Category Archives: Our Catholic Identity

QUAERITUR: Use of force to defend a church from vandalism

From a reader: Is is okay to fight in churches ? Can one shoot or punch vandals ? Can one defend the priest, or himself, or the Sacrament ? Many who comment on destruction stories want to put up watches. … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , , ,
29 Comments

QUAERITUR: 1st Communion denied child with cerebral palsy

Remember, if it is Easter, it is time for news stories that make the Church look bad. I was alerted to this by a reader and it brings up a good question: Please note this short hit piece dished out … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Biased Media Coverage, Our Catholic Identity, Throwing a Nutty | Tagged , , , ,
63 Comments

Gregorian chant v. folk music. A parish in Toronto. Fr. Z rants.

Pope Benedict has proposed what I have called his “Marshall Plan” to renew Catholic identity.  This must involve a reading of the Second Vatican Council in continuity with all the other Councils, not as a point of rupture.  That goes … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Brick by Brick, Fr. Z KUDOS, Just Too Cool, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, The Last Acceptable Prejudice, Wherein Fr. Z Rants | Tagged , , , , , ,
59 Comments

D. Springfield: revival of the St. Michael the Archangel Prayer

I received a very interesting note from a reader in my email today.   On the blog of Fr. Daren Zehnle called Servant and Steward I learn that His Excellency Most Rev. Thomas John Paprocki, Bishop of Springfield has authorized for … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Brick by Brick, Just Too Cool, Mail from priests, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, The future and our choices | Tagged , ,
33 Comments

QUAERITUR: Can we attend non-Catholic weddings?

From a reader: Is it wrong if not in fact sinful to attend the weddings and funerals of non-Catholics? For as Pope Pius XI stated in his encyclical treating on Christian unity, Catholics are never to participate in schismatic or … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , ,
27 Comments

THE list again: Fr. Z’s 20 Tips For Making A Good Confession (and Fr. Z rants)

You and I are going to die someday.  We don’t know when. When we die we will be judged. Scripture teaches, and Christ’s own words and actions make clear, that there are some sins bad enough to kill the life … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Brick by Brick, Linking Back, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, The Drill, The future and our choices, Wherein Fr. Z Rants | Tagged , , , , , , ,
34 Comments

How is your Lent so far? II

A couple weeks ago I asked how your Lent was going… if you were sticking to your plan… if you had a plan, that is. It is time to ask again. So? How’s it going? Select an answer and add … Read More

Posted in Our Catholic Identity, POLLS | Tagged ,
23 Comments

REVIEW: L’Osservatore Romano’s new website and online editions

UPDATE: 20 April The new L’Osservatore Romano site is working better today, though it is still clunky and a bit hard to navigate. I was able to bring up the PDF of today’s daily. One curiosity:   They fuzzed out the … Read More

Posted in Brick by Brick, Fr. Z KUDOS, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, REVIEWS | Tagged , ,
19 Comments

If Easter is coming, it time to bash the Catholic Church.

Remember… if Easter is near, its the season to bash the Catholic Church. Before Easter and before the beatification of Pope John Paul we are seeing the uptick in anti-Catholic gestures saved up by the MSM precisely for this period. … Read More

Posted in Biased Media Coverage, Our Catholic Identity, The Last Acceptable Prejudice | Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
19 Comments

AP Story on the Roman Station Churches

Speaking of my LENTCAzTs, which always spend a moment looking at the Roman Station church for the day…. Once upon a time I would be the celebrant for Lenten Station Masses in Rome for a confraternity dedicated to the Roman … Read More

Posted in Just Too Cool, LENT, LENTCAzT, Our Catholic Identity, The Drill | Tagged , , ,
6 Comments