28 March AD 2024

MONDAY EDITION

Beating The Cultural Revolution

The Rousseauistic view of human nature on which utopian socialism rested was severely challenged by Dostoevsky’s experience of prison in Siberia. . . ☩ Rod Dreher of The American Conservative

Kansas archdiocese responds after denying school admission to a child of a same-sex couple

A K-8 Catholic school in Kansas is defending its decision to deny admission to a kindergarten student who is the child of a same-sex couple, citing archdiocesan admissions policies. ☩ Catholic News Agency of The Catholic World Report

Why We Need to Design (and Pay for) Beautiful Churches

I notice the younger priests and bishops, probably 60 years and under but also some older priests and bishops, have grown up with churches built in the 1960s and remodeled in the 1980s. And I think there’s now a general appreciation for some things that were ignored for decades, including a greater emphasis on the Eucharist, resulting in a stronger desire for beauty in the sanctuary and especially the tabernacle. We didn’t see that as much 25 years ago. ☩ Fr. Sean Salai of America Magazine

Cardinals spar in responses to Vatican-China deal

“One wonders,” said Cardinal Joseph Zen in response to comments by Cardinal Fernando Filoni and a Chinese-appointed bishop in support of the Vatican-China deal, “from which planet did our leaders in Rome descend?” ☩ Catholic News Agency via The Catholic World Report

Mass & Triumphalism; Wherein Fr. Z Rants

I’m not saying that this is the great “falling away” of 2 Thessalonians 2. I’m also not saying that it is isn’t. . . ☩ Fr. Z's Blog

Lent With Saint Francis

☩ Donald R. McClarey, J.D., of The American Catholic

Does the Bible Contain Errors, or is it Inerrant?

☩ Steve Ray of Defenders of the Catholic Faith

Matthew 7:7 – The Lenten Appeal Blueprint

☩ Brice Sokolowski of CatholicFundraiser.net

God's [Permissive] Will

How clever of the Kazakhstan Episcopal Conference to use their ad limina to secure clarity from PF with regard to certain dubia which were troubling their minds. Especially about his recent statement that Religious Diversity is God's Will. ☩ Fr John Hunwicke of Mutual Enrichment

Killing Socrates: The Death of a Great Books Program

Few people know that in the early 1970s a “great books” program, founded by John Senior and two other professors, flourished at a large state university in the midwest. Even fewer know of its slow demise. ☩ Robert K. Carlson, Ph.D., of The Imaginative Conservative

What are the 'proper chants' for Mass & why should we use them?

Suppose I told you that there are prayers which the Church intends to be included with Mass, but we never pray them? You are never given access to them. They have been left unused for a long time. Would that not seem odd? Wouldn’t you be curious? Wonder why we never pray them? Wouldn’t you want to know more about this? ☩ Fr. Martin Fox of Bonfire of the Vanities

Tidying up is not joyful but another misuse of Eastern ideas

Americans are suckers for ideas with quasi-mystical ‘Oriental’ aura☩ Amy Olderding of Mercatornet

I Am Not A Fervent Admirer of Pope Pius XII For These Three Reasons

(1) He initiated the concept of deeply radical 'revision' and transformation of the Liturgy, which ended up we-know-where; &. . . ☩ Fr John Hunwicke of Mutual Enrichment

Adultery & Homosexuality, The Two Vanished Words

It is a fact, not an opinion. The words “adultery” and “homosexuality” have both disappeared from the magisterium of the Church, the highest, that which reports to the Roman pontiff. ☩ Sandro Magister of Settimo Cielo via L'Espresso

The Stigma of Choosing Trade School Over College

When college is held up as the one true path to success, parents—especially highly educated ones—might worry when their children opt for vocational school instead. ☩ Meg St-Esprit of The Atlantic

The World Really Is Getting Richer as Poor Countries Catch Up

Arguments that extreme poverty is on the rise don’t match the data. ☩ Noah Smith of Bloomberg Opinion

Abortion, Cardinal Dolan, & excommunication: A response to Dr. Peters

☩Monica Migliorino Miller, Ph.D., of The Catholic World Report

The Integralist Mirroring of Liberal Ideals

☩ Timothy Troutner of Church Life Journal

Of Course, Human Law Develops, Can Natural & Divine Law Develop?

☩ J. Budziszewski, Ph.D., of The Underground Thomist

School Choice: For All but the Poor

☩ Daniel Buck of Foundation for Economic Education