“Spiritual Combat Revisited” is a summary of the classic book “The Spiritual Combat” by Lorenzo Scupoli (1530-1610). The original, “The Spiritual Combat”, is an uncompromising account of the ascetical life. The book presupposes a moral and theological outlook that has largely faded into the background. This is why Fr. Jonathan Robinson has taken up the task of writing “Spiritual Combat Revisited”. It is an attempt to communicate spiritual wisdom and put it into...
Experience can work to our advantage. Most people see it as such. However, what people miss sometimes is that experience can be a liability; a handicap of sorts.
For instance, when a couple experiences troubles within their own marriage, it is often the case that they are the least qualified to see the troubles as they really are. Quite often, the culpability of the husband escapes the husband and the culpability of the wife escapes the wife. Hence, a third party is invoked; usually a...
Professor Robert George of Princeton once said on Relevant Radio that the legalization of same-sex marriage would be an unmitigated disaster.
According to the CNA report, Archbishop Tartaglia gives us a few reasons why:
“(The archbishop of Glasgow) predicted that a change in the law could result in employees being fired for opposing same-sex ‘marriage,’ ministers and priests being sued for refusing to allow ‘wedding’ ceremonies to take place in their churches, school children...
Timing is everything. This maxim is especially the case if good is to prevail over evil. Whether it be personal sin or political tyranny, response to a crisis is most effective when it is done in the beginning stages.
As the spiritual classic, the "Imitation of Christ," cautions: "(W)e must watch, especially in the beginning of temptation; for then the enemy is more easily overcome, if he be not suffered to enter the door of the mind, but is withstood upon the threshold the very moment he...
Have you ever heard of a person starting an organization only to be kicked out of it? Well, this is what happened to St. Alphonsus Liguori whose memory is celebrated by the Catholic Church on August 1st. One of the testaments to his outstanding character is that adversity did not hold this man down!
In 1839 Alphonsus Liguori was canonized a Saint and in 1871 was declared to be a Doctor of the Church. Yet, he was a man who experienced many defeats in his life. One such defeat came in...
The Feast Day of St. Mary Magdalene is July 22
St. Mary Magdalene is sometimes referred to as the thirteenth Apostle. Tradition has it that she was a prostitute but then, after having been touched by divine grace, was inspired to follow Jesus Christ. Out of all the disciples–not including the Blessed Virgin–the Risen Lord had appeared to her first on that beautiful Easter morning.
The honor of being one of the first witnesses of the Resurrection hearkens back to what Jesus said to the...
In 1947, seeing that Western Civilization was weighed down by a long and exhausting world war, Pope Pius XII penned a wonderful encyclical on St. Benedict.
Contained within this letter to the Church are shafts of light that have the potential, if we just lay hold of it, to illuminate the moral and spiritual darkness which envelopes our public institutions. Using St. Benedict as an example, he recounts what it means to forsake all for Christ only to "receive a hundred times more now in...
The US Supreme Court ruling on June 29 with regard to Obamacare was a real shocker. In a 5-4 ruling, the mandate was surprisingly upheld; US Supreme Court justice John Roberts being the swing vote. Suddenly, the uphill climb to preserve religious liberty in our country is looking a little steeper.
I cannot help but recall the words of what sounded like a prophetic utterance almost four years ago. Cardinal James Francis Stafford gave a lecture in the fall of 2008 at the Catholic University...
It is a true marvel that nearly everyone in 16th century England – including bishops, priests and laity – sided with King Henry VIII despite his transgressions. Even his own family encouraged St. Thomas More to take the oath, swearing allegiance to the King’s supremacy. Now, this is surprising considering that the Catholic Church built up England from a tribal, savage and superstitious region to a civilized and educated nation. Oxford University, in fact, was one of the first...
On June 21st of 2012, Archbishop William Lori delivered a historic homily to commence the Forthnight for Freedom in the Basilica of the Assumption in Baltimore. Upon the conclusion of the homily, he deservedly received a standing ovation from the congregation in attendance. Indeed, it was passionately and flawlessly delivered. He addressed religious freedom in light of the martyrdom of St. John Fisher, bishop of Rochester, England, and St. Thomas More, lawyer and chancellor. In short, the...
