One of the most authentic shrines in the Holy Land is the Samaritan well near Sechem where Jesus encountered the many-times-wedded woman who had come to draw water. more

A venerable Protestant church along Boston’s fashionable Newbury Street was announcing its 150th anniversary as a church community. The attractive poster on the church door featured a head and shoulders photograph of the local minister (actually ministeress) robed in alb, stole and chasuble with an especially welcoming and hospitable smile on her healthy face. more

Father Richard Donnelly, once pastor of St. Mark Church, Garden City, described the Book of Revelation, the Apocalypse, as “a spiritual pep talk in code.” No doubt one of his professors at St. … more

Catholics have long been taught that sin falls into various categories. There is the original sin of our first parents and the actual sins committed everyday. There are mortal sins with grave … more

It might seem a little premature to celebrate the great solemnity of Pentecost, but there is a valid connection between the spirit of Advent and the arrival of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles after Jesus’ return to heaven. more

Although Jesus Christ has been memorialized by preachers as priest, prophet and king at least since the Lutheran theologian Philip Melancthon first joined these distinguished titles, nowhere in Scripture does Jesus take these honors to himself. more

Within weeks of my ordination, after the celebration of Mass at St. Charles parish in Woonsocket, a woman approached me at the altar rail and requested the ceremony of “churching.” This … more

A couple of months ago in the second reading at Mass St. Paul wrote to Timothy a concise summary of the whole Gospel message, “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David: Such is my Gospel.” Thus St. Paul links the supernatural, even divine, elements in Jesus Christ (… raised from the dead. …) with the natural and human aspects of the Savior (… a descendant of David). more

Two correspondents chose to send me articles on the final interview of the recently deceased Cardinal Martini of Milan. more

After two thousand years of Christian belief, it is difficult for modern Christians to appreciate the novelty that a bodily resurrection was to Jesus’ contemporaries. The Jews before Jesus had very … more

Saint Bernadette Soubirous, the visionary of Lourdes, withstood relentless poverty as a child and later endured unrelenting strictness as a religious sister. One of nine children, Bernadette was born … more

On most days in the Holy Land, a cooling breeze blows in from the sea shortly before sunset. The Book of Genesis refers to this refreshing gust as “the wind of the day” and it takes note that it was at this relaxed moment that God the Father would visit Adam and Eve to discuss the affairs of the day. more

“American Grace” by authors Robert Putnam and David Campbell is a statistical and anecdotal survey of America’s current religious situation. more

On May 13, as Pope Francis canonized at the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in Fatima, Portugal two of the local shepherd children who first witnessed the appearance of the Blessed Mother at the … more

When I was ordained a priest fifty-one years ago, the bulk of the Mass had passed into English but the Canon of the Mass was still in Latin. The body of the Mass, although in the vernacular, was … more

This Sunday’s readings present two men, Elihan and Peter, who find themselves in danger because of their efforts to follow God's will. more

Recent articles have described St. Mark’s version of the Gospel as “a Passion account with an extended introduction.” One reference came from Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher to the papal household and the other came from the lectors’ workbook published by Chicago’s Liturgy Training Program. With such diverse observers sharing the same perspective on St. Mark’s brief Gospel account, a closer look at the Passion of Christ according to St. Mark, which forms this coming Palm Sunday’s lengthy Gospel reading, is clearly in order. more

A number of Woonsocket civil officials, educators, foster parents, clergy and interested neighbors met recently at the invitation of the Rhode Island Department of Children and their Families (DCYF) … more

Rev. Msgr. John F. Cox was professor of metaphysics at Our Lady of Providence Seminary at Warwick Neck for many years. He was famously absent-minded. Once he went to a ball game at Fenway Park. When … more

During a recent interfaith lecture a mention was made of the Holy Trinity and its celebrated constituents — the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. One participant asked the speaker whether these … more