Anyone even mildly aware of global events at the moment could be forgiven if they indulge in a bit of despair. Threatened by pestilence, war and environmental destruction, the world could use a large dose of hope. The Exaltation of…
Everyone loves a summer wedding; pass any church on a given Saturday and you’re bound to see the happy couple in their wedding finery, surrounded by friends and family. What isn’t visible is all the planning and preparation that has…
How do we attract a new generation to consider Christianity? This question is common table talk at practically every gathering of Christians I attend these days. It is a question that Pope Francis answers in his annual message for World…
Today, Divine Mercy Sunday, has the distinction of witnessing the canonization of two modern icons of holiness in the Church — St. John Paul II and Saint John XXIII. The massive celebration in St. Peter’s Square in Rome is being…
We think of Easter as a perennial event, as sure as the return of spring, the blooming of the daffodils. It is reassuring and comforting. Yet should it be? Should it be rather a shock, a jolt to our comfortable…
This April will be a memorable month for Catholics around the world. Along with Easter, we will be celebrating two special canonizations and the publication of the first book by Pope Francis for the general public. On April 27, Divine…
“I distrust a charity that costs nothing and does not hurt.” Those were the words of Pope Francis in his message for Lent 2014. He recalls that true adherence to the Gospel should have a real, felt impact on our…
October is the season of saints. It begins and ends with a celebration of sainthood and the call to holiness. St. Therese of Lisieux brings in the month with the feast day of this Doctor of the Church on Oct.…
People often complain to me that the Bible holds little that is relevant to their lives today. The Old Testament in particular, they argue, contains archaic language and images of a violent and vengeful God. How can THAT help them…
On this day the Church commemorates the significance of two of its most important saints. Peter and Paul represent the earliest days of the Church and were essential to the foundation of much of what we hold dear today. Peter,…