Humanae Vitae #11 : Observing the Natural Law *** July 25th is the 55th Anniversary of Humanae Vitae. *** For the next three weeks, we will have selections from this important Encyclical of St. Paul VI. The sexual activity, in which husband and wife are intimately and chastely united with one another, through which human…
From the Friars: Demons and Serpents “All creation is groaning” (Rom 8:22) says St. Paul in the second reading today. One of the arguments that atheists use against Christianity is the cruelty of the natural world. Animals, for example, live in a constant battle for survival. They are either prey for larger species or they…
Article – Humanae Vitae #9 : Married Love [Married] love is above all fully human, a compound of sense and spirit. It is not, then, merely a question of natural instinct or emotional drive. It is also, and above all, an act of the free will, whose trust is such that it is meant not…
From The Friars: Live According to the Spirit Last week I spoke with a good friend of mine, Arleen. She was standing outside the Shrine Center waiting for a friend to pick her up. I was surprised to find out that Arleen, an elderly Irish lady (who uses a wheelchair), was going to a concert…
What is True Freedom? We all love freedom. It seems to be the highest value in our society. But what is true freedom? Freedom is often defined as “the ability to do whatever one wants, as long as no one else gets hurt”. Likewise, law, a great good, is seen as something opposed to freedom;…
From the Friars: Find Your Life The young man was full of joy at the thought of giving his life to God. But he knew that his father would not be happy about the idea. The family patriarch had worked very hard for years to build up a successful business and his dream was to…
Article – Two Million Children On July 4th the long-awaited film “Sound of Freedom” will be released. It is based on the true story of a U.S. Homeland Security agent who quit his job in order to dedicate himself to rescuing children from sex traffickers. I have not seen the movie or been able to…
From the Friars: Mary – Theotokos “Mary is the Mother of Jesus, but she’s not the Mother of God” my Protestant friend pontificated to me some years ago. I curtly replied, “You sound like Nestorius.” “Nest story who?” He asked. Nestorius was the Patriarch of Constantinople, who in 429 preached that Jesus Christ was a…
From the Friars: By What Authority? We hear in the Gospel today that Jesus gave authority to the twelve apostles to proclaim the kingdom of heaven, drive out demons and cure the sick. You can’t give what you don’t have. Our Lord has authority because He is the Author, the Creator and Source of everything…
Article – Dobbs Anniversary This Saturday, June 24, the Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist, marks the one-year anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision of Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This decision overruled Roe vs. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Pennsylvania vs. Casey which held that there was a constitutional…