Catholic Church

By Stephen P. White, The Catholic Thing - The Church can talk all she wants about “intrinsic human dignity,” but if all the world hears is “People are special and have the right to be affirmed in their choices,” what good is that? The Church can insist that the “common good” is both real and discernable (however imperfectly) but what help is that if the world hears, “Majority opinion determines what is right”? The Church can speak all she wants about “natural law,” but what does that help if nature (including human nature) is presumed to be intrinsically meaningless and therefore ours to manipulate as we will?

By Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, OnePeterFive - When the Lord calmed the storm and sea in Matthew 8, He was in a boat that probably belonged to His disciples based there in Capharnaum, probably Peter’s boat. Christ calmed the chaos of Peter’s Barque... If Christ could do that then, Christ can do that now. He can calm the chaos of storm and uncertainty that is tossing Holy Church to and fro.

By Peter M.J. Stravinskas, Catholic World Report - Cardinal Cupich has forbidden ad orientem celebrations of Holy Mass and has intimidated one of his priests with threats of suspension for daring to question his diktat. But no bishop has the authority to forbid what universal law not only permits but actually presumes (the rubrics assume the priest is facing east, hence, the directive to “turn toward the people” to offer greetings or blessings). When authority figures resort to bullying, it is the clearest sign that they know they are constructing their edifice on sand.

By Kelly Marcum, Catholic Exchange - St. John Bosco, the 19th century Italian priest, made a life out of taking in the world’s abandoned boys and giving them a home and an education. Foregoing the popular corporal punishments and more strict catechesis of his time, John Bosco chose a different route. Within his apostolate, St. John Bosco surrounded them in a culture of joy that encouraged virtue rather than merely punishing sin, though he did not shy away from correcting his pupils’ moral flaws.