Thursday, March 16, 2017
No Future for Russian (Byzantine-rite) Catholics?
Catholic Herald: World meeting of Russian Catholics hailed as ‘last hurrah’ for movement by Natasha Marsh
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Discerning the Historical Causes for the Fall of a Polity
I recall having read in certain Latin apologetic works on Church History that attributed the success of the Muslim invasions of the Christian world to the moral laxity and softness of Christians and their heresy (the Nestorians and Monophysites!). This may strike one as being an expression of Latin triumphalism, given the weakness of the Latin churches today
What if it is the case that the invasions were successful because the Christian polities were simply too weak? Must we find some moral blame for this? Or what if the polities failed because they were not Christianized enough -- not with respect to the "private" lives of individuals or expressions of orthodoxy, but because the polities lacked the excellence proper to it?
While those who lived with empire may have seen it as the only way to deal with external threats, what if they were wrong? Could it be said that the Byzantine theme system was close to being an expression of republicanism? Or were they effective purely for military reasons? What if despite the expression of public orthodoxy, the imperial government was not the form desired by God?
Would God save those who refuse to do what is necessary to save themselves? Lepanto, other victories have been interpreted as God intervening (especially through the intercession of the Mother of God). Still, Christians usually had to do their part in securing victory over the Muslims. While God's primary causality is not to be denied, and miracles are possible, what if God prefers Christian polities to participate in the Divine, in their own way, but attaining the excellence proper to them? Could God miraculously have intervened in preventing the Holy Land from being conquered by the Muslims? Did He withhold this help because of the private sins of the Christians living there, or as a consequence of other failures? Or did He have other reasons for allowing this to happen?
What if it is the case that the invasions were successful because the Christian polities were simply too weak? Must we find some moral blame for this? Or what if the polities failed because they were not Christianized enough -- not with respect to the "private" lives of individuals or expressions of orthodoxy, but because the polities lacked the excellence proper to it?
While those who lived with empire may have seen it as the only way to deal with external threats, what if they were wrong? Could it be said that the Byzantine theme system was close to being an expression of republicanism? Or were they effective purely for military reasons? What if despite the expression of public orthodoxy, the imperial government was not the form desired by God?
Would God save those who refuse to do what is necessary to save themselves? Lepanto, other victories have been interpreted as God intervening (especially through the intercession of the Mother of God). Still, Christians usually had to do their part in securing victory over the Muslims. While God's primary causality is not to be denied, and miracles are possible, what if God prefers Christian polities to participate in the Divine, in their own way, but attaining the excellence proper to them? Could God miraculously have intervened in preventing the Holy Land from being conquered by the Muslims? Did He withhold this help because of the private sins of the Christians living there, or as a consequence of other failures? Or did He have other reasons for allowing this to happen?
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Not a Surprise
Dr. Mike Augros going back to New England -- President McLean Names First Members to Team for New England Campus
One Against Changing the Discipline
CWR Dispatch: The Amazon Indult? by Rev. Peter M.J. Stravinskas
For the sake of argument, let’s say that an indult were granted to the beleaguered bishops of the Amazon, can one suppose that it will end there? History teaches otherwise.
For the sake of argument, let’s say that an indult were granted to the beleaguered bishops of the Amazon, can one suppose that it will end there? History teaches otherwise.
Monday, March 13, 2017
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Friday, March 10, 2017
Thursday, March 09, 2017
Wednesday, March 08, 2017
Not In This Pontificate
Perhaps never.
First Things: Return to Form by Martin Mosebach
A Call for the Restoration of the Roman Rite
It is a moral outrage that those who gutted the Roman Rite because of their presumption and delusion were permitted to rob a future generation of their full Catholic . . . . Continue Reading »
First Things: Return to Form by Martin Mosebach
A Call for the Restoration of the Roman Rite
It is a moral outrage that those who gutted the Roman Rite because of their presumption and delusion were permitted to rob a future generation of their full Catholic . . . . Continue Reading »
Tuesday, March 07, 2017
Monday, March 06, 2017
Sunday, March 05, 2017
Saturday, March 04, 2017
Friday, March 03, 2017
Thursday, March 02, 2017
Wednesday, March 01, 2017
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
CWR Dispatch: Catholic Composers: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by Paul Senz
His Catholic faith was the guiding influence throughout the life of possibly the greatest composer in the history of music.
His Catholic faith was the guiding influence throughout the life of possibly the greatest composer in the history of music.
Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Rorate Caeli: For the record: Local Bishop confirms Medjugorje is a hoax
'This really is not Our Lady from the Gospel'
'This really is not Our Lady from the Gospel'
Monday, February 27, 2017
The Anniversary Was Two days ago...
Fr. Hunwicke: Regnans in Excelsis
The power of the pope to depose a Catholic sovereign is based on his power to excommunicate? Is the secular authority directly under the authority of the pope? What is the warrant from Sacred Tradition for this? I have to do some research on the theological reasoning for this as it has been a while since I thought about the topic when reading Church history. The good of the Church is greater than the temporal good? Even if this is the case, on what basis does excommunication necessitate that someone is deprived of political office?
Related:
Does the pope have the authority to immediately excommunicate anyone in the Universal Church, i.e. Christians in the jurisdictions of the other patriarchates? Or is this power only mediate, that is the power to confirm an excommunication or to deny an appeal, and for reasons other than just "subsidiarity"?
The power of the pope to depose a Catholic sovereign is based on his power to excommunicate? Is the secular authority directly under the authority of the pope? What is the warrant from Sacred Tradition for this? I have to do some research on the theological reasoning for this as it has been a while since I thought about the topic when reading Church history. The good of the Church is greater than the temporal good? Even if this is the case, on what basis does excommunication necessitate that someone is deprived of political office?
