Today I saw a piece by Phil Lawler which reminded me that yesterday was the anniversary of the death of a truly fine human being Fr. Paul Mankowski – six years ago. Such a loss.
Lawler is entirely justified in both his praise of Fr. Mankowski as well as in his scorn for his Jesuit superiors, a certain homosexualist Jesuit, and the archbishop of a large windy see.
Not to be missed is how Mankowski went after fellow Jesuit and traitorous slime dog Robert Drinan.
Also, Manko wrote a devastating critique of Jasmine’s homosexualist crusade which outraged that windy see guy. HERE
One thing that Lawler doesn’t cover – but must be covered – is Fr. Mankowski’s contribution to the extremely important “Five Cardinals Book”.
Remaining in the Truth of Christ: Marriage and Communion in the Catholic Church contains five essays of cardinals, of the archbishop secretary of the Vatican congregation for the Oriental Churches, and of three scholars on the ideas supported by Walter Card. Kasper from which the Church is still reeling today.
Still reeling today… yes. You will recall that it was at that 1st “Synod on the Family” 10 year ago under Francis that Kasper offered his musings about shifting truths, lived experience, and Communion for adulterers. That stuff made its way into Amoris laetitia and the infamous footnote. Amoris won’t die. As a matter of fact, Leo is going to celebrate Mass for the anniversary of Amoris on 14 October and has asked convoked the presidents of the world’s Episcopal Conference to the Meeting in Rome to examine and discuss the teachings of Amoris laetitia. HERE The Five Cardinals Book was publish simultaneously in several languages and sent through the Vatican Post to all the members of the Synod of Bishops who were meeting in Rome. When the mandarins of the Synod figured out what was in all those envelopes they stole the books from the mailboxes (which I suspect was a violation of postal law).
To make this short, Mankowski’s essay Dominical Teaching on Divorce and Remarriage: The Biblical Data is sheer brilliance. He proved with masterful philological expertise that the “exemption” to Our Lord’s prohibition of divorce in the case of porneia in Matthew 19 referred not to adultery or sexual licentiousness, but to incest or polygamy, in which case, there could be no marriage in the first place.
As a couple of my close friends – who worked on The Five Cardinals Book – observed today:
- St John Chrysostom, virulent tongue, comes to mind. Exiled twice and died in exile.
- I often go back to that chapter as starting point for personal prayer and study for how masterfully he connects marriage as willed by God and Christ proclaiming himself God and legislator because He was there as such “in the beginning”.
- Rest peace Mankus Chrysokalamus
You will also want to see the collection made by George Weigel after Paul died.
Jesuit at Large: Essays and Reviews by Paul Mankowski, S.J.
US HERE
They are all worth it and timely. It includes his take-down of the Jesuit homosexualist activist James Martin’s dreadful book which made the knees of so many bishops get weak, entitled “Pontifiex Minimus“.
This sentence
“He proved with masterful philological expertise that the “exemption” to Our Lord’s prohibition of divorce in the case of porneia in Matthew 19 referred not to adultery or sexual licentiousness, but to incest or polygamy, in which case, there could be no marriage in the first place.”
proves the adage “to translate is to betray.” (Cicero?)
My proudest moments as a blogger were when Fr. Mankowski, writing as Diogenes, linked to one of my posts and added his memorable and wonderful gloss. Here’s a LINK to a favorite.
Eternal Rest, Fr. Mankowski.
The martyrs of Georgia, who will be beatified this October are a wonderful example to the Church today. I’ve heard almost nothing of the beatifications. They are martyrs of Marriage. Great intercessors for our era! Cardinal Frank Leo of Toronto is beatifying them. John Rist would be proud.
I have been really slow on the uptake here – e.g., not yet having read “the Thematic framework, the Preparatory Document that will lead the Meeting convened by Pope Leo XIV, to be held in the Vatican from 7-14 October 2026 with the Heads of the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences” as the Vatican News post of 6 July puts it.
Have there been rigorous analyses of, and vigorous responses to, the “Thematic framework” that I have also (so far) missed?
How much am I missing?
“Lawyer is entirely justified in both his praise of Fr. Mankowski as well as in his scorn for his Jesuit superiors, a certain homosexualist Jesuit, and the archbishop of a large windy see.”
“…a large windy see.”
How appropriate. Especially since what usually comes out of said see is rather — *windy*.
I recently read the book “The Sound of Silence: The Life and Canceling of a Heroic Jesuit” about Fr. Mankowski by Karen Hall. I highly recommend this book as a remembrance of his life and how he came to be silenced by his superiors for defending the Faith, and details about his sudden death.
Fr. Mankowski was a brilliant scripture scholar, and he remarked he became one because he kept taking various ancient Semitic languages because it was an “easy A.” (Imagine!) He thought he was going to marry his girlfriend, and become a stuffy college professor wearing a tweed jacket and smoking a pipe, with a gaggle of kids at home. Then God called him to the priesthood. And he resisted. And he said to God, thanks, but no thanks. Find someone else. And he reports God said to him, “No. You.”
Here’s a good article about Fr. Paul Mankowski written by Ms. Hall.
https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/father-paul-mankowski-the-sound-of-silence-karen-hall
Midwest St. Michael,
I was pleasantly surprised to read (I quote their website) “On September 3, 2026, Becket filed a federal lawsuit challenging Illinois’ assisted-suicide law on behalf of Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm and the Little Sisters of the Poor—two orders of Catholic nuns that have cared for the sick and dying for generations—and Luke Vander Bleek—a Catholic pharmacist who owns a community pharmacy in rural Morrison, Illinois.”
Fr O’Conner was a Dominican who publicly outed all the Homosexuals in the Dominican Order. He was fired. He said, “I never thought I could be fired from my Religious Order!” He had to sue to get his pension.
Well, Venerator Sti Lot, Thomas J. Paprocki, “a Springfield Bishop”, et al., had already sued the state and gained an injunction, so it’s not as if he were sticking his neck out:
https://www.wcia.com/news/illinois-news/illinois-agrees-to-temporary-order-pausing-assisted-suicide-law-for-certain-hospitals-doctors/