Fr. Thomas M Kocik - Profile on Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Books by Fr. Thomas M Kocik
Singing His Song: A Short Introduction to the Liturgical Movement. Revised and expanded edition. Chorabooks, 2019.
A brief history of the Liturgical Movement in Roman Catholicism, revised and expanded from the fi... more A brief history of the Liturgical Movement in Roman Catholicism, revised and expanded from the first edition (2016 Kindle).
The Fullness of Truth: Catholicism and the World’s Major Religions. Newman House Press, 2013.
This book aims to demonstrate Catholicism as the fullness of divinely revealed truth from within ... more This book aims to demonstrate Catholicism as the fullness of divinely revealed truth from within the study of the world's major religions and other Christian traditions. Available from the publisher (NewmanHouseCatholicBooks.org) and Amazon.com.
The Reform of the Reform? A Liturgical Debate: Reform or Return. Ignatius Press, 2003.
Published four years before Pope Benedict XVI's motu proprio "Summorum Pontificum," the bulk of t... more Published four years before Pope Benedict XVI's motu proprio "Summorum Pontificum," the bulk of this work presents an imaginary debate between a "traditionalist" who advocates a return to the older, pre-Vatican II Roman Rite, and a "reformer" (of the reform) who argues that the reformed liturgy imposed in the wake of the Council be realigned with both the actual teachings of the Council Fathers and the rich, organically developed liturgical tradition that the Council inherited. Appendices provide the 1962 and 1969 orders of Mass, plus contributions by (among others) Fr Aidan Nichols OP, Fr Brian W. Harrison OS, and Msgr (now Bishop) Peter J. Elliott.
Apostolic Succession in an Ecumenical Context. Alba House, 1996.
Apostolic succession through episcopal ordination is, in Catholic theology, essential to the life... more Apostolic succession through episcopal ordination is, in Catholic theology, essential to the life of the Church. Where the various Christian communions — Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox — stand on the doctrine of apostolic succession, as they study it in an ecumenical context with an eye to the Christian unity for which Jesus prayed on the night before He died, is the subject of this book.
Book Chapters by Fr. Thomas M Kocik
Liturgy in the Twenty-First Century: Contemporary Issues and Perspectives, 2016
The origins of the “Reform of the Reform” as a distinct liturgical agenda; the question of contin... more The origins of the “Reform of the Reform” as a distinct liturgical agenda; the question of continuity or rupture in respect of the liturgical rites imposed after Vatican II; the use of existing liturgical norms and options to further the Reform of the Reform; and, beyond what is presently permissible, what an official, future Reform of the Reform might entail, taking into account the groundwork needed for such an endeavor as well as its theoretical and practical challenges.
T&T Clark Companion to Liturgy, 2016
An anatomy of the “Reform of the Reform” movement: its origins and key figures, its possible meth... more An anatomy of the “Reform of the Reform” movement: its origins and key figures, its possible methodologies and the specific proposals advanced in its interests (if not explicitly in its name), and its place among other strategies (some competing, some overlapping) for liturgical renewal post-Vatican II. Criticisms leveled against the movement are also addressed, before concluding with a consideration of the movement’s practical feasibility.
