Will the atheist cynics and Protestant scoffers never cease with the old canard that Catholicism is simply old paganism in a new dress? These critics notice similarities between certain Roman Catholic customs and the old Roman religion and snipe that our faith is no more than paganism with a face lift. “Christmas!” they cry, “your so-called celebration of the birth of Christ is no more than the old pagan Roman midwinter Saturnalia, and your Christmas trees are merely a... Read more

One of the websites I write for is The Imaginative Conservative, and if I have to take any kind of label, then it would be “conservative”. I’m conservative because, by instinct and upbringing I’d rather put my energies into conserving the best from the past rather than innovating for the future. Somebody has to do it. But that’s about as far as I go in claiming the conservative label. Although I write for that website I’m not happy to be... Read more

I was thinking the other day about the secularists’ shock and horror at racism. I think I had just seen some progressives screaming about racism and accusing old white men (and everybody else they didn’t like) of being racist. It got me thinking about why this is such a big deal. Don’t get me wrong. I think racism is a big deal. Racism is definitely a bad thing. To judge another person solely by their skin color is stupid and... Read more

Pope Francis’ latest scold is against clericalism. You can read about it here. He makes good points and it is clear that he is addressing the situation in Latin America. However, there is another side to the coin. It is certainly easy to criticize priests who dominate the church and get all high and mighty. We can all think of Father Fuhrer and Pastor Impossible, but I wonder how often they have assumed these roles because they felt forced into it.... Read more

A Detroit newspaper published this slap to Pope Francis accusing him of insulting young Catholics who like the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Millennials are leaving religion in droves, recent surveys find. Churches are roiled, but it appears Pope Francis isn’t worried he may accelerate the exodus. The “Who am I to judge?” pope recently told an interviewer that he has a hard time understanding why so many young Catholics worship in Latin on Sundays. “Why so much rigidity,” Francis asked. “This rigidity... Read more

Remember when the secular Catholic hating media started crowing about Pius XII being “Hitler’s Pope”? Funny how they thought it was wonderful when Popes JP2, B16 and Francis all paid a visit to Cuba and knocked on Castro’s door. History is now showing that Pope Pius XII put up stout resistance to the Nazis as he was able. Pope JP2, Benedict XVI and Francis have taken a more diplomatic approach to Castro’s regime–visiting the murderous tyrant and hoping by diplomacy... Read more

OK. I admit it, and I’m sure every other priest will admit it too. We get bored in the confessional. Don’t get me wrong. I am not bored by people. I love people and am endlessly fascinated by people. People aren’t boring. Their problems aren’t boring. But sin is boring. Really. To be honest, there really aren’t that many sins. Satan can’t create anything. All he can do is destroy or distort all that God has made that is beautiful,... Read more

Last month I paid a visit to the parish of Our Lady of the Atonement in San Antonio TX. Wow! The kids at Atonement Academy all take music lessons every day and you should hear them sing! They all belong to a choir and at Mass the singing is like something out of heaven! They can sing, and it is definitely linked to the Anglican tradition which is in full bloom at OL Atonement. It is wonderful, but it clashes... Read more