8 Jul 2024

Regulating The Irrepressible

by | posted in: Catholic Church, Family, Moral Theology, Resistance movement | 0

The long-established phenomenon of ‘domestic abuse,’ the main practitioners of which seem to be male, has not merely survived attempts to end or perhaps curtail it but seems to have grown despite them.  Its intractability is not unique. Unlike, however, other types of behaviour, nobody suggests that there is something to be said for it, or that its prevalence indicates that it is ‘normal’ in the sense of being morally ‘neutral,’ or that efforts against it should be abandoned, or … Read More
5 Jun 2024

Will more prayer than activity produce success?

by | posted in: Casti Connubi, Catholic Church, Family, Resistance movement | 0

The “Catechism of the Catholic Church” (‘CCC’), paragraphs 1803 and 1833, defines virtue as “habitual and firm disposition to do good.” An old adage alleges that patience is a virtue, but how patience (in the usual sense of that word) can be equated with habitual and firm disposition to do good is unclear to me. A tendency towards doing good can co-exist with impatience (in the usual sense of that word). Patience (in the usual sense of that word) can … Read More
28 May 2024

Divini Illius Magistri – The True Nature of Christian Education – Part 12

by | posted in: Catholic Church, Family, Legio Sanctae Familiae, Resistance movement | 0

This article is available for download. You can download it and print it for private use and for private sharing but it cannot be reproduced in any other publication. To download a print copy click here – Divini Illius Magistri – Article 12 In the final part of his Encyclical ‘Divini Illius Magistri’, Pope Pius XI warns us about the need for vigilance in education before summing up by teaching us the true nature of Christian education. “It is no … Read More
13 May 2024

We Should Fight Battles As Well As Heal Wounds

by | posted in: Catholic Church, Resistance movement | 0

An article by Philip Campbell in “The Catholic Herald” just after Easter 2024 cited numbers of recent baptisms/conversions in Canada, USA, France, full-to-capacity attendance at Westminster Cathedral on Good Friday, and “the growing church attendance amongst young people in Finland” as possibly being “the budding shoots of a Christian revival.” Apparently the article had been inspired by one from Justin Brierley in “The Spectator” magazine on the previous 30th March, whose headline (more confident than Mr. Campbell’s suggestion) was that … Read More
15 Apr 2024

Should Weeds Be Pulled Up?

by | posted in: Catholic Church, Encyclicals, Moral Theology | 0

One of Our Lord’s salutary stories was of a man who sowed wheat-seeds in his field. Subsequently an enemy secretly sowed weeds among them. When the wheat developed, so did the weeds. The man’s employees reported this to him and asked whether he wanted the weeds to be pulled up. He replied, ‘No, lest in doing that you pull up also the wheat. Let both grow until harvest-time, and then I will tell the reapers to gather the weeds and … Read More
3 Apr 2024

Divini Illius Magistri – The Catholic School – Part 11

by | posted in: Catholic Church, Encyclicals, Family | 0

This article is available for download. You can download it and print it for private use and for private sharing but it cannot be reproduced in any other publication. To download a print copy click here – Divini Illius Magistri – Article 11 In the previous article in this series Pope Pius XI addressed the question of the supposed neutral or lay school. He continues by looking again at the nature of a Catholic school. From this we can see … Read More
22 Mar 2024

Divini Illius Magistri – The Importance of the Family – Part 10

by | posted in: Catholic Church, Catholic Marriage, Encyclicals, Family | 1

This article is available for download. You can download it and print it for private use and for private sharing but it cannot be reproduced in any other publication. To download a print copy click here – Divini Illius Magistri – Article 10 To fully understand ‘Divini Illius Magistri’, one must understand the primary purpose of our existence. Pope Pius XI’s first concern is the salvation of souls. Back in 1929, he was acutely aware that children were being corrupted … Read More
2 Mar 2024

Assessing The Contra-Catholic Scene Candidly – Part 2

by | posted in: Catholic Church, Resistance movement | 0

The contra-Catholic scene is worsening because bad trends are not being even halted but extended. That is especially evident in abortion. Britain and Ireland differ in the lengths of time during which it has had public and statutory approval, but its opponents in both countries face some similar questions. No answers have made a significant difference to the status quo in Britain. ‘How we stand’2019: “… one woman, one baby at a time, we are stopping abortion.” That is true … Read More

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