Over a year into the Covid epidemic, it seems that it is still consuming much of the energy and attention of our nation. The latest is that it seems that you can’t go anywhere without people discussing their vaccinations. The media have pivoted (a little) from trumpeting fear and bombarding us non-stop with grim stories […]
Christian Perspectives on Covid and Vaccinations (Part I) Read More »
Back when I was young enough to ride roller coasters at amusement parks, I remember the thrill of that coaster car ratcheting up to the top of a long hill (click-click-click-click….click…. click) and the minute it crested over the top of the hill starting to fly down the hill, faster and faster until it seemed
The “Roller Coaster Ride” of Spring Read More »
The great mystery of Easter — the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus from the dead — is celebrated for eight days continuously in the Church, including today, the Second Sunday of Easter. About 20 years ago, Pope St, John Paul II renamed this capstone of the Easter Octave “Divine Mercy Sunday.” He was heavily influenced
What is Divine Mercy? Read More »
On this Easter Sunday, we reflect on the central mystery of our faith: the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from the dead. This could not be more important. As St. Paul bluntly puts it, “If Christ be not risen, our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain … and
He has risen as He promised! Read More »
A while back, I used to see bumper stickers on many cars from on of the local megachurches that simply said “All In” with a logo of their church brand. It’s a popular phrase meaning “completely committed, ready and willing to devote myself to that particular church and their mission.” Not a bad public relations
All in for Holy Week Read More »
One of the many things I love about being Catholic is the interconnections between all the elements of our faith including the liturgical life of the Church, the devotional life, and the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures come alive in these practices. Far more than just reading printed words on a page or doing a Bible
As we continue through our three-fold spiritual campaign this Lent of prayer, fasting, and alms-giving, in order to do penance for our sins and to draw closer to God, I wanted to focus today on fasting. There is an excellent article from Catholic Online, which delves into the benefits of fasting and its purpose. Check
Going Deep into Fasting Read More »
I am a bit of a statistics and survey-research nerd, so I recently read from the Pew Research Center on religion and public life the state that only 58% of self-identifying Catholics said they pray every day, with 13% reporting seldom or never praying. (We don’t do as well as Protestants in this regard, especially
Stepping up Our Prayer Read More »
Since Easter is so early this year, most of February is in Lent this year. So it’s easy to forget about the saints of the month. But they are worth reflecting on. Last Tuesday, on February 23rd, we celebrate the feast of St. Polycarp the martyr. He has the distinction of being the first martyr
How Eucharistic Faith was Handed Down Read More »
During the season of Lent, when the Church teaches on penance, I thought I would include some excerpts from the Catechism on what penance is and what the sacrament is. It has been my experience that, in the last 40 years, very few Catholics were properly taught about this and might need a refresher. Here’s
Penance in the Christian Life and the Sacrament of Penance (Confession) Read More »