Clik here to view.
Pope Francis: Sunday Homily
Every Pope has his strengths. If we have the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and the heart to accept him, Pope Francis will bring to the Church countless blessings. This morning he said Mass at a St....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Guido: Master of Liturgy and Superhero
It seems that more and more eyes are on Guido these days as he sits in the transition of the liturgical stylings of Pope Benedict XVI to those of Pope Francis. Given his immense knowledge of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Liturgical Direction of Pope Francis: A Diatribe Against the Diatribes
In my initial post on the election of Pope Francis, I concluded with a mild chastisement of those who have take on a spirit of uncharity with regards to the liturgical decisions of the new Holy Father....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Headline: The First Green Pope
The Book of Genesis is quite clear that man is a steward of creation. The natural world has been entrusted to us for our own benefit, yes, but primarily to reveal splendor of God. Nature itself is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
In Defense of Benedict XVI: The Diametric Diatribes
For a week now I have been defending our dear Holy Father Francis against the diatribes of those who think the liturgical sky is falling as well as those who assume that a pope who speaks about...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Veils of Lent
Image courtesy of NLMA couple years ago I wrote an article for Homiletic and Pastoral Review on "Veiling in the Liturgy." An abbreviated version of it appears here. In the article, I discuss both the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Will the Liberal Pope Please Identify Himself?
I am continually amused by the attempts to cast this or that pope in terms of political categories. It just goes to show that the papacy is an enigma for the world, and often for many Catholics....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Viri Selecti: Who Can Have Their Feet Washed?
Every year at this time we seem to run into the same questions about the significance of the mandatum at the Mass of the Lord's Supper (or the washing of the feet). (Mandatum means command signifying...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Recovering the Real St. Francis
There has been increased chatter about the late, great St. Francis of Assisi, ever since the election of our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis. Rightfully so, I might add. St. Francis has to be in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Triduum: A Call for Fasting
At the start of the conclave I issued a call for fasting. This is a Catholic practice that has fallen by the wayside in recent times. Yet fasting and prayer are so integrally links that it is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Bergolgio Moment
Whatever rhetoric may be tossed about ahead of time, the moments that "make a Pope" often happen only once the See is vacant and the cardinals have gathered in the General Congregation. This is why...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Pope Francis on the Role of Women
Yesterday’s Wednesday audience is about as good as it gets. Taking up the catechesis on the Year of Faith begun by his predecessor, Pope Francis launched into an oratory on the historical reality of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Authentic Creativity and the Liturgy
In the moral life there is a relationship between ethical norms and a life of authentic freedom and creativity. Does such a relationship also exist in the context of liturgical rubrics?To understand...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Quasimodo Sunday
In the new Roman Missal, the name of the Second Sunday of Easter has been recast as “Sunday of Divine Mercy,” promulgated by the now Blessed Pope John Paul II. A great feast it is indeed, yet “Sunday...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Active Participation and Singing
The tagline for the liberal rendition of Sacrosanctum Concilium is “active participation.” At the service of this one principle people will outright ignore much of what the Vatican II constitution...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Example of Hungary: Christian Roots Coming Alive
My dearest son, if you desire to honor the royal crown, I advise, I counsel, I urge you above all things to maintain the Catholic and apostolic faith with such diligence and care that you may be an...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Altar Servers and Priests: From the View of a Child
The is a reprint of my post from Catholic Stand today.I have two entertaining stories to offer, both related in a manner of speaking. First is a conversation that took place amongst friends of mine....
View ArticleClik here to view.
On Language and Reality: A Reply to Calah Alexander
Several months ago Calah Alexander from Barefoot and Pregnantmanaged to get herself twisted up with Patrick Madrid over the use of swear words. While she offered several examples in her defense of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What Say You, Malachy?
There is an old but popular “Prophecy of Malachy.” It used to be a lot more in vogue that it is now, probably because it has mostly disproved itself. Yet with the election of Francis, it is worth...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Social Justice, Francis, Benedict, and Other Things Tragically Misrepresented
Overheard upon the election of Pope Francis: “Finally ‘social justice’ won’t be a bad word anymore.” It is astounding how many misconceptions can be packed into nine short words.First, there is this...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Bloody Mary, Quite Contrary
I was at a teacher inservice a few years ago. The agenda we were given at the start of the morning revealed an hour-and-a-half time slot for “Nursery Rhyme Activity.” The activity, as we found out,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Pope Francis and the Devil
It is said that the greatest victory experienced by Satan in the last century has been his ability to convince people that he doesn’t exist. It makes sense, really. Once “God is dead,” so too is the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Friday Francis Fun: Myths Debunked
Myth: Francis was anti-authoritarian and flexible with doctrine.Reality:“All friars shall be Catholics, and shall live and speak as Catholics. Indeed if any errs from the Catholic Faith and life by...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Priest and the People
Cardinal Bergoglio said something interesting in a 2011 interview with an Argentinian Catholic News Agency, regarding that dreaded word “clericalization.” The crux of it is in three paragraphs:“We...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ultima Pars
On December 30, 2008, I wrote three paragraphs called Prima Pars. They constituted probably the most concise thing that my verbose self has ever produced.It seems only fitting that the first humble...
View Article
