VEYM LEAGUE OF CHAPTERS
The Vatican has recently approved of some considerable alterations of the Novus Ordo celebrated in the Mexican diocese of Chiapas. These alterations are put forward as springing from immemorial Mayan traditions. The controversy leads me to think again about what it means to have any kind of culture at all, especially as against the phenomena … Read moreNatives From Nowhere
Jesus taught in synagogues and preached in fields. He said, “go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), sending His followers to lead sacrificial, charitable lives, with many paying the ultimate cost of martyrdom. But now, in the age of online Christendom, there’s a new kind of preacher on the scene: the Catholic … Read moreDisciples of…Dollar Signs?
The Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor, on December 7. By liturgical standards, he’s important. Not only is his an obligatory memorial (i.e., you have to celebrate it), but it’s an obligatory memorial in Advent. Saints—especially saints of the early Church—were often the subjects of classical art. Great painters often depicted … Read moreWould St. Ambrose Get Fired Today?
Around the turn of the last century, a prominent London newspaper called The World put the following question to its readers, offering a prize for the best possible answer: “What’s wrong with the world?” Not the newspaper, of course, whose good health the owners took for granted. But the planet, about which there was a … Read moreFrom Sinner to Saint
A few weeks ago, a seemingly harmless change was announced. At Pope Francis’ request, a revised Order of Funerals for Roman Pontiffs was adopted. Among other things, the ritual of three coffins, practiced in the church since the eleventh century, has been replaced. I cannot help but be disappointed whenever a long-standing tradition is “modernized,” … Read morePutting the Nail in the (Pope’s) Coffin
As all Catholics no doubt recall vividly, on April 15, 2019, the Gothic 12th-century icon of Catholicism dominating the Île de la Cité in the middle of the Seine River, Notre-Dame de Paris, was ravaged by flames accidentally caused by renovation work. As the roof, famously comprised of a “forest” of oak beams, blazed and … Read moreNotre-Dame Reopens: A Restoration of Tradition?
When I was speaking with someone about Mary, the new film on Netflix, they commented to me that it was largely based on the apocryphal second-century text the Protoevangelium of James and the mystical writings of Maria of Agreda and Anne Catherine Emmerich. I thought the comment was off and incorrect. I’ve personally read all … Read moreThe Unrecognizable Netflix Mary
Catholics for Choice, an organization founded by Frances Kissling, a former abortion clinic operator (and someone who did not deem herself a Catholic), has been in the business of scandal since its inception in 1973. And sadly, the start of Advent only provided them with further opportunity for heinous behavior. December commenced with Catholics for … Read moreMary’s Fiat: The Choice of True Freedom
I did not think twice about voting for Donald Trump for president three times in my life. However, I have been a bit surprised by the valentines some Catholic writers have penned about him post-election. The fact that he was a much better candidate than his rival should not mean that we are now beholden … Read moreRFK is the Wrong Choice for HHS
On November 13, 2024, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) was nominated as the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), a position of tremendous importance that oversees the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and various other agencies. But long before … Read moreIs RFK’s Nomination to HHS an Answer to Prayer?