Author: S&P
Pope Pius XI Was the Silenced Prophet of Peace…
Skip to content Few popes have lived in more perilous times than Pius XI and fewer still have shown as much courage in the midst of peril. There have been many bad popes throughout the history of the Church. Indeed, there have been so many that it is a miracle that the Church has survived them. On the other hand, of course, and thanks be to God, there have been many more good popes than there...
Conservatives deride Trump’s IVF plan as worse than Obamacare contraceptive mandate…
Conservatives in the anti-abortion movement are decrying former President Donald Trump’s proposal to mandate insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization as equivalent to, or worse than, the mandate for contraception coverage under Obamacare. On Thursday, Trump announced he supports federal taxpayer funding and an insurance mandate for coverage of “all costs associated with IVF treatment.” “We wa...
Should a Catholic Attend an Invalid Wedding?
Q. Are faithful Catholics committing a sin by going to a nonpracticing Catholic’s wedding not in the Catholic Church? Also, if they are practicing Catholics, but not getting married in the Catholic Church, are we allowed to attend? I have received different answers from different priests; it is so confusing. — Mary A. There are two questions here: whether the marriages will be valid (i.e., whether...
In Our Labor, We Participate in God’s Plan for Creation…
Our work forms us. It strengthens our character and cultivates our integrity. It deepens our love and gratitude for all that we receive from the grace of God. In my past vocation as a high-school English teacher, I helped students with their college essays and applications. I loved this part of the job. It transported me back to the time when I charted out my own course through life. It’s a terrif...
Pope Francis Begins Historic 11-Day Apostolic Journey to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore…
By Kristina Millare Vatican City, Sep 2, 2024 / 08:18 am Pope Francis departed Rome on Monday to commence his 45th apostolic journey, one that will take him to Southeast Asia and Oceania over the course of nearly two weeks. During his 11-day journey — the longest trip of his papacy to date — the 87-year-old pontiff will visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste (East Timor), and Singapore fro...
150 years after his birth, GK Chesterton is still going strong, despite the naysaying…
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic. However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us. We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching. We have been a bold and influential voice in ...
Piety is an essential virtue, and humility is the catalyst that makes it work…..
By Phil Lawler ( bio – articles – email ) | Aug 27, 2024 Pharisees take a lot of abuse these days. Let’s give them fair treatment. Today, if you call someone a Pharisee, you’re insulting him. If you call him a Samaritan, that’s a compliment. That fact shows how thoroughly our Lord’s parables changed our perceptions, because at the time of Christ, Pharisees were respected figures, while...
The sacraments are not little extras to embellish our existence. The sacraments restore and elevate human nature…..
By Fr. Jerry Pokorsky ( bio – articles – email ) | Aug 19, 2024 We sometimes hear that a particular person is not religious but is “deeply spiritual.” But spirituality detached from God’s good creation is out of touch with reality and can be harmful. Authentic Catholic spirituality engages body and soul, spirit and creation, divine faith and human reason—and avoids the excesses of mate...
Pope Francis Sides with Moscow in Ukraine’s Clash of the Patriarchs…
A dramatic Catholic disagreement has received less attention than it deserves. On Sunday, at his weekly Angelus appointment, Pope Francis decried a new Ukrainian law concerning the Russian Orthodox Church and its presence in Ukraine. Popes don’t usually criticize national laws so specifically. Moreover, the most senior Catholic in Ukraine, Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk of the Ukraini...
Giant ‘living tractors’ are bringing nature back to post-industrial wastelands…
Getty Images Water buffalo are at home wallowing in wetlands (Credit: Getty Images) When water buffalo make a home for themselves in abandoned spaces, they can bring with them a rich array of frogs, bats and plant life. Each autumn, as tadpoles outgrow their tails, the Kizilirmak Delta on Turkey’s Black Sea erupts into chaotic commotion with the emergence of marsh frogs. While the fist-sized...
What Does Jesus Mean When He Talks About Vultures Gathering Where The Body Is?
By Clement Harrold August 30, 2024 One of the stranger verses in the New Testament comes in Matthew 24:28: “Wherever the body is, there the vultures will be gathered together.” This enigmatic saying is repeated almost word-for-word in Luke 17:37. What on earth are we supposed to make of it? To begin with, a couple of translation notes are in order. First, the Greek word used for “body” in Matthew’...
Vatican replaces ‘Before Christ’ with ‘Before Common Era’ in official English translation of document…
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic. However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us. We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching. We have been a bold and influential voice in ...
