Readings: Wisdom 9:13-18 Philemon 9-10, 12-17 Luke 14:25-33 Education? Erudition? Expertise? Are these the same as wisdom? Do they automatically translate into prudence? This Sunday’s readings don’t give us a clear-cut answer to that question. Instead —as so often happens in the pages of Scripture—they point us toward those dimensions of wisdom that are…
Q: Does the Church ever use the word ‘divorce,’ or in every case is it always an ‘annulment?’ Didn’t Jesus allow for a spouse, in the case of a cheating spouse, to be granted a divorce, even calling it ‘a divorce?’ A: The Church does use the term ‘divorce’ in some contexts, such as when…
I teach a course on the renowned mystic John of the Cross. Since this is never a required course for any student, I usually begin the first class by asking each student why he or she is interested in this course. The answers vary widely: “I am taking this course because my spiritual director told…
When I think back on childhood, my grandfather’s garden in Rathkenny, Co. Meath often comes to mind. Hydrangeas, roses, lupins, and marigolds bloomed in neat order, a little world of colour and care. For me, it was something like a miniature Chelsea Flower Show—alive, vibrant, and ordered. It is no surprise that Scripture so often…
At every wedding I have celebrated, before they exchange their vows, there is one question I ask of the couple which always strikes me. “Will you accept with love the children God may send you?” Without hesitation they reply “Yes.” It is a beautiful moment, but what strikes me most is the weight of that…
I signed up to walk home but I didn’t expect what I would carry with me at the end writes Paulina Guzik When you are born in a major pilgrimage destination, you grow up with a treasure – a national shrine and sacred image – within reach every day. I was that child, born in…
The buzz around my friends this past month has been a blissful sight to see. Many of them recently visited Rome for the Youth Jubilee, a successful event which challenged the common story heard in recent years: that Catholic youth are fading. I would say otherwise. They are coming back stronger, with open minds and…
A: The short answer to your question is that excommunication is specifically a punishment for canonical crimes. And although political support for pro-choice policies is morally problematic, it is not a canonical crime in and of itself. For context, usually when we speak of pro-choice politicians being denied Holy Communion, the relevant citation is Canon…
How a chance encounter with a young man gathering rubbish became a lesson in virtue The professor entered, gown flowing from tall, broad shoulders, stately, imposing, dignified. Sitting down at the top of the seminar table he announced, in urbane voice, but with a hint of country: “I’ve just overheard two students, two girls, one…
The figure of St Joseph and St John are included alongside the Immaculate Virgin Mary in the apparition at Knock. In the 1879 vision all three wore luminous, white garments which indicate their transfigurations, and their personal, undefined chastity. They are among those dressed in white before the Lamb of God: the many whose robes,…
Fr Dominik Domagala
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Fr Barry White