Pope Pius X was elevated to the papacy on August 4, 1903. He faced a challenging prospect. An intellectual revolution, begun in the days of the pseudo-Enlightenment, was continuing, spreading and intensifying. It threatened to sweep away the Church and much of Western Christian society. He knew that the Roman Pontiff was … Read more
This article is a part of an historical series on the Catholic history of Holland. The last article, “Fr. Poels and the Origins of Modernism in the Netherlands,” tells the story of Fr. Poels’ liberal beliefs. This article reports on the tragic end of his academic career. The pontificate of Saint Pius … Read more
This article is the tenth part of a series about Purgatory, a topic that is rarely discussed today. A knowledge of Purgatory is essential if souls are to avoid the pains of this place of expiation. The previous article can be found here. * * * Our Lady has many titles. … Read more
The following article is the fourth of a four-part series that features the life of Augustus Pugin, the renowned English Catholic architect of the nineteenth century. The prior article is found here. Critics of Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin’s architecture—and even many of his admirers—often refer to his work as “romantic.” They paint … Read more
Roughly one-eighth of the world’s population suffers from some form of mental illness. When factoring in the parents, spouses, children, co-workers and friends of the sufferers, practically no one is entirely free from its effects. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) presents the challenge in stark terms. “Research shows that mental … Read more
This article is the ninth part of a series about Purgatory, a topic that is rarely discussed today. A knowledge of Purgatory is essential if souls are to avoid the pains of this place of expiation. The previous article can be found here. * * * When going to confession, … Read more
“As the twig is bent, so grows the tree.” This once-popular aphorism is easily applied to the life and career of the man who became Pope Saint Pius X. A Christian Home Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto was born on June 2, 1835. Most available sources describe his parents as “poor but industrious.” Their … Read more
Sunday, July 26, was the feast of Saint Anne, patron saint of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the capital of Spain’s Canary Islands. On that day, the celebration of the mother of the Virgin Mary took an unexpected turn, which shocked the faithful. At dawn, a small crowd of around 500 gathered … Read more
The following article is the third of a four-part series that features the life of Augustus Pugin, the renowned English Catholic architect of the nineteenth century. The prior article is found here. Curiously, the word “ambience” is little used in today’s modern, materialist world. Ambience is a word frequently used to describe … Read more
For decades, the trajectory of LGBT acceptance in the United States followed a steady, upward path. However, public sentiment is taking a step back toward sanity. It is not a huge step, but it breaks the downward slide to decadence. The trend shows signs of continuing. A recent Gallup poll indicates Americans … Read more