Articles

A Renewed Look at Pastoral Freedom Concerning COVID-19

Refocusing the United States on the Light of Christ

Many states are opening up, no longer mandating face masks for its citizens. Many people may think that this goes against charity or Church teachings. But freedom is aligned with charity, so we can be okay with getting away from focus on … [Read more...]

The Biblical Mariology of Pope Benedict XVI, Part 1

Hail, Full of Grace

“The unique and unrepeatable position that Mary occupies in the Community of Believers . . . stems from her fundamental vocation to being Mother of the Redeemer. Precisely as such, Mary is also Mother of the Mystical Body of Christ, which i … [Read more...]

What Direction Does the Church Give to Homilists?

Every Catholic has an opinion about how homilies ought to be preached. And while such personal observations and insights can be helpful, they do not provide a solid foundation upon which to build a sound understanding of what the substance … [Read more...]

Mother Church, Tota Pulchra

A Call for Ecclesial Communities

In the Gospel of John, we read “Neque vocem ejus umquam audistis, neque speciem ejus visistis” (John 5:37), or “Neither have you heard His voice, nor seen his ‘speciem.’” “Speciem” is defined as “visual appearance . . . splendour, beauty, vi … [Read more...]

The Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Needed Sacrament

Do you often look out over your congregation assembled for Mass, and wonder where and when the majority go to Confession? Do you, bishop . . . priest . . . deacon . . . inform your parishioners regularly that they have an obligation to … [Read more...]

Killed by the Dragon

The Effects of Contraception on Courtship and Marriage

The symbolism and words of the Book of Tobit strike us with surprising clarity, and in the manner of an “emperor with no clothes.” In our modern culture, with its “liberated” way of speaking about sex and sexuality, we have become used to su … [Read more...]

Breastfeeding Does Space Babies and So Much More

Years ago mothers knew that breastfeeding had an impact on their fertility. Why? Because there was an absence of menstruation with frequent breastfeeding. Then along came bottles and pacifiers, strict schedules, and babysitters, and this … [Read more...]

Mother of the Little Bright Lights of the World

Her History and Spirituality

At Medjugorje, Our Lady said that she was completing there what she began at Fatima. Surprisingly, my story follows that same way. This story begins simply at Fatima in 2001 and proceeds to Medjugorje in 2017. In July 2001, I went on a … [Read more...]

John Henry Newman: A Saint for Times of Trial, Conflict, and Crisis

On October 13, 2019, the Church canonized John Henry Newman, the great nineteenth-century convert from Anglicanism to the Catholic Church. Newman’s canonization is a gift from God to a Church that is in need of the wisdom contained in his w … [Read more...]

He Makes the Clouds His Chariot

Preaching the Ascension of Jesus Christ

Forty days after his Passion, Jesus was lifted up and taken from his apostles’ sight by a cloud (Acts 1:9). While the apostles were gazing into the sky, two white-robed men appeared and told them that Jesus had been taken up into heaven ( … [Read more...]

A Cross Like Yours: Perspectives On Infertility

According to the CDC,[1. www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/infertility/index.htm.] about 6 percent of married women in the U.S. between the ages of 15 and 44 fit the medical definition of “infertility,” that is, being unable to conceive a chi … [Read more...]

The Effects of Globalization in the Ivory Coast

A Part-time Missionary’s Impression

In his address to the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences in 2001, John Paul II described globalization as follows: “The globalization of commerce is a complex and rapidly evolving phenomenon. Its prime characteristic is the increasing … [Read more...]

Celibacy as an Asset in Ministering to Married Persons

Celibacy for the Kingdom of God might seem like an obstacle in relating to the struggles of married people, including but not limited to spousal conflicts, balancing home and work duties, managing multiple children, and dealing with in-laws … [Read more...]

Some Reflections on the Spiritual Life for the Lockdown

With much of our ordinary life still affected by the lockdown, it can be harder than ever to keep our heart fixed on the Lord and his divine providence. Rather than prayer, spiritual reading, contemplation and encouraging others, we may … [Read more...]

Quod Scripsi, Scripsi: The Life and Legacy of Marvin R. O’Connell

At the end of his recently published posthumous memoir, Father Marvin O’Connell quotes the words of Pontius Pilate from Scriptures. “Even though I too can write Quod scripsi, scripsi, my trouble is not the same as Pilate’s. My trouble has to … [Read more...]