In his Apostolic Letter Le Voci of March 19, 1961, the “Pope of St. Joseph,” St. John XXIII, invoked that saint as the Patron of the Second Vatican Council. Shortly after the beginning of that Council, he inserted the name of St. Joseph int … [Read more...]
Magazine
Jesus, the Flowing and Living Water of “Yhwh”
A Biblical Reflection of the Relation Between Ez 47:1-12 and Jn 5:1-16
March 11, 2015 by Fr. Dempsey Rosales Acosta, SSL, STD
This essay is a theological reflection of two biblical passages and their implicit allusions in matters of theology and Christian spirituality. The first episode is taken from Ez 47:1-12, concerning the pericope of the stream of water that … [Read more...]
What Is the Spirit Saying through Pope Francis?
March 11, 2015 by Fr. Michael Najim
When I was in seminary, I learned in moral theology the importance of avoiding moralistic preaching. In short, moralistic preaching is when a priest simply states the rules. For example: a priest preaches that abortion is wrong and sinful; … [Read more...]
A Due-Process Compliant Pathway to Restore Constitutional Fetal Personhood and Reverse Roe v. Wade
March 11, 2015 by Philip Rafferty
“The power of the modern state {including one of its arms, such as its highest court} makes it possible for it to turn lies into truth by destroying the facts which existed before, and by making new realities to form what until then had b … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
March 11, 2015 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Pope John XXIII was recently canonized, but I have read that he allowed documents to be produced saying that Jews were Christians to save them during World War II. Is this not a lie? A father of teenagers recently tried to get me to … [Read more...]
Homilies for March 2015
February 24, 2015 by Rev. Ray E. Atwood
Second Sunday of Lent—March 1, 2015 The Transfiguration Purpose: This Sunday’s readings focus on the idea of sacrifice. Abraham offers the greatest sacrifice of thanksgiving possible, his only son Isaac. This sacrifice prefigures the sac … [Read more...]
Revisiting the Rabbits
February 24, 2015 by David Vincent Meconi
He said it. I wish he hadn’t said it, but he said it: “God gives you methods to be responsible. ... Some think that—excuse the word—that in order to be good Catholics, we have to be like rabbits. No.” Pope Francis’ unguarded line about an un … [Read more...]
Sacrificing Priests on the Altar of Insurance
February 24, 2015 by David A. Shaneyfelt and Joseph P. Maher
Fr. Bob (that’s what we’ll call him) was a faithful parish priest for more than 25 years. One day, a process server showed up at the rectory door and handed him a summons and complaint. The complaint alleged that some 20 years earlier he had … [Read more...]
“We Will Be Judged by Love”—and Other Insights of Jorge Bergoglio
February 24, 2015 by Eduardo Echeverria
We are still trying to figure out the thought of Pope Francis. Examining several insights in his collection of writings and talks, entitled, Only Love Can Save Us, will help. Embedded in letters, homilies, and talks he wrote between 2005 … [Read more...]
What Does Authority Have to Do with Religion?
February 24, 2015 by Fr. John M. McDermott, SJ
“Authority” is generally used as a derogatory term in our world. Nazism gave the word a bad name as German officials, one after another, at the Nuremburg war trials sought to excuse themselves by claiming that they were just obeying a hig … [Read more...]
Jansenism and Ireland
February 24, 2015 by Fr. Brian Van Hove, SJ
Too often, writers claim that classic Irish religious culture was “Jansenistic,” or pessimistic, and that Ireland was nothing more than an island with a dark and dreary religious history. Harsh critics point to the recent “scandal” in Galway … [Read more...]
Winter Reading for February 2015
February 24, 2015 by Book Reviews
Masters of Preaching: More Poignant and Powerful Homilists in Church History, Vol. 2. Ray E. Atwood (Lanham, MD: Hamilton Books/University of America Press, 2014) xiv + 469 pages. (Reviewed by Fr. David Vincent Meconi, … [Read more...]
An Open Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church
February 22, 2015 by HPRweb.com
The following letter was sent in by a reader in response to several articles on HPR, like "Sacrificing Priests on the Altar of Insurance" and "Accusations against Priests: The Need for More Justice and Psychological Science". As with all … [Read more...]
Rediscovering Preaching within the Liturgy of the Hours
February 12, 2015 by Colleen R. Vermeulen
For most Catholics in the United States, the terms “homily,” “sermon,” and “preaching” nearly exclusively evoke the occasion of a priest or deacon preaching as part of Mass.[1. The use of the specific terms, “homily,” “sermon,” and “preachin … [Read more...]
Reclaiming the Fifth Way
February 12, 2015 by James Iovino
“New Atheists” such as Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Sam Harris utilize evolution’s supposed purposelessness to cast doubt upon God’s existence, and draw atheistic conclusions about morality, ethics, and human nature.[1. See, for exam … [Read more...]
Recent Comments