Laudate Deum: Pope Francis’ Mistaken Apocalypse
Like popes of old, Francis speaks of a coming apocalypse, but unlike his predecessors, his view is natural rather than supernatural.
The Magical Mystery Magisterium and the Hermeneutic of Hermeneutics
Within the pope’s response to the recent dubia there is a statement that threatens to undermine the Church’s ability to make definitive definitions about doctrine.
Identifying the Problem is Only Half the Battle
Fr. James Altman is largely correct in identifying today’s problems in the Church, but his cure is as bad as the disease.
What Can We Expect From the Next Pope? (Guest: Charles Coulombe)
Pope Francis is still going strong, but he’s not a young man and eventually his time here on earth will pass. What will the next pope face in the wake of this controversial pontificate?
The Papacy, Doctrine, and Development
The pope is not a free agent. His authority, humanly considered, flows from his submission to and dependence upon Peter, that fisherman, that first pilot of the bark of the Church.
Can the Pope Declare an Unbaptized Infant a Martyr and a Saint?
The tradition of the Church requires humility on our part—the humility not to say we know anything more or anything less than what we certainly know.
Living in a Messy Church
The “mess” in the Church today is reflected in the total lack of order found in ecclesial appointments and suspensions. The unfaithful are rewarded while the faithful are disciplined.
False Views of the Papacy: Hyperpapalism, Sedevacantism, and Synodality (Guest: Fr. Jason Charron)
In this age of confusion, we see many competing ideas on how Catholics should understand the papacy. The most extreme forms—hyperpapalism and sedevacantism— both include an overexaggerated sense of the papacy. Synodality, at least on paper, appears to be the opposite extreme. Is there a better way forward?
Solum Magisterium?
Archbishop Victor Fernández’s claim about a “doctrine of the Holy Father” runs the risk of collapsing all distinction between the magisterium and its normative sources, such as Scripture and Tradition.
Resisting Papal Overreach: The Story of Bishop Isidore Borecky
Would there be historical precedent if Bishop Joseph Strickland were to refuse to acknowledge his deposition if Rome should proceed with that step?
A Papal Silence Would Be Welcome at Times
A religious leader should be very careful about spreading his thinking too thin; a pope is not an omniscient source of opinions about everything.
Pope Francis Calls American Catholics Backward Ideologues
Pope Francis was recently asked his opinion of American Catholics, and he didn’t hold back in his criticisms. But are his criticisms legitimate?
Defending the Papacy In the Age of Francis
Perhaps the greatest apologetical challenge for Catholics today is defending the papacy when its occupant is doing such a poor job. How can Catholics still support the papacy from the attacks of Protestants, Orthodox, and others?
Does Pope Francis Have a Double Standard for Africa?
Pope Francis condemns Europeans for not taking in more African Muslim immigrants, but says little about the plight of persecuted African Christians at the hands of Muslims.
What Does the Pope Have Against Opus Dei?
Is there some problem with Opus Dei that led Pope Francis to take so many steps to contradict what its founder thought a key to its continued usefulness to the Church?
Soccer Over Dogma?
In spite of the pope’s seeming preference for soccer over dogma, proclaiming the truths of the Catholic Faith—i.e., being “dogmatic”—leads to more joy and happiness, not less.
Veritatis Splendor vs. Amoris Laetitia
Pope John Paul II’s inspiring encyclical on moral theology celebrates its 30th anniversary, but today many at the highest levels of the Church ignore or even reject its teachings.
How’s That Again About Your Job, Your Eminence?
The latest changes to the former Holy Office make it unrecognizable as a defender of Catholic doctrine.
Pornocracy II: Electric Boogaloo
Pope Francis appears intent in his attempt to divide the loyalties of the Faithful between himself and Pope Benedict XVI, as Stephen VI did with his post-mortem trial of Pope Formosus.