Pope Francis’ meeting with the representative of the Russian Church and the Joint Declaration which ensued are causing the most diverse reactions. Condemnation of Abortion…But Praise for Communist Cuba The pro-life movement is excited by the unexpected and clear statement against abortion, defending marriage between a man and a woman, and condemning … Read more
Is the Pope always infallible in everything he says or does? What are the conditions and limits provided by the First Vatican Council for the Pope to exercise the charisma of infallibility? Can Catholic faithful with sufficient doctrinal formation resist documents that clearly contradict Catholic tradition? These are some of the urgent … Read more
Pilgrimages are very common for the Catholic faithful, often requiring travel to distant places. On February 2, 2016 I was part of an American contingent that made such a pilgrimage to Quito, Ecuador to venerate the heavenly statue of Our Lady of Good Success. The impressions were so overwhelming that only now … Read more
Symbolic acts and gestures often have a greater persuasive power than words and reasoning, though one completes the other. This is why the Divine Savior constantly used both symbolic gestures and employed metaphors and parables. This is also why the Church has always surrounded herself with symbols to make visible the beauty … Read more
One of the most earthshaking decisions of our country in 2015 occurred on December 3, when Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter declared that all combat jobs would become open to women with “no exceptions.” While it is horrible enough that women will be exposed to the horrors of war, the shock waves … Read more
Religious persecution is a frequent topic of discussion in our country and for good reason. The mere mention of Kim Davis or the Little Sisters of the Poor, is sufficient to conjure up images of a heavy-handed bureaucracy and unjust laws that brook no restraint. Upholding one’s Christian beliefs on polarizing issues … Read more
As the anniversary of Roe v. Wade approaches on January 22, those who have long fought the important battle against abortion know that it is not only this issue that must be protested. Connected to abortion is a web of other nefarious practices that make up what has been aptly called the … Read more
Every year, numerous people who usually sent Prof. Plinio a Christmas card had a hopeful expectation. It was to receive sometime later, a reply with another card containing a Christmas message signed by him, filling their souls with joy and hope. On Christmas 1994, the last one the distinguished Catholic leader celebrated … Read more
“A Facile Repetition of What Is Obvious or Has Already Been Said” After the most disparate news about the 2015 Synod on the Family, the event ended with an ambiguous document which allows an interpretation contradictory to Catholic doctrine, opening the doors for Communion for the divorced and civilly “remarried” (in fact, … Read more
Claude Newman was a twenty-year-old African-American who, in 1943, awaited execution in a prison in Mississippi. His crime was that of ambushing and shooting a man named Sid Cook, his beloved grandmother’s abusive second husband. One day, noticing a medal hanging around the neck of a fellow prisoner, Claude asked the young … Read more