put to utter shame,to lasting, unforgettable confusion.O LORD of hosts, you who test the just,who probe mind and heart,Let me witness the vengeance you take...

The Extraordinary Synod on the Family, held in Rome from October 5-19, has proved to be the most controversial gathering of Catholic bishops since the Second Vatican Council. It has seen open conflict within the College of Cardinals and between bishops. The conflict has been centered on questions surrounding human sexuality but stems from a deeper rift between those who strive to be faithful to the natural law and the teaching of the Catholic Church and those who strive to distort that teaching to bring it into conformity with the revolutionary principles of modernity. INTRODUCING CARDINAL KASPER The lead-up to...

Well-informed Catholics the world over have a fairly good idea of what went on a few months ago in Rome but this summary, from Culture Wars, is a useful compendium of the facts that all Catholics should be cognizant of right now. We have to know what we are dealing with. http://www.culturewars.com/2015/Synod.htm What we are dealing with is not pretty. I can not see it as anything other than a full frontal assault not only on Catholic morality but on simple human decency as well. And we would do well to understand what lies just underneath the surface, just below...

Forgive Offenses Willingly Mark P. SheaThe forgiveness of sins, said the Fathers of the Church, is a greater miracle than the creation of the universe. That seems exaggerated, when considered from our perspective. A Catholic does something he feels ashamed of, hies himself to Confession, goes in the little room with the priest, and comes out a few minutes later. Sometimes he stops for a quick penance prayer in the pew. Sometimes he’s off like a shot to his next Saturday afternoon appointment. To the naked eye, it’s hard to see something akin to God hurling the Andromeda Galaxy...

Easter is a time for initiating people into the Church. In many Catholic parishes this happens through RCIA: the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.But what do you have to believe to be Catholic? There’s a lot of confusion about this in public discussion. Current popular opinion says that under Pope Francis the Church is more open, more welcoming, more willing to offer full communion to people who diverge from Church teaching.If Pope John Paul II was known for his opening exhortation “Be not afraid!” Pope Francis’s most repeated (and misconstrued) quote is “Who am I to judge?”This supposed openness...

When was the last time anyone heard a sermon that condemned the evils of fornication, or adultery, or cohabitation, or divorce, or bearing children outside wedlock (let alone homosexuality)? Controlling these sins is a core Christian value. At one time a preacher could be expected to devote extended attention to these sins. And he could be expected to condemn them unequivocally. Yet today, even as the social and economic fallout from precisely these practices becomes ever more glaring and serious, pastors and priests seem ever more determined to avoid discussing them.Of course, the dowdy old parson long ago became the...

ROME — It won't be long before two women can have a baby of their own, with no biological contribution from a man at all. So says Carter Snead, director of the Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame. Snead, who once served as general counsel to the President's Council of Bioethics under George W. Bush, said that at the current rate of developments in reproductive technology, sperm and eggs may soon be created from human skin cells. But it doesn’t have to be this way, says Snead, who together with the Center is trying to re-inject...

Fathers and Daughters – Is This a Missing Key to Modesty Today? By: Msgr. Charles PopeWe often speak today of the terrible toll that fatherless homes have on young boys. And this is true. Without a reasonably good (even though not sinless) model of manhood and responsibility, many boys lose their way. Fathers also play a large role in disciplining boys, especially as they grow older and become  stronger than their mothers.But missing fathers also bring forth terrible effects on many girls. Women, even young girls, certainly do seek and desire the love and appreciation of men and have...

NEWS ANALYSIS: Thursday’s interment of the last Plantagenet monarch has reawakened interest in England’s rich Catholic pastLONDON — Crowds thronging the roads and prayers and hymns chanted as a monarch is laid to rest, with British pageantry and traditions on full display. King Richard III died more than 500 years ago and has been the subject of much controversy among historians. And, finally, on Thursday, amid great ceremony, the monarch will be reburied, awakening all sorts of discussions connected with Britain’s history, traditions, religious beliefs and sense of common heritage. Britain has been gripped by a sudden surge of fascination...

The organisation has urged priests not to tell their parishioners how they should voteThe Association of Catholic Priests has adopted a neutral position on the same-sex marriage referendum in Ireland and urged priests not to instruct their parishioners on how they should vote in May. The group of priests, with a membership of about 1,000, issued a statement saying: “After a consultation with our members, the results of which indicated clearly a wide range of views, the Association of Catholic Priests has decided not to adopt a position in favour or against the marriage equality referendum.” The statement added: “Sexual...