Book Reviews by Fr. Thomas M Kocik
AB Insight (website), Jun 24, 2024
Review of the original (1952) edition of Fr. Howell's book, reprinted in 2022 by Romanitas Press
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2021
The Holy Decalogue is not a treatise in moral theology, says its author, but a treatment of the T... more The Holy Decalogue is not a treatise in moral theology, says its author, but a treatment of the Ten Commandments "from the standpoint of liturgical, sacramental celebration" (11). It is, in other words, mystagogical catechesis-the ninth in a series of volumes in that genre by Father Robert Slesinski (b. 1950), a Byzantine Catholic priest and philosopher specializing in Russian religious thought. The book is divided into two parts: "Mystagogy and Morality" (chapters 1-3) and "The Wheel of Sevens" (chapters 4-5). Facing the rst page of each chapter is a color reproduction of a religious icon related to the chapter's theme. Slesinski quotes in the Introduction two apostolic epistles in order to demonstrate the harmony between orthodoxy, understood as both right belief and right worship (1 Tim 2:1-8), and "orthopraxis," right action (Jas 1:18-22). The true faith is both right worship (doxa=glory) and right doctrine (doxa=opinion), but without the "lived gospel" or "lived liturgy" it is dead faith (Jas 2:14): Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi, to augment the simpli ed dictum of Prosper of Aquitaine. The unity of prayer, belief, and life is deducible from "a true philosophical insight about life in general," an insight expressed by the Scholastic maxim: agere sequitur esse (15). The "being" of the human being is "oriented beyond itself and towards others" in action, meaning "a process of self-communication, which necessarily entails commitment toward truth and goodness" (15). But why "necessarily"? Slesinski elaborates in chapter 1, taking as his point of departure the prologue of John's Gospel. God, who is boundless life, is Light and creates light, the rst created good without which nothing else could be, or be good. By the Incarnation, the divine Logos of creation has visited us and manifested his love, the love he himself is in eternity. Love, then, is "a sign of life. .. an energy of being" (21), at one with goodness and light, all three being self-diffusive; luminosity nds its analogy in truth, particularly moral truth, which "vanquishes the darkness of error in the intellec
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2020
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2019
First published in Italian as "Con i sacramenti non si scherza" (2016), this book (to quote David... more First published in Italian as "Con i sacramenti non si scherza" (2016), this book (to quote David Fagerberg's blurb) "lays at our feet the provocative charge that, in truth, we no longer believe in the efficacy of the sacraments," which is why they are often treated as merely symbolic rites or teaching props. In a style both learned and popular, Bux explains the purpose, significance, history and spirituality of each of the seven sacraments.
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2018
Paris: Cerf, 2014 477 pages. Paperback. €29.00.
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2018
Paris: Cerf, 2014 477 pages. Paperback. €29.00.
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2018
it was a way to condemn the Protestant and Greek errors and anathematize the Protestants without ... more it was a way to condemn the Protestant and Greek errors and anathematize the Protestants without at the same time anathematizing the Greeks. Indeed, even with this indirect formulation, Brugger argues that the outcome was the same: a dogmatic definition by the Council of Trent of the absolute indissolubility of marriage as a truth of divine revelation. MARK A.
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2015
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2014
Usus Antiquior: A Journal Dedicated to the Sacred Liturgy, Jan 2011
John F. Baldwin, SJ, “Reforming the Liturgy: A Response to the Critics.” Pueblo Books, 2008.
New Liturgical Movement (website), Feb 25, 2009
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2007
Church draws her life from the Eucharist," Pope John Paul II affi rmed at the start of his encycl... more Church draws her life from the Eucharist," Pope John Paul II affi rmed at the start of his encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia. In saying so, he expressed an understanding of the Church that was brought into fresh perspective as a result of decades of theological research and ressourcement culminating in the Second Vatican Council. A recovery and reappropriation of the theology of the Church Fathers reinstated the idea that "the Eucharist makes the Church." Eucharistic ecclesiology is the subject of Robert Slesinski's book, A Primer on Church and Eucharist: Eastern Perspectives. The author, a priest of the Ruthenian Catholic Church, draws deeply on the Byzantine liturgy, the Greek Fathers, and the papal magisterium in applying the Holy Eucharist to particular aspects of the Church's faith and life. Father Slesinski fi rst addresses the nature of the Church. In contrast to the juridical ecclesiology prevalent in western Christendom for most of the second millennium, the earliest conception of the Church is that of an apostolically-ordered eucharistic communion of faith and love. Even as the New Testament was being written, Christians assembled to hear the Gospel and "to break the bread" (Acts 20:7). On this ground Slesinski avers, in contrast to a typically Protestant mindset, that the celebration of the Eucharist was, and is, the "normal ambience for hearing and understanding the Word of God" (11). What is more, Church and Eucharist are correlative terms. Christians receive in the Eucharist the whole mystery of Christ and of the Church as his body; this sacrament therefore renews our life together in Christ and concretely actualizes the Church. In taking up the mutuality of Church and Eucharist, Slesinski lays the groundwork for the subsequent chapters, in which he relates the Eucharist to the immensity of Christ's life, both in time and in eternity. As the sacrament of the incarnate and glorifi ed Son, the Eucharist unites heaven and earth, and reveals the Church as the epiphany of the Kingdom of God. The human destiny of communion is thus anticipated and realized, albeit imperfectly, in the earthly liturgy. It is ultimately the Church as a whole that receives Christ in the sacra
Articles by Fr. Thomas M Kocik
Adoremus Bulletin, Nov 2024
An introduction to the life and work—with critical observations—of the Belgian Benedictine monk L... more An introduction to the life and work—with critical observations—of the Belgian Benedictine monk Lambert Beauduin (1873-1960), who is widely recognized as both the father of the 20th-century Liturgical Movement and a pioneer of Catholic ecumenism.
