18 March AD 2024

THVRSDAY EDITION

"Synodality" & the Rome Abuse Summit

Despite Pope Francis’s lecture on the subject at Synod-2015, & notwithstanding the passages on it in Synod-2018’s final report, there is little agreement in twenty-first-century Catholicism on what “synodality” means. . . ☩ George Weigel of First Things

Celibacy & Priests with Same-Sex Attraction

In recent conversations concerning the Church & the priesthood, it seems that the main focus when discussing the issue of celibacy is the idea that the one who “chooses” a celibate life is one who willfully forgoes the enjoyment of sex. While this feature of celibacy is without a doubt true, looking at celibacy from this perspective is like calling men featherless bipeds. . . ☩ Ryan M. Williams, Ph.D., of Crisis Magazine

St. Peter Damian is Perfect for the Vatican Sex Abuse Summit

I find it very fitting, & one could argue that’s it’s providential, that the memorial of St. Peter Damian is falling on the first day of the Vatican’s Sex Abuse Summit. Known as the “Monitor of the Popes,” St. Peter Damian was given the authority to oversee papal households & to govern Church business. If there was ever a saint’s intercession that we needed this week, it would be the intercession of St. Peter Damian. ☩ Tom Perna of epicPew

The Secret Weapon of Evangelization

. . .when we examine the first-ever post-Pentecost act of Catholic evangelization: St. Peter’s first sermon (Acts 2:14-36). At the end of his exhortation, Peter is asked, “Brethren, what shall we do?” He answers, “Repent, & be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38). In that simple answer is the invitation every Catholic evangelist should be offering: an invitation to repentance. ☩ Eric Sammons of Catholic Answers Magazine

The Great American Heresy is “I’m a Good Person”

There was a story that made the rounds recently about the parents of a young man who had committed suicide and their fury about the homily which a Catholic priest had preached at their son's funeral. . . ☩ Darwin Catholic

Correcting Father Martin, S.J.

Father Martin has done it again! On Twitter he takes the side of New York Times journalist Frank Bruni who writes about the case of a Catholic school employee who lost her job because she married her lesbian friend. . . ☩ Fr. Dwight Longenecker

Burying the Alleluia 2019

. . . at the end of Vespers of the previous Saturday, “Alleluia” is added twice to the end of “Benedicamus Domino” & “Deo gratias”, which are sung in the Paschal tone. It is then dropped from the liturgy completely until the Easter vigil. . . ☩ Gregory DiPippo of New Liturgical Movement

St. Clement of Alexandria teaches Major Donor Fundraising

3 Tips from Saint Clement's letter, "Who is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?" ☩ Brice Sokolowksi of CatholicFundraiser.net

I Bet You Didn’t Know these Facts About the Bible

☩ Shaun McAfee, O.P., of epicPew

Quo Vadis: Where are the bishops & laity of old?

☩ Peter D. Beaulieu of The Catholic World Report

Evangelization in a Post-Christian Society: The Purpose of the Church

☩ Michael Gormley & David VanVickle of Ascension Press

Catholic Juice

☩ Ignitum Today

The Anglican Patrimony is for All Catholics!

If you’re a Catholic, & you speak English as your native language, then you have a special heritage that you may not even be aware of. Traditional English Catholicism, lost in the Protestant world for centuries, has now been restored to the Catholic Church. It is called the “Anglican Patrimony” within the Catholic Church. . . ☩ Shane Schaetzel of Complete Christianity

The Vatican Sex Abuse Summit Will Achieve Nothing, As Intended

The Vatican summit on sex abuse is underway. It will accomplish nothing. Pope Francis has made sure of that. He has stacked its participants with close allies. Several of them were protégés of Theodore McCarrick. . . ☩ John Zmirak, Ph.D., of The Stream

Problems in Contingency II: The Argument for God From Contingency

This essay presents the argument for the existence of God from the existence of existentially contingent entities, the entities of our direct experience. ☩ Bob Drury of Catholic Stand

The Catholic Church’s 800-Year-Old Tradition of Heraldry

Every pope since the 12th century has kept this heraldic tradition going. ☩ Kevin Di Camillo of National Catholic Register

Invincible Summer: Fasting in a Dark Age

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back. (Albert Camus) ☩ Masha Goepel of Catholic Stand

Theodore McCarrick will continue to be a Catholic priest

McCarrick will still be a “priest,” although without his clerical office & its associated privileges, & in a very specific way. The reason for this lies in the Catholic understanding of priesthood. ☩ Mathew Schmalz of Crux

Is ‘Cultural Socialism’ A Thing?

(F)actors that make cultural totalitarianism feasible & attractive today. . .take seriously structural economic problems that make it attractive. . .engage in some kind of serious reforms, we’re going to end up with the real thing. ☩ Rod Dreher of The American Conservative

Authentic Prayer is the Only Answer

☩ David Torkington of Catholic Stand

Harsh Reality

☩ Kat Larson of Ignitum Today

Incense Review: Catacombs

☩ Shawn R. Tribe of Liturgical Arts Journal