Objection 1 – Who am I to preach in honor of the one whose mouth poured forth sweet words of wisdom? I am not worthy to preach in honor of the master who climbed the mountain of God and whose words flowed forth like Jeremiah’s “many waters” … [Read more...]
Articles
Lusting for Love: Flirtations with the Kiss of Death
The title of this article is intended to have a double meaning. On the one hand, the basic meaning of “Lusting for Love” is an expression of how desperately we, as human beings, long to love others deeply, just as we long to be loved by oth … [Read more...]
To Strengthen Our Catholic Ethos Through Reconciliation
Ethics comes from the Greek word ethos, which means a way of life that is consistent with shared fundamental traits, such as behaviors, habits, attitudes and beliefs that guide a particular body of people toward making the best choices and … [Read more...]
An Ancient Near-Eastern Understanding of Matthew 5:13 and the Salt of the Earth
Matthew 5:13 is one of the most well-known and popular passages in Scripture. Salt of the earth is a phrase in common usage in the English language, but the phrase’s meaning now has deviated from the original context in which Jesus first s … [Read more...]
On What the Ordinary Has to Offer
“Oh, you must think there is more,” said the spiritual director to his directee. “More?” the directee responded. “More what?” “More than ordinary life,” indicated the director. The directee had just relayed the disarray he felt every time he … [Read more...]
Lay Members of Religious Orders
On January 28, 2023, I was blessed to be received into a fraternity of the Lay Dominicans, Eastern Province, USA. I am, thanks be to God, a member of the Order of St. Dominic, while also remaining in the lay state in the world. Many readers … [Read more...]
Divine Transcendence: A Pastoral Approach to Design
In the late Old Testament (Septuagint) Book of Wisdom we read the inspired author’s interpretation of man’s labored — and sometimes idolatrous — response to the marvels of the created universe: If through delight in the beauty of these thin … [Read more...]
The Spirit of Irrationality
In principio erat Verbum – Jn 1:1 The spirit of our age is one of irrationality. We are suspicious of people that make (universal) truth claims. We are suspicious of our own ability to reason and arrive at such claims. Our Post-Modern a … [Read more...]
Prayer and Social Transformation
We are now in 2025, the Jubilee year, with the theme of “Pilgrims of hope.” For the whole of the preceding year, our prayer has been preparing us all for this moment. In 2024, we have lived “a privileged time in which to rediscover the value … [Read more...]
Meeting at the Well
Relational Pro-Life Ministry in the Post-Roe Era
December 30, 2024 by Abigail Boeser
It has already been about two and a half years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade with its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a stunning political victory for the pro-life movement. At the time of this r … [Read more...]
“Rejoicing in Hope” with Mary
Marian Devotion as Remedy to Secularist Hopelessness
December 30, 2024 by Fr. Donncha Ó. hAodha
A shortcut to hope For a priest it is always heartening when a woman shares the news that she is expecting a baby, and asks for prayers for her and her new child at Mass. Motherhood is always a source of hope. An expectant mother embodies … [Read more...]
Perseverance in Ministry: Lessons from Saint Peter Faber for Discouraging Times
December 30, 2024 by Rev. Philip Smith
The Catholic Church in Germany was a total mess. Prelates were more interested in secular affairs and maintaining their own comfort than actually worshipping Jesus or sharing his teachings. When they did preach and engage in “spiritual” or “ … [Read more...]
Priests Who Cry Wolf
November 27, 2024 by Fr. Anthony Hollowell
History shows that, when preaching about the end of the world, zealous and holy priests have not always been prudent priests. Take, for example, the preaching of Saint Gregory the Great. He lived in an era that many of his contemporaries … [Read more...]
The Flavor of God: On Cooking and Christian Materialism
November 27, 2024 by Jason Openo
“Our Lord moves amidst the pots and pans,” St. Teresa of Avila once said, and indeed, I often find God in a busy kitchen. I love cooking, once described to me as the art of redistributing water, which is simply a very clever way of saying th … [Read more...]
Liturgical Leadership According to Pope Francis’ Desiderio Desideravi
November 27, 2024 by Mariusz Biliniewicz
The purpose of this article is to present a vision of liturgical leadership that can be found on the pages of Pope Francis’ apostolic letter Desiderio Desideravi (2022) (henceforth DD, available on the Vatican website). The context of t … [Read more...]
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