De Omnibus Dubitandum Est.

“Is there more to life than money?” That’s not just a rhetorical question, it’s the gateway to a deeper question: Is there more to life than material reality itself? In a culture obsessed with success, power, and profit, what does it mean to truly invite Christ into the way we think about the world and ourselves? In Katherine’s latest article “Between Flesh and Spirit: Lily Phillips and What It Means to Invite Christ In,” She unpacks this very tension: how a purely material worldview shapes the choices we make, the values we embrace, and ultimately how we understand sin, redemption, and the person of Jesus. In an age where commodification extends even to intimacy and identity, what does it look like to see the material world through the lens of Christ? 👉 Katherine explores how Machiavellian metaphysics, the idea that reality is only material facts and there are no ideals, drives decisions that sacrifice human dignity for gain. And she offers a vision shaped by Catholic truth: that ...

A Catholic Resurgence in France: Tradition as a Beacon Amid Multicultural Challenges In a striking development, France is witnessing a record-breaking surge in conversions to Catholicism , with 17,800 catechumens—10,384 adults and over 7,400 young people aged 11 to 17—set to be baptised during the Easter Vigil on April 19, 2025. This represents a 48% increase in adult baptisms compared to 2024, marking the highest figures since the French Bishops’ Conference began tracking such data in 2002. Archbishop Olivier de Germay of Lyon describes this not as a fleeting trend but a “dynamic,” a “sign from Heaven” that points to a deeper spiritual reawakening. Simultaneously, across Europe, particularly in nations like France, Sweden, and Norway, young people are increasingly drawn to traditional Catholicism, a phenomenon that stands in stark contrast to the cultural and political currents of globalism and multiculturalism. This resurgence underscores the enduring appeal of Catholic tradition and...

The Baptism of Jesus at the Jordan is the anticipation of his baptism of blood on the Cross, and it is the symbol of the entire sacramental activity by which the Redeemer will bring about the salvation of humanity. This is why the Patristic tradition has dedicated great interest to this Feast, which is the most ancient after Easter. "Christ is baptized and the whole world is made holy", sings today's liturgy; "he wipes out the debt of our sins; we will all be purified by water and the Holy Spirit" ( Antiphon to the Benedictus, Office of Lauds ). There is a strict relationship between the Baptism of Christ and our Baptism. At the Jordan the heavens opened (cf. Lk 3: 21) to indicate that the Saviour has opened the way of salvation and we can travel it thanks to our own new birth "of water and Spirit" (Jn3: 5), accomplished in Baptism. In it we are inserted into the Mystical Body of Christ, that is, the Church, we die and rise with him, we are clothe...

Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Jn 3:5-6 There has been a lot of reporting of the Royal Baptism this week. I have to say my first thoughts were purely spiritual ones: thank God! Thank God that Prince George has been Baptised, that he has entered through "the door of the Church". Some have suggested that the BBC , which seems increasingly over-run with secularists, has been criticised for not covering the event, and indeed, seems determined to diminish the event in whatever way possible. "Christening", as they are intent on referring to the Sacrament as, has changed. Many fewer people are bothering with it at all, those that do have many more God Parents. Reluctant to relinquish all vestiges of Church tradition despite their rejection of God, the British Humanist Association reports that "...

Welcome to this, the twenty-fifth of my reflections on the theology of the Sunday readings at Mass. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I sincerely hope that this reflection will inspire you. You might find that it answers a few questions you may have, but most of all I hope that it will show you how fantastic Sacred Scripture is and perhaps enable you to share some of my love and passion for the Bible as you begin to comprehend how layered and multi-faceted it is, and what a carefully considered part of the Mass the readings are. If you want to know how these posts came about, please read my first post in this series  here . I would like to think this regular blog would be a great help to anyone who reads at Mass, to enable them to foster a deeper understanding of the message they are trying to impart to the congregation. There are several different ways to read this post. I would suggest the first thing to do is to look at the relevant ...

Welcome to this, the eleventh of my reflections on the theology of the Sunday readings at Mass.  This is a very special Sunday for me as it is the day on which my daughter will be Baptised. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I sincerely hope that this reflection will inspire you, answer some questions you may have, help you to see how fantastic Sacred Scripture is and perhaps begin to share some of my love and passion for the Bible as you begin to comprehend how layered and multi-faceted, and what a carefully considered part of the Mass the readings are. If you want to know how these posts came about, please read my first post in this series  here . This Sunday the theme for the readings might be summed up as: The Work of the Holy Spirit in Our Hearts The readings are: Numbers 11:25-29 Psalm: 18:8, 10, 12-14; Response: v. 9. Second Reading: James 5:1-6 Gospel: Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 First, a little preliminary s...