The CHURCH is ONE

I have heard it said that the Catholic and the Orthodox are two different churches but I don’t buy that. There may be a fissure in the full unity, but they are not two different Churches. I believe this because after all these hundreds of years the Holy Spirit has preserved orthodoxy in the whole. Oh there is a fissure, made by man, maintained by man, but the guardianship of the Holy Spirit is evidence to me that both are part of God’s one Church. God has one Church (visit the Bible to read up on this). You can recognize … Continue reading

Review of Magnificat magazine: Depth of devotionals in a practical package.

Magnificat  is a monthly magazine of daily devotionals for Catholics published Yonkers, NY. The issue I have in my hand is the April issue with a special supplement included for Holy Week. My first impression is positive, the paper cool and smooth in my hand, the pages easy to flip, the text easy on the eyes, and the size just right to keep handy. There is a richness to the material that feeds the soul. The cover art is lovely and a commentary on that art is found near the back of each issue. A brief greeting from the editor … Continue reading

My thoughts on Pope Francis

I am on the side of our Holy Father even if his imprecision of speech makes me uncomfortable. He is the Pope, and on faith and morals cannot err. Himself has said that he holds to all of Church teaching– so every word he says must be understood against the backdrop of total orthodoxy– even if the press and the enemies of the Church (inside and out) refuse to see it that way.  A darling person, whose blog ( A Woman’s Place… ) I love to read, has also been troubled by this; I feel for her, she too loves … Continue reading

First Causes of a Catholic/Orthodox Crisis

Today, over at LifesiteNews, I read a very very good post by a priest who sadly had to close their elementary school. It is an excellent article about how most parishes have contracepted themselves nearly out of existence and then people object to schools and parishes closing. This good man has written an article for discussion that is worthy of discussion. Here is a bit from the article: In my January 2010 letter to my bishop asking his permission to close our school, I wrote: Bishop, it is with a heavy heart that I request this of you. As you … Continue reading

The Holy Spirit and Feminism

Over at Crisis Magazine I have been finding a wealth of thought provoking articles including one on the Holy Spirit (the Hagia Sophia Is No Lady) that fits perfectly with some of the things I have recently been thinking about the problem of feminism. In another article from the same source Donna Steichen discusses the question of whether or not Feminism might be a heresy (Is Feminism A Heresy?). I happen to agree with both of the above articles.  Feminism in the Church has taken on the form of a heresy which seeks to warp essentials such as our understanding … Continue reading

Unintended Heresies

Catholic Teaching is a beautifully simple thing even in its complexity.  Every word has meaning, every phrase is the result of centuries of thinking and prayer and the fruit of MANY discussions and the decisions of ecumenical councils.  It is a rock on which to build one’s house.  Solid in the storms that come because it is the Truth about God. I have a favorite Marian hymn which I sing with a single word changed from the original.  Why would I do this?  I make the one word change in this fine song because as it is worded it reflects … Continue reading