NewsNotes

Author's Archives

By JAMES MONTI , Latest

RESTORING THE SACRED . . . Our Lady As The

It is impossible not to notice that the majority of our Catholic churches and cathedrals, past and present, in one
By RAYMOND DESOUZA , Latest

A Filial Response To Pope Leo And His Friendship With

So now Muslims can pray at the Vatican Library, the very center of Catholicism in the world. If you think
By DONALD DEMARCO , Latest

Adjusting Morality To Fit The Changing Times

Times change. That is a truism. At the same time, it is a statement that is slightly misleading. Time itself,
By JAMES MONTI , Latest

RESTORING THE SACRED . . . Glimpses Of Catholic Life

The history of our Catholic faith that has spanned nearly 2,000 years is an unending story of the loving Providence
By JAMES MONTI , Latest

RESTORING THE SACRED

Holy Week In Corsica The Mediterranean island of Corsica is a culturally unique place with a largely French modern history

RESTORING THE SACRED . . . Our Lady As The Living Temple Of God

May 10, 2026 No Comments
JAMES MONTI

It is impossible not to notice that the majority of our Catholic churches and cathedrals, past and present, in one way or another bear the name of our Lady or of one of the mysteries of her life (Immaculate Conception, Annunciation, Assumption, etc.) — that the majority of our Catholic places of worship are primarily under her patronage. While one could simply ascribe this to the tremendous devotion that Catholics have expressed to the Blessed Virgin Mary from the earliest centuries of the Church’s history, there is in fact a more specific theological basis for associating the Mother of God with the sacred edifices within which the Church celebrates the Holy Eucharist and the other sacraments, and where the Church offers public praise to God in the Divine Office. It is grounded both in our Lady’s identity as the original “Temple of God” for the first nine months of our Lord’s life on earth as the Incarnate Word and in the symbolism of the church

Read More »

Requiem For A Faithful Patriot

May 8, 2026 No Comments
Dr. CHRISTOPHER MANION

Bishop René Henry Gracida has died. We will miss him. Bishop Gracida was a stalwart defender of the faith and of the republic, and grateful to both. Of how many shepherds can we say the same today? Bishop Gracida and I met long ago, in the early 1980s. I realized quickly that he was a patriot as well as a prelate. At the time, the bishop, ordinary of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, had already become well known as an American hero. A New Orleans native, he served in the Army Air Forces in World War II, flying 32 combat missions in the European theatre. When we met, I was staff director for the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. My tasks involved frequent official visits to countries south of the border. State Department embassy officials who hosted me in various countries were often surprised when I requested the opportunity to visit the country’s Catholic bishops, not only in the capital but in the

Read More »

A Filial Response To Pope Leo And His Friendship With Islam

May 1, 2026 No Comments
RAYMOND DESOUZA

So now Muslims can pray at the Vatican Library, the very center of Catholicism in the world. If you think that something similar can be expected to take place in Saudi Arabia, for the sake of ecumenical dialogue, please pull up a chair and sit down. It might take some time. . . . Nowadays, a misguided sense of ecumenism tends to equate the main monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) as different ways to worship the same God. It is like saying that all Protestant denominations are okay as long as you mention the name of Jesus, regardless of the visceral doctrinal contradictions that afflict them. But the difference between Islam and Christianity is immensely more visceral and complete than those among the various Protestant denominations. In Islam, there is one God, called Allah, who is “Lord” but is not called Father by his followers, and whose will determines all events, that is, Maktub: it is written! Whatever happens, Allah is the direct and sole author. There

Read More »

Catholic Replies . . .

