The latest fashion in Church governance is the Synodal Church. It features Church clergy and laity gathering to discuss the needs and desires of “the people.” Everyone is asked to be especially attuned to what “the Spirit” is saying. Thus, this Synodal Church considers itself a listening church. Everyone must listen more … Read more
The postmodern university is fascinated with magic, and this is a most curious coupling—one with ominous social overtones. Until the mid-twentieth century, serious academics regarded any mention of magic as the ravings of the stupid or insane. They followed the scientific method of empiricism, emphasizing verifiable evidence in acquiring knowledge and forming … Read more
After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the battle for the unborn rages unabated, as each side must readjust its strategies in a nation divided in half over this vital moral issue. As much as the left tries to frame the debate in terms of “women’s health” or “reproductive rights,” it cannot … Read more
Some bishops at the First Vatican Council refused to take a position on defining papal infallibility. A small group kept silent out of timidity. Others wished to establish a common ground to facilitate a unanimous decision. As the Council’s deliberations proceeded, the Council Fathers clarified the meaning of the schema. In addition, … Read more
Perhaps the best symbol of the war in Ukraine is a photograph that the Catholic News Agency ran early in the conflict. It shows the ruins of the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin in Ukraine’s Zhytomyr region. According to the caption, it was built in 1862. A Russian bomb … Read more
Religious pilgrimages are on the rise everywhere. People are seeking spiritual journeys that will bring meaning and purpose to their lives. A pilgrimage provides the opportunity to reflect upon one’s life and grow in love and devotion to God and His saints. They also help commemorate special occasions. On September 14, Catholics … Read more
Only two nations do not have legalized divorce: the Vatican City State and the Philippines. These nations realize that easy access to divorce plays a major role in the destruction of the modern family. Divorce now threatens to come to the Philippines, Asia’s most Catholic nation. “Catholic” legislators in the Philippines Senate … Read more
Pius IX reversed the order of work so the First Vatican Council could address the question of infallibility without further delay. To that end, the Council Fathers began studying the draft constitution De Ecclesia Christi’s eleventh chapter, which dealt with the pope’s primacy. This chapter began with the words Pastor Aeternus. When … Read more
Among the religious orders dedicated to the contemplative life, the Carmelites have a special role. Carmelite convents are found all over the world. They have given the Church countless saints and models. Many Carmelite convents are now in crisis because they have no vocations. The nuns are dying off. Convent after convent … Read more
As the time for a decision on Papal Infallibility drew near, two sides formed amongst the Fathers who gathered for the First Vatican Council. Henry Cardinal Manning of Westminster led the majority—those in favor of the definition. The leader of the anti-infallibilist minority was Bishop Felix Dupanloup of Orléans in France. The … Read more