Category Archives: Our Catholic Identity

Pope Benedict v. Bugnini liturgy in Italy

The other day I posted about Pope Benedict’s message to Italian bishops meeting in Assisi in  plenary session.   His Holiness spoke of liturgy in terms that I thought were rather strong. Sandro Magister takes the Holy Father’s words as a … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Brick by Brick, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, Pope of Christian Unity | Tagged , ,
20 Comments

“It is good to strike the serpent’s head with your enemy’s hand.”

William Oddie of The Catholic Herald has an engaging piece about the mutual interests of Catholicism and Islam. It may be pretty much impossible to have discussions on doctrine, but we have common ground in combating secularism and the dictatorship … Read More

Posted in Our Catholic Identity, The future and our choices | Tagged , ,
63 Comments

Noblesse ought to oblige.

PLEASE CHECK THE UPDATES, below. In Spain at Sagrada Familia Queen Sophia refused to kneel before GOD and receive the Body of her Divine Saviour in the manner that the same Divine Savior’s Vicar on earth has pointed to as … Read More

Posted in Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity |
94 Comments

In Cordoba it a “cathedral”, not a “mosque”

Something that irks me is the penchant for mainstream media types to refer to this or that city where there is some important shrine for Islam as the “holy city of FILL IN THE BLANK”.  I suppose I could stomach … Read More

Posted in Fr. Z KUDOS, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged ,
17 Comments

QUAERITUR: Is it right to genuflect in a Catholic church?

From a reader: I have become confused by genuflexion and I am hopeful you may be able to clear up my problem. I am a convert from Anglicanism and in that tradition I had always genuflected when entering or leaving … Read More

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

QUAERITUR: In mortal sin, but I have to go to Mass. What do I do? Fr. Z rants.

From a reader: I feel horrible I fell in to mortal sin today and I am supposed to go to Mass, what do I do? Why is this hard? You go to Mass anyway.  Just go.  If you shouldn’t receive … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, Wherein Fr. Z Rants | Tagged , ,
34 Comments

QUAERITUR: “free from attachment to sin” for plenary indulgence

Several readers have asked along these lines: To get a plenary indulgence we have to be completely detached from sin, affection for sin, even venial sins.  Since only Our Lord and Our Blessed Mother were perfectly free from attachment to … Read More

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

QUAERITUR: “bishops in soutanes with big, gaudy riiiiiiings”

We now shift away from the less important issues – salvation outside the Church and American exceptionalism – to focus on something of momentous significance. From a reader: At times I have seen priests wearing a short black cape over … Read More

Posted in "But Father! But Father!", ASK FATHER Question Box, Our Catholic Identity, Parody Songs | Tagged ,
26 Comments

John Allen on global policies for a global Church

How I wish my friend John L. Allen could write for some Catholic publication rather than for the National Catholic Reporter. As you know, Mr. Allen is the nearly-ubiquitous fair-minded writer in that otherwise bleak fishwrap. His Friday piece is … Read More

Posted in Our Catholic Identity |
13 Comments

Benedict XVI on faith in the public square, politics

Yesterday the Holy Father spoke to bishops from Brazil gathered in Rome for their ad limina visit. Some of his comments pertain to the upcoming US midterm election next week and the role of the Church in shaping the consciences … Read More

Posted in New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, Pope of Christian Unity, The Drill, The future and our choices | Tagged ,
23 Comments