De Omnibus Dubitandum Est.

Something unusual happened at Pope Leo XIV’s first consistory — a written note attributed to Cardinal Arthur Roche on the Traditional Latin Mass was handed out, but no one is allowed to see it. Liturgy was on the agenda but never discussed, and many faithful Catholics are asking tough questions about Traditionis Custodes, unity, and transparency. Why was this document kept from public view? What does it signal about the Church’s direction? READ IN FULL HERE

This week, Pope Leo XIV has summoned the entire College of Cardinals to Rome for an Extraordinary Consistory — his first since ascending to the Chair of Peter. On the surface, the official agenda looks familiar: synodality, evangelisation, Curial reform, a renewed reading of Evangelii Gaudium and Praedicate Evangelium. The language would not have been out of place a decade ago. But appearances can be deceiving. What matters just as much as what is being discussed is how it is being discussed. For the first time in years, all cardinals are being asked to participate in sustained, structured consultation rather than observing from the sidelines while decisions emerge elsewhere. It is quite extraordinary to think that the last real extraordinary consistory (with the exception of a meeting in August 2022) dates back to February 2014. Interesting fact: Prevost, in the Sacred College since 2023, will be among the "first-timers" at this consistory he has called! That fact alone ...

In an age of empty confessionals and casual Communion, many Catholics quietly wonder what difference the faith really makes. This article returns to St Paul’s sobering words in 1 Corinthians 11:27 to rediscover why the Eucharist is not a symbol, but Christ Himself, and why how we receive Him matters. By recovering reverence, confession, and a living faith in the Real Presence, we begin to see the extraordinary power of the Eucharist to heal, transform, and renew our lives and families. Read my latest article now: CLICK HERE!

 Things have moved quickly this week. There are quite a few things worth drawing attention to and all relating to the Pope's Motu Proprio : Traditiones Custodes . As a Catholic who attends the Novus ordo — the "Ordinary Form" as Pope Benedict XVI termed it, I feel wounded by this document. I feel it is extremely harsh, lacks justice and integrity and seeks to promote a worrying political element within the Church which works against, not promotes, the unity the document purports to foster. My initial reading left me scratching my head about several issues. How are bishops supposed to obtain oaths of fidelity from Latin Mass goers? Verbally? In writing? If the Latin Mass is banned from Churches ( see §2: "not however in the parochial churches and without the erection of new personal parishes" ) where are those who gather for the Vetus ordo supposed to gather? Are they banned from Churches? Thankfully, The Latin Mass Society has published a document which prov...

There has been a new Pew Research study released . It pertains to Catholics in the US and contains some shocking truths which I would argue are as relevant to the UK & Europe as they are to the US: Only 31% of Catholics personally believe that the Eucharist is the body and blood of Jesus Christ. 69% - more than two thirds - of US Catholics believe it is a symbol. What makes this study different is that they also asked if people understand what the Church's actual teaching was. It is revealing that 22% of US Catholics know what the Church teaches and reject it, while an additional 43% of Catholics both believe that the Eucharist is symbolic and that that is what the Church actually teaches (i.e. they are confused). And there's a real stunner: only 63% of those who attend Mass once a week or more believe that the Eucharist is the body and blood of Jesus Christ! The Catechism of the Catholic Church , citing Lumen Gentium n.11 teaches "The Eucharist is ...

The 'corrections' continue to fly in Rome! A year after Pope Francis clashed with Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, a new embarrassing public rebuke for the Cardinal emerged yesterday. In a letter , released by the Vatican on October 22, Pope Francis said he wanted to correct several points made in a “ commentary ,” which Cardinal Sarah sent him and which was published on several websites in a variety of languages. The Pope’s letter noted that most of the websites “erroneously” cited Cardinal Sarah as the author of the commentary. This is a strange comment from the Pope. How do we reconcile the fact that Cardinal Sarah wrote the commentary but the Pope seems to think he didn't? If Pope Francis thinks Cardinal Sarah did not write it, why write to him to correct him? *IMPORTANT UPDATE: Father Z offers an important clarification on this point here * The commentary looked at changes Pope Francis made to the Code of Canon Law in t...

