The time has come when Catholics celebrate the season of Advent. In general, Advent is defined as a period of prayer in preparation for Christmas, including four Sundays, the first nearest the feast of Saint Andrew, held on November 30th. Significantly, it is also considered the beginning of the Church’s liturgical year. In this essay, I will provide a brief introduction to Advent and discuss the two most common symbols of Advent: candles and wreaths. I will conclude by suggesting... Read more
Recently, Pope Francis issued a letter ostensibly addressing seminarians preparing for the priesthood. The letter stressed the importance of teaching Church history, particularly a history free from the restraints of ideologies. (See “Letter of the Holy Father Francis On The Renewal Of The Study Of Church History”). In this paper, I want to use the Pope’s comments as a point of departure to examine the relationship between history and ideology. I will do this by providing a brief synopsis of... Read more
Within a subset of philosophy, there is a discipline called metaphysics. This discipline is concerned with being as such. Catholic metaphysics subscribes to dualism in cosmology and its philosophy of mind. It is unnecessary to go into the specifics here other than to note that dualism refers to the theory that the universe (cosmology) comprises two fundamental substances. Similarly, the philosophy of mind dualism suggests that the mind and body are two distinct substances. In this paper, I want to... Read more
Our modern times place a great emphasis on tolerance. In an age of political correctness, tolerance is seen as a great virtue for one to possess. But, is it? Should Catholics seek to cultivate tolerance? In this paper, I want to examine tolerance in relation to the Catholic teaching on virtue. What Is Virtue? “Virtue is a good habit consonant with our nature.” – Saint Augustine. A narrow definition of virtue refers to the quality of courage or fortitude. However,... Read more
When it comes to matters of faith, there are three options: a person can believe in God, not believe in God, or be unsure. From this, a question naturally arises: why do some come to faith while others reject belief in God? In this essay, I endeavor to examine the phenomenon of belief and why some come to faith while others do not. What Does It Mean To Believe? Belief is broadly defined as a state or disposition of the... Read more
Catholicism is its own universe, and to be Catholic is to become – among other things – immersed in the tradition. A significant part of that tradition is the celebration of certain seasons and feasts. In the following essay, I will examine the seasons, feasts, and even time that make up the Catholic universe. Time And Season “For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven” – Ecclesiastes 3:1. The presence of seasons and holy... Read more
Did God create human beings, or did human beings create God? Is God an actual being (indeed, the ground of existence itself), as Catholicism asserts, or is He simply an idea in the mind of some? How one answers those questions has profound significance on matters of morality, truth, and ultimate meaning. In the following essay, I will explore each of these positions. The Need For God It should come as no surprise that the history of theology and most... Read more
Pursuing the spiritual life is beautiful and complex. It is beautiful because of the truth it illuminates (and beauty and truth are interchangeable at the level of the transcendental). However, it is also complex because of the many layers and difficulties involved. In the following essay, I will discuss some of the struggles innate in living a spiritual life. To do so, I will follow Saint Francis’s observations by incorporating Jacob’s ladder as the metaphor and point of departure. Jacob’s... Read more
Nothing ends that does not begin, and nothing begins without an ordained end. Applied to the Bible, the Book of Genesis must be understood in the light of the Book of Revelation. It is easy to pursue the study of the Bible and theology as a good in itself, but it must be noted that these things cannot, or at least ought not, be divorced from the human condition. In turn, a biblical perspective (or a rejection of it) affects... Read more
The letter Q has developed a reputation in modern culture. For most people, Q is the guy who provides James Bond with gadgets. For others, Q refers to a character in Star Trek. Catholic theology, too, has a mysterious character known as Q. In this paper, I will examine what is known as the Q hypothesis. I will begin by exploring its development and the evidence supporting it. Lastly, I will discuss its criticisms. First, however, what or who is... Read more
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