The Korean Martyrs
The passion and perseverance that fuelled the growth of the Catholic Church in Korea can teach us all a lesson in faith. The first Church founded entirely by lay people, the Catholic Church in Korea dates back to the 18th…
Tag Catherine Mulroney
The Cross as a Sign of Boundless Love and Mercy
The cross is at the very heart of our faith. As a symbol, it reminds us of God’s boundless love for us, and as a spiritual and historical reality it holds out the merciful promise of salvation. The Feast of…
Saint Monica: Mothers and their Children’s Faith
There isn’t a mom I know who can’t relate – at least a little! – to St. Monica, the devoted mother of St. Augustine of Hippo, whose love for her child overcame their clash of wills and values. In what…
The Assumption of Mary
Today’s great Marian feast, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a day with joyful implications for all of us. The Assumption celebrates Mary having been taken into heaven, body and soul, at the end of…
Saint Ignatius of Loyola
“The world is charged with the grandeur of God.” The famous poetic assertion of Jesuit Gerard Manley Hopkins aptly summarizes the heart of Ignatian spirituality, an approach to God, prayer and life built upon the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius…
Dispelling the Myths of Mary Magdalene
The New Testament accords Mary Magdalene a place of honour, not only locating her by name at the foot of the cross but also identifying her as one of the first witnesses to the resurrection. Saint Augustine called her the…
Welcoming and Supporting the Newly Initiated
The heady days of the Easter season are particularly significant for people newly initiated into the Church. It can be tempting both for RCIA participants and team members, as well as for those watching from the pews, to view the…
Palm Sunday and Holy Week Reflection
The hosannas that ring out on Palm Sunday should echo throughout Holy Week. Today, we understand hosanna as a word bound up with Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem; it is a term of praise and adoration, fitting for the celebration…
The Cost of Faith
If I know anything about human nature, I’d say the rich young man who asks Jesus about eternal life expects a very different answer. While today’s Communion antiphon is taken from Matthew’s gospel, this encounter is detailed in all three…
The Light at the Heart of Epiphany
When news slows down over the Christmas season, media outlets often resort to seasonal stock stories. A classic piece asks astronomers about the star that led the wise men to Bethlehem. Was it a comet? A meteor or supernova? As engaging as…