Adoremus Bulletin, Nov 2023
The Roman Martyrology is one of the official liturgical books of the Roman Rite. This article is ... more The Roman Martyrology is one of the official liturgical books of the Roman Rite. This article is a basic introduction to its origins, contents, and use in the liturgy. A CLARIFICATION: I mistakenly state that Prime is the first of the canonical hours of the Divine Office, whereas in fact Matins and Lauds together form the first hour. Prime is the first of the "little hours" of the Divine Office, the others being Terce, Sext, and None.
Singing His Song: A Short Introduction to the Liturgical Movement. Revised and expanded edition. Chorabooks, 2019.
A brief history of the Liturgical Movement in Roman Catholicism, revised and expanded from the fi... more A brief history of the Liturgical Movement in Roman Catholicism, revised and expanded from the first edition (2016 Kindle).
The Fullness of Truth: Catholicism and the World’s Major Religions. Newman House Press, 2013.
This book aims to demonstrate Catholicism as the fullness of divinely revealed truth from within ... more This book aims to demonstrate Catholicism as the fullness of divinely revealed truth from within the study of the world's major religions and other Christian traditions. Available from the publisher (NewmanHouseCatholicBooks.org) and Amazon.com.
The Reform of the Reform? A Liturgical Debate: Reform or Return. Ignatius Press, 2003.
Published four years before Pope Benedict XVI's motu proprio "Summorum Pontificum," the bulk of t... more Published four years before Pope Benedict XVI's motu proprio "Summorum Pontificum," the bulk of this work presents an imaginary debate between a "traditionalist" who advocates a return to the older, pre-Vatican II Roman Rite, and a "reformer" (of the reform) who argues that the reformed liturgy imposed in the wake of the Council be realigned with both the actual teachings of the Council Fathers and the rich, organically developed liturgical tradition that the Council inherited. Appendices provide the 1962 and 1969 orders of Mass, plus contributions by (among others) Fr Aidan Nichols OP, Fr Brian W. Harrison OS, and Msgr (now Bishop) Peter J. Elliott.
Apostolic Succession in an Ecumenical Context. Alba House, 1996.
Apostolic succession through episcopal ordination is, in Catholic theology, essential to the life... more Apostolic succession through episcopal ordination is, in Catholic theology, essential to the life of the Church. Where the various Christian communions — Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox — stand on the doctrine of apostolic succession, as they study it in an ecumenical context with an eye to the Christian unity for which Jesus prayed on the night before He died, is the subject of this book.
Liturgy in the Twenty-First Century: Contemporary Issues and Perspectives, 2016
The origins of the “Reform of the Reform” as a distinct liturgical agenda; the question of contin... more The origins of the “Reform of the Reform” as a distinct liturgical agenda; the question of continuity or rupture in respect of the liturgical rites imposed after Vatican II; the use of existing liturgical norms and options to further the Reform of the Reform; and, beyond what is presently permissible, what an official, future Reform of the Reform might entail, taking into account the groundwork needed for such an endeavor as well as its theoretical and practical challenges.
T&T Clark Companion to Liturgy, 2016
An anatomy of the “Reform of the Reform” movement: its origins and key figures, its possible meth... more An anatomy of the “Reform of the Reform” movement: its origins and key figures, its possible methodologies and the specific proposals advanced in its interests (if not explicitly in its name), and its place among other strategies (some competing, some overlapping) for liturgical renewal post-Vatican II. Criticisms leveled against the movement are also addressed, before concluding with a consideration of the movement’s practical feasibility.
