Marriage in Western Civilization and in virtually every society in the world and certainly within the Judean-Christian tradition has been the indissoluble union of one man and one woman open to the procreation and education of children. more

In its teaching on the universality of salvation in the document Lumen Gentium, the Second Vatican Council is careful to stress both the necessity of the Church for salvation as well the generous scope which participation in the church implies. more

Amalfi is a popular tourist destination along Italy’s Mediterrean coast. Cliffside roads and hairpin turns breathlessly lead to hillside villas and sun-bleached homes which cascade from forested hilltops down to the legendary blue sea. more

The Blessed Mother is highlighted twice in the Gospel according to St. John. The miracle at Cana, to be proclaimed this coming Sunday, places Mary at the very beginning of Christ’s public life and St. John’s narrative of the crucifixion locates the mother of Jesus at the very last moments of Jesus’ public life. more

Mary Kenny, columnist for the Irish Independent, writes of the sex-abuse and cover-up scandals that have devastated the Catholic Church in Ireland. more

The solemnity of Epiphany is to Christmas what the solemnity of Pentecost is to Easter. Christmas and Easter were personal events in the life of the incarnate Son of God. more

The season of Advent sometimes has the Christian world standing on tiptoe looking off to the horizon for the arrival of Jesus Christ who “will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.” more

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

Baruch 5:1-9; Psalm: 126:1-6; Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11; and Gospel: Luke 3:1-6 more

The secular world was heartened a couple of months ago by the headline that cited a substantial reduction in teenage abortions among those girls who had been fitted with internal contraception devises. more

The Diocese of Providence invites representatives of religious congregations to speak each year in area parishes to raise funds for their missionary efforts. more

The universal love of God for his creatures and especially for mankind is undeniable. Clearly, in the words of St. Paul, “God desires that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of his truth.” more

“No sun; no moon. No morn; no noon. No dawn; no dusk. No proper time of day. No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease. No comfortable feel in any member. No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees. No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! November!” more

An enduring event within the religious community in my native Woonsocket has been the annual Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service offered at the city’s Holy Family Church, (this year, on Sunday, November 18, at 3 p.m.). Father Edward St. Goddard, a fellow alumnus of St. Bernard Seminary in Rochester, N.Y., and pastor of the South Main Street church, has long been involved in interfaith and intrafaith activities throughout the state. more

Deuteronomy 6:2-6; Psalm 18:2-4, 47, 51; Hebrews 7:23-28; and Mark 12:28b-34 more

The town of Lincoln can boast of several historic homes and businesses along Great Road in the village of Saylesville. The Eleazer Arnold House dates back to 1693 and the memorable Hearthside House was built in 1810. more

Every October the Diocese of Providence requests from each parish a “mass count,” a census of exactly how many Catholics are attending Mass on a given Sunday. Bishop Thomas J. Tobin has noted in these pages that 17 percent of Rhode Island Catholics attend Mass on any given Sunday. more

Since I have spent most of my adult life lamenting modernity, the subtitle of a new publication quickly caught my eye: “How the World Became Modern.” more

The thoughts of the late Cardinal Archbishop of Milan, whose final interview was given much attention in the press and whose opinions were considered in this column last week, are considerably echoed by the opening reflections of Pope Benedict in his call for The Year of Faith 2012 which commences this Friday, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. more

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