On the feast of the Presentation of Mary, we remember how the pious Joachim and Anna who have been childless for a long time, in thanksgiving for the gift of their daughter, bring her to the Temple in Jerusalem to consecrate…
We were all grief-stricken at the sight of a drowned little boy on a beach in Syria a few short months ago. Unlike nothing else, this image pierced our hearts and galvanized us to take action to help refugees halfway…
A post appeared on my Facebook newsfeed the other day asserting Starbucks’ newest coffee cup attacks Christianity and its celebration of Christmas. I disregarded the post at first and assumed it was from the satirical news site, The Onion. To my dismay, however,…
Let us pray this day for all those women and men who have given their lives in service of this country. O God, by whose mercy the faithful departed find rest, look kindly on your departed veterans who gave their…
The recent federal election was one of the most hard-fought in recent years. It’s become clear that the voter turnout was up considerably and the interest in politics has jumped to a new level. How timely, then, that we at…
Today, we celebrate the feast of St. Jerome (c. 347–420). This monk and theologian was fluent in classical Latin, Greek and Hebrew and was the greatest biblical scholar of the ancient Church. We remember him most for his translation of…
I am writing this at the World Meeting on the Family in Philadelphia, where I’ve found a temporary home at the Bayard exhibit. Many Canadians have been kind enough to stop by for a visit, telling me about their hometowns,…
Our publishing director, Joseph Sinasac, was the keynote speaker at the 50th-anniversary celebration of the Western Catholic Reporter. Among his many observations, Joseph writes: The paper is not independent of the authority of the archbishop whose duty it is to…
Catholics all over North America are excited about the arrival of Pope Francis to the United States this week. One of the highlights of his trip will be a visit to Philadelphia to underline his love and concern for the…
Today’s feast—the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary—is a special occasion for joy. Nine months ago, Mary was immaculately conceived. Today, we celebrate her birth. Not much can be found about the birth of Mary within the gospel stories. Our…