AB Insight (website), Jun 24, 2024
Review of the original (1952) edition of Fr. Howell's book, reprinted in 2022 by Romanitas Press
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2021
The Holy Decalogue is not a treatise in moral theology, says its author, but a treatment of the T... more The Holy Decalogue is not a treatise in moral theology, says its author, but a treatment of the Ten Commandments "from the standpoint of liturgical, sacramental celebration" (11). It is, in other words, mystagogical catechesis-the ninth in a series of volumes in that genre by Father Robert Slesinski (b. 1950), a Byzantine Catholic priest and philosopher specializing in Russian religious thought. The book is divided into two parts: "Mystagogy and Morality" (chapters 1-3) and "The Wheel of Sevens" (chapters 4-5). Facing the rst page of each chapter is a color reproduction of a religious icon related to the chapter's theme. Slesinski quotes in the Introduction two apostolic epistles in order to demonstrate the harmony between orthodoxy, understood as both right belief and right worship (1 Tim 2:1-8), and "orthopraxis," right action (Jas 1:18-22). The true faith is both right worship (doxa=glory) and right doctrine (doxa=opinion), but without the "lived gospel" or "lived liturgy" it is dead faith (Jas 2:14): Lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi, to augment the simpli ed dictum of Prosper of Aquitaine. The unity of prayer, belief, and life is deducible from "a true philosophical insight about life in general," an insight expressed by the Scholastic maxim: agere sequitur esse (15). The "being" of the human being is "oriented beyond itself and towards others" in action, meaning "a process of self-communication, which necessarily entails commitment toward truth and goodness" (15). But why "necessarily"? Slesinski elaborates in chapter 1, taking as his point of departure the prologue of John's Gospel. God, who is boundless life, is Light and creates light, the rst created good without which nothing else could be, or be good. By the Incarnation, the divine Logos of creation has visited us and manifested his love, the love he himself is in eternity. Love, then, is "a sign of life. .. an energy of being" (21), at one with goodness and light, all three being self-diffusive; luminosity nds its analogy in truth, particularly moral truth, which "vanquishes the darkness of error in the intellec
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2020
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2019
First published in Italian as "Con i sacramenti non si scherza" (2016), this book (to quote David... more First published in Italian as "Con i sacramenti non si scherza" (2016), this book (to quote David Fagerberg's blurb) "lays at our feet the provocative charge that, in truth, we no longer believe in the efficacy of the sacraments," which is why they are often treated as merely symbolic rites or teaching props. In a style both learned and popular, Bux explains the purpose, significance, history and spirituality of each of the seven sacraments.
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2018
Paris: Cerf, 2014 477 pages. Paperback. €29.00.
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2018
Paris: Cerf, 2014 477 pages. Paperback. €29.00.
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2018
it was a way to condemn the Protestant and Greek errors and anathematize the Protestants without ... more it was a way to condemn the Protestant and Greek errors and anathematize the Protestants without at the same time anathematizing the Greeks. Indeed, even with this indirect formulation, Brugger argues that the outcome was the same: a dogmatic definition by the Council of Trent of the absolute indissolubility of marriage as a truth of divine revelation. MARK A.
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2015
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2014
Usus Antiquior: A Journal Dedicated to the Sacred Liturgy, Jan 2011
John F. Baldwin, SJ, “Reforming the Liturgy: A Response to the Critics.” Pueblo Books, 2008.
