“Most theologians talk too much. They should pick up a broom and sweep the room. That says enough.” – Mother Teresa After reading today’s Gospel Readings, I could not help but think of Mother Teresa and this quote. To understand why, one would have to imagine that he is in the presence of Jesus […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (1 Samuel 16:1,6-7,10-13; Psalm 23:1-6; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41) Being Faithful and Obedient Servants of the Lord Anoint him, for this is the one. (1 Samuel 16:12) Even from the earliest days, there was a strict hierarchy in every Jewish family. The father was the head of […]
The latest children’s book, penned by a transhumanist, is really going well beyond the reality that we know as human beings. The book, entitled Death Is Wrong, is explained thusly: If you have ever asked, “Why do people have to die?” then this book is for you. The answer is that no, death is not necessary, […]
Out of habit, I still had an extra home pregnancy kit around. When a pink line emerged indicating a positive result, it took my breath away. “Well, okay; here we go,” I thought. I would be 47 and Mark 48 when the baby was due. At ages 50 and 51, we would have a 3-year-old. Our family numbered […]
A single story that brings your child’s heart nearer to God is worth an infinite number of likes and shares on Facebook. Your Internet audience might include any number of people — friends who are already convinced, strangers who will never be convinced, and people who will forget what you said a minute later. Rarely […]
There is certain work of Christian literature written c. AD 190 that tells the story of how Saint Paul baptized a lion. By the power of God Paul tamed the animal, baptized him by immersion, and claimed the creature for Christ. “I, Paul, en route to Jericho, accompanied by two pious women, was confronted by […]
I’m entering a new phase of my life. You know the new phase. The one I’ve been holding off as best I could for as long as I could. The one that includes gigabytes, apps, meta pixels, and data plans. I ordered a smartphone. No, seriously. I did. I ordered a smart phone. For myself. And […]
Beer companies want gay pride on display at St. Patrick’s Day Parades. Coca-Cola wants to save polar bears. Hobby Lobby Stores wants to protect unborn children. While each is exercising corporate social conscience, the one motivated by religious beliefs may be fined $1.3 million per day. President Obama’s contraception mandate, a provision in his health […]
From today’s gospel: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” An interesting choice of words from the Angel Gabriel, “Favor with God”. This has to be where Mary’s fullness of grace comes in because if I was told I had favor with God and then my life went on the […]
Activists from around the country, from pro-life groups to Tea Party Patriots, plan to be on-hand on Tuesday for a rally opposing the HHS mandate as the Supreme Court begins to hear arguments in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Sebelius. “This case has always been about religious liberty. […]
Faith and freedom reinforce one another, each making the other possible.
When a man and woman profess their vows and drive off with a “Just Married” banner, will they find enough service stations down the road to fill their relationship tank and fix what may break down? That’s the kind of question some experts are asking about the support—or lack of it—the Church and the Catholic […]
Some people try to get rich quick by aiming for a $400 million jackpot, and others try to lose weight quick through fad diets. These methods very rarely work even among worldly goals; why would we expect them to work any better in our spiritual lives, where perseverance bears the reward? There is no get […]
This letter is addressed to every physician, scientist, and genetic counselor who believes in a eugenic agenda that targets the unborn specifically because of diagnosed genetic anomalies. It asks a series of penetrating questions that invite thoughtful response, and are not meant to be rhetorical. The first question is: WHO? Who taught you in medical […]
Lent’s a time of introspection. We read Exodus, and watch the Israelites grumbling, even after the amazing things God had done for them (Ex 17:3-7). In them, we recognize ourselves. For many of us, then, Lent is time for the spiritual equivalent of New Year’s resolutions. We set aside work on ourselves for forty days […]
Today’s Gospel from Luke is one many know and love; the parable of the prodigal son. This is a great reading to meditate and reflect on during Lent. I’m not going to ask you if you’ve ever been the prodigal son or daughter. I’m going to ask you this: How many times have you been […]
In spite of an uncertain future, Christians in Syria do not want to leave. This was the message of a local Catholic leader, who said, “We Christians are living in fear, the future is uncertain, but we want to stay in our homeland.” The statement came from the Melkite Greek-Catholic Archbishop of Homs, Hama and […]
Dawn Eden is the author of My Peace I Give You: Healing Sexual Wounds with the Help of the Saints and the 2006 best-seller The Thrill of the Chaste. A victim of childhood sexual abuse, the Catholic convert tells of how getting to know saints who suffered abuse of various kinds has helped in her […]
Pope Francis reflected on the meaning of fatherhood during his weekly General Audience held on the Feast of St. Joseph—the Foster Father of the Lord. The Pope asked all the ‘daddies’ in the crowd estimated at 60,000 to raise their hands and then he shared his special wish for fathers and their children: “Be for […]
One summer afternoon during the Sixties, I watched as pods from another planet grew replacement bodies to invade the human race with duplicate, soul-less creatures. After watching the original version of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, as an eight-year-old, I felt fearful walking around my neighborhood as if there was something out there. Many years later, […]
If you’ve ever been betrayed by a best friend or by someone you loved deeply, remember that Jesus was, too. Judas was a part of Jesus’ inner circle. Jesus called him, chose him, spent every day in his company as they traveled together preaching the good news. At the Last Supper when Jesus instituted the […]
Much has been made of Catholics’ negativism toward Church teaching and practice on marriage as it was reflected in survey results released by several European bishops’ conferences and some U.S. dioceses. The mostly self-selected respondents predictably disagreed with the Church about many things, leading progressive Catholic media to claim this showed the need for change. […]
Despite scientific research finding women using the contraceptive Depo Provera are at higher risk to transmit HIV/AIDS and develop breast cancer, Planned Parenthood plans to widely distribute the injectable to women in Zambia. Abortion advocates are lauding the Zambian governments decision to create, for the first time, a line item within the country’s budget for […]
Dear Anthony, I’m confused, and slightly worried. I recently read an article by a respected Catholic author talking about being married to the person you lose your virginity to, that it is a fact the Bible teaches, and that those who marry someone else are not really married in the eyes of God. It was […]
