The distance between our humanity and the divinity of God is so incomprehensible that to begin to try and imagine this distance through the eyes of faith, is to catch a glimpse of the unfathomable power of God, and immensity of his love for … [Read more...]
Magazine
The Solemnities of June
Corpus Christi and the Sacred Heart of Jesus
June 13, 2015 by Stephanie A. Mann
This June is a very solemn month. There are six solemnities on the liturgical calendar: Pentecost Sunday, Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, and Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles. … [Read more...]
Pope Francis and the Just Third Way
June 13, 2015 by Michael D. Greaney, CPA, MBA
This article is now available in Spanish and Spanish-English PDFs. Pope Francis faces many challenges in his efforts to modernize the application of Catholic social doctrine to today’s problems, particularly the growing global wealth, i … [Read more...]
Peter, Mary, and the Cross
An Examination of the Ecclesiology of Von Balthasar’s Dialectic
June 13, 2015 by Paulino Forte
Hans Urs von Balthasar has proposed that a dialectic, or “reciprocal relationship,” exists between the objective and subjective holiness of the Church—represented by the persons of Peter and Mary—which he associates with its institutional an … [Read more...]
Preaching the Homily and the New Evangelization
June 13, 2015 by Deacon Peter Lovrick
Preaching in all its forms is indispensable to the Church’s mission given to her by Jesus Christ: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching the … [Read more...]
On Understanding Priestly Celibacy: A Suggestion
June 13, 2015 by Fr. James Swetnam, SJ
Discussion has recently arisen about priestly celibacy in the Catholic Church. Such discussion is not new. This time the discussion involves a pope, Pope Francis. The discussion springs from an interview with Eugenio Scalfari (published in … [Read more...]
Prayer As Bedrock for Service
June 13, 2015 by Carolyn Humphreys, OCDS
Although prayer and service have many splendors within Christianity, one cannot exist without the other. Prayer is spiritual respiration to the soul, which oxygenates Christian service. Pope John XXIII said, “Perfume all your actions with t … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
Interpreting the Book of Job; Spiritual Communion: what it is, and what are its benefits.
June 13, 2015 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: One of the more problematic books in Scripture is the Book of Job. Many Scripture scholars find it impossible to interpret. Is there some interpretation which might see a unifying theme? Answer: The Book of Job occupies a … [Read more...]
Homilies for June 2015
May 31, 2015 by Rev. Joseph C. Klee
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)—June 7, 2015 The Marian Component to the Eucharist Purpose: The connectedness of the Blessed Mother Mary to her divine Son was seen throughout their earthly lives. T … [Read more...]
On the Gift of Laughter
May 31, 2015 by David Vincent Meconi
One of the oldest jokes for which we have evidence goes something like this: A slave owner returns to the man who had just sold him his most recent purchase. “That slave you sold me last week just died.” The man who sold him replied: “Hey, … [Read more...]
The Beauty That Beckons Us
An Introduction to the Theology of Fr. John Navone, S.J. (Part 2)
May 31, 2015 by Dr. Eric Cunningham, PhD
(As HPR’s way of honoring the lifelong work of our brother Jesuit, Fr. John Navone, S.J., we are running an essay in two parts by Gonzaga University’s Dr. Cunningham. See the previous issue for Part One.) Part Two Conversion John Nav … [Read more...]
Theology of the Body: Insights for the Synod on the Family
May 31, 2015 by Dr. Peter Kahn
Introduction The upcoming Synod of Bishops on the Family, in October 2015, faces a huge challenge. The preparatory document for the synod reminded us that many families find themselves crushed and abandoned. [1. Holy See, "The Vocation … [Read more...]
The Meaning of the Wilderness
May 31, 2015 by Juliana Weber
It is characteristic of God in Scripture to lead chosen people into the isolation and barrenness of the wilderness or desert.[1. One author calls it “one of the most basic in biblical tradition, and it is to be expected that it should a … [Read more...]
The Thrill of Anticipation: Encountering God in the Eucharist
May 31, 2015 by Sr. Teresa Benedicta Block, OP
How Previous Ages have seen the Eucharist At one point during the Communist takeover in China, the Communists came to a remote village where Catholicism was lived with great vigor. They imprisoned the local priest in his own rectory, … [Read more...]
Summer Reading for June 2015
May 31, 2015 by Book Reviews
Our Father, Who Art on Earth: The Lord’s Prayer for Believers and Unbelievers. Jose Tolentino Mendonca, with a Foreword by Enzo Bianchi. (Mahwah, New Jersey/New York: Paulist Press, 2012) 114 pages; $14.95. (Reviewed by Brandon H … [Read more...]
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