Surprising contributions by Francis to the Magisterium...
Europe is, without doubt, the only continent whose borders are not defined by geographic criteria, for if these were to be considered, it would be nothing more than a peninsula of Asia! Continue Reading
St. Pius X warned about pastors only committed ‘to doing good, above all to resolving the problems of the people,’ but who were concerned ‘greatly about nourishment and care of the body, while silencing the salvation of the soul and the gravest obligations of the Christian faith.’ This admonition, made in a time when society was incomparably more Christian than it is today, makes us recall the words of the Divine Master: ‘Man does not live by bread alone, but that man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord’ (Deut 8:3).Continue Reading
Long ago, the Greeks already philosophized about man’s inherent desire to discover truth, affirming that ‘doubt is the beginning of knowledge;’ while Socratic maieutics taught that ‘knowledge is the principle element of happiness.’Continue Reading
‘There will be one flock, one shepherd’ (Jn 10:16)…This was Christ’s desire in leaving the mandate for the Apostles to ‘proclaim the gospel to every creature’ (Mk 16:15). Continue Reading
To really get to know somebody, it’s necessary to observe different aspects of their character. We Catholics reveal our moral worth in diverse circumstances: for example, during times of physical and spiritual suffering, when we need to pardon our neighbor, when we detach ourselves from material goods – it is in these and so many other trials, that charity is really proven.Continue Reading
Saint John Chrysostom compares the education of a child with the fashioning of a wonderful statue for God. According to this Doctor of the Church, the privileged mission confided to parents is to bring their child to the practice of virtue, teaching it to love the true God and ‘to mark all that it says and does with the sign of the cross.’Continue Reading
“About Jesus Christ and the Church, I simply know they’re just one thing, and we shouldn’t complicate the matter,” replied Saint Joan of Arc during her trial (cf. CCC 795), evidencing impressive theological precision – despite her lack of education – that was due to her great union with the Divine Savior.Continue Reading
Jesus tells us in the Gospel that, ‘A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit’ (Mt 7: 18). Evidently, any botanist who claims a tree to be defective, even though it visibly produces appetizing and nutritious fruit, would be considered mad. He would be taken as a liar or a charlatan for making such an unfounded affirmation.Continue Reading
“We looked for peace, but no good came, for a time of healing, but behold, terror.” (Jer 8:15) Who does not long for peace? But… how to achieve it in a world agitated by numerous and complex problems?Continue Reading
