Today we begin the solemn season of Lent. We begin it by going to Mass and receiving on our foreheads the ashes burnt from palms used the previous Palm Sunday. We do this to remind ourselves and acknowledge to the whole world that we are sinners in need of repentance and God's grace. It also … Continue reading Remember Thou Art Dust, and To Dust Thou Shalt Return →

Being that today is the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, this topic seemed appropriate to talk about. And I'm sure that as Catholics we've heard the objections time and time again, especially now: How can you support an institution that's involved in such things as sexual abuse and significant financial mismanagement? Why would … Continue reading Defending the Church Amid Times of Scandal and Controversy →

We're now a couple of days into Septuagesima season and 2 weeks away from Ash Wednesday. I just wanted to give some quick advice about choosing what to do for your Lenten penance and schedule, courtesy of one of the priests who comes to do the Traditional Latin Mass for us on Sundays. When praying … Continue reading Lent is Just 2 Weeks Away! Are You Getting Ready? →

Wait...what? Lent? Didn't we just have Christmas? I think we all have this thought every year. And for the Novus Ordo rite, they still have three weeks (as of yesterday) until the somber season of preparing for Christ's Death and Resurrection begins, with really no prior preparation. But the traditional rite has a separate season … Continue reading Making the Most of the Preparation for Lent →

"Therefore keep watch, for you do not know the day or the hour" (Matthew 25:13) These words from the Gospel of Matthew are used to describe the last day of the world and the general judgment, but it can also be applied to the day and hour of a specific person's death and their particular … Continue reading We Know Not the Day Nor the Hour →

The March for Life in Washington DC will be happening this week and today the USCCB has called for a day of prayer for the legal protection of the unborn. Why should we pray for this? Why do Catholics "interfere" with the law on this? As I said in my previous post about denying Communion, … Continue reading Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of the Unborn →

It occurred to me that lately I haven't been doing as many posts as I should about issues in society and how it relates to the Church. And the issue of denying Communion to people who claim to be Catholic but denounce Her teachings on certain subjects such as abortion came back into the news … Continue reading Why Denying Communion to Those Who Break Away from Catholic Teaching is Practical and an Act of Mercy →

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated a week after Epiphany, which in the traditional rite is today, January 13, whereas the Novus Ordo rite celebrated it yesterday. The Christmas season ends with the celebrations of these two epiphanies of Christ, the latter of which comes at the beginning of His public … Continue reading The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord →

Happy Feast of the Epiphany! In the traditional rite, this feast is always celebrated on its proper day, January 6. It commemorates in fact three epiphanies: the one of the newborn King to the Magi, Jesus's Baptism in the Jordan, and His changing of the water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana. Enjoy … Continue reading The Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord →

Unlike the Novus Ordo rite, which celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God today, the traditional rite celebrates the octave day of the Nativity, which marks the day of the circumcision of Jesus. This article from Catholic Restoration details what we take from this day, mainly the humility and obedience of Christ as He … Continue reading The Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord →