Tag Archives: Sacraments

New Book Recommendation

Posted on May 31, 2018 by

A really great new book on marriage will be out soon, and I want to encourage you to pre-order it and include it in your summer reading. It is by Dr. David Anders, whom may know from his work on … Continue reading →

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BLESS me, Father…

Posted on May 25, 2018 by

It occurred to me today to ask other priests this question (in the event that there may be some priests among my readership): when the penitent says to you, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned…”, do you actually give … Continue reading →

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For Priests: Blessings in the Communion Line

Posted on May 2, 2018 by

There have been plenty of discussions online and elsewhere about whether blessings should be given in the communion line to those who are not receiving for one reason or another. I do not intend to address that concern here. My … Continue reading →

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Something You (Sometimes) See in Seminary Chapels

Posted on October 28, 2017 by

I’m visiting Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans at present, and noticed an interesting detail in their chapel. It is surely not an accident that there are four steps leading up to the main sanctuary level, then three steps from … Continue reading →

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UPDATE – Formula of Absolution

Posted on August 27, 2017 by

A little over three weeks ago I published THIS POST on the formula of absolution. Since then I’ve received both some positive feedback from theologians, as well as a number of discouraging messages from people who say that they have been … Continue reading →

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Formula of Absolution

Posted on July 30, 2017 by

Please note that I have written an update to this post here. You may want to read this post first, then go to the new one for some further precision on this matter. A friend was commenting to me at … Continue reading →

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Eucharistic Prayers in Spanish

Posted on July 26, 2017 by

Several years ago I made recordings of the first three Eucharistic prayers in Spanish, for a brother priest (fellow native English speaker) who wanted to practice. For some English speakers who are learning Spanish, I think, it can be easier … Continue reading →

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Prayers for Confessors to Say

Posted on June 26, 2017 by

One spring during my period of studies in Rome, I spent Holy Week at a parish in Edinburgh, Scotland and assisted with the sacred functions there. It was there that I saw, for the first time, a beautiful prayer for … Continue reading →

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Communion in the Hand – A Greater Responsibility

Posted on April 17, 2017 by

This past Saturday I was instructing our new converts on how to receive Holy Communion. And as I was speaking about the practice of communion in the hand — which the Church permits — the words “a greater responsibility” came … Continue reading →

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Altar of Repose

Posted on April 14, 2017 by

This year I had a traditional altar of repose set up in my parish, the Cathedral of St. Paul. A local carpenter constructed the backdrop and shelf assembly that was erected in front of our statue of the Blessed Mother, … Continue reading →

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First Blessings and Masses of New Priests

Posted on March 16, 2017 by

There is an urban legend out there to the effect that there is a plenary indulgence available to anyone who receives a “first blessing” from a new priest within a year of his ordination. This is false. No such indulgence is … Continue reading →

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Some Old Mass Spirituality

Posted on March 14, 2017 by

The other day I was chatting with a priest who also celebrates both the older and newer forms of the Roman Rite. Most priests with experience in both will readily admit that their learning of the older form greatly enriched … Continue reading →

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