In July 2007, Pope Benedict XVI made one of the Church’s treasures—a liturgical form observed by Roman Catholics for centuries—available to anyone who desired it. His purpose: to show the faithful that that the sacred traditions of the Church have never lost their ability to speak to people of all times and places. Here’s a helpful primer on the Old Mass.
Part One of our series on liturgical music looked at why contemporary Church music is unsingable. As it turns out, strained melodies are just one part of the problem: Many of these songs are spiritually and theologically unsound, celebrating the self instead of praising God.
Recent years have seen a marked increase in accusations of collaboration between the Catholic Church and the Third Reich. As is often the case, the reality is more complicated than detractors suggest. The regrettable actions of some Catholics cannot alter the fact that thousands of others resisted the Reich and risked their lives to save Jews.Thousands more—priests, religious, and laity of all ages—were slaughtered by the Nazis.
Creation or evolution? The longstanding debate heats up as more people subscribe to intelligent design theory. Many Christians, anxious to counter Darwinism with a seemingly scientific approach to divine intervention, have embraced ID. But is the theory compatible with Catholic intellectual and philosophical tradition? The writings of Thomas Aquinas suggest caution.
“I found Catholic Answers Live, and was engaged immediately. ‘Hooked’ is the right word. I was astounded at the things I had mis-learned. God bless you and I hope you never go off the air.”
"That is our desire, to be tortured for Our Lord, Jesus Christ, and so to be saved, for that will give us salvation and firm confidence at the more terrible universal tribunal of Our Lord and Savior."
~ Justin Martyr, apologist, Saint; to the Prefect Rusticus after the prefect had threatened Justin with "torture without mercy;" from the trial transcript by Tatian (A.D. 165).