After a career change, I had the privilege of beginning my teaching career this past year at St. John Paul II High School in Avondale, AZ which is run by the Sisters of St. Cecilia, better known as the “Nashville Dominicans.” I was blown away by the fidelity of the...
What is an Indulgence? Do Catholics still practice indulgences? That stopped after Martin Luther pointed out that they are wrong, right? To be sure, the 16th Century was a confusing time. There was a Dominican preacher named Johann Tetzel who Luther claimed was...
The Catechism of the Catholic Church beautifully exclaims that “No one, whether shepherd or wise man, can approach God here below except by kneeling before the manger at Bethlehem and adoring him hidden in the weakness of a new-born child (CCC 563).” The manger at...
Servant of God Fr. Emil Kapaun Fr. Kapaun was named a “Servant of God” in 1993, which is the official beginning of the opening of a cause for canonization, for sainthood in the Catholic Church. Of course, the saints are the blessed in Heaven who dwell with God in...
Despise Not Our Petitions Mary is the Queen Mother in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. The Queen Mother had a particular role in the Jewish world and that meaning is elevated and amplified in the age of the Church. From the beginning of the Church, Mary was seen as our...
What is Canon Law? The current law governing the Catholic Church is the 1983 Code of Canon Law. This Code, promulgated by His Holiness St. John Paul II replaced the 1917 Code of Canon Law. The Code is a system of laws and principles which regulates the...
There was once a young man named Anthony who lived with his sister in a village called Coma in Egypt. The hills around the village were dry and brown against the pale blue sky. However, inside the village was lush and green. Palm trees dotted the horizon and water...
What is a Cult? – In Modern Terms “Cult” is not a useful term in modern terms. It does not have a specific meaning but is usually used in a pejorative sense. A cult, in modern terms, is a particular religious group that is...
What is Sin? “Sin” is an old archery term in Greek which means “to miss the mark.” All sin and fall short of the glory of God, as St. Paul says. When we sin, we are committing an offense against “reason, truth, and right conscience (CCC 1849).” Sin is never private....
What is the Liturgy of the Hours? The Liturgy of the Hours is also called the Divine Office or the Breviary. The celebration of the Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, but it is not the only daily prayer of the Church. The Liturgy of the...
What is the Liturgical Movement? In Desiderio desideravi (2022), Pope Francis writes, “We owe to the [the Second Vatican] Council – and to the liturgical movement that preceded it – the rediscovery of a theological understanding of the Liturgy and of its importance in...
What is the Steward of the Kingdom? A steward is appointed by the ruling king or queen to represent them and help them to govern. Another word we could use to describe the steward is “prime minister.” In the Old Testament, the chief steward of the king was able to...
Today we mourn the loss of Pope Benedict XVI, a holy man of God who lived the faith well. May he rest in the arms of God for eternity! Read more about his life and be inspired by his legacy. Pope Benedict XVI Dies At The Age Of 95...
This Catholic Year in Review is not an exhaustive list of every important event to happen in 2022, but these are some of the biggest news stories in the United States and globally to transpire in the Catholic world. The war in Ukraine, the German Synodal Way, the...
Who is St. John of the Cross? St. John of the Cross was a Spanish Catholic who was born in 1542 amidst the throws of the Protestant Reformation. He was a major figure in the Catholic Counter-Reformation and would later be named a Doctor of the Church. He was a priest,...
In Communion with Those Whose Memory We Venerate In the Roman Canon, the First Eucharistic Prayer, in the section called the Communicantes, we are reminded of our communion with the Apostles and Martyrs. After the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph are mentioned, then many...
Author’s note: Are you contemplating taking your own life? - Please call or text 988 before you do anything else! There is always hope and always a better life just around the corner! You are not alone. Death is a Part of Our Fallen Reality Human beings are no...
All Saints’ Day is celebrated each year on November 1st and is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics of the Latin Rite. The following day, November 2nd, is All Souls’ Day. What are these? What is the difference between them? To begin, we really need to investigate...
Diary Entry of the Abbot of Kells, Ireland - November 3, 1012 A.D. Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”) was here a couple of days ago. The Celtic people celebrate this day as the start of a new year each November 1. The summer was at an end and the harvest was beginning. The...
Lay Liturgical Ministries in the Ordinary Form of the Latin Rite, there are a few lay liturgical ministries that are worth examining in detail. There has been a great deal of confusion in the past decades about some of these ministries. This article will not likely...
What is Typology? Since the time of the Apostles, the Church has shown how intimately interconnected the Old and New Testaments are in the plan of God. This unity is highlighted by typology which “discerns in God’s works of the Old Covenant prefigurations of what he...
What Is A Patron Saint? When you are baptized, the priest says the name chosen for you by your parents. However, when you are confirmed, in the Latin Rite of the Church, you get to choose a “Confirmation Saint.” This saint is a special patron saint which you have...
Who Was Pope St. Pius X? Born in 1835 in Venice, Guiseppe Melchiorre Sarto was pope from 1903 to 1914 under the name Pius X. He was a staunch defender of the truth, a liturgical reformer, and a man of great faith. Pope St. Pius X is well known globally for his...
To us, also, your servants, who, though sinners, hope in your abundant mercies, graciously grant some share and fellowship with your holy Apostles and Martyrs: with John the Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas, Ignatius, Alexander, Marcellinus, Peter, Felicity,...
What is Desiderio desideravi? Desiderio desideravi, the title of Pope Francis’ 2022 document on the Sacred Liturgy, comes from the Latin version of Luke 22:15: “I have earnestly desired (desiderio desideravi) to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” Pope...