Dear Friends in Christ, The Jubilee of Mercy will begin next month on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and the official commencement of the Jubilee will occur in Rome when Pope Francis opens the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. Jubilees have been kept in the Church since the year 1300, and they regularly…

Dear Friends in Christ, Last week I wrote to you about the difference between doctrine and discipline, but in addition to that distinction, we must also distinguish several different types of doctrine in the Church. Catholic tradition identifies at least four levels of teaching authority, with each type calling for its own level of acceptance,…

Dear Friends in Christ, During the Synod of Bishops now meeting in Rome and because of the debates among bishops at that meeting, parts of Catholic Christianity that are seldom thought about except by specialists are being discussed by many people, and in the service of bringing clarity to what might otherwise be obscure, here…

Dear Friends in Christ, 1. The bad weather last weekend caused our Mass attendance and collection to be a bit lower than usual. If you were among those unable to come last weekend, please do make up the missing offertory gift if possible. We depend upon your generosity from week to week to stay on…

Dear Friends in Christ, The Feast of St. Francis of Assisi is not observed in the sacred liturgy this year because 4 October, his date in the Roman Calendar, falls on a Sunday. But since today is his feast, let me commend to you two books about the Poverello of Assisi, both of which go…