April 24, 2026 No Comments
JAMES DRUMMEY

Q. In Matthew 8:21–22, it says that “another of the disciples said to him, ‘Lord, let me go first and bury my father.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.’” What does this mean? — G.P., Fla. A. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible explains the passage this way: “Discipleship is based on the imitation of Christ (11:29). Unlike the Apostles, who left their occupations and families (4:19, 22; 9:9), this would-be follower of Jesus is hesitant to embrace the demanding call (8:21). Bury their own dead: Burial was a sacred duty in ancient Judaism (Gen. 50:5; Tob. 4:3–4). Jesus singles out the custom to emphasize the greater importance of discipleship. Allegiance to Jesus must outweigh even family commitments (10:37; 19:29; Luke 14:26). Those who are spiritually dead (i.e., clinging to worldly concerns) can bury the physically dead. Jesus does not thereby undermine the propriety of burial but uses it as a stepping-stone to illustrate the higher demands of the Christian

Read More »

Latest Weekly Columns

By JAMES MONTI , Latest

RESTORING THE SACRED . . . Our Lady As The Living Temple Of God

It is impossible not to notice that the majority of our Catholic churches and cathedrals, past and present, in one way
By Dr. CHRISTOPHER MANION , Latest

Requiem For A Faithful Patriot

Bishop René Henry Gracida has died. We will miss him. Bishop Gracida was a stalwart defender of the faith and of
By RAYMOND DESOUZA , Latest

A Filial Response To Pope Leo And His Friendship With Islam

So now Muslims can pray at the Vatican Library, the very center of Catholicism in the world. If you think that
By JAMES DRUMMEY , Latest

Catholic Replies . . .

Q. In Matthew 8:21–22, it says that “another of the disciples said to him, ‘Lord, let me go first and bury
By DONALD DEMARCO , Latest

Adjusting Morality To Fit The Changing Times

Times change. That is a truism. At the same time, it is a statement that is slightly misleading. Time itself, though
By Dr. CHRISTOPHER MANION , Latest

Clearing The Fog

“States have the right to regulate migration flows and to defend their own frontiers, always guaranteeing the respect due to the
By JAMES MONTI , Latest

RESTORING THE SACRED . . . Glimpses Of Catholic Life From The 1950s

The history of our Catholic faith that has spanned nearly 2,000 years is an unending story of the loving Providence of
By Dr. CHRISTOPHER MANION , Latest

On Giving, Getting, And Government

The Washington Post, now known as the “Bezos Blog,” recently ran an interesting headline: “Retirees receive six times more in federal
By Fr. KEVIN CUSICK , Latest

A Leaven In The World . . . Rest In Peace, Noelia

In the midst of the Easter Season, with the Resurrection of the Lord at the center of our prayer and worship,
By JAMES MONTI , Latest

RESTORING THE SACRED

Holy Week In Corsica The Mediterranean island of Corsica is a culturally unique place with a largely French modern history but
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NewsNotes

Author's Archives

By JAMES MONTI , Latest

RESTORING THE SACRED . . . Our Lady As The

It is impossible not to notice that the majority of our Catholic churches and cathedrals, past and present, in one
By RAYMOND DESOUZA , Latest

A Filial Response To Pope Leo And His Friendship With

So now Muslims can pray at the Vatican Library, the very center of Catholicism in the world. If you think
By DONALD DEMARCO , Latest

Adjusting Morality To Fit The Changing Times

Times change. That is a truism. At the same time, it is a statement that is slightly misleading. Time itself,
By JAMES MONTI , Latest

RESTORING THE SACRED . . . Glimpses Of Catholic Life

The history of our Catholic faith that has spanned nearly 2,000 years is an unending story of the loving Providence
By JAMES MONTI , Latest

RESTORING THE SACRED

Holy Week In Corsica The Mediterranean island of Corsica is a culturally unique place with a largely French modern history

