Discover
Fatima to Vatican II: Mary, ‘Mother of the Church’ and our loving Mother…
A mosaic of Mary as Mother of the Church is seen above St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican in this April 13, 2011, file photo. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) The title of Mary, “Mother of the Church,” was officially promulgated alongside Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium) in 1964. It was instituted by Pope Francis as a liturgical memorial only last year. Henceforth, it is celebrated the Monday after Pentecost Sunday. Its fixed structure in the liturgical calendar signifies Mary’s continued motherly mediation from heaven; that today she still gathers with us and calls down the Holy Spirit upon the mystical body of her Son. The establishment of this memorial, this lex orandi (law of praying), specifically renews the apostolic lex credendi (law of believing). Pope S...
Evangelize by example, not pushing your faith on others, says Pope…
Pope Francis Preaching in Madison Square Garden, September 25, 2015 (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Antoine Mekary / ALETEIA) Recently, Pope Francis answered questions from high school students and suggested they convert non-Catholics through their authenticity and example. In so explaining, he suggested they don’t push their faith on unbelieving students. This is generally a good, practical strategy. Unfortunately, some misread what he said. They read it just as not doing the latter without seeing the former. I want to point out what Francis said, then explain two points: practical evangelization and “proselytism.” The Pope’s Words To High School Students On Friday, December 20, Pope Francis visited Pilo Albertelli high school and took students’ questions. The Vatican only has the text in Italian, ...
Remember, life is about so much more than politics…
Musicians play during a ceremony to light the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., December 4, 2019. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters) Remember, life is about so much more than politics. It was a week before Christmas and I found myself anxious and angry. I realized I was paying more attention to minute-by-minute politics than I had paid any other day of the year. It was Impeachment Day. I was seeing all kinds of “Impeachmas” references and merriment about the proceedings in the House. At the Mass I went to that day, the Franciscan friar prayed, without partisanship, about the “grave” matters in Washington. The priest called upon Saint Joseph to intercede so that there might be wisdom there. That seemed like a countercultural act of faith at a time of such cynicism. Advertisement Advert...
Brunei is getting as bad as Saudi Arabia, and Christmas is now banned…
Foreign workers are gathering their families, packing their bags and leaving Brunei, where a ban on celebrating Christmas has been enforced since 2014 by an authoritarian regime happy to impose stiff penalties for any breaches of the law. Fearing Muslims would be led astray and convert to Christianity, the sultan of Brunei imposed full Sharia law in April, a culmination of an all-imposing Islamic legal system that was introduced step by step over the last six years. In a move that bears striking similarities to Biblical stories from the Roman occupation of the Holy Land, Christians are only allowed to celebrate Christmas within the privacy of their own homes and only after they have notified authorities. Any breaches can result in jail terms of up to five years and fines of up to US$20,000...
Christmas is almost here! Get ready by studying the readings for the Nativity…..
The Christmas Solemnity has distinct readings for four separate masses: Vigil, Midnight, Dawn, and Day. They stay the same from year to year, so below are my annual comments, only lightly revised. Merry Christmas! Christmas Vigil Mass For Zion’s sake I will not be silent,for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,until her vindication shines forth like the dawnand her victory like a burning torch. Nations shall behold your vindication,and all the kings your glory;you shall be called by a new namepronounced by the mouth of the LORD.You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD,a royal diadem held by your God.No more shall people call you “Forsaken,”or your land “Desolate,”but you shall be called “My Delight,”and your land “Espoused.”For the LORD delights in youand ma...
Cardinal Cupich approves Constitutions of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius…
.font_0 {font: normal normal normal 22px/1.4em dinneuzeitgroteskltw01-_812426,sans-serif ;color:#AE9A64;} .font_1 {font: normal normal normal 16px/1.4em din-next-w01-light,din-next-w02-light,din-next-w10-light,sans-serif ;color:#ADADAD;} .font_2 {font: normal normal normal 33px/1.4em cinzel,serif ;color:#2F2E2E;} .font_3 {font: normal normal normal 112px/1.4em dinneuzeitgroteskltw01-_812426,sans-serif ;color:#AE9A64;} .font_4 {font: normal normal normal 97px/1.4em dinneuzeitgroteskltw01-_812426,sans-serif ;color:#AE9A64;} .font_5 {font: normal normal normal 20px/1.4em dinneuzeitgroteskltw01-_812426,sans-serif ;color:#AE9A64;} .font_6 {font: normal normal normal 17px/1.4em avenir-lt-w01_35-light1475496,sans-serif ;color:#AE9A64;} .font_7 {font: normal normal normal 17px/1.4em cormorantgaram...
