MIND OF THE CHURCH

God cannot deny Himself,

nor can truth ever be in opposition to truth...

Either the dogmas of faith

are not understood and explained

in accordance with the mind of the church

or unsound views are mistaken for

the conclusions of reason.

- First Vatican Council

Hi! I'm Joanne Baker, a mother of 9 whose passion is

studying the Summa

Theologiae of St.

Thomas Aquinas...

more.

When Magisterium Errs: 'Obsequium Religiosum'

'Nulla Salus' Pt. 1: No Salvation Outside the Church

Mary Co-redemptrix - Is the Title Traditional?

What (you didn't know) Vatican II Said About the Sacred Liturgy

Vatican II: The Tumult and the Hermeneutics

Responding to Tyrannical Rule - St. Aquinas

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Joanne Baker

Oct 84 min read

Personal Blog

How to Say 'Sorry'

Here is one practical way to cooperate with divine grace in order to repent and amend our lives, and to heal our relationships.

7 views

Joanne Baker

Sep 204 min read

Morality

But is it 'Disobedience'?

Non-compliance or Disobedience? A conversation with my students might go something like follows, Socratic style...

12 views

Joanne Baker

Jul 216 min read

Magisterium

Dissent or Defense of the Truth?

When does our defense of the truth become the sin of dissent against magisterial teaching?

10 views

Joanne Baker

Jul 147 min read

Magisterium

When Magisterium Errs: 'Obsequium Religiosum'

Of the three categories of magisterial teaching, one is not protected by the promise of infallibility, and may therefore err.

19 views

Joanne Baker

Jul 125 min read

Morality

Modesty Guidelines

Three feminine standards of modesty in dress to aid you in adopting your own standard.

51 views

Joanne Baker

Jun 215 min read

Sacraments

What Makes A Mass Better?

There are various respects in which one Mass can be compared to another. Here are some questions we might ask.

14 views

Joanne Baker

Jun 213 min read

Sacred Liturgy

Can We Think a Mass is Better?

Is it a sin of vainglory and pride to think that one form of worship is better than another? What would better mean?

14 views

Joanne Baker

May 273 min read

Anthropolgy

What’s Wrong with Feminism?

What is wrong with feminism? It comes down to one word: teleology.

34 views

Joanne Baker

Apr 2612 min read

Aquinas

Cut off from Christ Pt. 2: Schism

How does one judge whether we are fighting evil or legitimate authority? It is the difference between virtuous fortitude and schism.

38 views

Joanne Baker

Mar 610 min read

Morality

Cut Off from Christ Pt. 1: Heresy

Can a pope become a heretic and therefore be outside of the Church? Formal manifest heresy, excommunication, and pride.

16 views

Joanne Baker

Feb 1311 min read

Morality

'Nulla Salus' Pt. 2: Outside the Church

How one can be united to Christ without being a visible member of His Church: Suprema Haec Sacra

9 views

Joanne Baker

Feb 135 min read

Magisterium

'Nulla Salus' Pt. 1: No Salvation Outside the Church

This dogma must be understood in that sense in which the Church herself understands it. For, it was not to private judgments that Our...

25 views

Idolatry in the Vatican? An Exercise in Judgment

Joanne Baker

Jan 247 min read

The Pope

Idolatry in the Vatican? An Exercise in Judgment

It is a sin to judge people rashly or without authority, so what do we do when faced with a situation like the pachamama in the Vatican?

27 views

Joanne Baker

Nov 14, 20191 min read

Magisterium

Capital Punishment: Change in Doctrine?

The Catholic Church has traditionally taught that it can be justified. Now the Pope says it is an intrinsic evil...

53 views

Joanne Baker

May 6, 20191 min read

My Published Articles

Is It Virtuous to Criticize the Pope?

When is it virtuous to criticize someone, especially one to whom we owe reverence? We look at the Thomistic moral principles.

103 views