New Liturgical Movement (website), Feb 25, 2009
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2007
Church draws her life from the Eucharist," Pope John Paul II affi rmed at the start of his encycl... more Church draws her life from the Eucharist," Pope John Paul II affi rmed at the start of his encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia. In saying so, he expressed an understanding of the Church that was brought into fresh perspective as a result of decades of theological research and ressourcement culminating in the Second Vatican Council. A recovery and reappropriation of the theology of the Church Fathers reinstated the idea that "the Eucharist makes the Church." Eucharistic ecclesiology is the subject of Robert Slesinski's book, A Primer on Church and Eucharist: Eastern Perspectives. The author, a priest of the Ruthenian Catholic Church, draws deeply on the Byzantine liturgy, the Greek Fathers, and the papal magisterium in applying the Holy Eucharist to particular aspects of the Church's faith and life. Father Slesinski fi rst addresses the nature of the Church. In contrast to the juridical ecclesiology prevalent in western Christendom for most of the second millennium, the earliest conception of the Church is that of an apostolically-ordered eucharistic communion of faith and love. Even as the New Testament was being written, Christians assembled to hear the Gospel and "to break the bread" (Acts 20:7). On this ground Slesinski avers, in contrast to a typically Protestant mindset, that the celebration of the Eucharist was, and is, the "normal ambience for hearing and understanding the Word of God" (11). What is more, Church and Eucharist are correlative terms. Christians receive in the Eucharist the whole mystery of Christ and of the Church as his body; this sacrament therefore renews our life together in Christ and concretely actualizes the Church. In taking up the mutuality of Church and Eucharist, Slesinski lays the groundwork for the subsequent chapters, in which he relates the Eucharist to the immensity of Christ's life, both in time and in eternity. As the sacrament of the incarnate and glorifi ed Son, the Eucharist unites heaven and earth, and reveals the Church as the epiphany of the Kingdom of God. The human destiny of communion is thus anticipated and realized, albeit imperfectly, in the earthly liturgy. It is ultimately the Church as a whole that receives Christ in the sacra
Adoremus Bulletin, Nov 2024
An introduction to the life and work—with critical observations—of the Belgian Benedictine monk L... more An introduction to the life and work—with critical observations—of the Belgian Benedictine monk Lambert Beauduin (1873-1960), who is widely recognized as both the father of the 20th-century Liturgical Movement and a pioneer of Catholic ecumenism.
Adoremus Bulletin, Nov 2023
The Roman Martyrology is one of the official liturgical books of the Roman Rite. This article is ... more The Roman Martyrology is one of the official liturgical books of the Roman Rite. This article is a basic introduction to its origins, contents, and use in the liturgy. A CLARIFICATION: I mistakenly state that Prime is the first of the canonical hours of the Divine Office, whereas in fact Matins and Lauds together form the first hour. Prime is the first of the "little hours" of the Divine Office, the others being Terce, Sext, and None.
AB Insight (website), Jan 25, 2023
Adoremus Bulletin, Sep 2021
A brief account of the life of Fr. Alexander Schmemann (1921-83) and his pioneering work in litur... more A brief account of the life of Fr. Alexander Schmemann (1921-83) and his pioneering work in liturgical theology
AB Insight (website), May 25, 2021
This article looks at the role of the Sacred Liturgy—the exercise of Jesus Christ's eternal Pries... more This article looks at the role of the Sacred Liturgy—the exercise of Jesus Christ's eternal Priesthood within the Church—in bringing about our divine adoption as sons of God in Christ through the Holy Spirit. The Liturgy is the agency or medium by which the Christian faithful share in the life of Christ's eternal Sonship. As such, it is the work of the Holy Trinity drawing us into God's own Being, which is the giving and receiving of Love.
Altare Dei, Jan 2017
A simple suggestion for fostering more prayerful reception of Holy Communion when kneeling at a c... more A simple suggestion for fostering more prayerful reception of Holy Communion when kneeling at a communion rail is not possible
Usus Antiquior: A Journal Dedicated to the Sacred Liturgy, Jul 2012
The Catholic Response, 2010
St Austin Review [StAR], 2007
Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2006
This article presents solid canonical, theological, spiritual and pedagogical reasons why priests... more This article presents solid canonical, theological, spiritual and pedagogical reasons why priests should occasionally opt to attend Mass 'in choir' rather than concelebrate.
Thanksgiving Day Mass? No, thanks
Homiletic and Pastoral Review, Jun 2004
A theological critique of the Preface of the Mass of Thanksgiving Day (USA). This eucharistic pre... more A theological critique of the Preface of the Mass of Thanksgiving Day (USA). This eucharistic preface has since been superseded.
Homiletic & Pastoral Review, Oct 2003
If the 20th-century liturgical renewal amplified eschatology in the liturgy of the western Church... more If the 20th-century liturgical renewal amplified eschatology in the liturgy of the western Church, few Catholics seem to have noticed. Architecture, the visual arts, liturgical music, and the orientation of the priest at the altar must once again sustain a devotional atmosphere that allows the faithful to glimpse the Life beyond life.
