When we consider the Sacrament of Baptism, two things become readily apparent. The first is how important baptism is in the Scriptures. Out of all the sacraments, none are foretold more than the sacrament of Baptism. (See Gen 1:2, Ez 36:25, 2 Kings 5:10-15, Is 1:16 to name but a few examples.) The other is […]
St. Asterius of Amasea wrote: “Reflect for a moment on the wealth of [God’s] kindness. Before he came as a man to be among men, he sent John the Baptist to preach repentance and lead men to practice it. John himself was preceded by the prophets, who were to teach the people to repent, to […]
We understand the sacraments as “visible signs of an invisible reality.” While this is true, it really doesn’t tell us much about the sacraments. A visible sign of what? What is the reality? The questions (and answers!) contemporary Catholicism provides are clearly not satisfying.
“Why do you bring God into every conversation?” This simple question was posed to me recently by someone I love dearly. Let me attempt to explain. How do you not bring the Author of Life into life itself? How can I speak of the reason for my joy, my hope, my strength without naming its […]
I am of the opinion that we cannot develop a proper evangelization and theology centered around the sacraments because of the way we currently practice our faith. Any proper evangelization begins at home, and we need to take a better look at some realities of our faith.
My kids already know what I’m going to say. I can just picture them mouthing the words as I speak them, “Don’t forget to think about what you’re going to do for Lent, and make sure you do something positive, too.” There, I said it. And, I meant it. Of course I advocate the Church’s […]
True as they all are, their answers are incomplete. They are means, not the end. Why does God wish to “marry us?” What is the purpose of God providing peace? As always, the answer may be found within the Scriptures
In a surprise announcement, Pope Benedict XVI said today that he will resign at the end of the month. The pope said that due to the increased weakness accompanying his advanced age – he is 85 – he feels that he is unable to carry out the duties of his office. “After having repeatedly examined […]
In early 2012, the Pontifical University in Rome held one of its most important conferences ever. “Towards Healing and Renewal” was an international symposium, sponsored by the Vatican , devoted to the terrible abuse crisis in the Church. What made the event so extraordinary is that is was opened, not by a high-ranking prelate but […]
I think we Catholics approach the sacraments from a flawed analysis. We view them as mere “booster shots” for the already holy. So long as we are without mortal sin, we go to the sacraments, get our booster shot of infused grace, and we become holier. While there is certainly this aspect to the sacraments, there needs to be a lot more to the sacraments if we are taking the Biblical, historical, and magisterial evidence seriously.
“Theological courage calls the inner-man to ignore his buckling knees and take theologically driven stances that, while potentially controversial, are righteous in nature.” So write Owen Strachen and Andrew Walker in a recent article discussing Hobby Lobby’s stance against Obamacare’s onerous trampling of religious liberty. The idea of martyrdom, be it physical, social, or […]
![Sides of the Same Coin: St. Angela Merici and [Sister] Adele Brise](http://www.catholiclane.com/wp-content/uploads/St.-Angela-Merici-150x150.png)
This year January 27th falls on the Third Sunday of Ordinary Time. Ordinarily the Catholic Church would celebrate the memorial of St. Angela Merici, an Italian saint on this date. When I first heard the story of St. Angela Merici in the college seminary, I was struck by the similarities St. Angela shared with [Sister] […]
Did that which is good then bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. We know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold […]
If you ask any priest, he will tell you that one of the biggest dangers attacking healthy marriages in the Church today comes from pornography. When you consider that kids from healthy Catholic marriages are a lot likelier to develop a strong faith, this is a problem that affects more than just the individual couple; it impacts […]
Every December cultural warriors mourn the incessant attacks on Christmas and secularism’s rise in society. News headlines carry stories of modern day Herods banning nativity scenes, religious performances, and even the word “Christmas.” Just as a majority of young people profess they will have less prosperity and opportunity than their parents, many people now expect […]
When I entered this world, my Blessed Mother and her most chaste spouse, Joseph, welcomed Me with loving arms, eyes and hearts. A choir of heavenly angels surrounded and serenaded us! My heart leaped for joy when the humble shepherds came and paid Me homage. I smiled! We waited. But none of the religious, […]
ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI ON THE OCCASION OF CHRISTMAS GREETINGS TO THE ROMAN CURIA Clementine Hall Friday, 21 December 2012 Dear Cardinals, Brother Bishops and Priests, Dear Brothers and Sisters, It is with great joy that I meet you today, dear Members of the College of Cardinals, Representatives of the Roman Curia and the Governorate, for this […]
There is a well-known passage in Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations (book I, chapter 2) that runs thus: It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and […]
If you mention the word “celibacy” on your local street corner today, you will probably not get a favorable response. It will more than likely spark a conversation about recent tabloid news involving sex scandals, homosexuality, or other negative publicity. Or, it may conjure up images of monasteries, cobblestone streets, and oil filled lamps. And […]
The cardinals and bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints gave the “go ahead” on December 10 for Paul VI’s beatification, Italian Vatican journalist Andrea Tornielli reported on his Vatican Insider website on December 14. “The late Pope’s Positio – the collection of documents used in the process by which a person is […]
On December 9, 1531, a poor and humble man from a remote village, some fourteen miles outside of present-day Mexico City, had a miraculous encounter with a mysterious lady and the Americas would never be the same. That peasant was Juan Diego, and the mysterious lady that he encountered was none other than she whom […]
I was working at Ave Maria University in Florida when a new sculpture of the Annunciation had just been commissioned. I witnessed a massive block of marble transformed into the engaging face of the Blessed Virgin. It would be fascinating to watch a beautiful creation emerge from a cold chunk of stone, I thought. I had always admired artistic inventiveness. With the addition of a spiritual subject, I expected […]
Remember in 2005 when we first heard about “sexting”? In a culture where kids grow up inundated with sexual language, sexual images, sexual music, sexual television, sexual education and encouragement to explore their sexual selves — parents, nonetheless, expressed horror to learn that kids were sending nude and sexually suggestive or explicit pictures to each […]
Sometimes little things make a big difference. I saw this reminder in a child’s catechism book, and it has become something we repeat daily around here. Don’t forget the “of the’s.” It is not correct to say, “In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” Why is that so important? In the baptismal […]
