The Great Hierarchical Mandate

The Great Hierarchical Mandate

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the publication of the book, In Defense of Catholic Action, by Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira. This book denounced the germs of progressivism inside the Church in Brazil with remarkable prophetic insights. To commemorate this book, the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family … Read more

Book Shows Pope Francis Favors a Classless Society

Book Shows Pope Francis Favors a Classless Society 2

In his book, Pope Francis’s “Paradigm Shift”: Continuity or Rupture in the Mission of the Church? An Assessment of the Pontificate’s First Five Years, José Antonio Ureta spells out many reasons for faithful Catholics to be concerned about the direction in which Pope Francis is taking the Church. In this passage from … Read more

The Church Is Holy Despite Having Sinners Within Her Fold

The Church Is Holy Despite Having Sinners Within Her Fold

In the Nicene Creed, the faithful profess: “Credo in unam, sanctam, catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam”—“I believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.” When reciting the Creed, Catholics profess, therefore, to believe in the sanctity of the Church. This sanctity, nonetheless, is often not visible, especially when the weaknesses of Her members … Read more

Finding the Beauty of the Church and the Route Back Home

Finding the Beauty of the Church and the Route Back Home 3

The late-nineteenth-century conversion story, En Route, by J. K. Huysmans is a book that penetrates deeply into the mind of the reader. It is an autobiographical yet fictional account of the return journey to the Church of a famous French art critic and novelist in decadent Paris. The book has weathered well … Read more

Self-Managing Socialism: Zappos Style

Self-Managing Socialism: Zappos Style 1

There have been many attempts to apply socialism to the modern workplace. One of these was the program of former president of France François Mitterrand who sought to implement what he called self-managing socialism in 1981. Like all such schemes, it was a dismal failure. He could not make the moldy principles … Read more

Our Lady of the Miracle: The Happiness of Unpretentiousness, Purity, and Admiration

Our Lady of the Miracle: The Happiness of Unpretentiousness, Purity, and Admiration 1

After narrating the history of the Miraculous Medal and the conversion of Alphonse Ratisbonne to Catholicism in Rome (January 20, 1842) with Our Lady’s splendid apparition, Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira comments on the ineffable happiness of unpretentiousness, purity, and admiration in the picture of Our Lady of the Miracle (Madonna del … Read more

Life in the Shadows

Life in the Shadows

If the pace of life seems overwhelming, it might well be because we have assumed so many of the jobs once held by others. This is the position of Craig Lambert in his book, Shadow Work: The Unpaid, Unseen Jobs That Fill Your Day (Berkeley, Calif., Counterpoint Press, 2015). The Harvard sociologist … Read more

What I Witnessed During the Irish Referendum

What I Witnessed During the Irish Referendum 1

While the result of the referendum is a terrible disaster for Ireland and the whole world, I would like to report on what I saw during the campaign to legalize same-sex “marriage” on the Emerald Isle. Actively involved in Irish Society for Christian Civilisation, I spent the weeks before the referendum campaigning … Read more