The Son as Sacrament

The Eucharistic Poetry of John the Evangelist

The longer I have lived on this earth, the more I have fallen in love with the Eucharist and the sweet song of love it sings to me. As I drink in the Living Water of God’s word each day, I am swept away by the overwhelming flood of grace t … [Read more...]

Prayer as the Gateway to Mystery

For a Christian, mystery is reverenced as that hidden dimension in things, people, situations and life which is beyond time, place or physical description. We may understand aspects of this esoteric reality beyond us and we can appreciate … [Read more...]

Called to the Reverent Stillness at Mass

Why as Catholics should we keep silence when we go to Mass? Because the King of Kings, the Lord of Hosts, Who is God Almighty, is present, truly present with us. We are entering into a “sacred space” set aside for prayer and worship, where w … [Read more...]

Eucharistic Coherence and Liturgical Parables

Who should or should not receive the Eucharist? Should anyone be denied the Eucharist? These questions have generated much controversy in recent weeks as the USCCB has debated drafting a document on this topic. The controversy seems to be … [Read more...]

Book Reviews – May 2021

Under Siege: No Finer Time to be a Faithful Catholic. By Austin Ruse. Reviewed by Matthew Kappadakunnel. (skip to review) Retrieving Augustine’s Doctrine of Creation. By Gavin Ortlund. Reviewed by Fr. Stephen Rocker. (skip to r … [Read more...]

Mother of the Little Bright Lights of the World

Her History and Spirituality

At Medjugorje, Our Lady said that she was completing there what she began at Fatima. Surprisingly, my story follows that same way. This story begins simply at Fatima in 2001 and proceeds to Medjugorje in 2017. In July 2001, I went on a … [Read more...]

On Live Streaming the Mass

In an article written in 1953, the German philosopher Josef Pieper raises an alarm about the TV-transmission of the Mass that, at first, sounds hyperbolic and out of date. He seems horrified at what, for us, has become the norm. He argues … [Read more...]

The Early Eucharist: How Was It Experienced?

The Eucharist many Christians experience today has its roots in historical and cultural practices no longer shared by contemporary society. Described in texts of the Early Christian period, the Eucharist was similar to meal customs of the … [Read more...]

Evangelization: The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist

A significant number of Catholics — according to the latest Pew Research Center survey, almost two-thirds of self-identifying Catholics — do not believe in the Real Presence. [1. OSV Editorial Board, “The Real Presence,” Our Sunday Visitor, … [Read more...]

Liturgical Lessons for Social Media from Medieval Hermits

In the face of stay-at-home orders and church closures put in place throughout the world to keep people safe from the coronavirus, Catholic priests have exhibited remarkable pastoral creativity. One has only to browse social media to see … [Read more...]

The Truth, the Priesthood, and the Eucharist

Is the Eucharist the Real Presence — Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity — of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, or is the Blessed Sacrament a mere symbol of the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? This que … [Read more...]

Weaning Off the Livestream Mass

“Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming o … [Read more...]

Questions Answered – October 2020

The Question of Gluten-Free Hosts Question: Are the following valid matter for the Eucharist: grape juice or gluten-free hosts? Answer: I am astonished at how many questions I get about what constitutes valid matter for the Eucharist. … [Read more...]