According to a recent blog post by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, popularly known as “Fr Z,” his time living in the Diocese of Madison is coming to a close. Zuhlsdorf is a traditionalist priest of the Italian diocese of Velletri-Segni near Rome who resides in the Wisconsin diocese, where he was granted faculties to...
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 the teaching of the Church and—as a “public figure in Catholic circles”—influenced others...
It’s no secret that certain quotes that are falsely attributed to St. Francis of Assisi have worked their way into popular consciousness. Most people realize that the famous Peace Prayer of St. Francis was likely written in the 19th century, and that the quote “Preach the Gospel. If necessary, use words,” is a...
For anyone trying to minimize the effects of the reckless and irresponsible ‘Stop the Steal’ rhetoric of certain reactionary Catholic public figures, let Wednesday’s deadly events in Washington, D.C. be a wakeup call. Make no mistake: the potent effects of these blogging, podcasting, and tweeting heads have been and are still rippling ‘on...
In recent years, we’ve witnessed members of religious and political circles repeatedly engage in a form of rhetoric known as “whataboutism.” This is a technique of responding to an accusation or difficult question with posing a counteraccusation or pointing out a flaw of the opposing side. In the campaign leading up to the...
“There are ancient limitations from which fairy-stories offer a sort of escape, and old ambitions and desires (touching the very roots of fantasy) to which they offer a kind of satisfaction and consolation. Some are pardonable weaknesses or curiosities: such as the desire to visit, free as a fish, the deep sea; or...
Social media has given a big boost to Catholic traditionalism. What once was fringe has become almost mainstream, at least on the internet. When shared online, the teachings of the Catholic Church as set forth authentically by Pope Francis, his predecessors, and the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council are often met with contempt and...
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 must have “the maturity of Christ” and “not remain children in faith.” To...
This has been a tumultuous week in America. January 6, 2021 will remain etched in the annals of American history as a day of shame and revulsion. Americans, and indeed the world, witnessed scenes of lawlessness and anarchy unprecedented in the history of the nation. Motivated by the conviction to overturn what they...
Pope Francis has weighed in on the violence at the US Capitol on Wednesday, January 6. This violence has been condoned or even incited by some of Francis’s critics within the Church, many of whom see loyalty to outgoing President Donald Trump as a greater moral imperative than loyalty to the Successor of...
“Today, in many countries, hyperbole, extremism and polarization have become political tools. Employing a strategy of ridicule, suspicion and relentless criticism, in a variety of ways one denies the right of others to exist or to have an opinion. Their share of the truth and their values are rejected and, as a result,...
It’s been a stressful few days in the United States, to say the least. On Thursday morning, I participated in an online briefing hosted by the UK-based Religion Media Centre. The purpose was to inform UK-based religion reporters about the religious angle of the Wednesday protests and riots in Washington. I was asked...
Popular Posts