Catholic Church

Complicit Clergy, Dec 8, 2023 – During the Q&A portion after a speech given by Cardinal Wilton Gregory at Catholic University (CUA) of America on December 6, 2023, a student asks the Cardinal why CUA students don’t have access to the Traditional Latin Mass on campus. Watch Cardinal Gregory’s finger-wagging response in this video. WATCH

By Phil Lawler, Catholic Culture - American Catholics—even ordinarily inactive Catholics—flock to their churches (on Ash Wednesday) today to receive their ashes, to display them proudly. Already today (I am writing at 9 am) a half-dozen people I don’t know have sent me selfies, showing how they look with ashes on their foreheads... Why is Ash Wednesday so popular? Why are my social-media accounts clogged with reminders that today is Ash Wednesday? Why are inactive Catholics so anxious to display their allegiance to the faith—on this day of all days, when the message that the Church sends us is so grim?

By Father Roger Landry, EWTN News - Lent is about going spiritually to the state of the desert, about uniting ourselves to, and imitating, Jesus’ fasting, praying and charity. It’s a time to repent and believe... We’re summoned to render our hearts open to God, to reflect on the meaning and trajectory of our life, as we recall that we are dust and to dust we shall return. It’s a period of mercy and conversion, of grace and holiness that we’re supposed to receive fruitfully and not in vain.

By Fr. John A. Perricone, Crisis Magazine With good intentions, they find refuge in a kind of hysterical prayer—put another way, a sort of soothing emotional swoon. Since this refuge is born of genuine spiritual longing, it is hard to hold it to strict theological/ascetical standards. But be held to them they must. Otherwise, added to the doctrinal bedlam there will be spiritual decadence, a salve which soothes but does not sanctify. Some may argue that it is a halfway house to authentic prayer, or better than nothing. But this sentimentality is addictive and can render the soul permanently impaired. Raised on a diet of pretzels and beer, the taste of caviar is unendurable. ....