“Let us rejoice then and give thanks that we have become not only Christians, but Christ Himself. Do you understand and grasp, brethren, God’s grace toward us? Marvel and rejoice: we have become Christ.” This exuberant declaration, bold bordering on outrageous, comes not from some starry-eyed New Age huckster, but from a pillar of Catholic […]
The Scripture readings for this week remind us of the value of life. Psalm 54 emphasizes “The Lord upholds my life.” God is the author and provider of life. Without God, our heart would never pulse a single beat nor would we ever take a single breath. He alone has the right to choose when […]
In recent weeks, as we’ve celebrated her feast day and the 101st celebration of her birth, we’ve been pondering the life and amazing contributions of a tiny woman who made a huge impact on our world. While the Church refers to her as Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, many of us already believe her to […]
In an attempt to stay plugged in to American culture while I live overseas for 16 months, I have regularly acquainted myself with the Billboard Top 40. Not surprisingly, in reflecting on the love proposed by Humanae Vitae, the concept of faithfulness is glaringly absent from mainstream media and culture. Not that freedom, totality, and […]
Listen to Archbishop Rino Fisichella and at first you might suppose that the new evangelization was a pretty simple affair. Declaring the “path” of evangelization to be clear in Scripture and tradition, he puts it like this: “We are called to renew the proclamation of Jesus Christ, of the mystery of his death and resurrection, […]
Thanks to President Barack Obama’s contraceptive mandate and Catholic concerns about its impact on religious liberty, Catholic women have emerged as this year’s most coveted and scrutinized swing voters. At last week’s Democratic National Convention, they heard copious testimonials about Obama’s pro-woman credentials. Particularly pointed were the appeals from Caroline Kennedy, who invoked her Catholic […]
Kellen Clemens has been playing football as far back as he can remember. After learning the game from his father on their cattle ranch, he went on to set high-school records for the state of Oregon in passing yards and touchdowns. At the University of Oregon, he set single-season passing records and ended his collegiate […]
We recently celebrated the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary. The seed of this feast day was planted in sixteenth-century Spain, and was extended to the universal church in 1683 by Pope Innocent XI, in honor of Sobieski’s victory over the Turks in the siege of Vienna. The Church teaches that, ”This motherhood of Mary […]
Centuries ago, the Syrian Christian Tatian asked, “Why, men of Greece, do you want to cause society to come to blows with us? If I refuse to take part in some people’s normal activities, why should I be hated as if I were utterly loathsome? The emperor orders me to pay taxes; I am ready […]
There is a saying about the Liturgy: “Say the black and do the red,” as written in the missal. Recently the Adoremus Society, which publishes the Adoremus Bulletin, sent out a survey asking for responses about the way the Liturgy is celebrated in parishes around the country, especially after the changes made in 2011. The […]
As we celebrate September, a month dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, we observe three feasts this month that call us into a more devoted relationship with the Blessed Virgin Mary. This month, we celebrate: September 8 – The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary September 12 – The Most Holy Name of Mary September […]
My name is Cheryl. And I am a weakling. That’s the kind of group I want to be in: the kind of group where we each take the stand and own up to who we are—who we really are. Not the avatars we put out in the world through our blogs and our tweets; but […]
Before sharing my story, I must state emphatically that Fr. Benedict’s comments are unconscionable. Child sex-abuse victims are victims. Period. To excuse the culpability of an adult, much less a priest — indeed, to suggest the power, and thus blame, is in the hands of a child — is a catastrophic failure of perspective and judgment, exacerbated […]
Totus Tuus: a brief, yet brilliant play (Christmas morning, eager child poised in front of tree with one large present, puffy-eyed parents on couch clinging to coffee mugs, How Deep Is Your Love plays softly in the background) Child: Can I open it? Mum: Certainly, dear, it’s yours! (child rapidly tears through wrapping paper, exposing […]
Whoever endures to the end will be saved. (Matthew 10:22) For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the LORD—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope. When you call me, and come and pray to me, I will listen to […]
It is ironic that, as a Catholic, the most difficult part of having a chronic health issue isn’t the health issue itself but is the big question: Should I pray for healing…or should I carry my cross? And it is that question that often keeps us spiraling through a journey that is already burdensome and […]
Today, Catholic radio operates in over 200 markets in the U.S. in addition to the Internet and Sirius Radio. But fifteen years ago, the Catholic airwaves were much quieter until a revolution of sorts began in Ann Arbor, MI. The city, home to the University of Michigan, is identified as a seedbed of learning. When […]
When it comes to the Mother of God, the Catholic Church honors Mary with many titles, prayers and devotions. During the liturgical season of Ordinary Time, priests, deacons, seminarians, consecrated men and women and the laity conclude the final hour of the Liturgy of the Hours, Compline (Night Prayer), with a hymn to Mary—the Salve […]
The year was 1967. The Summer of Love. Across America young people adopted a new way of living: “turning on, tuning in, and dropping out.” Love, or something like it, was in the air. But the counter-cultural movement of the Sixties caused much pain and confusion in the Roman Catholic Church. Today we suffer from the hangover: sex and drugs […]
We’ve all had that “ah-ha” moment, right, men? The one where you’re baking a meringue, blaring J-Lo, and you suddenly ask yourself, “Does love really not cost a thing?”. Or, ladies, when you’re working out to The Beatles and, right as you reach your personal chin-up record, it hits you that indeed, money CAN’T buy […]
Long ago, our first house had a growth chart on the inside of a bedroom door. Now and again, we’d line up our three little children and place a ruler atop their heads. Then we’d pencil a line alongside their respective heights, along with the date, and their initials – marking growth over time. Something […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion (Proverbs 9:1-6; Psalm 34:2-7; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58) Opening Ourselves to God’s Heavenly Food Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” (Psalm 34:9) We can all relate to eating. We all know what hunger feels like. We all need to eat in order to survive. But […]
Maybe it comes from watching too many M*A*S*H reruns where Father Mulcahy seemed to be right there whenever a soldier needed him, but I always assumed that our service men and women had easy access to a chaplain whenever they need one. I also assumed they could easily attend regular religious services. But with U.S […]
I recently read an article written by a Protestant about modern worship. The author explored all the new ways, through technology and media, to keep the members interested in the worship service. The article was about how to keep the attendees feeling like they had a good God experience, new songs, new music, new films, […]
