Carlo Cardinal Martini, SJ, died in August; de mortuis nihil nisi bonum, but his eminence left us with a posthumous interview (original Italian here) in which he makes some statements about the state of the Church. A decent time having elapsed, it demands attention. Before moving on, n.b. Father Ray Blake’s post here. Martini evokes “the [...]
In MP: Straight Talk on Altar Girls (Oct. 19, 2011), I voiced support for a priest of the Diocese of Phoenix who had returned altar service to being open only to those capable of ordination. “If we may reasonably conclude that service as an altar boy is helpful in fostering vocations to the priesthood, it [...]
Jimmy Akin has this podcast dealing with some fascinating questions about the integrity of the apostolic succession. The most interesting and momentous sections pertain to Scipione Cardinal Rebiba (†1577), through whom, because of a quirk of history, more than 90% of today’s episcopate trace their succession. The nub of the “Rebiba bottleneck” is this: Pope [...]
John Allen reports that the Vatican is being rocked by another bout of administrative turmoil. Calls for change in NCR’s comment section are less “dog bites man” than “man breathes air,” but in this case, as I’ve argued before, I think that the calls are well-taken, although I suspect that I and they have quite [...]
Father Zuhlsdorf responds to a question from an RCIA candidate who asks whether it is wrong to join the communion line for a blessing. The practice of inviting non-Catholics forward to receive a blessing is a (likely) illicit but very common practice in the United States; the questioner reads Father Z’s blog and had been [...]
The corrected translation has attracted a lot of criticism, very little of it substantial. Phil Mathias’ National Post commentary does little to redress the balance. It’s hard to keep reading after Phil regurgitates the tired “hiearchy vs. the people” line that’s been so in vogue, but we shall soldier on. (1) Phil tackles consubstantial, and it [...]
America magazine has a singular talent for maximizing the irritation that one might pack into a single column, and this one is no exception. The immediate focus of the editors’ ire is Father John Lankeit, rector of Ss. Simon & Jude Cathedral, who has decided to use only males as altar servers. His statement is here, [...]
A commenter at Fr. Z’s says: Actually, having viewed every papal Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict in St. Peter’s Basilica recent years, he always says Mass there completely in Latin — the collect, super oblata, postcommunion, all the dialogues (Dominus vobiscum, etc), the Preface, the Eucharistic prayer, the final blessing — every word of every [...]
Fr. Z has a reader’s letter relating a priest’s experience of making changes in his parish. The priest, new to the parish, “wanted to make some changes that would put us more in line with the new liturgical movement,” including “offering all Masses ad orientem … and changing our Mass schedule and format to include one [...]
In March, Fr. John Corapi was suspended after allegations that he was improperly involved with a woman. After weeks of silence, Corapi announced today that he will leave the priesthood after being stymied in attempts to clear his name. Audio of the announcement is here; the text is here. I have three main points to make. [...]
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