Author: S&P
Among the Dead Sea Scrolls, there’s an amazing manuscript from 100 BC called the ‘Melchizedek Document,’ which depicts the future Messiah with uncanny accuracy …
There I was, reading a translation of the Melchizedek Document—that is, manuscript 11Q13, a text from the Dead Sea Scrolls. And my mouth was hanging open in awe. The Dead Sea Scrolls are a group of mostly Hebrew manuscripts found in the mid-twentieth century that date back to the period between the third century B.C. and the first century A.D. They are a significant resource for understanding the ...
Puerto Rico’s Bishop Daniel Fernández Torres, deposed by Pope Francis, pushed back ahead of his removal…
Newly obtained correspondence shows the deposed Bishop of Arecibo repeatedly denied allegations that he had been disobedient to Pope Francis, and says he attempted to resolve some issues of disagreement between himself and other Puerto Rican bishops in the months before he was removed from office. Bishop Daniel Fernández Torres. Credit: Diocese of Arecibo. Share “Offering my resignation would be t...
Pope Francis Recuperating From Knee Problems, Moves Meeting From Apostolic Palace to Vatican Residence …
The pope’s movements have been visibly more limited since the start of the year. While popes usually live in the papal apartments in the apostolic palace, at the start of his pontificate, Pope Francis opted to keep his apartment in the Vatican guesthouse instead. In his meeting with representatives of the International Federation of Catholic Pharmacists, Pope Francis said the COVID-19 pandemic has...
3rd Sunday of Easter: ‘Peter, Do You Love Me?’…
Like last week, the Gospel of the Third Sunday of Easter — Jesus with his Apostles on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias and Peter’s reconciliation — remains the same across the three years of the Lectionary’s readings’ cycle. That’s because it recounts “the third time that Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.” The Gospel features two events, joined in time and place...
‘Thou shalt not make unto yourselves an idle’ — St. Joseph the Worker and the spirituality of work…
Since March 2020, “work” has become yet another victim of redefinition, as governments arbitrarily labeled businesses “essential” and “non-essential.” Such distinctions are now superseded since we’ve moved onto other crises, but inflation puts work once again front and center, as people look at their grocery store receipts. These “non-essential” businesses were essential for the people who needed ...
After the apparitions at Lourdes, St. Bernadette hid in the shadow of St. Joseph…
On Feb. 14, 1858, following her second apparition conversing and praying with the Blessed Virgin Mary at the grotto of Massabielle in Lourdes, France, Bernadette Soubirous sat on a chair in the Savy Mill, weeping for joy as she recovered from her rapturous encounter with the beautiful, unknown visitor whom she called “The Lady.” Townsfolk who had accompanied her stood nearby, perplexed yet eager t...
‘Non Serviam!’ — James Bond, the Spy Who Loved No One…
On March 30, 1962, filming concluded on a spy thriller entitled Dr. No. It was based upon a novel by British author, Ian Fleming, one of a series that had as its hero James Bond. The film’s low budget (just over $1 million), the lack of a star name in the leading role and no previous record of box office successes for spy thrillers meant that the studio’s expectations of success were...
Did you forget the grand promise you made to Jesus? Because He didn’t forget…..
Oops. You made a promise to God in a moment of excitement — at a retreat, or feeling blessed after confession, or at some other point when you were so grateful you would do anything for him. And that’s what you promised: Anything and everything. Then you failed and tried to forget it. The Gospel for the Third Sunday of Easter Year C tells the story of what Jesus thinks about the matter. The Gospel...
Pope’s Sunday Regina Caeli: ‘When Your Nets Are Empty, Find the Courage to Begin Again, to Set Out With Jesus’…
“But, in doing so, we find ourselves disappointed: with empty nets, like Peter,” said the pontiff. Pope Francis drew on the gospel reading for Sunday, from the 21st chapter of the Gospel of St. John, after Jesus’ Crucifixion. It recounts Peter returning to fishing at the Lake of Galilee, where he had once abandoned fishing to follow Jesus. The pope suggested that Peter was disheartened and sought ...
You have one job to do: To persevere in the love of God…
By Dr. Jeff Mirus ( bio – articles – email ) | Apr 26, 2022 I opened my Bible today at random and found myself on the page which includes chapters 10 and 11 of St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans. In these chapters, Paul deals with one of the greatest mysteries of salvation history—the mystery that, through the disobedience of the Jews, salvation was mercifully offered to the godless Genti...
The number of infant baptisms is way, way down in our American churches. If you don’t realize how bad this is, you’re part of the problem…..
By Phil Lawler ( bio – articles – email ) | Apr 25, 2022 Crisis editor Eric Sammons calls attention to a frightening statistic. The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate finds that in American Catholic churches, the number of infant baptisms—which has been dropping steadily for 20 years—went into a nosedive in 2020. “I know many 2020 Baptisms didn’t happen because of Covid rest...
Confessors: Know when to be an editor, an umpire, an observant spouse or a GPS. Penitents: Know how to be blunt, be brief, and be gone…..
By Fr. Jerry Pokorsky ( bio – articles – email ) | Apr 25, 2022 In His first appearance to His assembled Apostles after the Resurrection, Jesus breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (Jn. 20:22-23) These newly ordained priests, therefore, became His first confessors. Jesu...
