“The Immaculate Conception means the restoration of grace once more to the human race,” wrote Fr. H. O’Laverty, author of The Mother of God and Her Glorious Feasts. “The Immaculate Conception…was the long looked-for event in the history of the world, and from this we may really trace all the good things we have received through the sufferings and death of Christ.”

From Mariana Bartold, an excellent essay for today's feast, reprinted with the permission of Catholic Family News.

https://onepeterfive.com/immaculate-conception-mother-god-…/

ICYMI: 16-Year-Old Henry Hickey writes about the opportunities he's had to live his faith through two distinct experiences: missionary activity with the FSSP in Mexico, and helping the Benedictines of Norcia rebuild after the earthquakes in Italy.

If you already saw this one, it's been updated with some beautiful photos from both trips.

https://onepeterfive.com/growing-faith-2017/

"In the discussions prompted by the recent news about the publication in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis (AAS) of two documents pertaining to the interpretation of Amoris laetitia," writes Dr. John Joy, Co-Founder and President of the St. Albert the Great Center for Scholastic Studies, "many people seem to have picked up the idea that the Authentic Magisterium is infallible, as if this were a case of 'Roma locuta est, causa finita est.' But this is not true. Whatever else this recent publication in the AAS may mean, it does not mean that anything has been definitively answered or decided..."

https://onepeterfive.com/authentic-magisterium-religious-s…/

We put out a request for stories of hope and encouragement to finish up the year. Henry Hickey, a homeschooled junior living in Virginia, delivered – with a story that goes halfway around the world and back again.

https://onepeterfive.com/growing-faith-2017/

It debuted at #1300 and change, but The Dictator Pope is now #477 in the Kindle Store.

We are rooting from the sidelines for it to break the top 100. That would send a message in itself.

http://amzn.to/2nzyAGm

Cardinal Müller contiunues to frustrate and defy categorization in his latest interview: "Watch out – if there is a perception given of injustice on the part of the Roman Curia, almost by the force of inertia a movement towards schism could be set in motion, difficult to rein in once started. I believe that the cardinals who expressed the dubia regarding Amoris Laetitia, or the 62 signers of the letter criticizing the Pope, even if their criticisms were excessive, need to be listened to, not dismissed as “Pharisees” or grumpy people."

https://onepeterfive.com/cardinal-muller-want-lead-group-p…/

Did the Archdiocese of Syracuse in Sicily attempt a rapprochement between Catholics and Freemasons? A conference entitled "The Church and Freemasonry: So Close and yet So Far?" raises eyebrows.

https://onepeterfive.com/call-cooperation-catholicism-free…/

The Dictator Pope debuted as a best-seller on the Amazon Kindle store today. It's #1 in Popes & the Vatican, #2 in Catholicism, and #873 in the Kindle Store overall.

It's filled with fascinating information, and is arguably the best summary of this papacy we've yet seen. Today we provide a couple more excerpts of the book and a little additional information:

https://onepeterfive.com/dictator-pope-must-read-book-avai…/

A letter from Pope Francis praising episcopal guidelines that would allow divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Holy Communion in some cases while living in a state of objective grave sin has now been added to the official acts of the Apostolic See, conferring official status on what was formerly considered by many to be merely private communication -- and raising the stakes on the Amoris Laetitia debate significantly.

https://onepeterfive.com/popes-letter-on-argentinian-commu…/

Dr. Robert Fastiggi of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit recently published an article at Vatican Insider hoping to convince critics that the pope already answered the dubia, though indirectly, but certainly in an orthodox way.

Today, we publish the rebuttals of three Catholic scholars who are anything but convinced by Fastiggi's arguments.

https://onepeterfive.com/scholars-repond-to-fastiggi-rejec…/

Just a friendly reminder: tomorrow is First Saturday.

https://onepeterfive.com/fulfilling-ladys-request-importan…/

Francis X. Rocca, journalist for the Wall Street Journal, would like to know what he should ask the pope during Saturday's in-flight presser.

Here's your chance to ask a major journalist to finally ask the pope about the dubia.

https://twitter.com/FrancisXRocca/status/936491604654690305