RESTORING THE SACRED . . . Our Lady As The Living Temple Of God

May 10, 2026 No Comments
JAMES MONTI

It is impossible not to notice that the majority of our Catholic churches and cathedrals, past and present, in one way or another bear the name of our Lady or of one of the mysteries of her life (Immaculate Conception, Annunciation, Assumption, etc.) — that the majority of our Catholic places of worship are primarily under her patronage. While one could simply ascribe this to the tremendous devotion that Catholics have expressed to the Blessed Virgin Mary from the earliest centuries of the Church’s history, there is in fact a more specific theological basis for associating the Mother of God with the sacred edifices within which the Church celebrates the Holy Eucharist and the other sacraments, and where the Church offers public praise to God in the Divine Office. It is grounded both in our Lady’s identity as the original “Temple of God” for the first nine months of our Lord’s life on earth as the Incarnate Word and in the symbolism of the church

Read More »

Requiem For A Faithful Patriot

May 8, 2026 No Comments
Dr. CHRISTOPHER MANION

Bishop René Henry Gracida has died. We will miss him. Bishop Gracida was a stalwart defender of the faith and of the republic, and grateful to both. Of how many shepherds can we say the same today? Bishop Gracida and I met long ago, in the early 1980s. I realized quickly that he was a patriot as well as a prelate. At the time, the bishop, ordinary of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, had already become well known as an American hero. A New Orleans native, he served in the Army Air Forces in World War II, flying 32 combat missions in the European theatre. When we met, I was staff director for the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. My tasks involved frequent official visits to countries south of the border. State Department embassy officials who hosted me in various countries were often surprised when I requested the opportunity to visit the country’s Catholic bishops, not only in the capital but in the

Read More »

A Filial Response To Pope Leo And His Friendship With Islam

May 1, 2026 No Comments
RAYMOND DESOUZA

So now Muslims can pray at the Vatican Library, the very center of Catholicism in the world. If you think that something similar can be expected to take place in Saudi Arabia, for the sake of ecumenical dialogue, please pull up a chair and sit down. It might take some time. . . . Nowadays, a misguided sense of ecumenism tends to equate the main monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) as different ways to worship the same God. It is like saying that all Protestant denominations are okay as long as you mention the name of Jesus, regardless of the visceral doctrinal contradictions that afflict them. But the difference between Islam and Christianity is immensely more visceral and complete than those among the various Protestant denominations. In Islam, there is one God, called Allah, who is “Lord” but is not called Father by his followers, and whose will determines all events, that is, Maktub: it is written! Whatever happens, Allah is the direct and sole author. There

Read More »

Catholic Replies . . .

April 24, 2026 No Comments
JAMES DRUMMEY

Q. In Matthew 8:21–22, it says that “another of the disciples said to him, ‘Lord, let me go first and bury my father.’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.’” What does this mean? — G.P., Fla. A. The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible explains the passage this way: “Discipleship is based on the imitation of Christ (11:29). Unlike the Apostles, who left their occupations and families (4:19, 22; 9:9), this would-be follower of Jesus is hesitant to embrace the demanding call (8:21). Bury their own dead: Burial was a sacred duty in ancient Judaism (Gen. 50:5; Tob. 4:3–4). Jesus singles out the custom to emphasize the greater importance of discipleship. Allegiance to Jesus must outweigh even family commitments (10:37; 19:29; Luke 14:26). Those who are spiritually dead (i.e., clinging to worldly concerns) can bury the physically dead. Jesus does not thereby undermine the propriety of burial but uses it as a stepping-stone to illustrate the higher demands of the Christian

Read More »

Latest Weekly Columns

By JAMES MONTI , Latest

RESTORING THE SACRED . . . Our Lady As The Living Temple Of God

It is impossible not to notice that the majority of our Catholic churches and cathedrals, past and present, in one way
By Dr. CHRISTOPHER MANION , Latest

Requiem For A Faithful Patriot

Bishop René Henry Gracida has died. We will miss him. Bishop Gracida was a stalwart defender of the faith and of
By RAYMOND DESOUZA , Latest

A Filial Response To Pope Leo And His Friendship With Islam

So now Muslims can pray at the Vatican Library, the very center of Catholicism in the world. If you think that
By JAMES DRUMMEY , Latest

Catholic Replies . . .

