St. Thomas Aquinas addresses this question in his Summa Theologica, and to reduce his nuanced arguments into one word – maybe. Thomas makes clear, in full accord with Scripture and Church teaching, that some souls do go straight to heaven or hell. Souls of those who...
As we reflect on the COVID-19 national crisis, we are reminded of the innate human dignity of every person. Politicians of any stance on abortion and end of life issues agreed to stop the spread somehow. Together, though all at our own homes, we witnessed a new...
Description: We Are the Lord's: A Catholic Guide to Difficult End-of-Life Questions is a video series with accompanying book, that serves as a succinct, quick-reference guide to difficult end-of-life questions, framed by divine wisdom and Catholic Church teaching. Its...
She’s not here anymore. I didn’t know why I was so sad, looking out at the beautiful magnolia tree in our backyard, in full bloom, with the warm spring breeze gently blowing into the house. But I was sad, and it didn’t make sense. I was 11 weeks pregnant. Everything...
Bashing millennials is a popular pastime. Diamond, housing, retails, or other industry tanking? Millennials are too addicted to the internet. Person you disagree with elected into a political position? Those darn voting youth! Tide pod challenge fiasco? Dumb...
The upcoming feast days in November, All Saints Day and All Souls Day, we will remember with hope all those saints who are in God’s presence, who’ve lived an exemplary life and were carefully examined by the Church to be considered as such. It’s also the time to...
"Shall we now begin the Mass." The words that I had loved hearing over the last several years now felt like an invitation to the tears that were always a struggle to keep locked in. As our priest listed the intentions of the Mass, I listened intently, keeping my...
The most comprehensive List Of Saints Who Never Suffered, Faced Trials, Or Experienced Temptation. Ask the Saints to interceded for you and get to know their stories! You'll be glad you did. A List Of Saints Who Never Suffered, Faced Trials, Or Experienced Temptation...
There are really no words to add to this incredibly moving video of the Holy Father responding to the question of a young boy who wanted to know if his father non-believing father is now in heaven. The beauty, the gentleness, the compassion of Pope Francis should be...
Are you afraid of death? Imagine just how much your fears hold you back from God's awesome plan for your life! In this week's Gospel reflection, Father Ian VanHeusen examines Lk. 24:35-48. Much like Jesus' plan for his disciples, it's hard for us to imagine what...
I have some news for you. You’re going to die. We all are--not now, maybe, not in the near future, but one day, all of us will physically cease to be. This isn’t meant to be depressing or frightening; it is a condition of life that it must cease, or otherwise it isn’t...
Fr. Ian VanHeusen presents a gospel reflection and spiritual exercise on the Gospel reading for Palm Sunday, Mk. 14:1-15:47. Throughout the Lenten season, Father encourages us to invest in prayer of self-examination, and he provides practical assistance in the method...
Brian Holdsworth is a young Catholic, self-described as a "creative professional and struggling thinker" who "makes videos on topics that [he] finds interesting." He recently made a video on Euthanasia and Assisted suicide, which we share here. As you can imagine, it...
This is Us, a hit television series, has a unique comedy-drama story line that has captured the hearts of millions of viewers. I'm not typically one who gets drawn into television shows, but something about this one has captivated me. Because of its popularity, it can...
What is a Spiritual Exercise you ask? St. Ignatius of Loyola writes, “By the term “Spiritual Exercises” is meant every method of examination of conscience, of meditation, of contemplation, of vocal and mental prayer, and of other spiritual activities. For just as...
The death of a loved one leaves an indelible mark upon your heart, and forevermore there is something that you carry around with you; it can feel heavy, or dark, and it’s especially around festive periods that the loss can feel most prevalent. As families come...
Full disclosure – I am not Brazilian. I’m only just starting to appreciate soccer, so I can’t really call myself a fan. I had never heard of the Chapecoense team before I woke up on Tuesday morning and read an article in Portuguese saying that a plane carrying them...
“Live. Love. Laugh.” It’s a slogan that’s typically found on at least one wall in every home. And why not! I’m not going to deny that it’s a genuinely beautiful message; an ode to the goodness of life and of our existence with others. To the way that we should live...
José Luis Martín Descalzo is a priest, a journalist, and a Spanish writer from a profoundly Christian family in which he was the youngest of four siblings. He completed degrees in History and Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He was ordained a...
It seems that Hollywood is starting to realize the power of the name of Jesus and is responding by creating more movies about the life of Jesus. Well, maybe. At the very least, producers have certainly realized the entertainment value of the story of His Life, Death,...
When were you most in Love? More specifically, when were you most in Love with God? Do the words of Ron Rolheiser fit with you, that, ‘except for rare, graced, moments we still believe in a God who is hyper-serious, wired, intense, pained, disappointed in us,...
It's easy to criticize the crimes and tragedies of the world. They are there for all to see. But where do they begin? Each one started with an interior decision, a moment in which the person decided to look at reality differently. Things seem innocent, harmless enough...
These four videos could be useful to start a dialogue about the brevity of life and its ultimate meaning. The passage of time, the various stages that we cross, the challenges that we overcome, the plans and projects that we will build, everything that we acquire (all...
Speaking about death is difficult. Death is scary; it makes us touch our fragility. It makes us feel finite and insecure. It reveals the fact that we don’t have total control over our lives. No one knows the day or the hour when we will leave this world. For this...
Stand by me is a beautiful, nostalgic production based on a Stephen King novella. The story is told through flashbacks in which the main character, Gordie, a writer, recalls the far off summer of 1959 when he was 12 years old. Hearing of the death of another...