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As the young man gazed around the classroom, you could sense his fear and confusion, questioning why he was in this class. Any teacher who has taught in the classroom knows this scenario quite well when we receive a new student for the first time. This young human being has just been thrust into a new and unknown world that, at first glance, is difficult for him to conceptualize. Possessing no formal religious education formation, let alone any idea that he just might be loved by God, serves as a reminder that every human being bears the image and likeness of God and is not a wasted product-we are not created in vain. The last thing a new student needs as he attempts to maneuver his way through a new school environment is to be told, “this is what you have to believe,” no questions asked. ...

4th Sunday of AdventBy Fr. Victor Feltes Our Gospel this final Sunday of Advent centers on St. Joseph. It recounts how St. Joseph received the stunning revelation of Mary’s pregnancy. We can learn from the great saint’s response — from his openness, his obedience, and his one word. Mary was already Joseph’s wife when she conceived her child. In their Jewish culture, a newlywed couple would live apart for the first year of marriage. Thereafter, the husband would bring his betrothed into his home to live with him. When Mary conceived a child (whom Joseph knew was not his) why did he decide to divorce her? Was Joseph heartbroken because he believed she had betrayed him? Or was Joseph frightened, because he believed her story of the Annunciation and thought himself unworthy of this holy woman ...

December 12, 2022 Everybody knows “the Catholic position on abortion…on contraception and divorce and homosexual acts…so when Catholic priests or bishops or any kind of spokesman for the Church seems to shy away from saying what everybody knows the Church believes, it makes it look as if we’re ashamed of our beliefs or we’re hypocritical about our beliefs. It makes the witness of the Church — well, just wimpy. No one is attracted to an institution whose representatives won’t be forthright in defending what we know the institution believes and preaches,” said Phil Lawler, editor of Catholic World News and book author. Lawler’s commentary, “Apologizing for hard truths,” described a homily on sin given in Ireland by Fr. Sean She...

Happy Friday friends, It’s been a busy week in the news, and there’s a lot to get through. But before I do, I want to flag something JD wrote on Twitter this week. A lot of the stories we cover here at The Pillar have to do with what we can call “lapses” among the Church’s leadership. JD was asked recently if our work has a negative impact on his faith; it’s a question we both get from time to time. Last night, someone asked me if doing The Pillar’s work was harmful to my Catholic faith. Here’s what I told them: — JD Flynn (@jdflynn) December 14, 2022 JD explained, and I agree, that sin is an inevitable human reality — indeed the entire mystery of salvation, and the mission and existence of the Church is predicated upon it. That sin exists in the Church should neither surprise ...

SCRIPTURES & ART: Dreams are St. Joseph’s places of encounter with the Lord. The last Sunday before Christmas — the Fourth Sunday of Advent — is always connected with some Gospel episode that immediately precedes Jesus’ birth. But only Matthew and Luke have “Infancy Narratives,” i.e., accounts of Jesus’ conception and birth. Mark begins his Gospel with Jesus’ launch of his public ministry. John starts his Gospel with Jesus’ preexistence as the Eternal Word made flesh. But while Matthew and Luke have Infancy Narratives, those Narratives also have different emphases. Luke seems to write from Mary’s perspective. Matthew, by contrast, focuses on Joseph. So, on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we either hear of Mary’s Annunciation, her Visitation of Elizabeth or — this year, as we read Matthew ...