I have written many times before about the difference between grave matter and mortal sin. The Catechism identifies grave matter as a breaking one of the Ten Commandments, whereas mortal sin is grave matter and “knowledge of the sinful character...
The preparation for the Synod on Synodality is enabling the Church to take a deeper look at her own reality. What constitutes the Church? What makes us the Church? How do the members of the Church fit and work together?...
A reflection on the readings for June 19, 2022, The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ “Why can’t I change after all these years? Why can’t I change my ways? I find it so strange after all...
The Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is one of the most amazing aspects of our Faith. Sometimes, however, I wonder if the amazing reality of the Eucharist has managed to overshadow its purpose. What is the purpose of...
Catholicism is a religion of the paradox, of distinctly opposite ideas that nevertheless are both affirmed in their totality. One and Three. God and Man. Virgin and Mother. Sacrifice and Meal. Another of these dualities is the relationship between doctrine—what...
This Postcard from the Camino is from the Taizé Community in France, which is situated on the Way of Saint James on a variant of the Vezelay route to Compostela. The village is not far from the ruins of Cluny...
Some of my best memories have taken place around a table. Birthday parties, holiday meals, dinners with friends and family at home or at a restaurant. Food is an essential part of our physical lives but sharing meals is an...
Today, on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, I was reflecting on Our Lady’s role in bringing us together as a Church, and as a comforter—someone who is with us and reassures us when we are wounded and divided....
The world is currently facing a pandemic that has the potential to kill millions of people and permanently change the way we live. Not surprisingly, many employers, in efforts to promote “social distancing,” are transitioning to largely virtual office settings,...
John Calvin, the Reformation theologian in Geneva who lead the development of Protestant theology, was nothing if not a brilliant mind. Calvin’s contributions to the history of theology are almost always wrong, but they are so skillfully wrong that I...
Veritatis Splendor has always been the favorite encyclical of those who are unhappy with the theological direction of Pope Francis. It is their source of authority for their condemnations of Amoris Laetitia especially. In one recent example, E. Christian Brugger pits...
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