After watching Notre Dame Cathedral burn, I wrote up some of my thoughts, which are running today at The Everyman. We are the heirs of Christendom. We have inherited treasures beyond belief; Notre Dame Cathedral is only one jewel among hundreds of such cathedrals and churches, living prayers in stone and glass, not to mention the … Continue reading Everyman Piece on Notre Dame
Faith
Bishop Sheen on the Three Confessions
Broadcasted 1957: Ven. Bishop Fulton Sheen traces the course of human sentiment through three great 'Confessions:' those of St. Augustine, of Abelard, and of Jean-Jacque Rousseau: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGGSxxuBtMk Money quote: "Jean-Jacque, therefore, gave birth to an entirely new concept of how to handle a conflict: namely, give way to it and call it right."
For St. Patrick’s Day
The great 'Lorica' or "Breastplate Prayer" of St. Patrick, the patron of the Land that Once was Ireland: Sancti Patricii Hymnus ad Temoriam. Ad Temoriam hodie potentiam praepollentem invoco Trinitatis, Credo in Trinitatem sub unitate numinis elementorum. Apud Temoriam hodie virtutem nativitatis Christi cum ea ejus baptismi, Virtutem crucifixionis cum ea ejus sepulturae, Virtutem resurrectionis … Continue reading For St. Patrick’s Day
Communion Rails
At the moment I attend two different parishes, depending on my schedule. It’s obviously not ideal and I’m working to make it a temporary arrangement, but one thing both parishes have in common is that they both use Communion rails. Having almost exclusively received the Eucharist in this manner for several months now, I’m struck … Continue reading Communion Rails
Please Do Not Try to Find Holy Images in Random Things
I happened upon this article through ‘Big Pulpit,’ and I have to make a quick comment: I really, really wish Christians would stop posting things like this: Miraculous Image of Blessed Mother Holding Baby Appears in Pregnancy Sonogram – See the Photo! by ChurchPOP Editor - January 31, 2019 The story itself is actually well worth reading, about … Continue reading Please Do Not Try to Find Holy Images in Random Things
Ave Doctor Angelicus
“[A] man would show himself to be a most insane fool if he declared the assertions of a philosopher to be false because he was unable to understand them”. -Summa Contra Gentiles, Chp. 3: 4 Today is the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the great intellectual jewels of the human race. Today let's … Continue reading Ave Doctor Angelicus
Hail, Patron
Today, January 24, is the feast day of St. Francis de Sales, patron of writers and journalists. Mr. David Warren provides as fine a summary of his life, work, and faith as I've read. “Be who you are and be that well.”
At the Everyman, Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus
The Everyman asked me to tackle the question of salvation outside the Church, following Bishop Barron's infamous interview with Ben Shapiro. Fortunately, I'd just been reading up some on the subject. This one's probably gonna generate some controversy; if you have a comment, please either leave it at the 'Everyman' site, or under this post. … Continue reading At the Everyman, Extra Ecclesiam Nulla Salus
Why I Remain Catholic
New Post on the Federalist. But now I will answer his question directly. The Protestant asks: “Do you believe Protestants have Christ?” The Roman answers: “Not as we do.” You Protestants have him as a distant voice; we Romans have him body and soul and majesty and divinity. We feed upon his body and drink his blood. … Continue reading Why I Remain Catholic
Second Meditation: On Beauty
Note: This is just a series of loose thoughts written out more or less as they come, presented in the hopes that someone will find something worthwhile within them. Our society despises beauty. This may sound surprising, given how much we hear about overvaluing of physical appearance, impossible beauty standards in media, and the rest … Continue reading Second Meditation: On Beauty
Serpent's Den 