I wasn’t raised with Mary. As a Protestant, I was taught that excessive devotion to Mary distorts the Gospel. It implies that Mary is as important as Jesus, which is blasphemy. Moving toward Catholicism, I came to certain convictions. The human Jesus was one man in one place and time. He taught us basic Christian […]
Manaolana | Karen Osborne: Youth presence at pro-life event shows commitment
For many years, teenagers have walked in the March for Life, the annual pro-life demonstration in Washington that recently marked its 42nd anniversary. The event aims to bring awareness to the laws surrounding legalized abortion, hoping to change them. It attracts people of all ages from all over the country, united in one common […]
Father Kenneth Doyle: What’s the Biblical basis for purgatory?
Q: So far as I know, the other Christian religions do not provide for a purgatory — only the Catholic Church — and I’m wondering where purgatory is mentioned either in the Bible or in Christ’s teachings. (I would like to be able to defend my faith with some clear references.) (Chesapeake, Virginia) A: Speaking […]
Bill Dodds: Lent after the death of a spouse
Lent has a way of sneaking up on all of us each year. It can be especially hard if you’ve recently lost a loved one. On Ash Wednesday two years ago, shortly after my wife died of uterine cancer, I was determined to get to Mass and receive the ashes on my forehead. But as […]
Msgr. Owen F. Campion: As sinners, we are outcasts and strangers
Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46; 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1; Mark 1:40-45 The first reading for this weekend comes from the Book of Leviticus. In sequence, Leviticus is the fourth book in modern translations of the Bible. As such, it is part of the Pentateuch. The Pentateuch includes the five books of the Bible attributed to Moses. These five […]
Sister Monica Martin, Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity: In generosity, God cannot be outdone
In declaring 2015 to be the Year of Consecrated Life, Pope Francis invites us to deepen our relationship with God. We are all consecrated by baptism. God loves us very much and desires nothing more than for us to love him in return. We can do that by spending more time in prayer. Even 15 […]
Christina Capecchi: An epic love story atop the family tree
It had an echo of Nicholas Sparks to it, but it was real life, and the story went viral: an Ohio couple married for 73 years died just 28 hours apart. Reporters across the globe culled bits of Hollywood drama from the marriage, chronicling a young Joseph Auer surviving the horrors of D-Day and missing […]
Tony Magliano: Protecting the unborn in a ‘throwaway culture’
What a sight! More than 25 times, I have seen from the top of Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., a sea of people marching to proclaim the dignity of unborn human life, and how abortion sends the unholy message that some human beings are disposable. And as I write, I plan to march with that […]
Father Kenneth Doyle: Applause at Mass may be appropriate
Q: Recently, in answer to a reader’s question, you suggested that applause for a musical performance during the Mass is inappropriate and breaks the flow of the liturgy. May I invite consideration of a possible addendum to your comments? There are faith communities in the U.S. where applause during religious services is not meant to […]
Kathleen T. Choi: What do you pray for?
Do you pray for a parking space? Some Christians do. Others never ask for anything; they just thank and repent. Some will intercede for other people but not themselves. Some pray for big things, like a job, but don’t bother God with more trivial matters. At one time or another, I’ve taken all those positions. […]
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