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[Re]Turn to the East?
Adoremus Bulletin, Nov 1999
An apologia the celebration of the Liturgy "ad orientem," i.e., priest and people together facing... more An apologia the celebration of the Liturgy "ad orientem," i.e., priest and people together facing the same direction when addressing God. See also my articles, "Ad Orientem Liturgy: To What End?" and "The End of Orientation" (under Blog Posts).
Homiletic & Pastoral Review, Apr 1999
The Second Vatican Council plainly links the priest's ministry and life with his office of offeri... more The Second Vatican Council plainly links the priest's ministry and life with his office of offering the Eucharistic Sacrifice, the source and apex of all the Church's activities.
The Liturgical Movement Between Two Centuries: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
YouTube channel "Ritorno a Itaca", Oct 15, 2021
A panel discussion hosted by Aurelio Porfiri, with Fr. Thomas Kocik, Fr. James Jackson FSSP, and ... more A panel discussion hosted by Aurelio Porfiri, with Fr. Thomas Kocik, Fr. James Jackson FSSP, and Christopher Carstens
The Integrated Liturgical Vision of Alexander Schmemann
Adoremus Interviews podcast, Sep 28, 2021
Jesse Weiler (The Liturgical Institute) and I discuss my recent article in "Adoremus Bulletin" (S... more Jesse Weiler (The Liturgical Institute) and I discuss my recent article in "Adoremus Bulletin" (Sept. 2021) about Fr. Alexander Schmemann.
U.S. Bishops Weigh Next Steps on Traditional Latin Mass…
National Catholic Register, Jul 19, 2021
Commentary on Pope Francis's Motu Proprio "Traditionis Custodes" of 16 July 2021
A Future in Tradition: Remembering Michael Davies
YouTube channel "Ritorno a Itaca", Nov 21, 2020
A panel discussion hosted by Aurelio Porfiri about Michael Davies (1936-2004) and his apologetic ... more A panel discussion hosted by Aurelio Porfiri about Michael Davies (1936-2004) and his apologetic work on behalf of traditional Catholic doctrine and worship.
What is ‟the Reform of the Reform”?
YouTube channel "Extraordinary Faith", Jul 2, 2020
Interview with Alex Begin on the Roman liturgical reform that followed the Second Vatican Council... more Interview with Alex Begin on the Roman liturgical reform that followed the Second Vatican Council and why there are calls to reform it (recorded 2 June 2015)
The Liturgical Reform of Benedict XVI: Is it still relevant?
YouTube channel "Ritorno a Itaca", Jun 23, 2020
A live-streamed panel discussion hosted by Maestro Aurelio Porfiri, with Frs. Joseph Fessio SJ, N... more A live-streamed panel discussion hosted by Maestro Aurelio Porfiri, with Frs. Joseph Fessio SJ, Nicola Bux, and Thomas Kocik
‟Is this crisis forcing me to confront the things in my life that need to be confronted and purged?”
Altare Dei, May 14, 2020
Interview with Aurelio Porfiri about the COVID-19 pandemic
Developments in the Church's Sacred Liturgy: Highlights of the Last Decade
National Catholic Register, Jan 19, 2020
Interview with "National Catholic Register" on significant liturgical developments since 2010
The Mass of Paul VI at 50 (Part 1 of 2)
National Catholic Register, Dec 1, 2019
Interview with "National Catholic Register" on the 50th anniversary of the Missal of St Paul VI
The Mass of Paul VI at 50 (Part 2 of 2)
National Catholic Register, Dec 8, 2019
Interview with "National Catholic Register" on the 50th anniversary of the Missal of St Paul VI
U.S. Bishops Encourage Greater Devotion to Eucharist
National Catholic Register, Apr 26, 2017
Interview with "National Catholic Register" in response to two U.S. Catholic bishops' call for gr... more Interview with "National Catholic Register" in response to two U.S. Catholic bishops' call for greater reverence toward the Blessed Sacrament
O Clarim Weekly / 號角報, Apr 1, 2016
Interview with Aurelio Porfiri, CEO and founder of ChoraLife and ChoraBooks
O Clarim Weekly / 號角報, Apr 8, 2016
Interview with Aurelio Porfiri, CEO and founder of ChoraLife and ChoraBooks
This Changed Everything: 500 Years of the Reformation
Documentary, 2016
A three-part documentary series produced by the Christian History Institute to mark the fifth cen... more A three-part documentary series produced by the Christian History Institute to mark the fifth centennial of the Protestant Reformation. I was one of the Catholic interviewees (recorded 16 Sept. 2014 at Holy Ghost Church in Tiverton, Rhode Island).
