The 2 Books by Cardinal Ratzinger that Will Change Your Life
“Politics is the realm of reason – not of a merely technological, calculating reason, but of moral reason, since the goal of the state, and hence the ultimate goal of all politics, has a moral nature, namely, peace and justice.”
Catholic Countdown: The Top 20 Lists of 2012
The last year was a great one for SPL and the community of listers. From must-know Latin hymns to short stories all Catholics should read, SPL catalogued the best in Catholic thought.
7 Must-Read Quotes from the Pope’s “State of the World” Address
"Rights are often confused with exaggerated manifestations of the autonomy of the individual, who becomes self-referential, no longer open to encounter with God and with others, and absorbed only in seeking to satisfy his or her own needs."
Modern Man Has Lost His Way: 13 Comments on the Western Heritage of Christ and Socrates
"The controversy as to the relations between Pope and Emperor, stripped of its non-essentials, was a controversy as to the end and purpose of life on earth." - J.W. Allen
The Educated Catholic Voter: 10 Lists on the Catholic Citizen
"A kind of cultural relativism exists today, evident in the conceptualization and defence of an ethical pluralism, which sanctions the decadence and disintegration of reason and the principles of the natural moral law." - CDF under Cardinal Ratzinger
“The First Thing We Do, Let’s Kill All the Lawyers” – 3 Prayers for Catholic Lawyers
"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers." Listers, this hackneyed quote is taken from a minor character in Shakespeare's Henry VI. Often quoted in glee and with a smirk, it raises the question of why society enjoys a "good" lawyer joke.
Lust and Our Common Good: 4 Observations by St. Thomas Aquinas
Listers, a portion of St. Thomas Aquinas’ brilliance is attributed to his ability to state that which we all already know but struggle to articulate. The question Is lust a sin? seems absurd, but by asking these questions and answering them in thomistic fullness the Angelic Doctor is able to lead us into profound observations. Similar...
27 Quotes on Politics and Religion by Cardinal Ratzinger
Listers, for a student of Catholic political thought, a collection of politically orientated essays by the ironclad mind of Cardinal Ratzinger – now Pope Benedict XVI – is a Godsend. Values in a Time of Upheaval is a compilation of essays and speeches given by the illustrious Cardinal over the span of several decades. It...
Fear Not Little Flock: All 12 Texts from the Holy Father’s Apostolic Journey to Lebanon
"Through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the Theotókos, I invoke God’s abundant gifts upon all of you with great affection! God grant that all the peoples of the Middle East may live in peace, fraternity and religious freedom! لِيُبَارِك الربُّ جميعَكُم [May God bless all of you!]"
The 3 Part Catechesis on St. Thomas Aquinas by Pope Benedict XVI
"And thus it can be understood that in the 19th century, when the incompatibility of modern reason and faith was strongly declared, Pope Leo XIII pointed to St Thomas as a guide in the dialogue between them."
24 Points from His Beatitude Patriarch Gregory III on the Crisis in Syria (2012)
Listers, the crisis in Syria has escalated to a civil war standards and has claimed the lives of thousands. Amongst those most marginalized by the conflict are our Eastern Catholic brothers and sisters. The spiritual leader for many of those Catholics is His Beatitude Patriarch Gregory III (Laham), Patriarch Of Antioch and All the East,...
The Enchanted Forest: 6 Political Teachings from St. Augustine
Listers, the science of politics is the “noble science,” because it is the highest practical science. Theology- more specifically the Sacred Doctrine of the Catholic Church – is the “Queen of the Sciences.” Understanding her queenly role alongside politics has been the endeavor of many great minds. In the West, political thought can be sketched...
Political Animals and the Philosopher King: 9 Thoughts from Book One of Aristotle’s Politics
In the development of political philosophy, few works have played “such an important role in the social and political life of the Christian West” as Aristotle’sPolitics.
