By Vatican Media Pope Francis Fulfills St. John Paul’s Dream with Visit to Iraq Pope Francis’ visit to Iraq March 5-8 was the realization of a dream first envisioned by St. John Paul II in 1999. Invited by the Iraqi government and Christian churches, Pope Francis is the first successor of St. Peter to visit [...]
By Bishop Earl Boyea “The Word of God is at work in you who believe.” This Scripture text from the first Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians affirms a fundamental truth and teaching of the Catholic Church – the word of God is alive here and now, it is active in you and in the [...]
By Joe Pisani I recently learned about a popular trend in America called “virtue signaling,” which is described as “the habit of indicating that one is virtuous merely by expressing disgust or favor for certain political ideas. It is acting morally superior and claiming the moral high ground.” Virtue signaling is everywhere. People go to [...]
Archbishop Leonard P. Blair As a seminarian many years ago, both philosophy and theology had pride of place in the curriculum of those being prepared for the priesthood. However, the classical philosophy that had been part of priestly training began to give way to new currents of thought in the wake of the Second Vatican Council [...]
After the Easter eggs are found and the chocolate is gone, we need to ask ourselves some serious questions during this Easter season, which does not end until Pentecost. Do I realize Jesus died for me so I might have eternal life with him? Do I realize he bore all that sin and horror and [...]
By Peter Burak Prayer is one of the few things in life that has been thoroughly and exhaustingly analyzed and yet remains utterly mysterious. Tomes have been written, cathedrals have arisen and monks have done monk things, and yet we still largely have very little idea of what we’re actually doing. Certainly, overly simplistic phrases [...]
By Sister Janet Schaeffler, OP, and Father Charles Irvin The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the bedrock fact of our faith. It is the heart of the Good News about Jesus. The Easter triduum, which marks the end of Lent, begins at the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper and spans three [...]
Courtesy of The National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, Stockbridge, Mass. Going to Confession is not the only way we should prepare ourselves for Divine Mercy Sunday. As Cardinal Francis Macharski, then Archbishop of Cracow, Poland, explains in a 1985 pastoral letter, we are not simply called to ask for God's mercy with trust. We [...]
By Jim Berlucchi Gossip is as old as the hills (or at least since the fall of our first parents), universal and apparently enjoyable. Since every action is aimed as some perceived good, let’s first consider the various rewards of gossip. For the gossiper, the delights include ego satisfactions such as: feelings of superiority, the [...]
By Cynthia Kaan With the pandemic and its restrictions lasting much longer than anticipated, your social life may feel nonexistent. How do you meet new people, much less date, when there are limits on who you can see and when and where you can meet? Here are a few ideas. Utilize online dating apps. CatholicMatch.com is [...]