Book review of The Church’s Best-Kept Secret: A Primer on Catholic Social Teaching Mark Shea New City Press Earlier this month, Catholic writer and evangelist Mark Shea penned a mea culpa for the times he has put political ideology above...
In a homily given to the College of Cardinals before he was elected pope, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger famously coined the phrase, “the dictatorship of relativism.” Commenting on St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the future pope spoke about how we...
A few weeks ago my wife and I joined the millions of people who watched Netflix’s new original series, The Queen’s Gambit. While I wasn’t sold on it at first, by the final episode I was completely invested. Although religion...
O man, do you not realize by what means Christ pursues you in order to call you back? Saint Peter Chrysologus wrote this in the 5th century as a part of a reflection on the Nativity. These words remind me...
On December 8th, 1870—150 years ago today—Pope Pius IX declared St. Joseph the Patron of the Universal Church. In honor of today’s anniversary, Pope Francis announced this morning a Year of St. Joseph, that begins today and will be celebrated...
I don’t think Pope Francis is recognized enough for his skill as a theologian. It is the Pope Emeritus who is, rightly, widely recognized as possessing a brilliant theological mind. Francis, on the other hand, is seen as the great...
UPDATE: Here’s the video. Tonight at 6:30pm (EST) I’m giving a presentation on Pope Francis’s new encyclical, Fratelli Tutti. St. Thomas Aquinas parish in East Lansing, Michigan invited me to give an hour-long presentation (followed by a brief Q&A). You...
Smart Catholics and Where Peter Is are collaborating to offer a two hour live conference to celebrate the pope’s upcoming encyclical on human fraternity, Fratelli Tutti. Join us this Sunday, October 4th, 5:00-7:00pm EST. We will be having two live...
Pope Francis is signing a new social encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, this weekend. The Holy Father has spoken about human fraternity throughout his pontificate, so it’s not a surprise that he chose this topic for an encyclical. In preparation for this...
When the pandemic hit the United States earlier this year, bishops across the country made the necessary but unprecedented decision to dispense the faithful from their traditional obligation to attend Mass every Sunday. Six months later, we are slowly beginning...
Friend of WPI, Jose Rodriguez, recently had me on his podcast, Conversation on Tap, to talk about our mutual love of Pope Francis. It was a joy being able to share what I find most compelling about Francis without getting...
In this new episode of Apostles’ Field Guide, Monica Pope and I finish up our discussion of the USCCB’s pastoral letter against racism, “Open Wide Our Hearts.” As we walked through the eight action points that the bishops’ propose in...
In episode two of Apostles’ Field Guide, Monica Pope and I continue our examination of the first part of the USCCB’s letter against racism, “Open Wide Our Hearts.” In this episode we finish discussing the “Do Justice” section and then...
In episode one of Apostles’ Field Guide, Monica Pope and I discuss the first part of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ pastoral letter against racism, “Open Wide Our Hearts.” In this episode we go through the Introduction and “Do...
I’m excited to share with you a new project that WPI has been working on, the Apostles’ Field Guide podcast. We started our first podcast, Peter’s Field Hospital, back in March and Mike Lewis has had some great conversations with...
Back in January the Lord put on my mind and heart an idea for a theological essay that he wanted me to write. I don’t say that lightly here. Never before has something burned within me until I wrote it...
For the past couple of weeks I have taken up Pope Francis’s recent encouragement that we read his encyclical Laudato Si. I’m ashamed to say that I’d never read it before, but I decided that now is as good a...
Across the country, bishops are gradually beginning to allow public Masses again. This process will be slow-going, and the dioceses that are reopening have extended the dispensation of the faithful from their obligation to attend Sunday Mass. How public liturgies...
I think it’s completely natural for believers to look at this pandemic and the profound suffering it is causing and ask themselves “why?” The Catechism calls the experience of suffering and evil a “scandal” before going on to say, “If...
Millions of Catholics around the world are now facing the reality that they won’t be able to attend any Holy Week liturgies or receive Communion on Easter Sunday. The Triduum is one of my favorite times of the year. I...
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