When speaking to his son, King David reminds Solomon what it takes to succeed as king: “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, be courageous [לְאִֽישׁ], and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping … [Read more...]
A Letter to Senior Priests
July 27, 2023 by Louise Merrie
Dear Fathers, Thank you for answering God’s call to be a priest and for your many years of active ministry in parishes, shrines, hospitals, schools, colleges, the military, retreat centers, and the missions. Thank you for all of the t … [Read more...]
Here is The Victim Who Vanished in Word
March 29, 2023 by Kevin Wells
A short time ago, in the Maryland countryside, a priest the humble folk say bears a resemblance to Maximilian Kolbe turned on the ignition of his old silver pick-up and eased out of the parking lot of his St. Michael’s parish. He shifted i … [Read more...]
St. Joseph and Fatherhood
February 24, 2023 by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio
Originally delivered as a talk for the Diocese of Paterson Advent Day of Prayer for Priests, St. Paul Inside the Walls Evangelization Center, Madison, NJ on December 6, 2022. It is my privilege and pleasure to be with you today at the … [Read more...]
Book Reviews – February 2023
January 27, 2023 by Book Reviews
The Church and the Age of Reformations (1350-1650): Martin Luther, the Renaissance, and the Council of Trent. Joseph T. and Barbara A. Stuart. Reviewed by Argene Águila Clasara. (skip to review) Forming Fathers: Seminary Wisdom for Every … [Read more...]
Stir into Flame: A Response to the Survey Among Recently Ordained Priests
June 24, 2022 by Fr. Andrew LaFramboise
Saint Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy is particularly encouraging to young priests. Being a young priest, I can relate to Timothy and his vocation to shepherd the people of God in the midst of challenging circumstances. Paul writes to e … [Read more...]
The Wheat and the Tares
A Reflection upon Contemporary Priestly Formation
May 27, 2022 by Kevin Symonds
In St. Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the tares (13:24–30). Some tares had been sown by an enemy and grew up alongside the wheat. The wise owner of the field instructed his servants to let both grow together until the harvest “ … [Read more...]
The Essence of Fatherhood
Fundamental for Any True Shepherd of the Church
April 28, 2022 by Rev. Kenneth M. Dos Santos, MIC
Should Catholics ever fall into a concept of God which disregards the Three Distinct Persons of the Blessed Trinity, in favor of One God with three functions or modes of operation? And does not this concept weaken the possibility of a … [Read more...]
An Open Letter to My Bishop and to All U.S. Bishops
February 26, 2022 by Msgr. Paul L. Bochicchio
I write this letter after much prayer and reflection and with the utmost respect for the complex issue of leadership in the church. I am not naïve regarding the challenges that bishops and church leaders face in the light of many crises a … [Read more...]
Questions Answered – March 2022
February 26, 2022 by Fr. Brian Mullady, OP
Qualifications for the Priesthood Question: What are the qualities a person needs to be a Catholic priest? Answer: The best way to answer this question is to follow the address given by Pope Benedict XVI a number of years ago to the … [Read more...]
St. Joseph “Patris Corde” As a Pastoral Icon
February 25, 2021 by Dr. Tiju Thomas
On the 150th anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as the patron of the universal church, Pope Francis released the Apostolic Letter “Patris corde,” which means “with a father’s heart.” (1, 2) This is in the spirit of Pope Pius IX’s d … [Read more...]
The Month of the Priesthood
November 25, 2020 by Fr. Nathaniel Dreyer
One of the relatively minor and nonetheless frustrating consequences of COVID’s rude invasion into society can be observed in diaconal and priestly ordinations. These typically large-scale celebrations have been reduced to minute g … [Read more...]
The Last Word on Sacred Celibacy
October 16, 2020 by Fr. William L. Korte
The last word on sacred celibacy is, actually, the original word because it comes directly from the Word of God Himself, Jesus Christ. This word has been handed down to us infallibly in “Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture which forms one … [Read more...]
Abortion: Unmasking the Demon
August 21, 2013 by Fr. Stanley Smolenski, SPMA
It is true that fatherhood is the main target of Satan’s forces, but his is a multi-pronged strategy which includes the destruction of motherhood and childhood. This is blatant in abortions. The spiritual dimension of abortion, based on … [Read more...]
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