Where Peter Is

Divine Mercy: The way of freedom

This is a reflection on the readings of April 11, 2021, the Second Sunday of Easter, the Sunday of Divine Mercy Who are the freest people in the world? If you are an American, your first thought might be that it’s the people of the United States, the “land of the free.” Freedom...

Which Pope said this?

“Experiencing an emotion is not, in itself, morally good or evil. The stirring of desire or repugnance is neither sinful nor blameworthy. What is morally good or evil is what we do on the basis of, or under the influence of, a given passion. But when passions are aroused or sought, and as...

Is dissent on the Catholic right uniquely dangerous?

Frequently, readers of Where Peter Is accuse this website and its contributors of having a progressive or left-wing ideological bias. Often, they will point to examples where they believe our criticism or lack of commentary on situations where Catholics who dissent from the Magisterium from the “left” (typically on issues like sexual morality...

Rodrigo Guerra on Fratelli Tutti and neo-populism

First of all, congratulations are in order for our friend Rodrigo Guerra, who in January was appointed as an ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (PASS). Rodrigo is already a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, and a member of the theological commission of the Latin American Episcopal Council...

Streaming Soon!

Our regularly-scheduled livestream will be happening TONIGHT at 8pm EDT / 5pm PDT. Rachel Amiri, Melinda Ribnek, and Paul Fahey will be joined by new contributor Patric Peters to discuss his recent post.  We will also catch up on Holy Week and Easter messages from Rome. You can watch right here or find...

Encountering Christ the Consoler

As Lent 2021 began, many joked that they felt the penitential season had not ended since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. While well-meaning, this humor belies the profound stress, change, fear, sickness, and loss that has transpired over this past year. Since the impact of the pandemic is real and...

Untangling Sex from Same-Sex Love

Imagine a line segment. On the farthest point left are the words, “Welcome and accompany homosexual persons.” On the farthest point right are the words, “God cannot bless sin.” The CDF’s recent responsum on the question of the blessing of same-sex unions includes both these statements, but the reaction among Catholics to the...

The Not-So-Sexy Theology of the Body

Although Catholics in the United States frequently discuss issues related to human sexuality, our catechesis on marriage and sex very rarely treats these as the complex mysteries that they are. Instead, we tend to unintentionally promote an unrealistic vision of sex in marriage. This is in great part the result of catechesis that...

Happy Easter from WPI!

Easter Prayer of Pope St. Gregory (540-604 AD) It is only right, with all the powers of our heart and mind, to praise You Father and Your Only-Begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Dear Father, by Your wondrous condescension of Loving-Kindness toward us, Your servants, You gave up Your Son. Dear Jesus You...

Mary Magdalene, the key witness

This is a reflection on the readings for Easter Sunday, The Resurrection of the Lord, The Mass of Easter Day. It’s hard to imagine the devastation Jesus’ disciples must have felt the day he was crucified. While we read the Gospels with post-Resurrection lenses, knowing what happens after Jesus’ death, they experienced it...

“With him, life begins anew”

In his Easter Vigil homily tonight at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Pope Francis once again emphasized the theme of amazement that has characterized Holy Week this year. He describes the amazement of the women who discovered the empty tomb as “a fear mingled with joy that took their hearts by surprise when they...