“So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. “ Luke, 2:3 It is easy to imagine the chaos that consumed Bethlehem during Caesar’s census. It is fitting, because like Mary and Joseph, we too are likely spending this time of year traveling, visiting the places and...
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...
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...
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...
How can billions of men and women believe that what their eyes see as bread is God? How can sane people support the claim by the Catholic Church according to which, at Holy Mass, bread becomes the Body of Jesus, and wine becomes His Blood? The Church teaches that the...
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...
What is the Roman Missal? The Roman Missal is (mostly) the big red book that the priest uses at the altar and at his chair when celebrating Mass. I say “mostly” because the Lectionary (which contains the readings) and the liturgical books containing the rites for the...
Gospel of John 20:19-31 On the evening of that first day of the week,when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,for fear of the Jews,Jesus came and stood in their midstand said to them, “Peace be with you.”When he had said this, he showed them his hands and...
The Feast of Corpus Christi on June 19, 2022, will mark a special moment in Eucharistic devotion for the United States. The USCCB will launch a multi-year Eucharistic revival which will culminate in a National Eucharistic Congress. Throughout the next three years,...
The Sabbath Day Sunday, the seventh day of the week is the sabbath, a day of solemn rest, that is set aside for the Lord. This goes all the way back to the dawn of creation when God made everything in six days and then rested on the seventh. The Sabbath day also marks...
Giving to the Church There is one topic that no one wants to hear about in church: money. From my experience speaking to priests, they do not want to talk about it either. Ideally, the Parish would have enough money to cover expenses, expand programs, and provide for...
Gospel of Luke 5:1-11 While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God,mhe was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.Getting into one of...
This is an alarming statement – adding another level of responsibility on schools, especially in today’s society. But Catholic schools can and should influence Mass attendance! As we know today, many Catholic school students aren’t experiencing the Church as a family...
The Gospel Of John 2:1-12 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. And they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the feast had...
Candles are Practical The word candle comes from the Latin “to burn.” Candles have been used since human beings have been able to start fire. Rudimentary wicks were encased in wax or animal fat and burned for light in the dark hours of the day. Oil candles were also...
Love and Song Over fifty percent of popular songs are about love, whether in the classical era or today. Paul McCartney’s song Silly Love Songs makes this observation when he says, “You’d think that people would’ve had enough of...
A New Ecumenical Council On January 25, 1959, Pope St. John XXIII took the world by surprise by calling a new ecumenical council of the universal Church. We now know this council as the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II), so called because it was held in Vatican...
Tra Le Sollecitudini – “Among the cares” In November 1903, Pope St. Pius X issued the Motu Proprio “Tra Le Sollecitudini” which is Italian for “Among the cares.” It is worth reexamining this excellent writing to glean from it the wisdom which endures. Of course,...
Elevating Your Experience Of The Liturgy After more than a year of dispensations from attending the Mass, Catholics around the world are taking a look at the liturgy with fresh eyes. As the saying goes “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” For a few, the pandemic may...
The Sign of the Cross is a Catholic tradition and a simple prayer on its own. There is a correct way to make the Sign of the Cross and specific times to do the Sign of the Cross. Father George answers how to make the Sign of the Cross as well as discusses the Catholic...
(Special Thanks to Adoremus and Dr. Denis McNamara) The heavy lifting and much of the inspiration for this article is offered by Dr. Denis McNamara’s fantastic article “Altar as Alter Christus: Ontology and Sacramentality” from Adoremus. The Church is deeply indebted...
Traditionis Custodes Early on July 16, 2021, Pope Francis issued a Motu Proprio entitled Traditionis Custodes which sent shockwaves through the Catholic world, especially in more traditionalist circles. For a brief first look at what the document says,...
Pope Francis released a motu proprio on Friday, July 16, 2021, entitled Traditionis Custodes (“Guardians of Tradition”). This document will almost certainly be interpreted differently depending on the perspective of the reader. Those who currently and regularly attend...
Incense – A Long History Incense has been used in sacred worship for over five thousand years. Long before Christian worship began burning fragrant aromas in liturgy, the Egyptians began using incense in a religious way during the Fifth Dynasty, between 2494 and 2345...