Return to The Reign of Mary No. 199
The Reign of Mary
No. 199: Letter from the Editor
February 24, 2026
St. Matthias, Apostle
Dear Friends in Our Lady,
Praised be Jesus and Mary. When we speak of the errors of Vatican II, the topic is normally on the doctrinal errors, which are truly egregious. But just as serious, if not more so, are the changed morals which that infamous council engendered. In short, the council effectually re-defined and minimized sin.
After the Second Vatican Council, confession became practically obsolete. Personal sin was minimized; whereas now the focus was on “social” sin—harming the “community.” Do you recall “Pope” Benedict XVI coming out with a new list of seven capital sins, including such things as damaging the environment? No longer was there a concern about sins which are known only to the sinner and God. “Pope” Francis even went so far as to say that the sins against the sixth commandment are the least serious of sins! Along with re-defining sin came an explosion in marriage annulments. “Pope” Paul VI in the late 1960s allowed – for the first time ever – justification for annulments based on what I would call psychological reasons. Such grounds were allegations such as the following: “The couple didn’t fully know what they were getting into; they weren’t fully mature; they weren’t adequately prepared for the challenges of marriage” etc. Especially in this country, annulment requests were rarely turned down, resulting in numerous adulterous unions.
Recently, someone asked me what I think is the greatest problem in our country and in the world today. My answer was simple: SIN. It is sin that caused the terrible Passion of Our Lord, and it is serious sin, and serious sin alone, that causes souls to be cast into hell forever. The penance of Lent is meant, more than anything else, to help us overcome sin in our lives. Especially by meditating on the Passion of Christ we can come to a better understanding of how hateful sin is to Almighty God and how important and necessary is amendment of life.
During this Lent, let us do penance, but let us do it for the right reason – for the love of God, in atonement for sin and to help us once for all to conquer sin. Meditation on the Passion of Christ, what Jesus suffered for love of us, will help us to be generous in performing our sacrifices. Let us also meditate during Lent on the sorrows of Our Blessed Mother, who, although utterly sinless, suffered so much because of our sins.
Jesus said to His apostles on the night of the Last Supper: “You shall have sorrow, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.” We see this especially in Our Blessed Mother, the co-redemptrix whose soul was pierced by the sword of sorrow. Yet what a joyful Easter that was when she beheld her Son, risen from the dead! Our joy at Easter will also be great, if we spend Lent as we should. May you all experience a most joyous Easter, which is a harbinger of the everlasting joy which God has prepared for those who love and serve Him.
In Jesus and Mary,
Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI (Email)