The fiftieth anniversary of the Second Vatican Council is certainly an invitation to reflect on how that historic council has influenced both Church life and one’s personal life. more

No, the Maccabees did not run a funeral home on Pine Street in Pawtucket. That family was the McAloons. The Biblical name Maccabee, loosely translated “hammer” denoting ferocity in … more

St. Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount, comprising chapters 5, 6 and 7 of his Gospel, contains possibly the most famous Scripture passages within the New Testament — with the possible exception of the … more

Although Jesus himself never treasured nor even accepted the title “king,” this royal identity is a logical result of centuries of Christian belief. Jesus was born into the line of King David. Jesus was worshipped by the three Persian noblemen. more

St. Joseph’s name was added in 1921 to the Divine Praises, usually recited after Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, by Pope Benedict XV at the request of the Archdiocese of Quebec. St. … more

Two Blackstone Valley men were recently featured on the front page of the local press celebrating their same-sex nuptials formalized in nearby Massachusetts. Some of their justification for entering into the legal novelty of a same-sex union focused on the little harm that their lifestyle imposed on their neighbors and their community. They go off to work and eat at nearby restaurants and conduct much of their lives as any other couple might. “What fault is there in that?” they might suggest. And, of course, on an individual basis, there probably is very little mischief that can be laid at their doorstep. more

Judge Donald and Ursula Shea, residents of St. Francis of Assisi parish in Warwick, were recently honored when a scholarship in their name was endowed at Providence College for a student who would pursue a career in community service. more

In the late 1950s Father Francis Xavier Durwell published a book first in French and then in English entitled “The Resurrection.” The publication was an influential event in the renewal of church theology and church liturgy which would reach its summit (or nadir, some would say) after the Second Vatican Council. more

Years ago I was coming out of the nearby Park and Shop market in Blackstone just ahead of a friend of my mother who was not only shopping for groceries but tending her grandchildren as well. The … more

Pope Francis’ recent encyclical letter, “On Care for Our Common Home,” rightfully considers ecology in the broadest sense of that relatively new word. “Eco” comes from the Greek word … more

Cynicism, skepticism and even pessimism are negative mindsets that are a very easy refuge for modern day Catholics whose basic beliefs are often mocked by worldly powers and whose fundamental faith … more

Readings : Acts 6:1-7 1 Peter 2:4-9 John 14:1-12 more

The second reading this coming Sunday is a portion of the brief, personal letter that St. Paul wrote to a Corinthian gentleman named Philemon regarding the man’s runaway slave named Onesimus. more

The American public has just enough Puritanism left within its ranks to bring a blush to the face when sex is mentioned in polite society. more

Catherine of Aragon, Ferdinand and Isabella’s ill-fated daughter and Henry VIII’s ill-used wife, was actually quite a competent queen for England. During Henry’s several ventures overseas, Catherine was his regent, one time even defeating the Scots at Flodden Field while her husband had lesser luck in his French expeditions. more

A congratulations card or a recovery card or a condolence card arrives in the mail from a Catholic friend and the greeting begins, “The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will be offered for…” Yes, the … more

English novelist W. Somerset Maugham observed that there is nothing particularly blessed about poverty. He wrote, “Poverty is the surest route to bitterness and resentment.” more

Warned by the death of St. John the Baptist, and then alerted by the antagonism that his own preaching and healing provoked, Jesus knew that tough times were ahead for himself and for his hapless disciples. more

If I were to mix chemical A with chemical B in my cellar in Woonsocket, there would be a definite reaction. The chemicals might lie there inert with no result, the chemicals might explode with dangerous consequences, or the chemicals might bubble over and eat away the work shelf supporting my experiment. more

For centuries, usually through the quiet response of an altar server or through the sung response of a choir, the worshippers at a Catholic Mass affirmed the Eucharistic work of the celebrant through … more