Lefebvre and What Comes Next
If one steps back in time, a cursory glance at the life of Archbishop Lefebvre will prove informative because it shows that we have been here before. The Archbishop’s treatment by the Vatican in the 1970s and 1980s demonstrates conclusively that there was (and there still is) a state of war between the pre-conciliar and […]
Velvet Anguish: Why You Should Listen to Gesualdo This Lent
Above: the famous Isenheim Altarpiece. As we approach Holy Week, many faithful look for aids to meditation on the passion of Christ. Some watch Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ, while others pray their favorite stations of the cross. However, perhaps another way to ponder the events of the Passion is to turn to the […]
Purgatory: The Attractive Impulse of His Burning Love
Above: 15th-century altar by Luigi Capponi in St Gregory’s chapel in San Gregorio Magno in Rome. Pope St Gregory the Great offers the Sacrifice of the Mass and a soul is released from purgatory. Photo by Fr. Lawrence, OP. Souls Arrive in Purgatory, Singing Psalms; Canto II of The Purgatorio, by Dante Alighieri; Illustration by […]
Roman Trads Plead with the Holy Father to Listen
Above: placard set up today in Rome quoting Pope St. John Paul II praising the Latin Mass. English translation here. Photo by Messainlatin.it. For the love of the Pope For the peace and unity of the Church For the liberty of the traditional Latin Mass One of the elements for which the pontificate of Pope […]
The SSPX, Parish Orphans and Trad Infighting
During the COVID shutdown of the Catholic Church throughout the United States that began in 2020, the Diocese of Arlington (Virginia) reportedly had churches close their doors for nine weeks. During this time, a handful of Catholics reached out to the Society of St. Pius X (SSXP) and requested them to provide the Sacraments. Recently, […]
Easter Triduum at the OK Corral
Above: the OK Corral sign after the 1882 fire. What is “schism?” The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines “schism” as: The refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him (2089). We tend to think of schisms as involving disputes over points of dogma. […]
Whither Benepapism?
Months after the death of Benedict XVI, those who claim he remained pope till the end, so-called Benepapists, persist in their claims. The two main camps within Benepapism include those who believe Benedict made a “substantial error” in his resignation, in that they claim he erroneously believed he could bifurcate the papacy, or retain the […]
1st Passion Sunday: Unfurl the battle banners!
In the ancient Roman Church, before the establishment of what we now call Lent, we would have begun today, now called 1st Passion Sunday, a more intense fortnight fast leading to Easter morning. It is important for us to keep in mind that another source for teasing forth the themes of the seasons and feasts […]
Cardinal Roche on the Vatican II Rupture
Above: Bishop Athanasius Schneider offers the Holy Mass at St. Peter’s church in Steubenville, Ohio, United States. Photo by Allison Girone. As I recently wrote on Catholic Answers, the confusion surrounding the meaning of Traditionis custodes, and its flotilla of supplementary documents, is beginning to resemble that around Amoris Laetitia. I was talking specifically about […]
Forgotten Customs of St. Patrick’s Day
Above: Statue of Saint Patrick at Croagh Patrick, near Westport, County Mayo, Ireland. Photo by Kelly Ferguson. Like St. Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day has unfortunately become a secularized holiday. But rather than remarking on leprechauns and good luck, Catholics have a moral responsibility to reclaim St. Patrick’s Day for the honor of one […]