Tag Archives: Sacraments

Corpus Christi 2019

Posted on June 23, 2019 by

Happy Feast Day! Sion, lift thy voice and sing; Praise thy Savior and thy King; Praise with hymns thy Shepherd true. Strive thy best to praise Him well, Yet doth He all praise excel; None can ever reach His due. … Continue reading →

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Teaching How to Receive on the Tongue

Posted on June 21, 2019 by

One thing I’ve encountered in various places is that there are people who wish to start receiving communion on the tongue (maybe when they made their first communion they were only given the option of receiving in the hand), but … Continue reading →

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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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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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Retirement of a Bishop

Posted on June 4, 2019 by

My bishop, the Most Rev. Robert J. Baker, S.T.D., turns 75 today. Happy Birthday! Many people of course realize that bishops ordinarily retire when they reach 75, and so are wondering “what happens next” — some are also anxious about … 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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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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Betrothal

Posted on April 29, 2019 by

As we go about rediscovering elements of our rich tradition — a movement which was given great impulse by the document Summorum Pontificum, published on 7/7/07 — one of the things that one sometimes encounters now is young couples who … 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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