Social media is full of videos of brutal fights and the breakdown of civil order. Sometimes, it seems civilization is reduced to a thin veneer. The only thing that appears to keep society from barbarism is what little is left of Western civilization and its customs. A thin and fragile shell is … Read more
Having gained his father’s consent, Pio Brunone Lanteri’s path to ordination began at the University of Turin in 1777. When he arrived, he found an environment contaminated by Jansenism and all the errors that eventually led to the French Revolution. The Jansenian heresy penetrated Italy in the mid-eighteenth century. It quickly infiltrated … Read more
Thanksgiving has become a secular holiday. It is a time for family get-togethers, sports events and shopping trips. There is some, but not enough giving of thanks on Thanksgiving. Moreover, when gratitude is felt, it frequently remains just a feeling that is not directed toward a good and personal God. Then too, … Read more
Cuneo is a small town in the southern part of Piedmont, a province in northern Italy near the modern border with France . It is very jealous of its glorious Catholic and warrior traditions. It was founded as an independent “commune” in the twelfth century. During the wars raging in the … Read more
Animal rights activists never stop trying to establish the notion of equality among men and animals. To them, animals must be considered as persons, even though they do not have the rational and cognizant faculties of humans. They are instinct-driven and thus do not have the light of reason from which rights … Read more
The Church in China must yet endure more persecution. The government of Xi Jinping claims to respect religious freedom, but the harassment and indoctrination continue unabated. The latest manifestation of this true passion is reports that massive photographs of Chinese dictator Xi have replaced crucifixes, pictures of Our Lady and other sacred … Read more
At 9 a.m. on August 5, 1830, Father Pio Brunone Lanteri died in the odor of sanctity at the Oblate Fathers of the Virgin Mary’s St. Clair House in Pinerolo, Italy. The seventy-one-year-old priest was more than a member of the Congregation; he was its founder. Father Lanteri was an unyielding champion … Read more
We do well to read some advice from Saint Bernard about devotion to Our Lady. The advice is as follows: “Oh, whosoever thou art that perceiveth thyself during this mortal existence to be rather drifting in treacherous waters, at the mercy of the winds and the waves, than walking on firm ground, … Read more
A disturbing new trend is emerging in conservative politics in America. There is no other word to describe it. The move invites Christians to modify the focus of policies that have long defined Christian political action based on the Culture War, small government and morality. These Christian policies were powerfully motivated by … Read more
Last week, members of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) campaigned across the state of Florida. Once we caught wind of a radical abortion amendment that would undo all of the progress pro-life Floridians had made, we decided to do something about it. We launched two … Read more