One interesting thing that has emerged over the last few provocative years has been a deep dive by highly intelligent and well-educated people into the nature of the Petrine Ministry, its role, parameters, etc. I just finished reading a piece by Philip Lawler at Catholic Culture about a new book by Fr. Serafino Lanzetta, Super Hanc Petram: The Pope and the Church at a Dramatic Moment in History. (US – HERE – UK HERE).
I note with interest that Lanzetta’s book is published by Os Justi Press.
As it happens, I received via mail a copy of another book by Os Justi Press, Ultramontanism and Tradition: The Role of Papal Authority in the Catholic Faith edited by by Peter A. Kwasniewski (US HERE – UK HERE)
One thing I noticed was the dedication, because I happen to have relics of some of these saints. I lent my relic of Catherine of Siena to a consecrated virgin. I wonder if I will ever get it back. Hmmm.
In the large one is St. Paul, in the small, upright one is St. Padre Pio, and in the flat gold reliquary is St. Bruno of Segni.
I have not delved into this volume yet, so I don’t have a lot to say about it, other than the titles of some of the entries are intriguing. I hope that one of more of them will deal with or at least touch on with references the issue of whether or not the Petrine Ministry of Vicar of Christ is inextricably tied to being Bishop of the See of Rome. I think this was discussed at Vatican I, but I would like to know more. These days, I am sure that most serious theologians will say, yes, they are inextricably bound together. That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Rome could be obliterated as it is, for example, in the harrowing book by Frank Herbert (who wrote more than Dune) The White Plague. Disturbing book. Brrrr. (US – HERE UK – HERE)
Here’s the table of contents for the newly received book. You will recognize a lot of names. You will also see that some of these essays are polemical and aimed a t particular figure.
In the Third Part there is a lot about the war being waged on the people who desire the Traditional Latin Mass. Remember: it is not just a war on the rite of Mass, it is a war on the people who desire that rite. As I mentioned, some of these titles seem to be rather disputatious in regard to a certain someone. But I haven’t read them yet.
As you can see, it hefts out to over 450 pages before the bibliography and index. It is very good that there are a bibliography and index.
I thought you might like to know what is going on.
Charivari Rob on Your Sunday Sermon Notes – 4th Sunday after Pentecost (N.O.: 12th Ordinary) 2026: “The national Eucharistic pilgrimage and consecration of the Nation has been going through Massachusetts these past few days, with a…”
