The readings from yesterday are fascinating. In 2 Maccabees 7 we have the famous story of the mother and sons who were tortured for their
The resurrection of the dead is among the central tenets of Catholicism, and indeed of any branch of “mere” Christianity which could be called “orthodox”
During the Lenten season, we seek to turn back from sin and to God. Each of the practices of Lent—prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—helps us to
As I am writing this article, I have only recently wiped the ashes off of my forehead reminding me that I am dust and I
Lent causes suffering. The small (perhaps large to us) sacrifices that we make are meant to bring us closer to the cross. They are meant
Winter is a restless time of year for me. The cold days and dark nights can be depressing. I long for the warm days of
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7). In my previous column, I discussed justice and noted that it is not necessarily
From east to west in the Catholic Church, the uniquely sacramental life of the Catholic Church defines us. The sacraments take us from the symbolic
Stars are significant in the Christian tradition. For example, God promised Abraham descendants more numerous than the stars of the sky (Genesis 22:17). And today
Let me start off by saying that I love Christmas. I really do. While the decorations and tree trimming and family dinners and presents are
To our modern, secular society, Christmas is over. People put the tree up the day after Thanksgiving, go to Christmas parties well before December 25th,
Isn’t it sad that it is Jesus’ birthday and everyone gets presents except for him? That’s what the priest said at a mass for children
Farmers pause in their fields at midday and bow their heads in prayer. Businessmen and women overhear the ringing bells of nearby churches during their
“A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley
I miss Advent. Yes, you read that right: I miss Advent. And yet…I’m a practicing Catholic, I celebrate Advent; if anything, now that I’m no
Today, December 8th, the Church would observe the feast of the Immaculate Conception. This year the feast is transferred to Monday the 9th, giving precedence
Preface: This “Black Friday Shoppers Companion” was created to aid you in the many escapades, detours, pitfalls, and ecstasies that you’ll experience as you venture
I wrote this in my journal a while back, and thought I’d share. It might be a poem–I’m not sure. Saint Cecilia was obviously here!
In browsing through the latest headlines—and skimming the articles underneath them—I get the impression that the culture wars are anything but cooling down. Despite reports
This fall I have been working at CatholicVote.org. While we do a lot of different things, one of the things we are best known for
In the struggle for life, talking about God is indispensable. Only in this way does the value of the weak, the disabled, the nonproductive, the
