“Now after John was arrested, Jesus cane into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:14-15). I had read or heard these words many times before I was struck by the order. Repentance comes before […]
On the heels of this spring’s yet another sighting of Bigfoot, the holy grail for cryptozoologists and the slightly curious worldwide, I experienced my own sighting—this one took place in my mind’s eye, was limited to print, and included just eleven words: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee, O Lord.” Augustine of […]
Some find it hard to accept that God would love some people more than others. That wouldn’t be fair, they say. But God became man. If he did not love some more than others, Jesus wouldn’t be fully human. For human beings have family and friends. While we can do good and even risk our […]
What is truth? Truth conforms to reality. What is reality? One definition is: “the state of things as they actually exist“. That is how we determine truth. During Lent, one of the Gospels that is read each year is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. This was what we would call today, […]
Presented in cooperation with Greg Schlueter and JP2Journey.com: The JP2 Generation Tells Its Story, remembering World Youth Day 2002 and the impact of Pope John II. Part Five, Fr. Chris Singer God’s ways are mysterious and marvelous. I had the great honor of attending World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto. And it was there that […]
Monday, April 4, 2011 marked the 43rd anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s tragic death. Cut down in his prime by an assassin’s bullet, Dr. King’s legacy is one of perseverance, bravery, and sacrifice. He was a man bold to stand against a culture steeped in racism and institutionalized prejudice. He was a man […]
My Mom and Dad are exactly the sort of people you’d love to go on a road trip with. If you happen to be a Benedictine monk. Just kidding, of course. Even Benedictines find Mom and Dad a little austere. Most notorious of their ascetic proclivities is the (in)famous “iron-bladder” straight-through policy. If a trip […]
A few years ago, our pastor talked to us during homily about receiving the Eucharist reverently. He noticed that more and more receive communion than ever before with very few being conscience of the sin in their lives. Fewer are coming to confession, he said, yet are coming up for communion. Sin has taken a […]
Outbreaks of violence in key regions of South Sudan will not block the path to independence, according to a Catholic leader who has called on the government to address the “root causes” of the conflict. Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Adwok Kur of Khartoum highlighted the “large amounts of violent incidents” in South Sudan, which is preparing […]
Sometimes, when a major feast is approaching that requires a lot of preparation, it can be a bit difficult to think past it, to the preparations that are needed for what comes next. But we must not make that mistake with Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday, because, as momentous as the celebration of Easter is, […]
A couple of weeks ago a family friend (we’ll call him John) took me by surprise with an unexpected question, “Do you mind if I go to church with you on Sunday?” Mind? Are you kidding me, I thought. I was thrilled! Then came the next question — one that was entirely predictable but ended up […]
The other day, my three-year-old son observed, “Churches have crosses on them.” I looked up, surprised at the connection he had made. Daringly, I decided to push my luck and asked him, “Why do churches have crosses on them?” Astonished, I heard his answer: “Because it’s a sign. It’s a good sign.” I was partly […]
Let him who is wise understand these things; let him who is prudent know them. Straight are the paths of the LORD, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them. (Hos 14:10) This passage from Hosea reminds me of a lesson my dad taught me when I was in my early teens. I […]
“Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam.” I memorized those Latin words when I was in first grade. Yes, in first grade. I was 6 ½ years old. Those were the first words spoken by an altarboy in response to the priest’s opening words of the Mass. The priest would make the sign of the Cross […]
I was raised in a very small town, roughly 1,000 people all together, even including the surrounding countryside. To say everyone knew everyone would be an understatement! Despite the small size, and the fact that only 50% of the town is Catholic (Lutherans and Methodists make up the rest), my home parish has sent five […]
Presented in cooperation with Greg Schlueter and JP2Journey.com: The JP2 Generation Tells Its Story, remembering World Youth Day 2002 and the impact of Pope John II. Part Four, Statia (Sullivan) Brown Every morning the WYD participants attended Catechetical sessions with hundreds of others to learn more about our Catholic faith. We heard from different cardinals, […]
When we think about God’s voice, do the Old Testament images come to mind? Do we think only about the prophets of old who seemed able to perceive God’s voice directly? That was then; this is now. God doesn’t speak out loud to people anymore. Or does he? Perhaps he doesn’t come swooping down on […]
One of the most comforting feelings that we can experience is a sensation of peace, or even joy, when we pray. For many of us, this feeling was most pronounced at the time when we first made a decision to commit our lives to the Lord. Unfortunately, equally as common is the feeling of dryness […]
Perhaps somewhere out there are women who can completely empty their minds and focus totally on God. I’m sorry to say that I am not one of them — never have been. Just by way of example, there are times I have said an entire rosary and realized at the end of it that my mind […]
Not only does last week’s jihadist rampage against Ethiopia’s Christians highlight the travails Christians encounter wherever Islam has a sizable population, but it offers several insights, including some which should concern faraway, secular nations with Muslim minorities. According to Fox News: Thousands of Christians have been forced to flee their homes in Western Ethiopia after […]
In a recent interview, Father Raymond Abdo, the Provincial of the Discalced Carmelite Fathers in Lebanon, said that the most important thing that can be done for Christians in the Middle East is to help them not to emigrate, because everyone from the East should “bear witness to the Faith in the East.” Speaking to […]
We buried a dear friend today. We’ve known Betty and her husband, Norm for more than 20 years and in the last few months the breast cancer Betty valiantly battled for nearly that same amount of time finally took her life. In the interim, we ended up working together on various projects and committees and […]
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 […]
The “reform of the reform” is afoot and some folks are none too pleased. How’s that for an understatement?! For instance, about fifteen months ago, America Magazine featured an essay by the longtime pastor of St. James Cathedral in Seattle, Fr. Michael Ryan, belittling the new English translation of the Roman Missal; accusing the bishops […]
