Do you remember this past Lent, when we all had that “can-do” spirit to celebrate Holy Week and Easter in the best way possible given our lockdown reality? The bursts of creativity, the flurry of activity on social media, the daily Zoom lessons we learned. ...
Since St. Cecilia sang in her heart to her heavenly Bridegroom at her earthly wedding feast, artful imaginings of her usually place a harp in her hands. Because of this, she became closely associated with music and is the beloved patroness of Catholic musicians....
If you missed Ask a Priest Live with Fr. George Elliott, you can watch the replay here. Each Sunday at 3:00 PM Central, I go live on the Catholic-Link Facebook page. I will start with the Divine Mercy Chaplet, then provide a quick reflection...
If you missed Ask a Priest Live with Fr. George Elliott, you can watch the replay here. Each Sunday at 3:00 PM Central, I go live on the Catholic-Link Facebook page. I will start with the Divine Mercy Chaplet, then provide a quick reflection...
In many parts of the world, if you want to go to Mass you have to wear a mask. In my opinion, it's a small price to pay for the opportunity to worship the Creator of the Universe and receive Holy Communion. It might not always be comfortable, but we can be stylish and...
“No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” - Matthew 6:24. How true that is! The Church and money have always had a challenging history and sometimes it has...
St. Bernardine – A St. Paul of the 15th Century St. Bernardine was from Siena, Italy and was ordained a Franciscan priest at the age of 24 in the year 1402. He took upon himself the poverty of the Franciscan Order and expressed an acute awareness for the needs of...
The renewal of the sacred liturgy continues apace – and for Jesse Weiler, director of the Liturgical Institute at St. Mary of the Lake University, Mundelein, IL, there’s no reason that renewal can’t take place – and even flourish – online. The Liturgical Institute...
A Priest in Doubt A German priest named Fr. Peter of Prague was struggling with his faith in the Most Holy Eucharist. He saw around him a lack of interest on the part of the laity, a general immorality and laziness of the clergy, and a lack of reverence for the Sacred...
You are missed. In his magnificent biography of Saint John Paul II, George Weigel writes that to Father Karol Wojtyła, “a priest without a parish was a vocational absurdity.” A priest is ordained to be a man for others, “to go from men to God and offer Him their...
What Is A Priest? The popular definition of a priest is given as an ordained person with the authority to perform certain rites and administer certain sacraments. Properly speaking, however, a priest is one who offers sacrifice. This is what a priest is. This is what...
"Plenary Indulgence is granted to the faithful affected by Coronavirus, subjected to quarantine for the disposition of the health authority in hospitals or in their own homes if, with a soul detached from any sin, they spiritually unite through the media to...
<< This article is the sequel to Does It Matter What You Wear To Mass >> Serving on Sunday If you are involved in a liturgical ministry of any kind on Sunday, thank you for your service to Christ and His Church! Your efforts are appreciated. There are many...
The Veil Removed, produced by Greg Krajewski and RD Delgado, powerfully shows what happens during each and every Mass that takes place in Catholic Churches across the world. Take 5 minutes out of your day and watch this short video. You will never look at Mass the...
Dress to Impress For Catholic Mass? I want to make something clear from the outset. This article is NOT about dressing to impress on Sundays. The Church is not about fashion; though, there are many beautiful chasubles, habits, stoles, and the like in the Church’s two...
Throughout the month of November, we look for ways to honor our deceased family members and friends. One of the best ways to do this is to have a mass offered on their behalf. Why have a Mass offered? Simply put, it's the greatest form of prayer we have available to...
Context of the Catholic Controversy In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, there is a liturgical battle brewing between two allowed postures of the priest: ad orientem and versus populum. The Catholic Church, in both the East and the West, for the vast majority of...
If you have not read part one of this series entitled: “Music in the Roman Church, part 1 – What is Sacred Music?” please go read that first for background. In this part of the series, we will get a bit deeper into the specifics of restoring Sacred Music in the Latin...
Good question, right? Why does the Church use so many candles? The answer lies within the tradition and history of the Church. The use of candles is a part of the rich heritage of the Catholic faith. Sure, candles probably served some practical purpose in...
What is Sacred Music? Maybe you know! Maybe you think you know. Maybe you have no idea. What does the Church say is “Sacred Music?” In January of 2019, Archbishop Alexander Sample of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon wrote a pastoral letter on Sacred Music in...
If someone asked you what was said in the Nuptial Blessing at a wedding, would you know? Probably not. This rather lengthy prayer is tucked between the Exchange of Consent and the Our Father and if you aren't paying attention, you may miss one of the most beautiful...
If you're a parent and you've ever taken a child to Mass, you've been there. Just as the priest elevates the host, your toddler slips and bonks his head on the pew. You frantically try to comfort and silently smother the loud screams of your child at the same time....
The eternal debate: receive the Eucharist on the tongue or in the hands? The great debates Catholics get into can be rather heated (and honestly quite entertaining at times), but let's start with this - Receiving the Eucharist on your tongue vs. in your hands isn't...
Non-believers often challenge Catholics by asking them why so much money is spent on Church buildings instead of being given to people who are starving to death throughout the world. What many fail to realize is that throughout history, the Catholic Church has...
It’s Easter! Yes, really, it is STILL Easter. The Church, in her great joy and celebration of Easter, celebrates eight full days of solemnities in honor of the Resurrection of Christ called the Easter Octave. The most obvious signs of this celebration are found in the...