Charity (agape),” writes St Paul in his Letter to the Romans, “does no wrong to one’s neighbour; therefore charity is the fullness of the Law.” Charity does not denote any kind of love. It is a love whereby one sacrifices oneself for God and, consequently, for one’s neighbour. It is, moreover, a supernatural kind of…
Confirmation preparation begins again: dates are set for spring 2027, enrolment is under way and preparation Masses are taking place. We readily associate the gifts of the Holy Spirit such as right judgement, courage, understanding and wisdom with young people navigating life’s choices. Yet we can easily overlook another gift: Wonder and Awe in God’s…
The apparition at Knock is a composite image and representation of what takes place at every Mass. Knock serves as a tool of catechesis, reminding us of what the Mass consists. The major elements of the apparition that we have touched upon in ten articles over the last while are to be found in every…
St Bernadette Soubirous is usually depicted in statues around the world as the confounded peasant girl on her knees at the grotto in rural France. Without a doubt, those apparitions at Lourdes forever changed the life of the 14-year-old girl. In his homily at Mass on September 27 at the Prairie of the Sanctuary of…
In Paris on September 25 last, Pope Leo said to thousands of young people gathered in the Stade de France: “You are the saints of France! The Church in France needs you! She prays for you; she awaits you. Do not be afraid of this call!” I believe that nobody would dare describe themselves as…
Q: The priest of my parish says it’s not appropriate to hold hands or lift your hands up during the Our Father at Mass. Is this true? And if so, why do so many people continue to do it? A: While in my opinion holding hands during the Our Father at Mass is hardly the…
In telling his faith story, C.S. Lewis shares that at the moment of his conversion, he was “the most reluctant convert in the history of Christianity”, but that he gave himself over to Christ because “God’s compulsion is our liberation”. That phrase spoke to me recently when, on September 8, I celebrated the 60th anniversary…
Mass Readings: * Isaiah 25:6-10 * Philippians 4:12-14,19-20 * Matthew 22:1-14 There are few occasions in ordinary life that bring people together quite as naturally as a wedding. Perhaps this is why the image of a wedding feast has such enduring power in the Bible. It speaks of abundance, communion and celebration, but also of…
There is something remarkable about the timing of Fulton J. Sheen’s beatification. On the eve of the ceremony in St Louis, Pope Leo XIV mentioned Sheen during his General Audience in Rome. He did not speak simply about the American bishop as a figure from the golden age of Catholic television. Instead, he presented him…
It is somewhat ironic that the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis of Assisi, will not be celebrated liturgically by the whole Church as it falls this year on a Sunday (October 4). The Second Vatican Council instructed that Sundays, major solemnities and Feasts of the Lord were to take precedence over the…
Fr Barry White
Fr John McCarthy
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Fr Dominik Domagala