Tag: Church

Counter-Reformation: Early Modern Catholicism

Whether called the Counter-Reformation, Catholic Reformation, Confessional Catholicism, Tridentine Age, or any other designation, Catholicism in Europe from 1517-1577 has been analyzed, debated, and subjectively branded throughout history. For many...

Restoring Catholic Wisdom, Part 2

In Part 1 I argued that the Catholic Church desperately needs to renew its historic teachings, and the Bishops and Cardinals need to lead the effort with the help of informed laypeople. I explained that the way to do so is to restore...

Restoring Catholic Wisdom

It remains a common assumption that individuals who went to Catholic Colleges are much more informed about their faith than those who did not. That may have been true in the past, but as Fr. Dorian Llewelyn S.J. has noted, it may no longer be...

Why We Should Attend Mass

In an episode of the television show, Everybody Loves Raymond, Debra asks Raymond why he doesn’t go to church. His response: “I don’t know. Maybe it is because of the kneeling. You know I have bad knees.” Eventually, however...

Where There is Faith, People Build Churches

“It is he who shall build a house for my name; he shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him, and I will establish the throne of his kingship over Israel forever.” ( 1 Chronicles 22.10) The Holy Temple being a place of unity, an...

Where Pope Francis Needs to Improve

Polls reveal that a large majority of Catholics have a positive view of Pope Francis. However,  far fewer look to him for moral guidance. (In one study, only 11% did.)  It is therefore difficult to know how many Catholics are...

The Secularization of the Church in Our Midst

Sadly, one of the most obvious effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is the extent to which the institutional Church has been secularized. Many are familiar with the term secularization in terms of the broader culture. There is no need to repeat here at...

On Remaining Catholic

A few mornings ago, while enjoying my morning swim, I noticed a small bird sitting atop a tall palm tree. It was somewhat windy and the tree bent first one way and then the other. With each gust the bird clung more tenaciously. The drama continued...