Category: Catechesis

Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel
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Front Row With Francis: The Journey to Heaven

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by on Dec 01, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, The Shepherd's Voice
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Something heard very often among people is that they will deal with their faith when they are older, when it is time to start a family or when they have more time. Church can wait, prayer can wait, and practicing virtues (especially charity!) can wait. When reading the audience of Pope Francis the Wednesday before […]

You Snooze, You Lose
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You Snooze, You Lose

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by on Nov 29, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith
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Have you ever had one of those days when you just wish God would show up, snap his figures and work miracles? The people of Israel had about 500 years’ worth of days like that, groaning under the oppression of one tyrant after another. The book of Isaiah gives voice to these sentiments: “O that […]

Reflections for Sunday, November 30, 2014
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Reflections for Sunday, November 30, 2014

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by on Nov 26, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Isaiah 63:16-17,19; 64:2-7; Psalm 80:2-3,15-16,18-19; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:33-37) Advent, A Time of Watching, Waiting, and Expectation Be watchful! Be alert! (Mark 13:33) And so Advent begins with the call to be alert. There’s one group of people, however, who don’t need any reminding: children! They […]

A Lovely View of Heaven but I'd Rather be With You
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A Lovely View of Heaven but I’d Rather be With You

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by on Nov 23, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Sunday Reflections
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The Judgment of the Nations (Mt 25:31-46). Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Sunday, November 23, AD 2014 A disclaimer: this story was written in English but with some Italian and Spanish lingo thrown in. Subtitles are included. Pericle Cordani, my paternal grandfather, left his village in northern Italy and journeyed across the […]

Last Judgment
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Last Judgment

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by on Nov 22, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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On the final Sunday in the liturgical year, it is time to remember things that we’d prefer to forget. For starters, we recall that there is an infinite qualitative difference between us and God. He is immortal and infinite. We are not. Each one of us will come to our individual end. But so will […]

Reflections for Sunday, November 23, 2014
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Reflections for Sunday, November 23, 2014

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by on Nov 19, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Ezekiel 34:11-12,15-17; Psalm 23:1-3,5-6; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26,28; Matthew 25:31-46) Jesus Christ, A King Like No Other Whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me. (Matthew 25:40) What do you think of when you think of a king? A regal throne? […]

November: Month of the Dead
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November: Month of the Dead

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by on Nov 15, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith
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“Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!” (Eccl 1:2). So says Qoheleth, the Preacher, the protagonist of the Book of Ecclesiastes, the most unique book in the portion of the Old Testament classified as wisdom literature. As “king of Jerusalem,” the Preacher imparts to the reader his musings on life and death, which to him […]

The Parable of the Talents
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The Parable of the Talents

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by on Nov 15, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith
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I’ve seen it time and time again. Someone decides to seek a better paying job, or pursue and investment strategy, or launch a new business. Invariably some pious person in the parish objects that maybe this is too worldly, that it will be a distraction from Church and family priorities, that one should be satisfied […]

Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel
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Front Row With Francis: An Alphabet for Clerics

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by on Nov 14, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, The Shepherd's Voice
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In the realm of effective written communication, it is essential to first master the basics of grammar before attempting to compose a persuasive essay. Perhaps the first official school lesson most children learn is to recite the alphabet. From there years are spent memorizing and putting into practice the rules of good grammar. Without this […]

Reflections for Sunday, November 16, 2014
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Reflections for Sunday, November 16, 2014

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by on Nov 12, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20,30-3; Psalm 128:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 25:14-30) Creating a Home Life that is Pleasing to the Lord When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls. (Proverbs 31:10) In 1843, American author Nathaniel Hawthorne published a short story called “The Birthmark.” […]

Who Needs Church Buildings?
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Who Needs Church Buildings?

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by on Nov 08, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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As a rebellious teenager, I thought that Catholics should stop wasting their money on expensive churches. We ought to sell them all and buy food for the poor, I argued. Funny thing. Jesus, who cared much for the poor, did not have this attitude. As an adolescent he yearned to spend time in Herod’s sumptuous […]

The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
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The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

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by on Nov 08, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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In high school science class I learned that water is the universal solvent. That is the extent of my scientific knowledge. In geography class I was taught that three quarters of the earth consists of water. And the water we drink today is the same water that the dinosaurs drank millions of years ago. I […]

Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel
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Front Row With Francis: On the Role of the Bishop

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by on Nov 07, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, The Shepherd's Voice
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Pope Francis continued his teaching on the nature of Church with this week’s General Audience. There were a few quotes and themes at the heart of this week’s message. Pope Francis stated early in the audience, “Now, in the power and grace of His Spirit, Christ does not fail to give rise to ministries, in […]

