Tag Archives: Books

Eleven Years

Posted on June 7, 2019 by

Today — June 7, 2019 — is my eleventh anniversary of ordination. Spare a prayer for me today, if you will. Thank you! And thanks be to God. This past year has been a big one… First, there was the … Continue reading →

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The Biretta

Posted on June 6, 2019 by

One of the delights in reading old books that comment on the liturgy, is that they often provide profound explanations of the meaning of the various things we say and do during the sacred liturgy. One example of this is in … Continue reading →

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Gestures during the Gloria

Posted on June 5, 2019 by

Continuing a theme I’ve recently been addressing here, we may consider other ways that the richness of our Catholic liturgical tradition as handed down to us in the Extraordinary Form of the liturgy may be brought to bear on our … Continue reading →

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How Does One Make Holy Water?

Posted on May 31, 2019 by

Is it enough for a priest to make the sign of the cross over plain water, to make it “holy water”? Holy water is one of the Church’s sacramentals. “Sacramentals” are sacred signs instituted by the Church that “signify effects, … Continue reading →

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The Marital Debt

Posted on May 23, 2019 by

One very traditional (and important) Church teaching that has all but disappeared from Catholic consciousness in recent decades is that of “the marital debt”, also known as “the conjugal debt”. This teaching has to do with the obligation that spouses … Continue reading →

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The Holy Spirit, Bringer of Order

Posted on May 21, 2019 by

Here follow some thoughts on the work of the Holy Spirit, prompted by my reflection on today’s gospel about the peace of Christ (John 14:27-31). It’s not uncommon to encounter the idea in the Church today that the Holy Spirit … Continue reading →

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The Chalice & Paten: Re-Consecrate after Re-Plating?

Posted on May 7, 2019 by

A priest, upon acquiring a chalice, properly desires to have it blessed or even consecrated. In the Ordinary Form of the liturgy there is only a blessing of a chalice (found in an appendix of the Roman Missal); in the … Continue reading →

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Mary’s Praises Sung through the Seasons

Posted on May 4, 2019 by

Each day, a priest ideally both celebrates Holy Mass (not an obligation) and also the canonical hours of the Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office (an obligation). Thus, typically, the last liturgical thing he does each … Continue reading →

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Always the Regina Cæli

Posted on May 3, 2019 by

A priest-acquaintance of mine once told me that he re-reads the General Instruction of the Roman Missal on a yearly basis. After all, our chief duty as priests is to celebrate the Sacred Liturgy and our memory can be feeble; … Continue reading →

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Can Sacramental Penances Count for Indulgences?

Posted on April 30, 2019 by

I recently had occasion to consult the Manual of Indulgences and was reminded of something I had forgotten: namely, that the prayers or works we are assigned as a penance when we go to Confession can, in fact, count towards receiving … Continue reading →

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Scrupulosity

Posted on April 29, 2019 by

Most priests who have a pastoral ministry find themselves in a position to guide a scrupulous conscience at one time or another. And some priests have been better equipped than others to deal with this delicate task. Doing so well … Continue reading →

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A Coherent and Complete System

Posted on April 25, 2019 by

A priest who begins to learn about the old Rituale Romanum, with its collection of Blessings, may be surprised to notice that no blessing is provided for purificators. There is a blessing for palls (the stiff square that goes on top … Continue reading →

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