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Where Peter Is

The rift in US Catholicism is very deep

Yesterday, the USCCB and several other Catholic organizations presented a livestreamed dialogue entitled “Civilize It: Unifying a Divided Church.” Hosted by Gloria Purvis, three US bishops participated: Cardinal Robert McElroy of San Diego, Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, and Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville (perhaps in an attempt to represent the left, right,...

Words from the Heart: The homily of Cardinal Omella at Fátima

The following is the May 13, 2024, homily of Cardinal Juan José Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona, delivered at the Sanctuary of Fátima in Portugal. Due to the rain, he set aside his prepared text and delivered a spontaneous homily instead. This is an unofficial English translation his words from the original Spanish: We...

The Gift of Growing Old

I remember an incident that happened at a 5 p.m. Mass, the first time I ever preached at the parish at which I am stationed. It was 2008, the year I was ordained a deacon. Just before the Mass, I went over to the sacristy entrance to look out at the congregation, and...

Which Pope said this?

No less a concern is moral destitution, which consists in slavery to vice and sin. How much pain is caused in families because one of their members – often a young person – is in thrall to alcohol, drugs, gambling or pornography! How many people no longer see meaning in life or prospects for...

Bishop Strickland’s mixed signals

[UPDATED] If Joseph Strickland — the former bishop of Tyler, Texas, who was removed from his post last November by Pope Francis — isn’t a sedevacantist, he certainly has an odd way of expressing it. On his website today, the bishop published “A statement on Sedevacantism,” in which he writes, “I want to make...

God is Love

A reflection on the readings for May 5, 2024 — The Sixth Sunday of Easter. (When audio is available, you can find it here.) As you heard today’s scripture reading (or read it in the missal) did you notice a word stand out? Between the second reading and the gospel, “love” is found...

Bishop Strickland’s flirtation with sedevacantism

[Updated May 6, 2024] Bishop Strickland has used his social media once again to promote an anti-Catholic cause. This time, he promoted a schismatic group in his home state. In my recent article about a rumored Vatican document about discerning apparitions and supernatural phenomena, I briefly mentioned a situation in the Archdiocese of...

Which Pope said this?

Now then, we have decreed that no Christian should compel those who are unwilling and refusing to come to baptism. If, however, any of the Jews flee to the Christians for the sake of the faith, once his will has been made manifest, let him be made a Christian without calumny. Truly no...

Much Ado About Traditionalism

There has been some buzz recently in Catholic social media over the announcement of the “Catholics in Communion” conference in Bozeman, Montana, hosted by the good folks over at TradRecovery.com. Naturally, their criticisms have been perceived by those attached to the Mass of Antiquity as an attack on “Traditionalism” itself. The esteemed Catholic...

St. Joseph and his apprentice

“Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, ‘Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son?’” (Mt 13:54-55) Today, on the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, we contemplate the dignity of work. The person...