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Category: Analysis

Gregorian chant and the post-Vatican II liturgy

An area of contention and debate surrounding the state of the Roman liturgy today is sacred music. Many today will point out that Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on Sacred Liturgy, states, “The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as...

Abrogated

Obviously there’s a lot more to say, but I think the key to Pope Francis’s decision to abrogate “Summorum Pontificum,” Benedict’s document that liberalized the use of the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite, in the motu proprio “Traditionis Custodes”...

The modernist root of radical traditionalism

Recently, “Pints with Aquinas” podcast host Matt Fradd posted a quote on his Facebook page by the well-known Companions of Christ priest Fr. Mark Goring, in which the Canadian-born pastor said, “The Lord is anointing the traditionalists. When people go...

The flight of the doctrinal butterfly

Neither Pope Francis’s Magisterium, nor the Second Vatican Council’s documents, can be interpreted through a proper hermeneutic of continuity if one does not understand the concept of “doctrinal development.” Those who criticize those teachings, however, will often try to invalidate...

Flames

Is it our job to divide?

Is division a necessary part of being a truth-telling Christian? Some Catholics, including clergy, point to Jesus’ statement in Luke 12 as a clear indication that divisiveness is part of our calling as Christians: Do you think that I have...

German schism vs US schism: Competing narratives

Catholic News Service had a report today on a statement by Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, president of the German bishops’ conference, following his private audience with Pope Francis this morning. The article quotes from Bätzing’s statement, which says he...

“I am not worthy”

“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof.” We say these words at every Mass, conscious of our smallness before the greatness of God in the Sacrament of his Love. At the same time, much of...