Let’s face it, when it comes to the Covid-19 vaccine there are those who are for it and those who are against it. No one
Sacred Heart Major Seminary (SHMS) is offering a new, free, online course entitled “A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward.” The course is set to begin
I came of age during the cultural changes of the 1960s. Even though my Catholic upbringing had taught me that sex outside of marriage was
Half a century of sitting in Catholic parishes and getting assaulted by painful attempts at relevance qualifies me to reflect on what a thriving parish
There is a need to reclaim Sunday as a holy day. The Old Testament commandment to keep holy the Sabbath finds its fulfillment in the
So, What Does It Mean to Love God? To love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with
The 31st Sunday in ordinary time (Year B) marked the end of World Mission Month in 2021. The theme for the day’s readings speaks of
How simple life would be if God’s plan for each of us was clearly laid out for us to follow? Like a beam of light
Years ago, I honestly believed I was laying down my life for God, serving Him with my whole heart, mind, and soul. Then, slowly I
Somehow, for some reason, Christ’s teachings have been watered down over that last 50 or 60 years. Today Christianity seems to be all about loving
God’s mercy and justice are perfect. And therein lays a conundrum for some. Just how, they wonder, does perfect mercy and justice work? In our
Several years ago in one of his many talks, Bishop Robert Barron remarked that a great retreat could be written on the questions asked by
In discussions with evangelist friends, it seems the conversation always gets around to the criticality of believing in Jesus Christ as our personal savior and
I like to do things my own way – who doesn’t? All the way back to Adam and Eve we’ve all been the same. Most
The nature of the Catholic Church holds many elements together mysteriously. On one hand, the Church is the spotless bride of Christ. On the other
If you have a question about the Catholic faith or have been asked about the meaning of or reason for a Church teaching, it helps
The Catechism: An Underrated Resource The Catechism of the Catholic Church may not seem like a priority in these crazy times. Keeping up with breaking
When I originally wrote “Not Of the World: Catholic Tradition and Separation” in 2018, I had in mind the devotional and disciplinary practices that filled
Television and social media are not evil in themselves. However, we need to be wary of the purpose behind what we watch or interact with,
There’s a certain value to nonconformity, to separation from the rest of society. So long as you stand for something definite, something positive that the
A very common and challenging question I often got in the RCIA program to encourage “reverts” to come back to the faith is, “Can you
“Well, if it’s a symbol, to hell with it.” This was Flannery O’Connor’s flustered response to the claim that the Eucharist is only symbolic. She
Is there something wrong with our religious education programs; has doctrine been buried under euphemisms and “feel good’ concepts? Forty years ago, when I taught
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone you love and who loves you very much won the Lottery and wanted to share it with you? You
