As Egypt lurches towards the end of Hosni Mubarak’s regime, one way or another – by “an orderly transition to democratic rule” (as Hillary Clinton delicately puts it), through violent overthrow or simply through the demise of the ailing 82-year-old president – much is unclear. One thing that should not be is that the Muslim […]
At the 38th March for Life, we saw thousands of high school and college students, young seminarians, young religious sisters and families with young children.
I recently had the good fortune to talk with Matt Swaim, producer of EWTN Radio’s Son Rise Morning Show, regarding his first book, The Eucharist and the Rosary: Mystery, Meditation, Power, Prayer (Ligouri Publications, 2010). Shane Kapler: Matt, I know that you entered the Church at Easter, 2005. Tell us about your journey: Matt Swaim: […]
10. NFP is based on scientific fact and modern technology. We’re not talking the “Rhythm Method” here! The rhythm, or calendar, method is the “Model T” of today’s NFP methods, which are based on over 30 years of scientific research on human fertility. 9. NFP users learn more about their bodies and about their fertility. […]
A couple days ago I had great consternation over my kids’ less than virtuous attitudes, tones and dispositions, wondering where it was coming from. Once again I turned inward toward my soul and inquired: “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, help me understand from whence it comes, before I drop-kick them all!” And the “mirror” spoke […]
This week I’ve been reading Christopher West’s Heaven’s Song, an unforgettable reflection on marriage as a metaphor for the perfect union God longs to have with us. When I reached a section called “The Agony and the Ecstasy of Becoming ‘One Flesh,” I was so struck by the boldfaced truth of one passage, I had […]
“Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” The Twelve had witnessed the deep communion that existed between Jesus and his Heavenly Father, and, as holiness does, it attracted them. Seeing that peace that comes from that personal connection, they wanted to be drawn deeper into this very mystical communion. In many ways, […]
Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth, in the new translation becomes, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. This “new” wording represents a return to the Scriptural roots of the text (Luke 2:14) and the angels’ announcement of the Savior’s […]
The other day while I was at the YMCA, a group of mentally disabled adults and their caregivers joined us in the fitness room. It was obvious to me that this was a routine visit for them, because they knew exactly what to do. They found “their” machines, positioned themselves exactly right and waited patiently […]
“It takes no great military expert to predict the results of a war in which large numbers of the solders do not fight, do not even know there is a war on. The officers are essential, and obedience to them is essential. But an army in which only the officers fights is likely to have […]
Over the past few years, as I’ve talked about Catholics and the obligations of citizenship, two quotations have always guided my thinking. The first is from the French writer Charles Péguy. Péguy once said that “Freedom is a system based on courage.” What he meant is this: We’re never truly “free” until we have the […]
Following the Introductory Rites, the next occurrence of change in the people’s parts of the Holy Mass occurs during the Penitential Rite, at the Confiteor, where three changes can be found. In the previous editions of the Missal we would say: I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I […]
Women know what works and what doesn’t. And the Church cares that this knowledge of the concrete that women possess should be brought to bear upon all policy decisions.
There is a natural desire in parents to provide a better life for their children. Indeed, the Apostle tells us that parents ought to lay up for their children (2 Cor 12:14). This is true not only in the material sense, but also in the moral and spiritual — the spiritual in fact being the […]
Take one quick look at the culture and it is easy to see that marriage is in big trouble. There’s a very high divorce rate (somewhere near half of all marriages in America end in divorce), and that rate is improving only because many people are deciding to skip it altogether and simply cohabitate. There […]
There’s a bit of a theological disagreement when it comes to heaven. Some believe we will understand all of life’s mysteries and have all our questions answered there. Others expect that basking in the glory of the Almighty will satisfy all desires. Curiosity will simply not exist. My guess is the latter theory is most […]
Some years ago, I was working on a video documentary for Ford Motor Company about the famous American industrial statistician, W. Edwards Deming, who is credited with transforming Japan’s industrial quality after WWII, and making the Japanese the competitive powerhouse they are today. Quality Control In 1950, Deming had been upset with the quality of […]
Like a lot of other people, I have been very busy this season, and even though I’ve taken time off from my usual homeschooling schedule, I’ve managed to find plenty to keep me just as occupied as usual. I have to watch my use of time, as I sometimes treat it as something that needs […]
If Charles Dickens blogged today, no one would read him. He used too many words. Boomers can have great ideas, but they have to relearn how to write if they want people to read them. Less is more. Long is never read. How can boomers with great ideas learn to sift for gold and shake out […]
NOTE: In order to make this examination of the changes in the people’s parts of Holy Mass easier to navigate, all of the text taken from the Missal will be in italics, while the newly translated text (where changes are found) will be in bold italics. During the Introductory Rites when the priest says The […]
Women today receive mixed messages about what their roles in life should be — we’ve all heard about the “mommy wars,” debates over work vs. home issues, and other gender based issues that top many of today’s headlines. With her book Reclaiming Your Christian Self in a Secular World: A Woman’s Worth (Pleasant Word, October […]
The widespread misunderstanding of “active participation” in the sacred liturgy has undoubtedly been one of the most disruptive forces in Catholic life after Vatican II. It is no surprise, therefore, that this has often been the subject of recent papal instruction. In his 2007 apostolic exhortation on the Eucharist, Sacramentum Caritatis, Pope Benedict XVI said, […]
A popular speaker on theology of the body once received an enthusiastic comment from a fan: “Gosh, I really love your talk on the hygiene of women.” It only took him a moment to realize what she meant to say: “I really love your talk on the genius of women.” While the hygiene of women […]
We enjoy the sport of rock climbing as a family. Because granite cliffs are a bit hard to come by where we live on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, we most often climb at a world-class, indoor climbing gym about 40 minutes from the house. Upon first glance, the gym is an intimidating place. A towering […]
