St Katharine Drexel was born in Philadelphia on November 26, 1858, the second daughter of wealthy banker Francis Anthony Drexel and his wife, Hannah Langstroth. Her mother passed away shortly after Katharine’s birth, and her father remarried Emma Bouvier in 1860. Katharine and her sister Louisa received an exceptional education through private tutors and travelled…
I recently attended the baptism of my first grandchild, 3-month-old Charlotte. I must say, Charlotte is adorable. So, with that impartial assessment out of the way, I offer some reflections that Charlotte’s baptism brought to mind. My parents were in a huge hurry to baptise us. It was the before the Second Vatican Council, when…
“Are you ready to help the parents of this child in their duty as Christian parents?” “We are” Recently, I was made the godfather of my girlfriend’s nephew. When her sister and brother-in-law asked us to be godparents, I’ll admit I was both surprised and deeply honoured. The request made me curious though – what…
St Peter was born the youngest child into a poor but noble family in Ravenna, Italy. His early years were not easy, as both of his parents died when he was still young. He was raised by an older brother who mistreated him, forcing him to work. However, his life took a positive turn when…
Q: If someone were in an abusive marriage,if they divorced would they still lose their right to Communion? A: The short answer is no, the simple fact of being divorced does not in any way hinder or cut off a Catholic’s access to the sacraments. For some background, we as Catholics do believe that on a…
There is a strong urge to believe in the shallow myths of success and power. It is dangerous to accept the fleeting ideas of the sacred which present God in the form of cosmic energy, or in any other manner that is inconsistent with Catholic teaching. My dear young people do not yield to false illusions and passing…
All my certainties were gone. That love I experienced brought meaning to my life, says Bro. Jander María de Jesus Sharing something about yourself is always challenging, because we do need to figure out what would be relevant to the people who are going to read it but also because we tend to share just…
Each time I meet someone new there are two things that shock them. One being that there are Catholics in India and the second being Christianity reached the shores of India before it reached Europe. History shows that St Thomas, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ reached Muziris (Modern day Kodungallur in Kerala)…
During the last years of his life, Thomas Merton lived in a hermitage outside a monastery, hoping to find more solitude in his life. But solitude is an illusive thing and he found it was forever escaping him. Then one morning he sensed that for a moment he had found it. However, what he experienced…
The Church dedicates the month of February to the Holy Family, an inspiring model of love. This time offers an opportunity for reflection on what love truly means. With St Valentine’s Day accompanied by chocolates, flowers, and idealistic films, it is easy to overlook the deeper meaning of love. But we are left with an…
Renata Milán Morales
Fr Ronald Rolheiser