“Not in Our Name.”
This is reprinted with permission of LifeSite News. You will see my signature at the bottom. A group of U.S. intellectuals – journalists, political advisers, and scholars – have signed an open letter to President Joe Biden (see full text below), pleading with him to reject policies which lead to an “intensification of conflict with Russia” and which “could lead to the deaths of millions of innocent people.” The open letter, entitled Not in our name, cites Biden’s recent request to the U.S. Congress for $33 billion in taxpayer funds to support Ukraine militarily in its conflict with Russia. “We reject your heightened escalation of this conflict as dangerous and a [...]
The SSPX is Not Schismatic
Although canonically-irregular, the SSPX (Society of Pope St. Pius X) founded by Archbishop Lefebvre (above picture) in the 1970s, is not schismatic. In traditional papal encyclicals, a "schismatic community" is a Christian community adhering to valid sacraments but without recognizing the primacy of place of Rome or the importance of the papacy. An example of this would be the Eastern Orthodox: The Eastern Orthodox have valid sacraments, but many do not realize the primacy of place of Rome (or believe it was transferred due to error a thousand years ago.) In any case, the SSPX has always recognized the papacy and the primacy of Rome. The reciprocal is also true, [...]
Pro-Aborts Deface a Catholic Church in Colorado
Shortly following the so-called "leak" that the Supreme Court of the United States may vote to overturn Roe vs. Wade (the non-law saying it was "legal" to kill unborn children from 1973) a group of vandals defaced Sacred Heart of Mary (Boulder County, CO above in featured image) with pro-abortion and anti-Catholic phrases. The news of the possible re-vote and the vandalism both took place in the first week of May 2022. Yesterday, I called the pastor of Sacred Heart of Mary and I was moved that he had such a view of the triumph (not defeat) of the cross in all of these events. After we spoke on the [...]
A Common Misunderstanding Of Trafficking
When I tell people that I have given spiritual direction to organizations working for the restoration of child sex-slaves and even have friends associated with those on the front lines of international rescue using automatic weapons, the most common response I get is: "Oh, you see, my city has the highest rate of child trafficking because this interstate runs through it!" This response is getting really tiresome. Firstly, these can't all be true considering how many people have told me about "their city" and "that interstate." Secondly, this response shows that most people think child sex-trafficking has mostly to do with moving children around for single-time events (like the Super [...]
“All Human Conflict is Ultimately Theological.”—Cardinal Manning
Michael Knowles frequently quotes the 19th century British Cardinal Manning who said "All human conflict is ultimately theological." I had an experience of this yesterday afternoon. I put up the following Tweet... ...and then countless leftists piled on me with unspeakably filthy reply Tweets. Although I recently blogged here about how we on the right are all too quick to say any of our enemies are "possessed," many of the replies were so dark that I had to come to the conclusion that they were not coming from "bots" but from real people who are highly obsessed or even possessed by demons. But what does this have to do with [...]
When One Island Converted the Other (and Vice Versa)
St. Patrick was a Celt of Roman Briton (possibly Wales?) and was taken as a slave to Ireland by the Irish themselves. As a young man, he then escaped Ireland and returned to the land of his birth. But after a small conversion on a moral matter, he gave his entire life to Christ, was ordained a priest (and later a bishop) and then he returned to his land of slavery to convert them. St. Patrick nearly-singlehandedly converted the entire Island of Eire to Jesus Christ and the Roman Catholic Church. Very early on in the history of Christianity in the UK, the UK still needed a huge conversion. Up until [...]
Beginning Evangelization: Brown Scapulars or Miraculous Medals?
Happy Easter, Christ is Risen! Please be aware that the email-notification app on this blog no longer works, so you'll just have to check this front-page Theology Section and the Life Updates every week. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to all my talks and videos at Padre Peregrino on Rumble. The Miraculous Medal (the silver necklace above on the chain) was engraved in the 19th century at the indication of St. Catherine of Laboure when the Mother of God asked these to be made. God promises actual graces through Mary's hands to anyone who wears these. Because these are actual graces, these graces can be received by even non-baptized souls. The Scapular [...]
Mass Meditation
p/c Cream City Catholic A few years ago, I had spliced in scenes of the Passion of the Christ into a video on Vimeo of my own low Mass with the words I had thought came from St. Francis De Sales. However, a priest showed me the meditations did not come from De Sales. I believe he said the meditation preceded him. Either way, you can use these words to meditate at each part of the Traditional Latin Mass: When the priest goes to the foot of the Altar: Jesus enters the garden. O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, Who wast pleased voluntarily to endure mortal terror [...]
Can I Eat in a Place with Idols?
"May I eat in an ethnic restaurant with pagan idols up as long as I'm not eating there because of the idols?" The short answer to this is: If you have kids and/or want to stay on the safe-side, just avoid such restaurants, especially since there are so many options of restaurants and markets without idols out there. But what about a Catholic missionary living in India who has the choice between buying flour with a ganesh on it or entering a restaurant with a shiva in it or just starving to death? I know the tough-guy trad-answer is "Just starve to death." However, the Saints, Fathers and Doctors give [...]
The Geography of the Holy Sepulcher
Happy Easter, Christ is Risen! Please be aware that the email-notification app on this blog no longer works, so you'll just have to check this front-page Theology Section and the Life Updates every week. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to all my talks and videos at Padre Peregrino on Rumble. I have only been to the Holy Land once and I went with a Catholic travel group just before being ordained a deacon in seminary. Rifling through the travel itinerary before arriving in Tel Aviv, I was very confused that we were going to visit the "Church of the Holy Sepulcher" (see above picture) but there was no indication on our travel [...]