What does it mean to be “pastoral”?
The term “pastoral” comes from the Latin, pastor, meaning “shepherd,” and thus refers to the work and concern of the shepherd for his sheep. In the current ecclesiastical jargon, what is the meaning...
View ArticleThe Widow’s Mite
… {I propose here} to move … to the freedom of giving as an inevitable expression of our spirits in Christ and as a necessary means of our own sanctification. We Catholics in the United States...
View ArticleHelping to Heal the Pain in the Pew: The Preachers Role
This sex abuse scandal is, perhaps, the first time our listeners in the pews truly understand the pervasiveness of sin. … The preacher speaks of its toll on our hearts, while …reminding us that grace...
View ArticleQuestions Answered
What concerns should a priest have in the weekly homily? “New Evangelization:” What does it mean, and what are its primary focuses? Question: What concerns should a priest have in the weekly homily?...
View ArticleHomosexuality and Vocational Discernment and Choice - A Call for...
A Call for Evidence-Based, Astute Priestly Discernment in a Framework of Overall Moral Character DevelopmentA seminary that is on-going in the cultivation and the learning of the skills of virtue as an...
View ArticleLiving the Christian Life Today: A Formula for Success
The Christian life requires us to be dedicated, persevere in all our endeavors, and be responsible. But without the unifying glue of faith to unite these important qualities, our quest will never be...
View ArticleQuestions Answered
Can you explain what the general rights and duties are of the state in regard to the family? What does the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) mean by their term “Creative Fidelity”?...
View ArticleMemories Make the Future
The community of faith throughout the entire biblical tradition has been called to tell its story to others. Jesus affirmed that those who love him will keep his word and share it with others (Jn...
View ArticlePersonal Holiness and the Homosexual Agenda
… it is imperative that we reclaim the language of covenant within marriage, and that we clarify the vocabulary we use in this debate. We are not simply talking about contracts, but about covenants. In...
View ArticleDivision
It is good to begin one’s search for truth with the awareness that we are always limited in our possession of truth. That limitation does not mean truth is unattainable. What Is Truth? by Nickolai...
View ArticleThe Sacraments as True Causes of Grace: An Ecumenical Obstacle
If the Church can be accused of anything at all, (it is that) she attributes too much power to God, for it is only she who proclaims to the world that God is so powerful that he takes up creation and...
View ArticleThe Liturgy and the New Evangelization
Not only does the liturgy compel the People of God to spread the Gospel to all nations, but it also gives them the grace to do so. The “reform of the reform” of the Roman Rite is still in its infancy.1...
View ArticleFall Reading for October 2014
History of the Catholic Church: From the Apostolic Age to the Third Millennium. James F. Hitchcock (Ignatius Press: San Francisco, 2012) 584 pages. (Reviewed by Fr. Brian Van Hove, SJ) The Word Made...
View ArticleWhat Every Chancery Needs to Consider - Six Reasons Why Some Chanceries Work...
Six Reasons Why Some Chanceries Work Better than Others While every chancery is unique, some clearly function better than others. There are, in fact, six common, key differentiators (listed below)...
View ArticleMay We Donate Our Organs?
It is likely that most Catholics consider the question of the morality of organ donation to be a settled matter, and to view it as a noble and generous gesture on the part of donors. After all, the...
View ArticleLate Fall Reading for November 2014
Three Moments of the Day: Praying with the Heart of Jesus. Fr. Christopher S. Collins, SJ (Ave Maria Press: Notre Dame, Indiana, 2014) 160 pages. (Reviewed by Fr. Vincent L. Strand, SJ) Reading the New...
View ArticleLife-Giving Funerals - The Importance of Skill in Music Ministry
The Importance of Skill in Music MinistryIt is exceedingly difficult to stand before mourners assembled for a funeral Mass, look them in the eye one at a time, and sing—with them, to them, and...
View ArticleLaying the Foundation for Forming Disciples in Our Parishes
A recent mailing of the Franciscan University of Steubenville declares, “The age of casual Catholicism is over. The age of heroic Catholicism has begun.”1 Men and women starving for truth and eager to...
View ArticleReclaiming the Fifth Way
“New Atheists” such as Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, and Sam Harris utilize evolution’s supposed purposelessness to cast doubt upon God’s existence, and draw atheistic conclusions about morality,...
View ArticleMore than Sentinels Wait for the Dawn - A Soldier Ponders the Wounds of War...
A Soldier Ponders the Wounds of War and the Absence of God I’ve had it, Chaplain. My right leg still hurts like hell from the shrapnel, and God only knows when the drugs will kick in. But physical pain...
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