In this truly beautiful encyclical, Pope Francis offers the theology specific to the “revolution of tenderness” for which he has so often and so insistently called. In one sense, I see contemplation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as the most exalted fulfillment of the Theology of the Body. The heart of the...
Over the past months, there were concerns that the Synod would decentralize Catholic teaching authority to episcopal conferences, with many fearing that such a move could fragment the Church. Behind these concerns was the influence of the German Synodal Way, whose calls for “doctrinal developments” on topics like sexuality and the ordination of women stirred apprehension about...
Hence, since there can be no doubt that Jesus Christ received a true body and had all the affections proper to the same, among which love surpassed all the rest, it is likewise beyond doubt that He was endowed with a physical heart like ours; for without this noblest part of the body...
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 document, especially since, given its focus on spirituality and caution against over-intellectualizing...
I have read the pope’s new encyclical, Dilexit Nos, twice today and I have avoided most of the commentary and public reactions to the document. I posted my thoughts on X earlier this afternoon, so if you saw what I wrote there, you may find some of this post redundant. I expect to...
This morning, the Vatican released Pope Francis’s fourth encyclical, Dilexit nos (He Loved Us). The document was presented at the Vatican Press Office by Monsignor Bruno Forte, Archbishop of Chieti-Vasto and Sister Antonella Fraccaro, General Superior of the Disciples of the Gospel. The release date for the document was previously announced earlier this week....
After her 2023 disinterment, the late Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, foundress of a Benedictine abbey in Gower, Missouri, began making news, including in august secular venues like the New York Times. Nearly four years after her burial, her body was found not to have suffered the typical decomposition process. Since then, stories have periodically...
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 difficulty will likely prove troublesome. I can frame the issue through an analogy:...
Earlier this month, at the site of St. Peter’s martyrdom in Rome, participants in the second session of the synodal assembly joined Pope Francis to pray for Christian unity, offering an ecumenical prayer asking to “remove divisions between Christians so they can proclaim the Gospel together.” The Holy Father presided over this candlelight...
The Vatican announced on Monday that Pope Francis will release his fourth encyclical, Dilexit nos, on Thursday, October 24th. The document’s title is translated as “He loved us” and reflects its focus on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a devotion which Pope Francis holds particularly dear due to its emphasis on mercy. The...
The second session of the Synod on Synodality had fallen into a tranquil lull before an eruption on October 18. NCR has reported about the frustration that boiled over when Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández failed to attend a meeting with delegates concerning study group five. Study group five has been shrouded in mystery...
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 has had at least some concrete impact. Perhaps the most significant effect (assuming...
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