As Italy was facing the full wrath of COVID-19 in March, Pope Francis quietly marked the 25th anniversary of the encyclical Evangelium Vitae. He stressed that the Catholic Church’s pro-life message is more relevant than ever: “The attacks on the dignity and life of people unfortunately continue even in our era…We are faced...
The previous installment of “Loneliness Today” touched on the potential spiritually beneficial aspects of loneliness. It discussed the literary or symbolic place (topos) of the “desert” and cited Simone Weil’s controversial assertion that Christianity seeks a supernatural use for suffering rather than a supernatural cure. This installment will extend these ideas and seek...
“The Synod for the Amazon was historic; no previous synod was as synodal and reform-oriented as this one.” — Cardinal Claudio Hummes, OFM A year and a half ago, I could hardly have dreamed of giving heed to an “Apostolic Exhortation,” since the Apostles are dead and I was Protestant. So, on the...
I was in prison and you visited me. — Matthew 25:36 In Victor Hugo’s masterpiece Les Miserables, the protagonist Jean Valjean is released on parole and given a yellow identification paper that said to all he met that he was a felon. In every town he visited, he was treated like a pariah....
In this episode of Peter’s Field Hospital, I had a fascinating discussion with DW Lafferty and Dan Amiri about the relationship between the Church and Liberalism. Both recently wrote on how the Church should respond to liberalism (a term that can refer to anything from progressivism and secular humanism to libertarianism and free-market...
Review of The Liminal Papacy of Pope Francis: Moving toward Global Catholicity by Massimo Faggioli It is difficult to draw a clear and balanced picture of Pope Francis. A polarizing figure for some, and an unassuming but respected Church figure for others, the pope has defied misguided efforts to define him, ideologize him,...
During this pandemic the Catholic Church has a choice between working together with the scientific community for the common good, or ignoring that community and confirming the charge that it is anti-science. It is a popular misconception that the Catholic Church is anti-science. This largely results from two factors. First, the Galileo affair...
In a video titled “The Idolatry of Modern Art,” Catholic YouTube personality Brian Holdsworth expresses an opinion regarding modern art that I’ve also heard from other tradition-minded Catholics. His opinion is that modern art is “intrinsically incompatible with Christian worship,” and that it may also be a manifestation of the Modernism condemned by...
But in order that the desired fruit may be derived from this apostolate and this zeal for teaching, and that Christ may be formed in all, be it remembered, Venerable Brethren, that no means is more efficacious than charity. “For the Lord is not in the earthquake” (III Kings xix., II) – it...
As cities around the world begin to peak in Coronavirus infections, many Christians are looking forward to returning to the religious activities and worship that were suspended amid social distancing advisories. Of course, church services are not the only aspect of Christian life that has been impacted by the virus, nor should these...
In this catechesis series, Pope Francis teaches us about the Church. This is the third course in the “Wednesdays with Pope Francis” series. The first course was on the sacraments. The second course was on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This free resource includes no original content from WPI but rather organizes...
This week, Pope Francis once again called upon the faithful to pray the Rosary. He requested that we pray the Rosary every day in the month of May, and he provided two additional prayers to Our Lady that he will be praying following the Rosary for the month. He writes: I want to...
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