Q. In Matthew 8:21–22, it says that “another of the disciples said to him, ‘Lord, let me go first and bury
By DONALD DEMARCO , Latest

Adjusting Morality To Fit The Changing Times

Times change. That is a truism. At the same time, it is a statement that is slightly misleading. Time itself, though
By Dr. CHRISTOPHER MANION , Latest

Clearing The Fog

“States have the right to regulate migration flows and to defend their own frontiers, always guaranteeing the respect due to the
By JAMES MONTI , Latest

RESTORING THE SACRED . . . Glimpses Of Catholic Life From The 1950s

The history of our Catholic faith that has spanned nearly 2,000 years is an unending story of the loving Providence of
By Dr. CHRISTOPHER MANION , Latest

On Giving, Getting, And Government

The Washington Post, now known as the “Bezos Blog,” recently ran an interesting headline: “Retirees receive six times more in federal
By Fr. KEVIN CUSICK , Latest

A Leaven In The World . . . Rest In Peace, Noelia

In the midst of the Easter Season, with the Resurrection of the Lord at the center of our prayer and worship,
By JAMES MONTI , Latest

RESTORING THE SACRED

Holy Week In Corsica The Mediterranean island of Corsica is a culturally unique place with a largely French modern history but

SECTION B

Live Your Faith Raymond DESOUZA

By RAYMOND DESOUZA , Latest

A Filial Response To Pope Leo And His Friendship With Islam

So now Muslims can pray at the Vatican Library, the very center of Catholicism in the world. If you think that something similar can be expected to take place in Saudi Arabia, for the sake of ecumenical dialogue, please pull up a chair and sit down. It might take some time. . . . Nowadays, a misguided sense of ecumenism tends to equate the main monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) as different ways to worship the same God. It is like saying that all Protestant denominations are okay as long as you mention the name of Jesus, regardless of the visceral doctrinal
By RAYMOND DESOUZA

We Know There Is A God From The Beautiful Laws Of Nature

By RAYMOND DE SOUZA You must have noticed that there are plenty of laws in Nature: in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, algebra, geometry, etc. Scientists did not invent the laws of nature, they just discover them. Even the smallest speck of dust, is, in all its movements and changes, subject to fixed natural laws. The same holds for living things — plants, animals, and men: each species grows, develops, and acts in the same way. They follow the specific laws of their own nature. The entire universe is bound together into one vastly and incredibly complicated whole, like a great,
This Week’s Homily
Fr. Altier  March 28, 2026

 

 

Learn your faithdon fier

By DON FIER

God Comes To Meet Man

By DON FIER Last week, a topic was taken up that was immediately addressed in the first chapter of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC): man’s capacity to know God by reason alone. It was demonstrated in two basic, commonsense ways that “by natural reason man can know God with certainty, on the basis of His works” (CCC, n. 50). The supporting arguments focused around what we can directly observe or easily discern in two of God’s most magnificent works of creation, “the physical world and the human person” (CCC, n. 31). This week, we will turn our attention

restoring the sacred ------- james monti

By JAMES MONTI , Latest

RESTORING THE SACRED . . . Our Lady As The Living Temple Of God

It is impossible not to notice that the majority of our Catholic churches and cathedrals, past and present, in one way or another bear the name of our Lady or of one of the mysteries of her life (Immaculate Conception, Annunciation, Assumption, etc.) — that the majority of our Catholic places of worship are primarily under her patronage. While one could simply ascribe this to the tremendous devotion that Catholics have expressed to the Blessed Virgin Mary from the earliest centuries of the Church’s history, there is in fact a more specific theological basis for associating the Mother of God
By JAMES MONTI , Latest