Almost exactly a year ago, Robert Mickens was suspended from his post as Vatican correspondent for the London Tablet, after he showed his contempt for Pope Benedict XVI with a Facebook comment that he was looking forward to “the Rat’s funeral.” Usually Mickens was more discreet, but that crude comment tells you what you need to know about his perspective. Having subsequently left The Tablet, Mickens now writes for Global Pulse, a web site that views Catholic affairs from a strongly “progressive” slant. There he has posted another revealing comment, this time on the decision by Scottish Cardinal Keith O’Brien...

Is the church a pillar & pedestal of truth? I’ve discussed this verse (1 Tim 3:15) on more than one occasion, but since Catholics keep citing it as a prooftext for Catholicism, I have to correct them more than once. To some extent I’ll repeat myself since they repeat themselves, but I’m also going to expand on some points. Catholics always quote this out of context. But what questions should we ask ourselves when we approach this verse? 1. How should we render the Greek phrase? The Greek construction is anarthrous. There is no definite article. Therefore, there’s no...

The upcoming National Geographic miniseries "Killing Jesus," which is based on Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly's bestselling book of the same name, tells the story of the historical Jesus and leaves the supernatural claims made by believers out of the equation. The approach to the film was intentional, according to some of the actors in the film who believe it will help to get the Jesus story out to those who are skeptics. Chris Ryman, who plays Malchus, the Roman guard who arrests Jesus before His crucifixion, commented on the film's portrayal of Jesus — the man — in the...

It is often claimed the Mary was heralded by the Patristics as a woman full of grace, perhaps sinless, and deserving our veneration above other departed saints as the Mother of the Church. This is not the case. While I do freely admit that the word Patristic can be used to cover a variety of ages, I prefer to use it to the pre-nicaean leaders of the church. Let us start with them, and we can move on from there. In the Apostolic Fathers, as the first century leaders are often called, one sees little to no mention of...

Praying The Rosary Is Not Biblical, And Is A Form Of Idolatry Just last Sunday, a local newspaper paper released an article teaching that the praying of the Holy Rosary is Bible-based. In the first two paragraphs, the writer admittedly says that there is no passage in the Bible teaching nor mentioned about the praying of Rosary. However, in the following paragraphs, the writer justified the praying of the Rosary basing it on the repetition of historical events of some Bible characters (like Gideon as he mentioned) about Israel’s history. I don’t know if the writer of this article did...

Because Mary Said “Yes…” — A Reflection For The Solemnity of the Annunciation of Our Lord March 25, 2011 by Fr. Thomas Rosica Standing in the middle of the present day city of Nazareth is the mammoth Basilica of the Annunciation, built around what is believed to be the dwelling of Mary. In a grotto-like room at the heart of the basilica is a small inscription on an altar. It reads, “verbum caro hic factum est,” here the Word became flesh. There, it is believed, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, and her response changed the world forever. Imagine yourself...

March 26, 2015Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent    Reading 1 Gn 17:3-9 When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him:“My covenant with you is this:you are to become the father of a host of nations.No longer shall you be called Abram;your name shall be Abraham,for I am making you the father of a host of nations.I will render you exceedingly fertile;I will make nations of you;kings shall stem from you.I will maintain my covenant with youand your descendants after youthroughout the ages as an everlasting pact,to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.I...

PRESS RELEASE FROM "SUPPORT FOR MARRIAGE LETTER" COORDINATOR In a dramatic turn of events, nearly 500 priests from England and Wales have written a letter in defence of the ‘traditional teaching on marriage and human sexuality’ in anticipation of the forthcoming Vatican Synod on the family. This letter comes at a time when a growing number of Catholics are concerned that the gathering of Church leaders in Rome, scheduled for October 2015, will seek to re-think Gospel teaching on marriage, sexuality, repentance and grace. Some Cardinals, particularly from Germany, have suggested that Holy Communion could be received by those in...

Raul as a youth, was a dangerous, violent person who was ready to explode at any moment. This video chronicles the miraculous transformation of a person who was on a road to destruction to a man of God. This is the personal testimony of Raul Ries and how God demonstrates His grace, His love and His mercy. From Christiancinema.com: The true story of Raul Ries finds a young man full of hate and fight, lies and deception, and anger beyond control. This story focuses on Raul's high school days, martial arts experiences, and early years of his marriage. With everything...

n a lengthy interview with LifeSite News published on March 24th, Cardinal Raymond Burke said in part: It’s clear that there was a manipulation [at the Extraordinary Synod] because the actual interventions of the members of the synod were not published, and only the mid-term report, or the “relatio post disceptationem” … And so it’s clear to me that there were individuals who obviously had a very strong influence on the synod process who were pushing an agenda which has nothing to do with the truth about marriage as Our Lord Himself teaches it to us… [Emphasis added] He went...