Exec order

Executive Orders and Our Culture of Death

By reversing the government’s involvement in sex-change mutilation, Trump is able to address by executive order the tail end of our culture of insanity. It’s a good sign, of course, but we still live in a society that murders half its babies before birth, kills ten preborn children for every one  brought to term in […]... Read More
Eucharist and Marriage

Is Communion in the Hand the Main Cause of the Problem?

Many believe faith in the Eucharist, or more specifically in the real presence, has waned in recent decades due to Communion in the hand and the Novus ordo. I tend to think a greater factor has been the desecration of marriage. The sacraments of Marriage and the Eucharist are inextricably linked as the sacraments of […]... Read More

The Complementary Sexual Dynamic the Modern World Hates

Today’s first reading at Mass is the most un-PC in the New Testament (Eph 5:21-33), which, unfortunately, leads some clergy to avoid it out of lack of faith, lack of understanding, or cowardice. Yet, it offers a clear illustration of the beauty of the masculine-feminine relational dynamic, whose source is found the eternal relation between […]... Read More

Joe and Sally Discuss Attending an Invalid Wedding

Sally: Hi Joe. Are you coming to my Wendy’s wedding? Joe: Oh, I’m sorry Sally, I’m unable to make that. I was about to send you back the RSVP letting you know. Sally: Oh, no! You have an emergency? Joe: No. It’s that Wendy is a baptized Catholic, which means that if she “marries” outside […]... Read More
Wedding reception 2

What exactly are they celebrating?

Today is the solemnity of the beheading of John the Baptist; a very important witness for our time. As the precurser of Jesus, John was martyred for pointing out the illicit union and invalid marriage of Herod Antipas and Herodius. According to today’s gospel, both were offended by John’s words. But notice their different reactions: […]... Read More
RSVP

Can a Catholic in Good Conscience Attend an Invalid Wedding?

One of the more fraught decisions virtually every Catholic must face in the modern era is what to do when invited to the invalid wedding of a family member or friend. And while the attendance decision itself can be excruciating, the moral dilemmas pertaining to addressing and accommodating a loved one who entered a false […]... Read More

Two ‘hard’ Teachings of Christ are Related

It is fascinating that the two places in the New Testament that Jesus’ followers complain about His teachings are related to the intimacy of holy communion: the communion of man and woman in Marriage and the communion of Christ and Church in the Eucharist. The revolt was against Christ’s teaching that Marriage is exclusive and […]... Read More

‘Real’ Difference between Catholicism and Protestantism

Since biblical times the Church has been known as the bride of Christ (cf., Eph 5:21-35). This is an important metaphor for understanding what it means to be Christian. The two elements that create an unbreakable marriage covenant are consent and consummation – when the couple says “I do” with their words, and then with […]... Read More

Choosing a False Marriage over the Eternal One

Whoever chooses an invalid marriage over God rationalizes temporary satisfaction at the expense of true happiness and eternal joy. To the baptized who become members of Christ’s bride, freely and knowingly choosing the false marriage is a rejection of one’s everlasting marriage to Christ. It’s truly an irrational choice that objectively, without repentance, is also […]... Read More
man-woman-heart-connection-27326685

Marriage, an Icon of the Trinity

The Blessed trinity is infinite Being of three divine Persons in eternal relationship of life-giving love. With the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son, there are no impediments or barriers to this divine Personal Love – which is inherently exclusive, life-giving, and permanent. Marriage/family is meant to be an icon of the […]... Read More
Eucharist

Marriage and the Eucharist: Why are They so Challenging?

It’s unfortunate, but not surprising that believers have had problems accepting Christ’s teachings on Marriage and the Eucharist.  Along with the obvious poor catechesis, here are 3 reasons that may shed a little light on this phenomenon: 1) These are the two teachings in the gospels that Christ’s disciples had problems accepting (Mt 19:10; Jn […]... Read More