Arbiter of Morality: Caesar or God
These are delicate times, in the Church and in the world. Our blessed Lord has already told us how to understand the state vis á vis the Church: Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to...
Category: Analysis
Now they say Joe Biden is a Freemason
It’s pretty clear that the claim that Joe Biden has joined the Freemasons is fake news. This is a non-story that has thrown a lot of fuel on the preconceptions of Catholics, conspiracy theorists, and (most especially) Catholic conspiracy theorists....
The Postliberalism We Actually Need
What is postliberalism? And why does it matter? The second question is easier to answer than the first. Up to the last couple of years, the distinctions and debates swirling among a handful of mostly Catholic or Catholic-influenced scholars and...
Cardinal Robert McElroy to DC
I’m a little bit late weighing in on Pope Francis’s appointment of Cardinal Robert McElroy as Archbishop of Washington. This news is personal to me, as I have spent most of my life in this archdiocese. Speaking personally, I am...
Vatican Suppresses Carmelite Monastery in Arlington, Texas
Today, the Diocese of Fort Worth published a PDF file containing three documents regarding the Carmelite monastery in Arlington: A statement from Bishop Michael Olson on the suppression of the monastery; a letter from Sr. Simona Brambilla, MC, secretary of...
Traditionalist Lies: Addressing Malicious “Mayan Rite” Rumors
On November 15, Lifesite’s Vatican correspondent Michael Haynes posted on X that the Vatican had approved a “Mayan rite” of the liturgy. BREAKING: #Vatican has approved the Mayan rite of Mass for areas of Mexico, involving: 1. “Ritual dances.” 2....
Cd. Zen Questions Synods, But Is Change Really Happening?
Following the recent conclusion of the Synod on Synodality, Cardinal Emeritus Joseph Zen of Hong Kong voiced criticisms regarding Pope Francis’ approach to synodality: “From the ‘Synods’ held under Pope Francis, we can see that he wants to change the Church’s...
“Obsessed with the devil”: Ripperger’s Prayer Book
[In my September 18 article on Fr. Chad Ripperger’s “bizarre and dangerous views,” I quoted from a 2021 review of Fr. Ripperger’s “Deliverance Prayers” book by the esteemed Australian theologian Fr. Peter Joseph, which was posted in audio format on...
Ripperger Strikes Back
In the past week, it seems that celebrity exorcist Fr. Chad Ripperger and his supporters suddenly decided to mount an offensive in response to the article I wrote about his heterodox and dangerous views way back on September 18. I...
Dilexit Nos: The Essential Points to Know
On October 24, 2024, Pope Francis released his fourth encyclical, dedicated to the Heart of Jesus Christ: Dilexit Nos (“He Loved Us”). What follows is a summary of the encyclical’s main themes. It does not replace a full reading of...
The Genius of John Paul II: Thomistic Renewal
You know what they say: Theology – you can’t live with it, you can’t live without it. Quite seriously: There is a problem inherent in theological study. This may not be obvious in prospect, but with even a little experience, the...
Ripperger 911
It has been a little over a month since we published my article on the problematic and heterodox teachings of the Denver-based exorcist Fr. Chad Ripperger, “The bizarre and dangerous views of a celebrity exorcist,” and it appears that it...
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