Things We Lost in the Fire
As seen in the picture I took above, I visited the new Immaculata Church in Kansas. The new $42M Church was consecrated (dedicated to God) on the third of May, 2023. The Immaculata was built by the SSPX. They are canonically-irregular but not schismatic. Remember that in 2009 Pope Benedict XVI lifted the putative-excommunications previously placed on their bishops. Even the current Vatican recognizes all their Masses as valid, and even all their confessions as both valid and licit. Although I have no desire (nor intention) to leave my Archdiocese and apply to the SSPX, I very much admire their adherence to keeping the ancient Catholic faith during this time of near-global [...]
The Apostolic Pardon
What are "Last Rites"? "Last Rites" is simply a compound-noun indicating the sacraments you hope to receive on your deathbed. First, the priest hears your confession. Then, you receive your final Holy Communion (aka Viaticum, literally "food for the journey.") Then, the priest gives you "extreme unction" (a Latin/English compound-noun simply meaning "anointing at the extreme—or end—part of your life.") After all of this, but before the Final Commendation of the Soul (of which I wrote about here for my mother) the dying person receives the Apostolic Pardon. (I also gave this to my mother, but didn't write about it in the above-linked blog post because most of you already [...]
The Catechesis of Tradition
The above is a picture from the international Eucharistic Congress in 1926 at Soldier Field in Chicago. The faith and devotion in the picture seems obvious. I was at this night of entertainment in Rio De Janeiro in 2013 before the final "World Youth Day Mass" the following morning. However, great faith also appears present at the above picture at the Evening Vigil before the final Mass at World Youth Day in Rio De Janeiro in 2013. In fact, many more people were in Rio than at the Eucharistic Congress in 1926. Also, the Eucharist was exposed in a huge monstrance for probably a longer time Rio than [...]
When Can You Judge Another?
When can you judge another? The short answer is that you can never judge another's intention, but you are required to judge the object of another's deeds when he interacts with you or tries to teach you. You are especially required to judge the object of another's deeds when his attempts at influencing you will affect your salvation or the salvation of those who are entrusted to you. Consider some quotes from Our Lord and the saints: Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.—Mt 7:1-6 When some monks [...]
Why “Apostolic Catholicism”?
Why do I always reference "Apostolic Catholicism" in my blogs and podcasts? Because I am convinced that what "normy-Catholics" label as "traditional Catholicism" is really nothing more than "Apostolic Catholicism." That is, our true faith and true liturgy goes back to what Christ gave to the Apostles. Granted, it's very easy for normy Catholics to mock traditionalists as being stuck in a time-warp to the 1950s. But our beef with modernism touches not on the level of wax in mustaches or which whiskey goes with a certain cigar. Rather, it has to do with the salvation of souls all across the world. You see, if the Catholic clergy of the [...]
“Let Nothing Disturb You” (Full Prayer)
Below is my own English translation of Let Nothing Disturb You, originally in the Spanish as Nada Te Turbe (far below) by the 16th century nun, St. Teresa of Avila. Let Nothing Disturb You Let nothing disturb you, nothing shake you. Everything passes, God does not change. Patience obtains everything. Whoever has God lacks nothing. Only God suffices. Elevate your thoughts to the heavens above. Let nothing distress you, nothing disturb you. Follow Jesus Christ with a big-heart, and come what may let nothing disturb you. Do you see the glory of the world? It's vain-glory. Nothing is stable, everything passes. Aspire unto the heavens which last forever. Faithful and [...]
The Feast Day for Two Early Papal-Martyrs
One of the most interesting arguments I hear against traditionalists these days goes something like this: "The lifestyle and liturgy of the early Christians was much more like that of modern charismatics than that of modern traditionalists." I too believed such silly arguments for a long time in my Catholic formation. Of course, there's mountains of evidence against such an assertion. The Roman Breviary for today's saints is just one such piece of evidence. Pope Saint Soter was martyred around AD 174 or 177. Pope St. Pope Caius (aka Gaius) was martyred in AD 296. Notice what the old Roman Breviary says about today's saints, but also notice what it also [...]
Avoiding Decisions in Desolation, Part 2: Specifics
p/c Daily Wire. In early 2023, Jordan Peterson (above left) interviewed Chloe Cole (above right) with probably well over 10 million listens across all forums. Chloe is an 18 year old woman who suffered gender-dysphoria and began to chemically "transition" at the age of 12. At the age of 15, she had a double-mastectomy that she described on this interview as "barbaric." She is now suing her surgeons and Kaiser Permanente of California as they proceeded into mutilating surgeries when she was not able to give informed-consent. Obviously, she could not give informed-consent to a mutilating reproductive surgery firstly because it was a mutilating sexual surgery and secondly due to her [...]
Avoiding Decisions in Desolation, Part 1: Generalities
Five years ago, Sensus Fidelium produced a talk I gave called Making Decisions Without Fear based on the teaching of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Today we're going to delve much deeper into that oft-quoted parable of St. Ignatius "Don't make decisions in desolation." That is correct. But the original version from the saint goes like this: In time of desolation, we should never make any change, but remain firm and constant in the resolution and decision which guided us the day before the desolation, or in the decision to which we adhered in the preceding consolation. For just as in consolation the good spirit guides and counsels us, so in [...]
The Resurrection, Truth and Compromise
In Christ's Passion, we see what we ought to suffer for the truth, and in His resurrection, what we ought to hope for in eternity.—St. Thomas Aquinas. Jesus Christ died for love of every man and woman and child who would ever live, and this was done on occasion of our many sins throughout time. But if you look at the above quote from St. Thomas Aquinas, you see that the more immediate and historical cause of Christ's death was His defense of "the truth." That is, Christ would not compromise on the truth of His Father's religion or liturgy. The Sanhedrein had been targeting Christ for at least two [...]