Ecumenism and inter-faith activities were in their hay-day in 1960s and 70s. Father Edward Flannery, Father Thomas Trepanier, and, of course, Father Edward St. Godard were Roman Catholic pillars … more

St. Macrina (327 – 379 A.D.) was born at Caesarea, Cappadocia, in present day Turkey. Her parents were Basil the Elder and Emmelia, and her grandmother was Macrina the Elder. Among her nine … more

Saints Peter, James and John must have been somewhat perplexed as they came down the mountain after experiencing the splendor of Christ’s transfiguration and his conversation with the prophets … more

St. Mark does not lose any time in introducing his readers to the power of evil and specifically to the power of the Evil One. After only 23 verses into his Gospel, the evangelist writes, “Now … more

Father Gerry Beirne, pastor emeritus of St. Phillip Church, Greenville, once remarked that when he was an active priest he visited the sick; now that he is a retired priest he visits doctors. I can … more

When Pope Francis opened the first meeting of the Synod on Synodality last October in Rome, the 363 voting participants came from all over the world. And for the first time, according to news … more

The National Catholic (the word is used loosely) Reporter recently praised the church in the Netherlands for its innovative response to the vocation crisis. more

A radio commentator made mention recently of “market religion,” an unfamiliar phrase but one that makes perfect sense. more

The 45 books in the Old Testament and the 27 books in the New Testament include works of poetry, history, letters, narratives, laws, proverbs, prophecies, even novels, and of course the Gospels. The … more

Readings: Isaiah 45:1, 4?6 ; 1 Thessalonians 1:1?5; Matthew 22:15?21 more

An irony of the Protestant Reformation which commenced 500 years ago this month is that a movement founded on the absolute freedom of conscience resulted in the absolute right of a ruler to determine … more

At Bethlehem’s manger, Jesus Christ came to earth in the flesh. St. John affirmed: “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” St. Paul testified that Jesus was “a man like us … more

Probably the most often repeated words within the Christian community are: “In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Every liturgical celebration and each pious … more

If one can believe the conservative Web logs on the internet, every priest in Christendom will soon be offering the old Tridentine Latin Mass in parish churches and private oratories throughout the … more

National Public Radio featured a discussion of religion among millennials, young adults born just before the turn of this century. One speaker decided to wait before introducing her own children to any specific religious tradition, allowing them to be exposed to diverse spiritual experiences and then arriving at their own religious conclusions as they approached adulthood. The Catholic practice of infant baptism seemed presumptuous to the speaker, coopting a believer’s opportunity to make an informed and mature choice regarding one’s eternal destiny. Millennials are certainly not alone in this thinking. more

Undoubtedly, the greatest contribution that the Jewish people have made to civilization is their belief in a Creator God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the personal God known as Father to Christians, and honored for his transcendence within the Islamic world. But, while God must always be central to revelation, the Jewish community made another very significant impact on world religions by linking belief in God with the need for social justice. more

Perhaps it was a religious sister at the parish school or maybe a lay teacher during a catechism lesson that might have outlined the four ends of prayer and even written a handy reminder of these … more

In the mid-1960s, there was some concern among liturgists that the offertory portion of the newly revised Mass might detract from the Eucharistic prayer and the words of consecration. more

There are many majestic moments in the life of Christ that the Church could have chosen for the Gospel passage for this coming Sunday’s festival, the Solemnity of Christ the King. The glory of the … more

Oddly, there are no exorcisms in the entire Old Testament. The 45 books of the Hebrew Scriptures certainly recognize the existence and horror of evil, but demon possession is never encountered within its pages. Neither does the Gospel according to St. John feature any episodes of demon possession nor any demonic exorcisms. more