Sacraments ought to be given and taken in good faith. By accepting, even tacitly, the loaded word transgender as an identity, the Church opens the door to infiltration on many levels. The most important issue about the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s recent response regarding “transgender” baptism is the use of the word … Read more
What’s It Really About? Larry Chapp Pope Francis has released a new “Motu Proprio” about how to do theology in the modern context, Ad theologiam promovendam, which makes the case that theology must no longer be from a “desk” and must no longer be merely “abstractly re-proposing formulas and schemes of the past.” Theology must … Read more
Fr. Gerald Murray and Robert Royal discuss the synodal document approved on Saturday in Rome, particularly the significance of the surprising removal of the term LGBT from the final version and the relatively strong opposition to suggestions of further study on women deaconesses. Continue reading at The Catholic Thing
This summer, my husband and I had the great pleasure of witnessing two of our three sons marry. As I scrambled to help my oldest son gather his sacramental documentation – not an easy feat for a kid who was baptized in California, made his First Communion in Azerbaijan, and was confirmed in Belgium – … Read more
In the discussion among its citizens just outside the walls of Troy, there were various opinions as to what to do with the strange “gift” that had been left by the departing Greeks. “I don’t trust Greeks,” said some, “even when bearing gifts.” But others, and they proved to be the majority, said, “What harm … Read more
If you wanted two words to describe the Synod on Synodality, the event that begins today in Rome, it would have to be deep confusion. Unless you wanted to add a third, deliberate. Because it’s been clear from a series of concrete measures that what’s been said is not what’s going to happen. And what’s … Read more
Much has happened since I first published my original article, “Pope Francis and Schism,” in The Catholic Thing on October 8, 2019. What has taken place in the intervening years has confirmed many of the points I made then. Here, at Robert Royal’s request, I would like to revisit and expand upon several of … Read more
The Archbishop of Berlin, Heiner Koch, recently authorized priests in his archdiocese to confer ceremonial blessings upon homosexual couples. Strangely, he also announced that he himself would not impart such blessings until he receives explicit permission from Pope Francis. He seems to be confident that such permission will someday be given, yet he’s certainly not … Read more
So the Catholic, trying hard to be faithful in a faithless time, is now to be dismissed – according to a Certain Person in Rome – for being obsessed with sins “below the belt.” Whether that includes a kick to the groin is not clear. How about above the belt – in the eyes and … Read more
In the past week or so, the pope has: praised “that great imperial Russia” for its noble culture and humanity (a remark later admitted to be “badly phrased”); lauded Genghis Khan’s blood-soaked empire for its religious tolerance and “pax mongolica” (40 million killed, give or take); encouraged Chinese Christians to be good citizens of a … Read more