Tradition and Sanity: Conversations & Dialogues of a Postconciliar Exile

—“This work is a sign of hope.”—BISHOP ATHANASIUS SCHNEIDER

—“This collection comes at a most opportune moment in the life of the Church.”—FR. JOHN HUNWICKE

Tired of the withered fruits of a devastated vineyard, an increasing number of “postconciliar exiles” are making their way, in a pilgrimage of irrepressible curiosity and improbable delight, to the haven of Catholic Tradition—laboring to recover it piece by piece, word by word, rite by rite, chant by chant, devotion by devotion.

Tradition and Sanity brings together a round-table discussion, interviews, and imaginary dialogues exploring the depths and shallows of Catholic liturgy, the lyricism of sacred music (or the lack thereof), the state of the Church as it suffers attack from without and dementia from within, and the revival of traditional beliefs and practices in younger generations turned off by the anti-dogmatic dogmatism of their elders.

Dr. Kwasniewski’s latest book engages especially those who have fallen in love with tradition and are eager for a better understanding of it, as well as those who have barely seen traditional Catholicism and yet, in their search for a beauty that does not disappoint, are already on the way to it.

“Peter Kwasniewski offers a theologically sure and faith-filled view of the nature of the sacred liturgy and its practice while unmasking many deceitful novelties of the liturgical and pastoral life of the Church from the past fifty years. His work is a sign of hope, as proclaimed in the book: ‘The Sun of Justice, the Teacher of Truth, the Word made Flesh has never ceased to shine in the darkness for those who heeded His light, His voice, His Real Presence.’”—+ ATHANASIUS SCHNEIDER, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana

“This collection comes at a most opportune moment in the life of the Church, because the author, in his usual clear and accessible English, goes beyond the field of liturgy into questions such as the limitations of papal power. Rarely has an academic contribution been so relevant to the ordinary Catholic.”—FR. JOHN HUNWICKE

“In this brilliant constellation of interviews, essays, and dialogues, Dr. Kwasniewski graces us with his wit and breathtaking style. Yet those elements merely adorn, encase, and support the gem of his consuming love for Christ the King and the Church, His Bride. The sustained reading of this collection will bear fruits of encouragement and, above all, of renewed commitment to discovering and recovering the healing balms of our precious traditions.”—MICHAEL SIRILLA, Franciscan University of Steubenville

“In these limpid and lively dialogues, Peter Kwasniewski builds a strong case in favor of returning to the old liturgy—not for ‘liturgical’ reasons only, but by showing how the way we live the Sacrifice of the Mass stands at the center and heart of our Christian life in all its dimensions. Yes, his reflections provide a sober glimpse into the crisis in which the Catholic Church is now submerged; but then he rings the bells of a strong faith and a hope in restoration that can be brought forth by even a very small number of true and faithful believers.”—CLAUDIO PIERANTONI, University of Chile

PETER KWASNIEWSKI is a writer and speaker on Catholic Tradition and a composer of sacred music. He taught philosophy, theology, music, and art history at the university level for 20 years.