A Reminder in Time of War A full year before the invasion of Normandy by Allied forces during World War Two, in June 1943, Pope Pius XII issued an encyclical letter entitled “Mystici Corporis Christi.” This encyclical is nothing new in Catholic teaching but was an...
This open letter is written in response to a viral article written by Amelia Kibbie that can be found HERE. Dear Amelia, At the time of this writing, your article has been shared 20,928 times on Facebook alone. So, clearly, this sentiment resonates in the hearts of...
I remember the first Mass I attended after COVID-19 caused lockdowns countrywide and cut off access to the sacraments. I hadn’t been to Mass in more than two months, and I craved the Eucharist more than anything else I’d lost during the pandemic. The Mass was going to...
I’m just not getting anything out of it! is a common cry for many who find church boring. For many raised Catholic, feelings of “not being fed” cause some to leave church altogether or at least find another Christian experience. Many go for churches that emphasize...
St. Francis of Assisi is arguably one of the most beloved and venerated Catholic saints (after Mary and Joseph, obviously). However, by his own admission, Francis wasn’t always the radical, holy saint we revere. He once said, “I have been all things unholy. If God can...
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....
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...
When filling out any number of government documents or certain applications, there is usually a box to self-report religion. Inevitably, one of these boxes, in the English speaking world at least, will read “Roman Catholic.” Growing up, I called myself a “Roman...
Whether you’re a regular Mass-goer, or you attend Church once a year at Christmas, chances are high that you have come across a liturgy that either had a boring homily or painful music. If not these, then perhaps you have witnessed a priest introduce liturgical...
Comedian Jim Gaffigan has a unique way of sharing his faith through his stand-up routines. In a recent video, "Barely Catholic", he gets more than just the jokes right. How many of us have had a little conversation like this with Jesus? "Barely Catholic" Hard Truths?...
Fr. Brice Higginbotham from the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux provides excellent insight into the meaning and significance of the altar as he answers many of the questions you've probably never even thought to ask about this fixture present in every church. Take a minute...
Anyone who has heard the recent news coming out of the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania is rightfully outraged. It wasn’t just that possibly thousands of people were sexually abused, but what’s especially revolting is the way these perpetrators exploited their...
First, let me tell you that I'm not Catholic. But having lived in Europe for several years, I've probably been in more Catholic Churches than most Catholics. Not that this makes me an expert, but more of a connoisseur. However, I have asked several of my Catholic...
Whenever anybody gets really serious about exorcism, they go to a Catholic priest. Did you ever see a movie with a Protestant exorcist? The Catholic Church is an “expert” in the most dangerous war of all, spiritual warfare. Why? For these reasons: Jesus was. He...
Yup, that topic. Young children and the Mass. Little did I know seven years ago, before our first was born, what an expert I’d become on the topic. At first, it seemed so easy to go to Mass with a child. We’d go to Mass, infant Clare would nurse or sleep, and maybe...
This is an excellent video produced by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City that helps to explain the process of evangelization and catechesis. Those involved in any type of church ministry within the Catholic faith should take a minute to watch it. If you’ve been around...
Habits and routines form and shape our experiences and our lives. These habits will help you make going to Mass more than a habit. Going to Mass is the ultimate form of prayer and should be a spiritual encounter with Christ. I invite you to reconsider your Mass...
One of the most common refrains I hear from young people is 'Mass is boring. Homilies are boring. I don't know why I have to come Sunday after Sunday.' Some of my youth in the rear pews would be distracted on their phones during Mass. When I asked them once what they...
There are certain, obvious parts of the Mass that become more automatic touchstones... easier, in a sense, for us to focus on or re-focus from. For instance, we can read along in our missals during the Liturgy of the Word - a natural way to engage. And at the...
Have you ever wondered why the Catholic Church is structured in a hierarchical form? Or, what makes the difference between a deacon and a priest? Or how our local parishes fit into the global relationship of the Church? Each member of the Church has an equally...
Of course, there is no question that the spiritual benefits far outweigh any practical benefits that children may receive when they attend Mass and that the reason we attend Mass is to be with and worship Our Lord, but we’ve already written about that in a few other...
First of all, before we get started, let’s make some things clear. This is NOT a post about priest-bashing. It is our priests, the lovable ones, the grouchy ones, the aloof ones, the bookish ones, the weak ones, the wounded ones (you get the picture), who bring us the...
This article is for you, especially for you, if you have been thinking about going back to Mass. On the part of all of us at Catholic-Link, let me personally invite you back to mass (we even wrote a letter for you!): We want you back! Today's article looks to give you...
This coming Sunday is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, an initiative organised by Open Doors USA, a non-profit organisation. What more can be said about the persecuted Christians? Perhaps you, like me, can feel a guilty fatigue when you read...
As Pope Francis continually reminds us, the first attribute of God is mercy. Mercy is His name, and this mercy is greater than any error that we might commit. In being intimately connected with the love of God, it is transformed into infinite proportions. It has no...