Readings:Wisdom 2:12,17-20Psalm 54:3-8James 3:16-4:3Mark 9:30-37 In today’s First Reading, it’s like we have our ears pressed to the wall and can hear the murderous grumblings of the elders, chief priests, and scribes—who last week Jesus predicted would torture and kill Him (see Mark 8:31; 10:33–34). The liturgy invites us to see this passage from the Book of Wisdom as a prophecy of the Lord’s Passion. We hear His enemies complain that “the Just One” has challenged their authority, reproached them for breaking the law of Moses, for betraying their training as leaders and teachers. And we hear chilling words that foreshadow how they will mock Him as He hangs on the Cross: “For if the Just One be the Son of God, He will . . . deliver Him . . . ” (compare Matthew 27:41–43). Today’s Gospel and...

Editor’s Note: At the request of the Abbey of St. Walburga and out of respect for the hiddenness of the beautiful Benedictine vocation, the names of the nuns interviewed have been removed. This and subsequent articles are the fruits of exclusive interviews and tours of the Abbey, granted by Mother Maria-Michael, O.S.B., for the edification of the archdiocesan community. Nestled near the Wyoming border, the Abbey of St. Walburga is far removed from much of the world. The nearest town is 30 miles away. Cell service is spotty. There are very few people around. By the world’s standards, it’s in the middle of nowhere and not worth much attention. But somehow, in the divine economy, this humble Abbey in the “middle of nowhere” matters more than we know. The Benedictine nuns put St. Benedict’s fa...

Sanda Ojiambo speaks in “What Do We Owe Each Other” university forum Former Planned Parenthood executive Sanda Ojiambo spoke in a September 12 keynote event during the presidential inauguration events of Father Robert Dowd, C.S.C. Her livestreamed conversation, titled “Business as a Global Force For Good,” was part of the annual Notre Dame Forum, a speaker series For the theme of this year’s forum, Fr. Dowd chose “What Do We Owe Each Other?”  From 2002 to 2008, Ojiambo worked in Planned Parenthood’s international operations in several capacities. Ojiambo worked as the Senior Programme Officer of Planned Parenthood Federation of America – International from 2002 to 2004, where she directed “reproductive health Programmes in selected African countries, with a focus on youth and advocacy...

The word ‘place’ can both mislead and make us uncomfortable. I still think we should consider the ‘place’ of man and woman because it makes us reckon with something that demands attention. How to be a man or woman will always be a central feature of becoming who we are. And it’s something we need to figure out. Think of any past hero or great person today. Being a man or a woman has been refined and developed in that person. Ever so gracefully and naturally, masculinity or femininity is a hallmark of the person’s life. Human greatness always has the same essential features, such as the cardinal virtues. Yet at the same time, the wise have asserted that these virtues are lived differently by men and women. There is real difference even in the very ‘same’ things: a difference that is meaning...

When I was a little boy, my uncle once told me about his chance encounter with former NBA Basketball star, Michael Jordan—my childhood hero. While interviewing for a job at a Cleveland hotel, my uncle ran into Jordan in a parking garage elevator of all places. As Jordan left the elevator, my uncle said, “Good luck tonight!” That night Jordan crushed my Cleveland Cavaliers. I was shocked that my uncle didn’t ask for his autograph—as a young boy, I chased professional athletes’ autographs—they were like gold. But as I’ve aged, my heroes are no longer those who play sports, and autographs are no longer currency. Instead, I find heroic those who follow God’s will, and I seek out their blessings so that I may do the same. In my life, I have been blessed to meet Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Fr. Andre...