Blogposts

The Hidden Threat of Communism in America

12-26-2021Weekly ReflectionDavid Mills

“With the Encyclical Letter Divini Redemptoris, on atheistic communism and Christian social doctrine, Pope Pius XI offered a systematic criticism of communism, describing it as “intrinsically perverse,” and indicated that the principal means for correcting the evils perpetrated by it could be found in the renewal of Christian life, the practice of evangelical charity, the fulfillment of the duties of justice at both the interpersonal and social levels in relation to the common good, and the institutionalization of professional and interprofessional groups.”

—Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church 92

READ MORE

Churchmen and Vaccines

12-19-2021Weekly Reflection

There is a growing phenomenon of bishops mandating the COVID vaccines imitating mandates in the secular realm. What to make of this? The official position of the Church via the Sacred Congregation of the Faith is that taking this vaccine should be voluntary and not coerced. This position was approved by the Pope so that a real argument can be made that those bishops mandating the vaccines are issuing illicit decrees and need not be followed. Here’s what the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith says:

READ MORE

The Standard of Christ vs. the Standard of Satan

12-12-2021Weekly Reflection

After the devil had seduced Adam and Eve, God cursed the evil spirit and prophesied, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed.” The woman is Mary. Her seed is Christ. Ever since Eden there has been a deadly conflict between the followers of Christ and the followers of Satan. Not to know this is not to understand the most fundamental warfare that’s been going on since the dawn of human history.

READ MORE

Full of Grace or Highly Favored?

12-05-2021Weekly Reflection

Sometimes a question arises with respect to the translation of the Angel Gabriel’s words at the Annunciation: why do some Bibles say Rejoice O highly favored daughter instead of Hail full of grace in reporting the words of the angel Gabriel at the annunciation. A number of years ago, the New American Bible translation was revised and the current translation says Hail full of grace because it is a superior translation of the Greek word used in St. Luke’s Gospel.

READ MORE

Some Light On An Ongoing Debate

11-28-2021Weekly Reflection

In the news there has been the issue of the President actively supporting abortion and promoting it while claiming to be a good Catholic and whether he should be denied Communion? Years ago (2006) however there was a so-called "statement of principles" by 55 Catholic Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. The signatories of the letter stated that "we seek the Church's guidance and assistance but believe also in the primacy of conscience."

READ MORE

Forgotten Customs of Martinmas and St Martin’s Lent

11-14-2021Weekly Reflection

(This past November 11 we celebrated Veteran’s Day which is also the feast of St. Martin of Tours a former soldier who left the army to follow Christ. Here an edited version of the essay by Matthew Plese. For the full essay go to onepeterfive.com)

…Armistice Day is kept in honor of the ending of World War I which concluded on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. In 1954, the United States amended the holiday to include a remembrance of all the living and the dead of the nation’s veterans. And the name was subsequently changed to Veteran’s Day on June 1, 1954.

READ MORE

The Four Last Things

11-07-2021Weekly Reflection

I. The Particular Judgment

1021 Death puts an end to human life as the time open to either accepting or rejecting the divine grace manifested in Christ The New Testament speaks of judgment primarily in its aspect of the final encounter with Christ in his second coming, but also repeatedly affirms that each will be rewarded immediately after death in accordance with his works and faith. The parable of the poor man Lazarus and the words of Christ on the cross to the good thief, as well as other New Testament texts speak of a final destiny of the soul - a destiny which can be different for some and for others

READ MORE

Halloween

10-31-2021Weekly Reflection

Is Halloween part of a Catholic feast day?

Halloween is a derivative of All Hallow’s Eve, Hallows being an old English expression for saints, een being a contraction of evening, hence the evening of All Saints Day, the latter being a Solemnity and a Holy Day of Obligation. This is an ancient feast established by the Church in the eighth century. Therefore, this is truly a very special Catholic feast day.

READ MORE

The Patricians: Who Are They?

10-24-2021Weekly Reflection

The Society of the Patricians was established in 1955. Its purpose is to build up the religious knowledge of the people, to teach them how to explain themselves and to encourage them to apostleship. Its method was intended to be experimental but it has remained unchanged. Though minds were busy at first in proposing alterations, it is realized that all of these were but reversions to other established methods, such as the catechism class, the lecture system, the question and answer session. These have their own essential place, but they do not cope with what is probably the root problem of the Church: adult religious ignorance and the paralyzed tongues of the laity. The Patricians has been showing itself effective in that field and therefore must be jealously safeguarded.

READ MORE

Cognitive Dissonance in the Church?

10-17-2021Weekly Reflection

The dictionary defines cognitive dissonance as follows: the state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes, especially as relating to behavioral decisions and attitude change.

On the plane from his trip to Slovakia Pope Francis held a press conference and he said the following:…(A)bortion: it's more than a problem, it's homicide, whoever has an abortion, kills. No mincing words. Take any book on embryology for medical students. The third week after conception, all the organs are already there, even the DNA... it is a human life, this human life must be respected, this principle is so clear! To those who cannot understand, I would ask this question: Is it right to kill a human life to solve a problem? Is it right to hire a hitman to kill a human life?

READ MORE

The Rosary, Lepanto, & Our Spiritual Lives

10-10-2021Weekly Reflection

This past week (October 7) we celebrated the feast of the Most Holy Rosary and the whole month of October is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and the Rosary. The Rosary developed in the Middle Ages and was given to St. Dominic. Christians greeted the Virgin Mary with the title, Mystical Rose, the symbol of love and joy. As an expression of this affection her images were crowned with bouquets of roses called a Rosarium, hence the name Rosary. Whoever was unable to recite the Church’s psalms in her prayer book called the Book of Hours would pray as many Hail Mary’s to compliment the 150 psalms.

READ MORE

Should I Attend

10-03-2021Weekly Reflection

ISSUE: Does the Catholic Church prohibit Catholics from attending weddings that the Church does not recognize? If a Catholic is invited to such a wedding and can attend, is it permissible for him to be in the wedding party? It Depends….The Catholic Church does not explicitly prohibit Catholics from attending weddings whose validity she does not recognize. There are certain moral principles, however, that should be considered before a Catholic decides how to proceed. Most importantly, Catholics must avoid any actions that cause scandal or encourage others to sin.

READ MORE