Pope Francis and Mercy: A Dynamic Theological Hermeneutic. By Gill K. Goulding. Reviewed by Fr. Vien V. Nguyen, SCJ. (skip to review) Memoirs. By Jószef Cardinal Mindszenty. Reviewed by Fr. Joseph Briody. (skip to review) Gift and … [Read more...]
Ministering Like the Prodigal Trinity
May 27, 2022 by Matthew Kappadakunnel
Deep into the weeds of Catholic social media, we can easily fall into the mindset of categorizing people as sinners. Whether the issue is abortion, racism, LGBTQ, gender or another lightning rod topic, we are often inundated with views on … [Read more...]
Addictions: A Pastoral Approach for the Catholic Spiritual Director and Confessor
March 12, 2021 by Fr. Anthony J. Pinizzotto
Saint Paul refers to a thorn in his flesh, a messenger of Satan that is his constant reminder of the need for God’s grace.[1. 2 Corinthians 12:6–7, New American Bible (Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2002).] Al … [Read more...]
Making Pastoral Sense of Pope Francis’ “Civil Arrangement” Proposal
November 25, 2020 by Dr. Tiju Thomas
Pope Francis’ recent comments on “civil arrangement/union” for same-sex couples have caused concern among many across the world. Several Catholic bishops, archbishops and even a few cardinals have not minced words in their criticism. Even so … [Read more...]
What Is True Mercy?
February 26, 2020 by Rev. Kenneth M. Dos Santos, MIC
Is mercy merely the affirmation, allowance, or clemency an authority figure extends toward a subject — in light of the subject’s understanding of an act he or she desires to engage in given a specific circumstance? Or, is mercy something muc … [Read more...]
God Isn’t Your College Professor
June 30, 2019 by David B. Wester
It’s the end of another semester. Final exams need to be marked and grades need to be assigned to a group of students anxious to learn “what they got” for the course. There’s so much in all of this that begs for the usual justification. T … [Read more...]
The Tender Heart
April 22, 2019 by David Vincent Meconi
Where in any classical literature do men rejoice over wounds? In the ancients, injuries and lacerations bring about sorrow, if not revenge. But in the Gospel reading for Divine Mercy Sunday (Jn 20:19–31), we see a new understanding of v … [Read more...]
Questions Answered – March 2019
March 10, 2019 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
What Is the Institutional Church? Question: I hear a lot about the “institutional church.” It seems to be a phrase trotted out by people who want to see the moral law changed or to question authority. What is the “institutional churc … [Read more...]
So You Think You Understand Mercy?
July 31, 2018 by Dr. Wanda Skowronska, PhD
From the time it was announced, Catholics welcomed the year of Jubilee, the year of Mercy, with open hearts. We recall Pope Francis saying in Misericordiae Vultus (2015) that mercy “reveals the very mystery of the Most Holy Trinity” and is t … [Read more...]
When Does Sin Stop Being Sin?
July 31, 2018 by Dr. John M. Grondelski
Imagine I’m poor. Not dirt poor. Not homeless. Not living on the edge of extreme poverty. Just poor. Poor enough not to be able to afford some of the nicer things in life. Now, let’s imagine that I’m riding on the subway. I happen to noti … [Read more...]
Accusation, Forgiveness, and the Joy of Forgetting
April 8, 2017 by Deacon W. Patrick Cunningham
The greatest problem any one of us human beings has is sin. Sin can make our lives miserable on earth, and, if it is unrepented and unforgiven, it can result in everlasting misery. When the priest-prophet Zechariah foretold the ministry of … [Read more...]
Questions Answered
April 8, 2017 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Question: Why was baptism by John so crucial for Jesus, but not for Jesus’ followers? Answer: The baptism by John is the last in a number of rituals established by God as a part of the progressive preparation of the human race for the co … [Read more...]
The Paradox of God’s Predilection
December 20, 2016 by Jonathan Fleischmann
Recently, Pope Francis, like so many of his predecessors in the Chair of St. Peter, has emphasized God’s special predilection for sinners. Indeed, not on one occasion only, but on many occasions, our Pontiff has taken great pains to make t … [Read more...]
Restoring Unity Through the Spiritual Works of Mercy
November 21, 2016 by Dr. Marc Tumeinski
The practice of mercy, emphasized throughout Scripture, is brought together in Tradition and Church teaching via the seven corporal, and seven spiritual, works of mercy. In this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Pontifical Council … [Read more...]
Mercy is a Serious Matter
October 13, 2016 by Fr. Regis Scanlon, OFMCap
Pope Francis announced a "Holy Year of Mercy" which began on Dec. 8, 2015, and will end on Nov. 20, 2016. Many imagine that a year of mercy means that people can lift their arms up to the heavens, crying out for God's mercy, and a … [Read more...]
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