The New Liturgical Movement (Part 1 of 2)
iPadre podcast, Oct 8, 2011
Interview with Fr. Jay Finelli on ongoing liturgical renewal in the pontificate of Benedict XVI. ... more Interview with Fr. Jay Finelli on ongoing liturgical renewal in the pontificate of Benedict XVI. Begins at the 19:00 mark.
The New Liturgical Movement (Part 2 of 2)
iPadre podcast, Oct 16, 2011
Interview with Fr. Jay Finelli on ongoing liturgical renewal in the pontificate of Benedict XVI. ... more Interview with Fr. Jay Finelli on ongoing liturgical renewal in the pontificate of Benedict XVI. Begins at the 15:20 mark.
Reform or Return?
Ignatius Insight (online), Jul 14, 2007
New Liturgical Movement Stirring in the Church
New Liturgical Movement, Jul 28, 2006
Lay Readers at Funerals and Weddings: Feedback Sought
New Liturgical Movement, Aug 16, 2017
From Promise to Fulfillment (Or, Good News for Jews)
OnePeterFive, Dec 11, 2015
In this article I explain Christianity's self-understanding as the fulfillment of the religious h... more In this article I explain Christianity's self-understanding as the fulfillment of the religious hopes and expectations of God's chosen people Israel. Particular attention is paid to the various strands of messianism (Son of Man, Suffering Servant, Son of David) and on the prophecy concerning a new and eternal covenant.
An Urgently Needed Unforgetting
OnePeterFive, Oct 31, 2015
A commentary on the doctrine of purgatory and its relationship to Christian eschatology
Holy Week: Get Your Full Ticket’s Worth
OnePeterFive, Mar 22, 2015
In the rites of Holy Week, the very heart of the Church's liturgy, we do not just commemorate the... more In the rites of Holy Week, the very heart of the Church's liturgy, we do not just commemorate the events that brought us salvation; we truly enter into them and lay hold of salvation. Let us not skip over them in a rush to Easter.
When Silence Speaks Volumes: A St. Joseph’s Day Reflection
OnePeterFive, Mar 19, 2015
A reflection on the virtues of St. Joseph, which includes a short history of the growth of devoti... more A reflection on the virtues of St. Joseph, which includes a short history of the growth of devotion to him in the western Church.
The Parameters of Christian Orthodoxy
OnePeterFive, Feb 15, 2015
Tradition is the living message of Christ transmitted in the Church's teaching and worship. It is... more Tradition is the living message of Christ transmitted in the Church's teaching and worship. It is enshrined in the inspired Scriptures, but also in the ancient professions of faith (creeds), the writings of the Church Fathers and Doctors, the dogmatic teachings of the ecumenical councils, and in the Sacred Liturgy. Our understanding and formulation of divinely revealed truth can develop over time, as we discover new truths already implicit in the apostolic deposit of faith, but doctrinal development is never an about-face.
A Gorgeous Splash of Oriental Color: Epiphany Reflections
OnePeterFive, Jan 2, 2015
Reflections on the Feast of the Epiphany
“All-Or-Nothing” vs “Progressive Solemnity”: An Invitation to Debate
New Liturgical Movement, Dec 9, 2014
The 1967 Instruction "Musicam Sacram", published by the Sacred Congregation of Rites, introduced ... more The 1967 Instruction "Musicam Sacram", published by the Sacred Congregation of Rites, introduced the principle of “progressive solemnity,” providing a degree of flexibility in choosing parts of the Mass to be sung while maintaining official distinctions (at that time) between high and low Mass. Previously a sharp distinction was made between low Mass and high Mass. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages.
