Archives for December 2019

Homilies for January 2020

For Mary, Mother of God, both the Epiphany and Baptism of the Lord, January 19, and January 26. Mary, the Mother of God – January 1, 2020   Readings: Num 6:22–27 • Gal 4:4–7 • Ps 67:2–3, 5–6, 8 • Lk 2:16–21   usccb.org/bible/rea … [Read more...]

The Eucharist as Source and Summit of Evangelization in the Recent Magisterium

“Yes, if only I am lifted up from the earth, I will attract all men to myself.”[1. Jn 12:32. All Scriptural quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the Knox Translation of the Bible.] In recent decades, the Church’s Magisterium has rep … [Read more...]

Understanding the Vatican’s Document on Gender Theory and Education

I’ve been trying to keep up with the diverse array of responses to the release of “Man and Woman He Created Them,” the Vatican’s new document addressing gender theory and education. Predictably, liberal Catholic news outlets have criticized … [Read more...]

Boredom, Ordinary Time, and God’s Gift of Himself

It is routine to hear people good-heartedly mock the reasonableness of the Church’s liturgical calendar “celebrating” “Ordinary Time.” To celebrate ordinariness is a true curiosity within Western culture, because its members routinely seek e … [Read more...]

Suicide Prevention in Youth

The severity of the mental health crisis in American youth has been clearly documented again by the shocking research reported in the Wall Street Journal that over the ten year period 2007 to 2017 the suicide rate among people ages 10 to 24 … [Read more...]

Review: Pope Francis: The Legacy of Vatican II

Pope Francis: The Legacy of Vatican II (Revised and Expanded Edition) by Dr. Eduardo J. Echeverria (Hobe Sound, FL: Lectio Publishers, 2019) 456 pages No one who has paid even the least amount of attention could fail to conclude that, … [Read more...]

No-Fault Divorce, Standing for Justice

Parish Priests and Divorce If a devastated woman approaches her pastor because she learned her husband committed adultery, the pastor might advise that she should hire a good divorce lawyer. When a faithful husband with four children tells … [Read more...]

Questions Answered for December 2019

What Are Cardinals? Question: There has been a lot of controversy in the Church in the last year about how Theodore McCarrick could have risen to the rank of cardinal. What is the function of the College of Cardinals? Answer: Though … [Read more...]

Book Reviews – December 2019

The Girl Who Learned How to Kneel: The Story of Etty Hillesum By Patricia McCarthy. Reviewed by Magdalena Randal. (skip to review) The Bible and the Gospel: The Meaning of Scripture — From the God Who Speaks to the God Made Man By L … [Read more...]