Cardinal Sarah speaking at Sacra Liturgia, flanked by Bishop Dominique Rey (Photo by Lawrence Lew OP) On June 4th, you may remember this post , which referred to the fact that Cardinal Robert Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments  had called for priests to say Mass facing East, in the time honoured manner, so that both the celebrant and the people face God to whom they pray: "As soon as we reach the moment when one addresses God—from the offertory onwards—it is essential that the priest & faithful look together towards the east." Yesterday saw the beginning of the Sacra Liturgia Conference in London where the opening address was from Cardinal Sarah. Much of what he said has been posted in chunks on their FB page here . But Dom Hugh Somerville-Knapman has an excellent report on the day here . The big news is that Cardinal Sarah reaffirmed his call to celebrate Mass facing East. The Cardinal, the highest authori...

Being a Disciple of Jesus Christ takes great courage in this day and age. For some, it means sacrificing your very life: In the UK today, we are not (yet) asked to pay such a price to follow Him. But we need courage none-the-less, because though our enemy does not wield a knife and desire to kill us for believing in Christ, we instead face apathy and a society that says there is no real reason or meaning to life, and human beings are nothing more than highly evolved animals. Any organism living in an environment has to learn to adapt to that environment if it wants to survive. If we look at the Church in the UK, we can see the result of its having coexisted with this lazy thinking on it. In fact, it is sick with it, like a particularly virulent virus, its' sickness infecting every part. Weak leadership effects the Church just as it would a business. The faith is not taught, not passed on. We do not engage on a social level in any meaningful way, substituting platitudes about...

Check out this brilliant Pastoral Letter from His Excellency Most Reverend Thomas John Paprocki, Bishop of Springfield in Illinois, Given at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield, Illinois, on June 22, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi and the Feast Day of Saints Sir Thomas More and John Cardinal Fisher, this year (2014). In it, he investigates the work of Vatican II in continuity with the Tradition of the Church, and sets out a plan for moving forward in an inspiring and attractive way. This is a mandate for growth! In it, Bishop Paprocki makes the following interesting observations: We must seek to be found fully aware of our actions in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament lest we fail to pay him the homage that is due him. This desire to come and adore the Lord must flow also into everything that pertains to the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist. (no. 12). The primary way to foster the participation of the People of God in the sacred rite is the ...

Fathers forgive me, for I am about to blog in anger. Well, frustration anyway. How excruciatingly embarrassing for poor Bishop Thomas, at the precipice of a well earned retirement, Fr. Michael Butler, Chairman of Brentwood Diocese Liturgy Commission just will not shut up! On Sunday last, he appeared on BBC Essex , allying himself with Southend Deanery's ACTA leader Tony Castle, in his attack on the New Translation of the Roman Missal. You can listen again to the whole programme here  for another six days. If you're not aware of the story so far, Fr. Butler penned a letter to The Tablet stating that it is legitimate for priests to ditch the new translation, and use the previous missal. Fr Butler’s public rejection of the authority of the Holy See and the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales is in response to The Tablet’s report that ACTA have written to the Bishops’ Conference requesting that they drop the new translation. This was picked up by Protect The Pop...

This has really had me thinking over the weekend. On Saturday, I read on Rorate Caeli that Pope Francis had commented to Czech Bishops on their ad limina visit that the growing call for the old Mass throughout the world was nothing more than a fad: Yesterday (Friday, Feb. 14), Pope Francis held an audience with the Bishops of the Czech Republic who came to Rome for their ad limina visit. In the visit, as it usually happens in such cases, other than the formal address, the Pope heard the questions and comments of the bishops. Archbishop Jan Graubner, of Olomouc, told the Czech section of Vatican Radio what the Pope told him: [Abp. Jan Graubner speaks:] When we were discussing those who are fond of the ancient liturgy and wish to return to it, it was evident that the Pope speaks with great affection, attention, and sensitivity for all in order not to hurt anyone. However, he made a quite strong statement when he said that he understands when the old generation returns to what i...

Further to what is widely being referred to as " The Butler Affair ", where the Chairman of Brentwood Diocese Liturgy Commission wrote a letter to The Tablet in an official capacity attacking the New Translation and then, because said letter was considerably edited, sent a full version to every priest in the diocese, the excellent and erudite Fr. John Hunwicke has taken him to school here . Fr. Hunwicke has built up quite a reputation on the blogasphere for sound judgement and intellectual excellence. He was for nearly three decades at Lancing College; where he taught Latin and Greek language and literature, was Head of Theology, and Assistant Chaplain. He has served three curacies, been a Parish Priest, and Senior Research Fellow at Pusey House in Oxford. He is now incardinated into the Personal Ordinariate of our Lady of Walsingham. Fr. Hunwicke writes: A big Thank You to Fr M J Butler, liturgical supremo in the diocese of Brentwood, for a  Tablet  letter w...