Lumen Gentium at 50
OnePeterFive, Nov 21, 2014
November 21, 2014, marks the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's Constitution on the... more November 21, 2014, marks the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's Constitution on the Church, 'Lumen Gentium'. What is the Catholic Church's self-understanding, and what does Vatican II mean by teaching that the one Church of Christ "subsists in" the Catholic Church?
Free from Sin and Safe from All Distress
OnePeterFive, Oct 31, 2014
Guilt can be a good thing, provided it leads to reconciliation and healing. Awareness of divine j... more Guilt can be a good thing, provided it leads to reconciliation and healing. Awareness of divine judgment coupled with openness to the redeeming grace of God gives one a reason to live—and die.
The Seven Deadly Sins and Their Remedies
OnePeterFive, Oct 22, 2014
Legislating Morality: The church-state conflict that isn’t
OnePeterFive, Oct 15, 2014
Scripture vs Theology: A False Divide
OnePeterFive, Oct 1, 2014
A very brief commentary on the relationship between Scripture and theology
“Ad Orientem” Liturgy: To what end?
OnePeterFive, Sep 16, 2014
The traditional liturgical orientation of offering Mass "ad orientem," toward the liturgical "eas... more The traditional liturgical orientation of offering Mass "ad orientem," toward the liturgical "east" of the altar and apse, has been criticized as reflecting an outmoded theology of sacrifice. I argue that the ancient practice stands on its own merits, apart from the question of sacrifice, in that it expresses the true "movement" of the liturgy.
“You are Peter”: Getting papal authority straight
OnePeterFive, Sep 2, 2014
No Other Gods: Three questions that can help you sift pagan chaff from Christian grain
OnePeterFive, Aug 19, 2014
Traffic Worth Getting Caught In: The liturgy as the place of our personal salvation
OnePeterFive, Aug 1, 2014
Reforming the Irreformable? A Postscript
New Liturgical Movement, Mar 1, 2014
Reforming the Irreformable?
New Liturgical Movement, Feb 9, 2014
The Reform of the Reform: Style Over Substance?
New Liturgical Movement, Sep 20, 2011
In the letter to the world's bishops accompanying his July 2007 Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum,... more In the letter to the world's bishops accompanying his July 2007 Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum, Pope Benedict XVI suggested that the "ordinary form" of celebrating the Mass according to the Missal promulgated by Paul VI in 1970 (third and latest "typical" edition, 2002) and the "extraordinary form" using the 1962 Missal issued by John XXIII can be "mutually enriching." The faithful, he said, should be able to find in the ordinary form of the Mass that sense of the sacred ("sacralità") that characterizes and attracts many people to the older liturgy. At the same time, he proposed that the extraordinary form could and should be enriched by the addition of propers for some of the saints canonized after 1962 and some of the new prefaces in the revised Missal. The long-term goal, he hoped, is an "internal reconciliation in the heart of the Church." 2 What strikes me about the examples offered by Pope Benedict is the qualitative difference between the two directions of mutual enrichment. The extraordinary form's positive influence lies in its spirit or ethos (reverence, numinosity, gravitas), whereas the ordinary form's influence has to do with texts. I do not think, however, that Benedict meant to imply that the extraordinary form has only its sacrality to offer. His personal liturgical example on various occasions would strongly suggest an openness on his part to the recovery of elements particular to the older Roman Mass for use in the newer-an enrichment of the ordinary form, as those who respect the ancient Latin liturgical tradition would doubtless view it. Nor do I think, judging from his liturgical writings as Cardinal Ratzinger, he 3 was intimating that the modern rite of Mass has only new feasts and prefaces going for it. 4 Pope Benedict wanted there to be side-by-side celebrations of the older and newer forms. This coexistence would, over a long period of time, result in slight shifts and modest changes, eventually codified. Since only the Roman Pontiff can approve of any revisions to the ordinary form or make any changes to the extraordinary form (as Benedict did with one of the prayers in the Good Friday liturgy), let us consider what can be done now, without need of special permission, to promote the mutual enrichment of the two uses or forms of the Roman Rite. We begin in the context of the ordinary form.
Singing His Song: On the Liturgical Movements (Old and New)
Lecture on the history of the Liturgical Movement, given at Thomas More College, New Hampshire, o... more Lecture on the history of the Liturgical Movement, given at Thomas More College, New Hampshire, on 14 October 2011.
