Good leaders do, of course, listen to their people. In the Church, as in any family, they have the duty to know, respect, and love the persons in their care. But they’re leaders and guides, not followers or mere presiders. Continue Reading »
The synodal process the Church has embarked on—if done well, and honestly, and without the “hermeneutic of rupture” that has dogged Catholic life since Vatican II—can lead to a renewal of Christian faith. Continue Reading »
On July 22, the cardinal issued his long-anticipated decree on the implementation of Pope Francis’s 2021 motu proprio Traditionis Custodes in the Archdiocese of Washington. Continue Reading »
The Holy Father says that he wants the Church to be a listening Church. If so, then he should be listening to a wide variety of voices in the U.S. before making claims that there are a significant number of Catholics in this country who reject Vatican II. Continue Reading »
Debunking myths about papal conclaves will, I hope, function as a stabilizer, as the waters surrounding the Barque of Peter will likely get more turbulent before the next conclave meets in the Sistine Chapel beneath the stern gaze of Christ the Judge. Continue Reading »
Reform will only happen if the Church remembers that she exists because of Christ and “in order to evangelize,” as Paul VI said. Continue Reading »
Steubenville, Ohio, home to Franciscan University, is a small city on the banks of the Ohio River linking the Buckeye State with Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Like much of the Rust Belt, Steubenville has seen better days. But coinciding with economic downturn has been a spiritual renewal that . . . . Continue Reading »
No pontificate is well served when its promoters show contempt and belligerence toward perceived enemies. Continue Reading »
Receiving the Eucharist is a statement of one’s full communion with the Church. Making that clear, by instruction if possible and disciplinary action if necessary, is a pastoral obligation. Continue Reading »
In mid-July, Pope Francis issued Traditionis Custodes, a motu proprio concerning what’s popularly known as the Latin Mass. A motu proprio functions in papal administration much as do executive orders in our government. The aim of this papal directive is to curtail the . . . . Continue Reading »
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