A late Advent message from the Lord…
The Prophet Isaiah, by Lorenzo Monaco (1405-10) As the end of Advent approaches, the Office of Readings features some final admonitions from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. On the one hand they console; on the other, they challenge us to remain firm. Isaiah addressed a people in exile who still awaited the first coming of the Lord. Today, these texts speak to us in difficult times when, exiled from Heaven, we await His magnificent Second Coming. Let’s look at these admonitions from the Lord (Isaiah 46:3-13), which were addressed to three different groups in ancient Israel. However, let’s apply them to three groups in our own times: the faithful remnant, the foolish rebels, and the fainthearted at risk. To the Faithful Remnant – Hear me, O house of Jacob, all who remain of the house of Isra...
The mystery of the Church in Advent…
Advent is a season for us to rediscover the mystery of the Church. She is the Bride who awaits the Bridegroom with eager anticipation. The shining glow of a secret joy glistens in her eyes. To glimpse her fierce majesty is to be drawn into her invincible dynamism. For she awakens a longing that nothing can overcome and in the deepest center of the heart, brings to birth a new certitude. The Bride knows, in a way that no one else can know, the truth and goodness that the Bridegroom imparts, and each new gift that he gives makes her yearn for Him all the more. Conversely, without the Church, we are deprived of the passion that the Christian faith demands. We can only strain for what lies ahead as we learn to see the goodness of the life that He has given us now. The life of the Church ...
Why are Catholic homilies so short and light on Scripture?
COMMENTARY: Better preaching will increase the hunger and attentiveness to the word of God, and bring more people back to Mass. On Dec. 16, as Catholic clergy were in the heart of their Advent preparations for Christmas and getting ready to mount the pulpit for one of their most important preaching opportunities of the year, the Pew Research Center released an intriguing, first-of-its-kind study entitled, “The Digital Pulpit: A Nationwide Analysis of Online Sermons.” Using advanced computer technology, the study examined the websites of 38,630 Christian churches in the U.S., found 6,431 that publish audio or video recordings of the Sunday sermons and homilies in English and analyzed them, among other things, for length and vocabulary. The results were rather striking. First, the surve...
The Bransfield report: Washington Post publishes secret Vatican document as parishioners demand answers…
Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service.
Oh-so familiar Top 10 religion stories list (with a few exceptions)…
<div class="sqs-block video-block sqs-block-video" data-block-json="{"blockAnimation":"none","layout":"caption-hidden","overlay":true,"description":{"html":"The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is hosting a \"candid conversation\" on Sexual Abuse and the Southern Baptist Convention in Birmingham, Alabama."},"hSize":null,"floatDir":null,"html":"\n","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJJUr0ixWSA","width":854,"height":480,"providerName":"YouTube","thumbnailUrl":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VJJUr0ixWSA/hqdefault.jpg","resolvedBy":"youtube"}&#...
“Brothers and Sisters, Christendom no longer exists” — At curial Christmas address, the Pope’s “hermeneutic of change” …
Over the last two pontificates, what’s formally known as the Pope’s Christmas “greeting” to his Curial chiefs has gone well beyond glad tidings – if anything, the forum has arguably made for the most significant in-house speech of the year for Benedict and Francis both. The traditional opening “bookend” to Vatican Christmas – which closes in early January with the “State of the World” address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See – at today’s appointment, the reigning pontiff yet again focused on his continuing effort on the reform of the Roman Curia, the wholesale thrust of which might finally be executed in the New Year with the most sweeping makeover of the church’s central government since Vatican II. Yet while Fr...