RESTORING THE SACRED . . . Glimpses Of Catholic Life From The 1950s

The history of our Catholic faith that has spanned nearly 2,000 years is an unending story of the loving Providence of God in the lives of countless souls. This story has been preserved and handed down to us in many forms, from stone carvings and artwork to medieval manuscripts. In more recent times, the advent of periodicals, facilitated by the development of the printing press, introduced a new means of recording key moments in the life of the Church as well as the legacies of individual Catholics who by their examples of faith and courage have left an enduring mark

sunday sermonsFr. robert altier

Fr. ROBERT ALTIER

Sunday Sermon for March 30, 2025, The Fourth Sunday Of Lent, Year C

Readings: Josh. 5:9a, 10–12; 2 Cor. 5:17–20; Luke 15:1–3, 11–32 By Fr. ROBERT ALTIER In the Gospel reading today, we hear the beautiful story of the love of a father whose son took half of everything the father owned and squandered it all. The young man came to his senses, only after he had descended about as low as one can imagine, and decided to go back to his father’s house and offer himself to be a hired hand. He knew the gravity of what he had done and realized he no longer deserved to be called the son of

A Leavan In The World

By Fr. KEVIN CUSICK , FR. KEVIN CUSICK

A Leaven In The World . . . Lent, Ben Sasse, And Memento Mori

Lent is upon us once again and with it another opportunity for grace and conversion. This most penitential season begins on Ash Wednesday with the stern admonition, “Meménto, homo, quia pulvis es, et in púlverem revertéris.” “Remember, man, you are dust.” “Remember, man, you will die.” For many public figures on the internet it has become fashionable to sport the ashen cross on the forehead each year as Lent begins. It adds a note of seriousness or gravitas, I suppose, to their blog videos and internet feeds. Ben Sasse is dying. As are we all.
FR. KEVIN CUSICK

Faith In Florida

A Leaven In The World . . . A generous brother priest volunteered to cover my Sunday Masses once this month. Freeing up the weekend enabled me to connect weekdays of two adjoining weeks resulting in a more generous period for a drive to Florida where my father and extended family now reside in the Space Coast area. Two brothers are retired there and nieces are marrying and transitioning there. One of these, with her husband and two baby boys, lives blocks from the Atlantic Coast. As well, my father had long nursed plans to transition to

Powerful: Cardinal Burke's Lenten prayer for America

HOMILIES

Mgr. Pope

On The Role Of The Angels At The Second Coming

By Mgr. POPE  The content of this post comes from a series I have been teaching at the Institute of Catholic Culture on the mission of the angels. Angels are ministering spirits mystically present and active throughout creation, in the events of Scripture, in the liturgy, and in our lives. The fundamental source for these reflections is Jean Cardinal Danielou’s book The Angels

SECTION C

Archives is a weekly feature of The Wanderer that features news, articles and commentary over the past 157 years that not only provides a glimpse into the past but sometimes offers interesting insights and sound advice for the present.

archives - catechetics

Throw Back . . . The Wanderer Archives Revisited

A Look Back . . . The Wanderer May 19, 1939 .. . . Frequent Confession

By FR. FRANCIS RIPLEY      Paragraph seven of the revised rite of Penance insists that "frequent and careful celebration of this sacrament is also very useful as a remedy for venial sins. This is not a mere ritual repetition or psychological exercise, but a serious striving to perfect the grace

archives -- news

ARCHIVES -- NEWS

World News . . . The Wanderer May 11, 1939

Persecution in the Third Reich         Simultaneously with unverified reports from Rome that German-id Vatican relations are improving, and that an entente may soon be reached, comes news of further Nazi onslaughts against Church, the SCHOOLS DISSOLVED IN THE RHINELAND         April 18, 1939, was a black day for Catholic

archives -- commentary

ARCHIVES -- COMMENTARY

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR . . . The Wanderer May 11, 1939

SURE CURE FOR COMMUNISM Editor, THE WANDERER:      Mark Twain once said that every-body talks about the weather but very few try to do anything about it. The same comment might be made about the conversion of America.      We could make many more converts if we would only try
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