Thesis: Mission Accomplished...

I can hardly believe it: the thesis is done. After many, many, MANY revisions, my director and reader both signed off on the project this afternoon. An historical and canonical investigation into the Sunday Mass obligation. Chapter four contains a survey of the question: "can a Catholic fulfill his Sunday Mass obligation at a chapel of the SSPX?" I lay out both arguments (pro and con) and then make an argument of my own as to why one cannot. It's amazing all that is involved in dealing with this question: canon 1248 concerning the Sunday obligation, canon 209 concerning the obligation to maintain communion with the Church, canon 11 concerning canonical sanctions only affecting those in full communion, canon 844 concerning communicatio in sacris, canon 28 of the Eastern Code concerning the definition of "Catholic rite," etc. etc. It was an interesting (albeit a long) exercise.

The Thesis is Approved: