by Sister Benedicta Marie, O.C.D. Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles The principle of unity throughout scripture is the Holy Spirit. The Pentecost Sequence, Veni Sancte Spiritus, describes this sanctifying – and therefore unifying – role of the Spirit of Father and Son: Bend the stubborn heart and will; Melt the [...]
One of the most significant fault lines in cultural history opened up in the 16th and 17th centuries, with the emergence of a characteristically modern way of approaching life… Watch and listen to Fr. Barron’s commentary on “Modernity and Morality” Father Barron can be found on the Internet at: Word On Fire CATHOLICISM Please help [...]
“Isn’t the Church against stem cell research?” This question came up more than once from my own friends, family members and regular Church-going Catholics as I was preparing to head to Rome to cover the second adult stem cell conference. It’s a question that highlighted just how much the perception concerning this topic needs to [...]
A few weeks ago I awoke to begin what was likely to be a stressful day. My wife was in the hospital recovering from surgery she had the day before and I wanted to go and see her as soon as the kids were off to school. I was scrambling to get my older son [...]
As a teen, I thought the clergy were supposed to do everything. We laity were just called to pray, pay, and obey. Oh yes, and keep the commandments, of course. The original 10 seemed overwhelming enough. Then I discovered the Sermon on the Mount and nearly passed out. Perhaps this is why many inactive Catholics [...]
The doctrine of Christ’s divinity is the central Christian doctrine, for it is like a skeleton key that opens all the others. Christians have not independently reasoned out and tested each of the teachings of Christ received via Bible and Church, but believe them all on his authority. For if Christ is divine, He can [...]
The Five First Saturdays Devotion Last week we got to know the Prayers of Fatima. Now let’s look at the devotion of the Five First Saturdays. In her July 13, 1917 apparition at Fatima, Mary said: “You have seen hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. It is to save them that God wants [...]
The Five First Saturdays Devotion Last week we got to know the Prayers of Fatima. Now let’s look at the devotion of the Five First Saturdays. In her July 13, 1917 apparition at Fatima, Mary said: “You have seen hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. It is to save them that God wants [...]
On May 13, 2013, we will celebrate the 96th anniversary of the first apparition of Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, to the three young seers at the Cova da Iria in Fatima, Portugal. The children were Lucia de Jesus dos Santos (age 10), Blessed Francisco Marto (age 9) and Blessed Jacinta Marto (age 7). Francisco and [...]
We live in a world that is at times dark and dangerous. The events of this past week in Boston remind us of this sad truth. In a moment all can change; our earthly lives can end. Deadly violence – unlooked for, unexpected, senseless and sudden. That the world is filled with sin, violence and [...]
A few weeks ago I awoke to begin what was likely to be a stressful day. My wife was in the hospital recovering from surgery she had the day before and I wanted to go and see her as soon as the kids were off to school. I was scrambling to get my older son [...]
I gave a talk one Sunday morning to the men’s club of a large Atlanta Methodist church at the request of an old friend. When he asked me to speak to this group months before the talk, I responded with a question which I would ask him repeatedly every time we got together: “They know [...]
For years I have had a strong desire to write about my ever-growing appreciation and love for the Blessed Mother. Growing up as a Baptist, leaving that church as a teenager and living in a spiritual wasteland until I experienced a significant personal conversion in 2005, I never thought about Mary. Since joining the Catholic [...]
by Sister Benedicta Marie, O.C.D. Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles The principle of unity throughout scripture is the Holy Spirit. The Pentecost Sequence, Veni Sancte Spiritus, describes this sanctifying – and therefore unifying – role of the Spirit of Father and Son: Bend the stubborn heart and will; Melt the [...]
They say that the measure of a good children’s book—or a young reader’s chapter book, as the case may be—is that both children and adults find the story compelling, that it stirs within them a desire to be something more than what they already are. Patti Maguire Armstrong’s new book, Dear God, I Don’t Get [...]
When I first found it, I wasn’t even sure what it was. I was going through a trunk of personal items that had belonged to my dad when I ran across a little brown jewelry box. Dad passed away when I was just fifteen; I’d gathered an array of his possessions and kept them tucked [...]
One of the most significant fault lines in cultural history opened up in the 16th and 17th centuries, with the emergence of a characteristically modern way of approaching life… Watch and listen to Fr. Barron’s commentary on “Modernity and Morality” Father Barron can be found on the Internet at: Word On Fire CATHOLICISM Please help [...]
The doctrine of Christ’s divinity is the central Christian doctrine, for it is like a skeleton key that opens all the others. Christians have not independently reasoned out and tested each of the teachings of Christ received via Bible and Church, but believe them all on his authority. For if Christ is divine, He can [...]
There is no shortage of disturbing images in the trial of Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell. The grand jury report is not for the faint of heart. And while I ardently disagree with the decision by most news organizations to – at least initially – not cover the trial, I can still understand why they wouldn’t [...]
“Temptations, discouragement and unrest are the wares offered by the enemy. Remember this: if the devil makes noise, it is a sign that he is still outside and not yet within. That which must terrify us is his peace and concord with the human soul. That which comes from Satan begins with calmness and ends [...]
“What the soul is in the body, let Christians be in the world.” (St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church) Please help us in our mission to assist readers to integrate their Catholic faith, family and work. Tell your family and friends about this article using both the Share and the Recommend buttons [...]
“Bringing a respect for human dignity to practical politics can be a daunting task. There is such a wide spectrum of issues involving the protection of human life and the promotion of human dignity. Good people frequently disagree on which problems to address, which policies to adopt and how best to apply them. But for [...]
As a teen, I thought the clergy were supposed to do everything. We laity were just called to pray, pay, and obey. Oh yes, and keep the commandments, of course. The original 10 seemed overwhelming enough. Then I discovered the Sermon on the Mount and nearly passed out. Perhaps this is why many inactive Catholics [...]
The celebration of the Ascension used to leave me a bit flat. It was clear what Good Friday did for me. And Easter Sunday’s benefits were indisputable. But as for the Ascension, what’s in it for me? Christianity is about a kind of love we call agape or charity. It is love that looks away [...]
He wore steel rimmed glasses and had hair to the middle of his back. The fringe on his buck-skinned jacket bounced as he walked. At least that was the way I was accustomed to seeing Mike as he bopped around town. It was just a few years after Woodstock, and we were all taken with [...]
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