Book Review: <i>The Light is On for You</i>
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Book Review: The Light is On for You

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by on Nov 06, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, On Books
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Confession, also known as The Sacrament of Reconciliation, can be a hard sell, even among Catholics who actively practice their faith. In the Introduction to The Light is On for You: The Life-Changing Power of Confession (The Word Among Us Press), Cardinal Donald Wuerl acknowledges that only “slightly more than 60 percent of practicing Catholics […]

Reflections for Sunday, November 9, 2014
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Reflections for Sunday, November 9, 2014

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by on Nov 05, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Ezekiel 47:1-2,8-9,12; Psalm 46:2-3,5-6,8-9; 1 Corinthians 3:9-11,16-17; John 2:13-22) The Importance of Supporting and Praying for Our Bishops Zeal for your house will consume me. (John 2:17) Imagine a church adorned with marble columns, bursting with colors, gold ceilings, marble floors, walls covered with New Testament scenes, […]

Thinking Liturgically: The Creed
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Thinking Liturgically: The Creed

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by on Nov 04, 2014 in Catechesis, Evangelization, Featured
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When one considers what the most important part of the Liturgy of the Word is, you would think that the proclamation of that word would easily rank in the top slot. I don’t wish to tell my reader they are wrong, but I submit there is something else that is also of the highest importance. […]

What Would You Say to Someone Who Wants to Leave the Catholic Church?
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What Would You Say to Someone Who Wants to Leave the Catholic Church?

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by on Nov 03, 2014 in Catechesis, Evangelization, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith
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I would imagine that no one ever wants to see a loved one walk away from the Church. This scenario plays out more often than naught with the people I speak to on a daily basis. A day doesn’t go by without encountering someone who is Catholic but not practicing. When I recently taught on […]

Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel
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Front Row With Francis: The Visible Church

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by on Nov 01, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, The Shepherd's Voice
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“Though absent from our eyes, Christ our Head is bound to us by love. Since the whole Christ is Head and body, let us so listen to the voice of the Head that we may also hear the body speak.” -St Augustine Continuing his catechesis on the nature of the Church, Pope Francis took this […]

Holiness is For All!
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Holiness is For All!

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by on Nov 01, 2014 in Catechesis, Church Street, Columnists, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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At age 16, I thought that aspiring to holiness was out of the question. If you really wanted to be holy, I thought, you had to be a priest, nun, or brother. And you had to spend your days doing “religious stuff” like praying, preaching, teaching catechism, or serving the poor. But I had developed […]

Reflections for Sunday, November 2, 2014
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Reflections for Sunday, November 2, 2014

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by on Oct 29, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Wisdom 3:1-9; Psalm 23:1-6; Romans 5:5-11; John 6:37-40) Praying And Interceding For Those Who Have Gone Before Us In the time of their visitation they shall shine. (Wisdom 3:7) Have you ever wondered why we bother to pray for those who have already died? After all, they’ve […]

Eight Days a Week
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Eight Days a Week

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by on Oct 25, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Sunday Reflections
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Saint Paul’s letters addressed to the Thessalonians are the oldest New Testament writings.  He wrote them during his second missionary journey, less than 20 years after the Resurrection.   On that journey he entered Europe for the first time and the Macedonian city of Thessalonica was his second stop.  In 1 Thessalonians he praises the members […]

The Radical Rabbi and the Great Commandment
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The Radical Rabbi and the Great Commandment

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by on Oct 25, 2014 in Catechesis, Columnists, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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They are at it again. In this Sunday’s gospel Jesus’ opponents enlist a lawyer to do what lawyers do best- ask a question that puts a person on the hot seat. “Which commandment of the law is the greatest?” (Matthew 22:34-40). If the law consisted in only the Ten Commandments, this would be tough enough. […]

Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, The Joy of the Gospel
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Front Row With Francis: Ezekiel’s Bones and The Church

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by on Oct 24, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, The Shepherd's Voice
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Pope Francis continued his teaching series on the Church, explaining how the Body of Christ is a visible expression of the very life of God. Referring to a passage in Ezekiel, he warned that the mission of this vital, mystical entity is often derailed by the sins of its members. The pope reminded the faithful […]

Reflections for Sunday, October 26, 2014
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Reflections for Sunday, October 26, 2014

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by on Oct 22, 2014 in Catechesis, Featured, Learn & Live the Faith, Sunday Reflections
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Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Exodus 22:20-26; Psalm 18:2-4,47,51; 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Matthew 22:34-40) Loving Others As God Has Loved Us If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate. (Exodus 22:26) Do you have children? If so, you’ve probably thought about what you would do if […]