He called me “keeper of the flame.” Assigned as the parish sacristan, I remember receiving guidance from the pastor. Among the instructions was that I should be mindful of the sanctuary candle, seek to keep it burning — transfer the flame to … [Read more...]
Spies, Siberia, and the American Connection: Divine Mercy after St. Faustina Died
What happened after St. Faustina died of tuberculosis in 1938? While many know the general story of the saint’s life, few know of the events involved in spreading the Divine Mercy message after her death. In fact, these involved war and e … [Read more...]
The Triumph of Our Lady
September 29, 2025 by Fr. Dominic Verner, O.P.
The Christians were outnumbered; the odds were stacked against them. The sea was speckled with great ships and gleaming swords. The Ottoman armada had assembled, come to conquer the Christian world. It was around this time of year, some 450 … [Read more...]
Questions Answered – September 2025
August 29, 2025 by Rev. John P. Cush, STD
The “Great Schism”: What Happened and Why? Question: Dear Father Cush, why did the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church split? What does the Catholic Church teach about receiving the Sacraments in the Orthodox Churches? Answer: The … [Read more...]
Book Reviews – September 2025
August 29, 2025 by Book Reviews
Preaching to a Divided Nation: A Seven-Step Model for Promoting Reconciliation and Unity. By Matthew Kim and Paul Hoffman. Reviewed by Randall Woodard. (skip to review) A Concise Introduction to Bernard Lonergan, S.J. By Rev. John P. C … [Read more...]
Corpus Christi: The Original Eucharistic Revival
May 29, 2025 by Jason Openo
At the height of his power and prestige in 1215, Pope Innocent III called the Fourth Lateran Council to put forth reforms to root out the weaknesses and wickedness of the clergy.[1. Derek Holmes and Bernard W. Bickers, A Short History of … [Read more...]
Remembering More
May 29, 2025 by Fr. Anthony Hollowell
Many people remember Thomas More as a martyr for his disagreement with King Henry VIII, but the theological principle under dispute is often misremembered. This recurring amnesia inspired the historian E. E. Reynolds to answer one essential … [Read more...]
The Restoration of the Permanent Diaconate After the Second Vatican Council
Significance and Implementation in the United States
April 30, 2025 by Rev. John P. Cush, STD
The Second Vatican Council marked a pivotal moment in the life of the Catholic Church, not only for its aggiornamento, but also for its ressourcement — the return to the sources of Scripture and the early Church. One fruit of this t … [Read more...]
Questions Answered – March 2025
February 21, 2025 by Rev. John P. Cush, STD
Do Anglicans Believe in the Real Presence? Question: Dear Father Cush, thank you for answering the question about what the Lutherans believe concerning the Real Presence of Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist. Surely, the Episcopal … [Read more...]
Book Reviews – February 2025
January 27, 2025 by Book Reviews
Liturgical Hermeneutics of Sacred Scripture. By Marco Benini. Reviewed by Fr. Vien V. Nguyen, SCJ. (skip to review) Theology as an Ecclesial Discipline: Ressourcement and Dialogue. By Archbishop J. Augustine Di Noia, O.P. Reviewed by … [Read more...]
The Eucharist and the Call to Witness
A Biblical Reflection on the Sacraments of Initiation
November 27, 2024 by Fr. Michael McGourty
Every year the Biblical readings that are proclaimed in the Church’s liturgy throughout the Lenten and Easter seasons recount the dramatic transformation that takes place in the lives of Christ’s first disciples and followers as they wit … [Read more...]
Book Reviews – December 2024
November 27, 2024 by Book Reviews
Rethinking Cooperation with Evil: A Virtue-Based Approach. By Fr. Ryan Connors. Reviewed by Fr. Joseph Briody. (skip to review) John Tracy Ellis: An American Catholic Reformer. By Thomas J. Shelley. Reviewed by Fr. Ryan Connors. (skip to … [Read more...]
Questions Answered – November 2024
October 24, 2024 by Rev. John P. Cush, STD
Understanding Heresies: Their Nature and History Question: Dear Father Cush, I was the person who asked if there were any Trinitarian theology before the First Council of Nicaea. Thank you for your very thorough answer last month, but I am … [Read more...]
Notes on a Catholic Ecumenical Perspective of the Sacramental Life of the Church
September 27, 2024 by Eduardo Echeverria
Paper presented at a bi-annual meeting of Evangelicals and Catholics Together, of which I am a member, June 5, 2023, Colorado Springs. If anyone says that these seven sacraments are so equal to one another that one is not in any way of … [Read more...]
Questions Answered – October 2024
September 27, 2024 by Rev. John P. Cush, STD
The Trinity and Valid Baptism Q: Dear Father Cush, My coordinator of faith formation accepted someone who was a Mormon as a “candidate” for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults in our parish program. As the pastor of the parish, I ha … [Read more...]
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