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...]
Magazine
Mother Church, Tota Pulchra
A Call for Ecclesial Communities
May 20, 2021 by Samantha Mattheiss
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...]
Book Reviews – May 2021
May 20, 2021 by Book Reviews
Under Siege: No Finer Time to be a Faithful Catholic. By Austin Ruse. Reviewed by Matthew Kappadakunnel. (skip to review) Retrieving Augustine’s Doctrine of Creation. By Gavin Ortlund. Reviewed by Fr. Stephen Rocker. (skip to r … [Read more...]
The Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Needed Sacrament
May 7, 2021 by Deacon James Stagg
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
May 7, 2021 by Dr. Gintautas Vaitoska
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
May 7, 2021 by Sheila Kippley
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
May 7, 2021 by Fr. Stanley Smolenski, SPMA
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
May 7, 2021 by Dr. Peter Kahn
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
May 7, 2021 by Br. Branden J. Gordon
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...]
Questions Answered – May 2021
May 7, 2021 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: Why do priests hear confessions during Mass? Doesn’t this detract from the spiritual involvement in all the aspects of the sacrifice? Answer: The questioner seems very upset that two sacraments are going on at the same time and … [Read more...]
Homilies for May 2021
April 22, 2021 by Fr. Benjamin Roberts
For the Fifth Sunday, Sixth Sunday, and Seventh Sunday of Easter, Ascension Thursday, Pentecost Sunday (May 23), and the Solemnity of the Trinity (May 30) Fifth Sunday of Easter – May 2, 2021 Readings: Acts 9:26–31 • Ps 22:26–27, 28, 30, … [Read more...]
A Cross Like Yours: Perspectives On Infertility
April 22, 2021 by Mary C. Tillotson
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
April 22, 2021 by Br. Dain Scherber
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
April 22, 2021 by Matthew Kappadakunnel
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...]
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