Related:
Does the pope have the authority to immediately excommunicate anyone in the Universal Church, i.e. Christians in the jurisdictions of the other patriarchates? Or is this power only mediate, that is the power to confirm an excommunication or to deny an appeal, and for reasons other than just "subsidiarity"?
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Friday, February 24, 2017
Fr. Patrick Brannan, SJ Has Passed
Old school Jesuit, a memorable teacher at the seminary -- his presence helped cement my interest in Jesuit spirituality at the time. Eternal memory!
They don't make Jesuits like him any more.
MDSJ
A Conservative Blog for Peace
Merion Station
Scranton Times
Philly.com
They don't make Jesuits like him any more.
MDSJ
A Conservative Blog for Peace
Merion Station
Scranton Times
Philly.com
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Rorate Caeli: De Mattei: When public correction of a pope is urgent and necessary by Roberto de Mattei
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Monday, February 20, 2017
The Upside to the Elimination of Vatican Radio
A curbing of the pretensions of the patriarchate of Rome.
Magister: Viganò, the Failed Reformer. With All the Vatican Media Against Him
Magister: Viganò, the Failed Reformer. With All the Vatican Media Against Him
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Saturday, February 18, 2017
CWR Dispatch: Michael Novak, Rest in Peace by Jay Richards
Novak, who died earlier today after a battle with cancer, had an illustrious career as an author, scholar, and educator that began during Vatican II and continued until his final days.
Novak, who died earlier today after a battle with cancer, had an illustrious career as an author, scholar, and educator that began during Vatican II and continued until his final days.
Friday, February 17, 2017
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
CWR Dispatch Cardinal Coccopalmerio's blow upon a bruise by Edward N. Peters (original)
The Church’s arguably two highest-ranking cardinals in the areas of canonical interpretation and the protection of doctrine and morals are in public, plain, and diametric opposition with each other concerning a crucial canonico-sacramental practice.
The Church’s arguably two highest-ranking cardinals in the areas of canonical interpretation and the protection of doctrine and morals are in public, plain, and diametric opposition with each other concerning a crucial canonico-sacramental practice.
Monday, February 13, 2017
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Crisis: Mixed Signals from the German Amoris Laetitia Guidelines by Marie Meaney
The latest news from Germany does not engender confidence that the Catholic bishops have had any success in resolving the myriad problems that have plagued the Church over the past...
The latest news from Germany does not engender confidence that the Catholic bishops have had any success in resolving the myriad problems that have plagued the Church over the past...
Saturday, February 11, 2017
CWR: The Hysterical Media Attacks on Cardinal Burke By Carl E. Olson
Far too many reporters and pundits confirm the observation of G.K. Chesterton in the early 1900s that much journalism is simply "bad journalism" and is "shapeless, careless, and colorless..."
Far too many reporters and pundits confirm the observation of G.K. Chesterton in the early 1900s that much journalism is simply "bad journalism" and is "shapeless, careless, and colorless..."
Friday, February 10, 2017
CWR Dispatch: When it comes to liturgy, we're all mutually-enriching mongrels by Dr. Adam A. J. DeVille
One of the many problems with Latin liturgical reform over the last 40 years was being too heavily influenced by German and Swiss sources, and not enough by Byzantine ones.
One of the many problems with Latin liturgical reform over the last 40 years was being too heavily influenced by German and Swiss sources, and not enough by Byzantine ones.
Thursday, February 09, 2017
Normally I wouldn't post something from NRO
And this piece is typical of the anti-Putin neocon outlook of the magazine; the author is George Weigel... but the representation of the Russian Orthodox Church is probably not 100% false: Meeting with Moscow, Rome Must Refuse to Bend to the Putin Storyline (via Byz, TX)
But the "Progressives" Have Discovered Ultramontanism Again
CWR Dispatch: Should the Mass reflect a pope’s personality? by Nicholas Senz
The liturgy belongs to the whole Church, across time and space; it is not to be manipulated according to the whims of each individual pope.
The liturgy belongs to the whole Church, across time and space; it is not to be manipulated according to the whims of each individual pope.
CWR Dispatch: Synod-talk, again by George Weigel
Why does the preparatory document for the 2018 Synod comprehensively ignore the contemporary saint who was a powerful magnet for young people during his twenty-six-year pontificate?
Why does the preparatory document for the 2018 Synod comprehensively ignore the contemporary saint who was a powerful magnet for young people during his twenty-six-year pontificate?
Wednesday, February 08, 2017
Tuesday, February 07, 2017
Monday, February 06, 2017
CWR via Il Timone: The Truth is Not Up for Negotiation
Cardinal Gerhard L. Müller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, speaks on the meaning of doctrine and its relationship with personal conscience, ecumenism and the interpretation of "Amoris Laetitia".
Cardinal Gerhard L. Müller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, speaks on the meaning of doctrine and its relationship with personal conscience, ecumenism and the interpretation of "Amoris Laetitia".
CWR Dispatch: On “mutual enrichment” and “Universae Ecclesiae”: A response to Fr. Stravinskas by Fr. Albert P. Marcello, III
While the incorporation of additional Mass formularies is indeed foreseen by "Summorum Pontificum", great care should be taken in ensuring that these new euchological texts be harmonious with the ethos of the 1962 books.
While the incorporation of additional Mass formularies is indeed foreseen by "Summorum Pontificum", great care should be taken in ensuring that these new euchological texts be harmonious with the ethos of the 1962 books.
Sunday, February 05, 2017
Saturday, February 04, 2017
Friday, February 03, 2017
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