Catholic Church

July 25, 2018

Philip Lawler: Promoting Predators

By Philip Lawler, First Things - What did the American bishops know, and when did they know it? This is the question everyone is asking in the wake of public revelations that Cardinal Theodore McCarrick had, for years, preyed on seminarians who visited his beach house… To regain the credibility they have lost in recent decades, Catholic bishops in America and in Rome must do more than apologize for the transgressions of others. They must acknowledge their own offenses—their willingness to tolerate abusive clerics, to protect them, to promote them.

July 25, 2018

St. Pope John Paul II’s Dream

By Fr. Shenan J. Boquet, Human Life International - In 1996 St. Pope John Paul II, speaking to a group of teachers of Natural Family Planning (NFP), boldly declared: “The moment has come for every parish and every structure of consultation and assistance to the family and to the defense of life to have personnel available who can teach married couples how to use the natural methods.”... Twenty-two years have passed since that speech. Meanwhile, this Wednesday we commemorate the 50th anniversary of Humanae Vitae. On this occasion we must pause and ask: How well have we implemented Pope Paul VI’s teachings, and how well have we lived up to St. Pope John Paul II’s hopes?

July 25, 2018

Humanae Vitae at 50: The Courage of Pope Paul VI Stood Out During a Tumultuous 1968

By Matthew E. Bunson, National Catholic Register - The year 1968 remains a watershed moment in an era of revolution and upheaval. With the world engulfed in social, political and especially sexual upheaval, the year witnessed the brutal rejection of a relatively brief papal document that sought to clarify the Church’s teachings on family life and the regulation of births. Humanae Vitae (The Regulation of Birth) remains one of the most polarizing papal encyclicals of all time....

July 24, 2018

Msgr. Charles Pope: Mortal or Not, Sin Always Causes Harm

By Msgr. Charles Pope - It is important to emphasize that even if a particular sinful act does not rise to the level of mortal sin, it is still a sin. No sinful action, even if committed “innocently” will bring a blessing or become good in itself. To sin is always to veer off course and it causes some sort of wound. This is true even if the person is not guilty of committing a mortal sin.