Why does the theology of this Dominican priest who died in 1274 still carry so much influence today, asks Fr Fergus Kerr OP You could graduate today with first-class honours in divinity in most universities knowing next to nothing about Thomas Aquinas. On the other hand, 50 years ago, in Catholic colleges and seminaries, you…

The Song of Bernadette is a Hollywood classic, probably its the best effort to capture a saint’s life on film. The black and white drama from 1942 tells the story of young Bernadette Soubirous. Bernadette – now a saint – is depicted as a slow but sincere young girl, who is given the remarkable gift…

It’s with good reason that Pope Benedict XVI drew attention to the story of St Josephine Bakhita in his encyclical, Spe Salvi (In Hope we Were Saved), for her’s is a story of the “hope that ensues from a real encounter with this God,” as the late pope put it in that same encyclical. Born…

Fr Stuart Wilson-Smith A faith slump can happen to anyone. Prayer isn’t working or we don’t feel motivated. When we do make it to Mass, we struggle to focus or we don’t feel God any more near to us than when we went in. God seems distant, or we may wonder if God is even…

God gave all of us gifts that can be put to use in service of our parishes, writes Lorene Hanley Duquin Today, parishioners are expected to feel a true sense of ownership in their parish. That means looking at your parish as more than just a place where you go to Mass. A parish can…

You might think, reading this column over the last few months, that religion is a common subject in movies. However, it isn’t very frequently, at least as a positive subject. There are plenty of films that attack it or misunderstand it; in the past there were films that made it into a kind of spectacle,…

Saint Brigid is, perhaps unexpectedly, at the forefront of the public’s mind, what with her feast day becoming the occasion of a public holiday this year. However, many have chosen to focus instead on the pre-Christian goddess of the same name – some going so far as to say that there was no historical St…

Woodeene Koenig-Bricker Advent has its wreath, its candles, its hymns – all of which culminate in Christmas. Lent has ashes, fasting, Stations of the Cross – and the Resurrection. It’s easy to be energised and excited about the Faith during the High Holy Days. But Ordinary Time in the Catholic Church? It’s just so, well,…

Pilgrimage is an age-old Christian tradition for a reason, writes Zac Davis So many significant moments in my spiritual life are tied to sights, smells, sounds and emotions felt on a pilgrimage: The deep sigh after walking all the way up from the train stop to the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi. My jaw…

I’ve already looked at several films from the Vatican’s list of 45 significant films. This week, I will add Monsieur Vincent. The 1947 French film is a picaresque account of the life of St Vincent de Paul, founder of the Daughters of Charity. As Catholic film critic Deacon Steven Greydanus puts it, there are many…