I once asked a college theology class if anyone could explain the doctrine of the Assumption. A student replied, “Yeah, that’s the teaching whereby the Catholic Church ‘assumes’ that Mary is in heaven.” There’s a bit more to it than that. The Church does not just “assume” that any canonized saint in is in heaven. […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13 Responsorial: Psalm 85:9-14 2nd Reading: Romans 9:1-5 Gospel: Matthew 14:22-23 Being Bold in Following the Lord and Serving Him O you of little faith. (Matthew 14:31) Have you ever seen a toddler take a few wobbly steps and then […]
What is the deal with Catholics and doughnuts? I have memories of being bribed by doughnuts through much of my young and snarky life, to either behave in or attend extra masses. My father was successful at getting all five kids to join him at daily mass in the sacred summertime with simply a nod […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 Responsorial: Psalm 97:1-2,5-6,9 2nd Reading: 2 Peter 1:16-19 Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9 He was transfigured before them. (Matthew 17:2) A radiant Messiah, an out-of-body experience, time-traveling superstars from the past, and talking clouds—the transfiguration is one of the […]
At the beginning of the Baltimore Catechism we are asked the question: Why did God Make me? To know him, to love Him and to serve Him so that we may be happy with Him in Heaven. These words, which are a distillation of Catholic Theology are seldom used these days, but remain the essence […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 Responsorial: Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130 2nd Reading: Romans 8: 8:28-30 Gospel: Matthew 13:44-52 What It Means to Treasure the Kingdom of Heaven The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field. (Matthew 13:44) Who would […]
“Good teachers provide good answers, but exceptional teachers ask great questions.” In the Gospels, Jesus asks over 100 questions. Allan F. Wright, academic dean for evangelization at St. Paul Inside the Walls and an adjunct professor of biblical studies at Seton Hall University, chooses 25 of these questions to dissect and reflect on in 25 […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11 2nd Reading: Romans 8:18-23 Responsorial: Psalm 65:10-14 Gospel: Matthew 13:1-23 Bearing Fruit in Our Lives through Humble, Faithful, and Repentant Hearts My word shall not return to me void. (Isaiah 55:11) In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses the image of seed sown […]
I work full time in marriage ministry. I have the honor to work with excited, newly engaged couples anxious to start the prep process. Their exuberant joy is quite contagious. After gathering the critical contact information, I like to pose deeper questions to ascertain where they are at in their understanding of marriage, and to […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Zechariah 9:9-10 2nd Reading: Romans 8:9, 11-13 Responsorial: Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14 Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30 Following Jesus with New Zeal and Childlike Faith You have revealed them to little ones. (Matthew 11:25) Life is an adventure for little children. Give a young boy […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: 2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16 2nd Reading: Romans 6:3-4, 8-11 Responsorial: Psalm 89:2-3, 16-19 Gospel: Matthew 10:37-42 Being a Generous Giver to Reflect God’s Generosity to Others Can something be done for her? (2 Kings 4:14) In a farewell speech at the end of […]
Lift up Your Heart: A10-Day Retreat with St. Francis de Sales by Rev. John Burns (Ave Maria Press, 2017) is an updated version of St. Francis de Sales’ meditations, originally published in 1609. Fr. Burns discovered these meditations during a time of his own spiritual searching and seeks to share them with a new generation. […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Jeremiah 20:10-13 2nd Reading: Romans 5:12-15 Responsorial: Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35 Gospel: Matthew 10:26-33 Experiencing Jesus’ Love and Mercy, and Loving Him in Return Whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father. (Matthew 10:33) Most of Jesus’ words […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16 2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 Responsorial: Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20 Gospel: John 6:51-58 Joyfully Receiving the Gift of Jesus’ Body and Blood in the Eucharist I am the living bread. (John 6:51) Every time Mass is celebrated, a miracle […]
When members of Congress were debating the Affordable Care Act, many Catholics suggested that the Catholic Principle of Subsidiarity was particularly instructive in the ongoing U.S. healthcare debate. Although mindful of the many relevant Catholic principles involved in the discussions of U.S. Healthcare (e.g., common good, separation of Church and State, life, primacy of focus […]
Just how far off the mark is the music at your parish? The question seems unfair, yet the vast majority of parishes in the United States engage in liturgical deviations of the musical variety. Everything from folk music to heavy metal has been heard at Mass, despite having no official approval by the Church. Curiously, […]
There’s no room in the Democrat Party for democrats.
Every time we make the sign of the Cross we make an invocation of the Holy Trinity: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Those who grew up as Catholics, or in other religious communities with an orthodox understanding of this Triune nature of God, may take […]
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9 2nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 Responsorial: (Psalm) Daniel 3:52-56 Gospel: John 3:16-18 Worshipping and Adoring God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy […]
This arranged marriage of ours with Islam is going very badly
Meditation and Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion Mass Readings: 1st Reading: Acts 2:1-11 2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13 Responsorial: Psalm 104:1,24, 29-31, 34 Gospel: John 20:19-23 Celebrating Pentecost, The Birthday of the Church They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:4) At his son’s twenty-first birthday party, the proud father began […]
You have no doubt focused on the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit in preparing for your reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of God… the emphasis being on the word “gifts.” They are free to you. But they are not cheap giveaways. You may have heard […]
The pain of infertility or impaired fertility comes in more than one form. The first is the obvious suffering of the couple who wants so badly to have a child but, for whatever reason, is unable to. The second is the judgment of others in their Catholic community. I’ve experienced this first-hand, despite having three […]
