Every year I try to write an article on suicide because it is perhaps the most misunderstood of all deaths and it wreaks a unique havoc among the family and the loved ones left behind. They are left with a blizzard of ambivalent and conflicting feelings: shame (What a shameful way to die); guilt (Somehow…
There are few Christian commandments more easily repeated and more difficult to obey than the one we hear in today’s Gospel: “Forgive your brother or sister not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” In other words, forgive without keeping count. But what about justice? What about those who have been wounded, exploited or humiliated? Does Christ…
I wonder if you can tell the age of a person by the number of dead people’s phone numbers he still has saved on his phone? It could be like judging the age of a tree by the rings on its core. A young person may have only a few. I feel like I must…
Lord, if a brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? The Gospel Matt 18:21 Then Peter came and said to Jesus, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Matt 18:22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times,…
As I’ve suggested in earlier reflections in this series, one of the ways in which we can protect ourselves from excessive anxiety is to be clear regarding what we might call a sensible ‘moral architecture.’ Our moral responsibility is limited; it does not extend to the whole world. Developing a wise and balanced sense of…
When I pulled up to the high school that my two oldest sons attend in downtown Minneapolis, the excitement was buzzing. Students were clapping and cheering for their classmates as they entered the doors for the first day. Teachers and staff stood on the pavement welcoming everyone to the new school year. I couldn’t help…
‘Dono di Maria’ or ‘Gift of Mary’ is a convent of the Sisters of Charity located close to the Holy Office near St Peter’s Square here in Rome. For six evenings of the week, the sisters welcome fifty-five homeless people into the convent where they gather for a meal. Recently, I have volunteered to help…
Q: Could you clarify the Church’s current stance on Freemasonry? Some seem to think that these days it’s “no different than belonging to Rotary” or any other service club. The local church has parishioners that belong to the local Masonic lodge. A: Despite what you might be hearing from your fellow parishioners, it is still…
When I reflect on the spirituality I was raised on, I’m deeply grateful. No spirituality is perfect, but what I have been given through our rich Christian tradition stands up to the challenges of life and of faith. But if I had one criticism it would be this: For all its richness, Christian spirituality hasn’t…
How much is enough? In Matthew’s Gospel, Peter asks that question, but with a very specific idea in mind. How much do I have to forgive my brother? How many times? Seven? That should be enough, right? Right? But what followed probably wasn’t what Peter expected. “Jesus answered, ‘I say to you, not seven times…
Fr Ronald Rolheiser
Fr Dominik Domagala