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Catholic Moral Authority: Smothered by the Seeping Smoke of Satan

GUEST POST: Russell Shaw is the author of over twenty books touching on Catholicism, Politics and sometimes both at once. In this guest post, he ponders how with the co-operation of too many within the Church, so much has been lost to evil. On the Seeping Smoke of Satan by Russell Shaw The speaker was a highly sophisticated layman, possessor of a doctorate and professor of theology at a major Catholic university. We had been Read more…

By Elizabeth Scalia, ago

Benedictines of Mary: Watch Some Old-School Monastic Rites, Livestreamed

We all know the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, of Gower MO, those old-school Benedictine nuns who sing like angels (they have recorded chart-topping, best-selling, albums of sacred music to supplement their building campaigns), run their own dairy, grow much of their own food and pray for all of us, all day long. And they do it in Latin, too. I’m not a great “Latin Mass” person — I do like a well-done Novus Read more…

By Elizabeth Scalia, ago

Will Cupich’s terrible answer help Francis to focus on sex abuse, coverups?

So, earlier today I happened to see an interview with Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich with the headline, ‘The Pope Has a Bigger Agenda’: Cardinal Cupich. You can watch the very brief interview here. I found it a bit staggering, and tweeted out a response. I didn’t want to be disrespectful, but… Yes, the environment, migrants, etc are right concerns of the church, but right now we have an arterial wound bleeding out, affecting the faith/trust Read more…

By Elizabeth Scalia, ago

Bishop Robert Reed invites company during public penitential act

My friend Leah Libresco spotted a Church bulletin from Wayland, MA, where we read these encouragingly penitential words by Boston Auxiliary Bishop Robert Reed:     That’s no small thing, but a pretty grueling penitential effort. His full statement reads:   A couple years ago, on a Monday morning, I was informed that I had been named a bishop. When I accepted, I was conscious of the fact that, I also would have to accept Read more…

By Elizabeth Scalia, ago

The Church’s “Summer of Shame” Promises a Fall of Shame. LOTH Helps.

GUEST POST: Daria Sockey is the author of The Everyday Catholic’s Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours. (LOTH) She is also a frequent contributor to Catholic Digest. She lives in Northwest Pennsylvania. Here she reflect on how the psalms and readings of the LOTH (also called the Divine Office) are instructing her through this most extraordinary and difficult time for the Church. I am pleased Daria permits its publication here, as a guest. – Read more…

By Elizabeth Scalia, ago

Dear Bishops: Don’t Wait Until November to Take Action

“Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.” H. L. Mencken Mencken’s statement is, of course, caustic and not meant to be taken literally. Still if their social media postings are to be believed, many Catholics wish they could at least spit on their hands and hoist a black flag against a seemingly feckless leadership. As they process the terrible Grand Jury Read more…

By Elizabeth Scalia, ago

Hey USCCB, How About a Nationwide Holy Hour of Reparation?

Lots going on — lots of pronouncements, lots of calls to penance and prayer from the Church leadership, for instance. We layfolk have been keyed into the need for that for weeks, now, and are willing, although we’d like to see some real action on the part of our Bishops and Cardinals, and from the Holy Father in Rome, whose letter today…well, I was underwhelmed; perhaps your mileage varied. More on that tomorrow. For tonight, Read more…

By Elizabeth Scalia, ago

Dear Cardinal DiNardo & USCCB: Do the Right Things, and We Will Have Your Backs

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, President 3211 Fourth Street NE Washington DC 20017 202-541-3000 @USCCB Dear Cardinal DiNardo and US Bishops, Thank you for your recently-released statement addressing the revelations concerning both Archbishop Theodore McCarrick and the Pennsylvania Grand Jury report. Many American Catholics are grateful to read that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is committed to investigating, reporting on, and resolving questions and circumstances surrounding both issues. We Read more…

By Elizabeth Scalia, ago

Vatican: “The Pope is on the victim’s side.” Well, GOOD! But…

Two days after the release of the Pennsylvania Grand Jury report on the gut-wrenching abusive incidents by clergy, and subsequent cover-ups by the leadership, the Vatican has released a statement via director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke, that “expresses shame…the pope is on victims’ side”. Here is the full statement: https://twitter.com/matthewschmitz/status/1030187064736854017 I agree with Matthew Schmitz that the sympathetic words are well-done, but “the pope is on your side” strikes me as Read more…

By Elizabeth Scalia, ago

How Can We #RebuildMyChurch? Cardinal Wuerl Accidentally Points the Way

While it might seem that way, I’m really not trying to pick exclusively on Cardinal Donald Wuerl at this blog, but things…keep…happening. Last night I discovered that the Archdiocese of Washington, DC appears to have commissioned some PR help and created a website meant to support and/or protect the prelate’s reputation. You can find it here, at The Wuerl Record. This is the sort of action we usually see being taken by a Chairman of Read more…

By Elizabeth Scalia, ago