Tag Archives: Issues

Confession during Mass?

Posted on June 10, 2019 by

May confessions be heard during Mass? There is still rather a lot of confusion about this question — both among priests and laity. It is not unusual to hear of a priest who, with a great sense of certitude, declares … 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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Come, Holy Spirit — What does this mean?

Posted on June 3, 2019 by

At this time of the year, as we prepare for the Feast of Pentecost, it is not uncommon to see many people invoking a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit and praying that He will come into their lives. There … 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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Who may use the Exorcism of Pope Leo XIII?

Posted on May 30, 2019 by

I remember once, many years ago, when I was more involved in pro-life activities, I was in a certain place praying outside an abortion clinic and the other good lay people who were praying there (I was a layman also … Continue reading →

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A (Simplistic?) Thought on Medjugorje

Posted on May 28, 2019 by

It was recently reported that Pope Francis had authorized pilgrimages to Medjugorje (they had formerly been forbidden — and that directive was widely and flagrantly disobeyed). There is a proviso (which will likely be ignored by many), that these approved … 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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Confession behind the Screen

Posted on May 22, 2019 by

The recent legal moves against the seal of confession in California — see Bishop Barron’s commentary here — are a good argument for only having anonymous (behind the screen) confessions. So a brother priest tweeted — and I heartily agree. No priest is … 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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Eucharistic Faith and Reverence for the Renewal of the Church

Posted on May 16, 2019 by

Some rather profound commentaries in French have passed through my Twitter feed in the past few days, and there is an awful lot that I would like to say and share, even as I lack the time to do so. … Continue reading →

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Mother’s and Father’s Day – At Mass

Posted on May 11, 2019 by

Amy Welborn has a helpful post about a good way to handle Mother’s Day at Mass – I highly recommend it to all priests and deacons. In short, asking all mothers to stand or handing out flowers to all mothers, while … 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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