Catholic Church

By Father Ed Broom, Catholic Exchange - She is the Daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit—yes, the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is the Queen of the Angels, the Queen of Confessors, the Queen of Martyrs and Virgins, as well as the Queen of the most Holy Rosary—yes, the Blessed Virgin Mary. She is our heavenly Mother, proclaimed from the cross—“Woman, behold thy son; son, behold thy Mother.”

By Robert W. Shaffern, The Catholic Thing - A central question amid all the controversy about Catholic liturgy these days is: what are the purposes of liturgy? The argument often seems to be a mere matter of taste. “Traditionalists,” in that perspective, just prefer the sonorous rhythm of Latin, as well as the beauty of Gregorian chant. In contrast, those who uphold the Mass of Paul VI feel more at home in the vernacular and in its less formal atmosphere.

By Fr. Jerry Pokorsky, Catholic Culture - Some say that we have overlooked the transformative purpose of Vatican II. We were too defensive in response to the hostility of Protestants and secularists, they say. We defended Church teaching with an excessive reliance on logical presentations. Papal primacy eclipsed the role of other members of the hierarchy, and we often ignored the centrality of Jesus, holiness, and beauty. There was insufficient emphasis on the word of God. Just as translations of the Bible needed updates, modern sensibilities required some liturgical changes.