The new Constitution, passed by the Hungarian Parliament with a resounding majority and carried out by Viktor Orban’s government, has been signed on 25 April 2011 by Mr Pál Schmitt, the Hungarian President. Because this new Constitution has stirred much debate in Europe, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) has taken the initiative […]
Dear Brothers and Sisters, In the last two Catecheses [one, two] we have reflected on prayer as a universal phenomenon which — although in different forms — is present in the cultures of all times. Today instead I would like to start out on a biblical path on this topic which will guide us to […]
Doomsday radio evangelist Harold Camping was wrong; the world did not end [two weekends ago]. But you could hardly tell from looking at Joplin [that] Sunday night, after the deadliest U.S. tornado in 60 years wiped out at least 122 lives and some 2,000 buildings. The apocalyptic storm that struck this southwest Missouri town left all […]
Back in prehistoric times when my wife and I were busy doing our parenting, I paid very little attention to the many books that promised to tell me how to do the job really well. My loss, I suppose. Yet I can’t help thinking my omission may have reflected a healthy instinct. After all, if […]
Olivet To Olivet, where psalms were sung before the kiss of death had stung, where he had healed with but a touch the servant’s ear that Peter cut, the risen Lord returned that day, gave friends the charge to preach and pray, then to heaven was lifted up to set the place where we shall […]
I have been in Washington now for nearly forty years and, in all that time, I can’t recall seeing anything quite like Robert Gates’ ongoing farewell to arms. In a series of speeches over the past few days — at Notre Dame, at the American Enterprise Institute and at the Naval Academy — the outgoing Secretary of […]
After Jesus ascended to heaven at Mount Olivet, the Apostles returned to the Upper Room in Jerusalem and devoted themselves to prayer (Acts 1:12-14). A novena is nine days of prayer. The nine days of prayer between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost Sunday marked the first of all novenas. At different times in our lives, God […]
As the implementation date for the new English translation of the Roman Missal approaches (less than 180 days away at this point) now seems an appropriate time to address some of the more common misconceptions that are floating about. We’ll begin with the following three: 1. The new English translation of the Roman Missal isn’t […]
GENERAL: That Priests who experience difficulties may find comfort in their suffering, support in their doubts, and confirmation in their fidelity. MISSIONARY: That as fruit of the continental mission, Latin American Churches may send missionaries to other Churches.
In recent years it has become commonplace to turn funerals into casual canonizations. “Bob is in a better place,” we’re told, which, if taken literally, can only mean Heaven, as neither Hell nor Purgatory are better places than earth. Never mind the fact that Bob wasn‘t very generous with his time or money, drank too […]
My name is Dr. Kevin Kikta, and I was one of two emergency room doctors who were on duty at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin, MO on Sunday, May 22, 2011. You never know that it will be the most important day of your life until the day is over. The day started […]
As we approach the celebration of Pentecost we pause to consider the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit. The first person of the Trinity is God the Father. Known as the Creator of the universe, he is awesome. And then there is Jesus the Son, the second person of the Trinity. Jesus, […]
The end of the world is coming soon. Not the eschaton, that final end of all things and the return to their Maker of all that is. That may come tomorrow or in 10,000 years, but in either case I don’t find the subject interesting; there is nothing much I can do about it one […]
