Q. After the last presidential election, while in confession, I asked the priest this question and his response astounded me. He said voting for a Democrat was a mortal sin, their political stance on abortion demands this, and he went on to list all the party’s dreadful practices he considered evil. I always vote for…
The Sunday Gospel Ex 24:3-8 Ps 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18 Heb 9:11-15 Mk 14:12-16, 22-26 “Be what you see, become what you receive!” With these words, the saintly bishop Augustine urged his flock to deepen their understanding of the gift and mystery of the Eucharist. The good bishop reminded the faithful that the Eucharist transforms them…
James Garavan We often hear priests speak about how the Church ought to accommodate the ever-diminishing young Catholic population. Today I sat down with two young Catholics, Conor and Isabelle to discuss life as a young Catholic and how they think, as a young person, Irish parishes and schools are failing to support the youth.…
Teresa Pitt Green Most Catholics experience the crisis of sexual abuse by clergy in relation to headlines, as stories from around the globe or from the local parish where a trusted priest has been removed. Yet the pain of abuse within the church bleeds somewhere else, in someone else’s wounds, which are the only place…
Michael R. Heinlein What does it mean to receive Jesus Christ in the Eucharist? How are our lives to be changed from such an encounter? In fact, the fruits of the Eucharist are many. They bring about a unity in diversity, wherein each member of the body – responding to grace – can live unique…
In much of the secularised world today, we live in a climate that’s somewhat anti-Christian and anti-Church (as contradictory as this may sound in a culture that still considers itself Christian). But the truth is that in many circles today it is fashionable to bash Christianity, especially its churches, be they Roman Catholic, Protestant, or…
The Sunday Gospel Dt 4:32-34, 39-40 Ps 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22 Rom 8:14-17 Mt 28:16-20 Periodically, people ask me, “What is your favourite part of being a deacon?” Near the top of my list would have to be the opportunity to celebrate the sacrament of baptism. There’s just nothing like it. There is…
Q: I live in a diocese where the feast of the Ascension is celebrated on Thursday. This year, I was traveling for work on Ascension Thursday, and in the diocese where my conference was, Ascension was moved to Sunday (by which point I was already back home). I feel bad for missing the feast of…
Lauretta Brown When I mention to priests and religious that I am reading one spiritual classic a month this year, I often immediately get the advice not to read The Dark Night of the Soul by St John of the Cross. I have obligingly avoided that intimidating work, but when one Carmelite encouraged me to…
Silvio Cuéllar Over a decade ago, my wife Becky and I decided to cut our cable service and go without television. It was a drastic decision at the time, but one that helped our children learn many skills, such as playing instruments, painting and developing their talents at a young age. We made that decision…
Fr Ronald Rolheiser