I was born two weeks late during a hot, humid St. Louis summer. My mother, who never complains of physical discomforts, claims that she does not remember being particularly uncomfortable during that time of waiting, but perhaps she just has forgotten. I was stubborn from
St. Aloysius Gonzaga was a pure and innocent soul, always close to God during his short life on earth. According to Fr. John Croiset in his 19th-century book Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Gonzaga had a deep devotion to the Eucharist. [T]he sublime degree
Corpus Christi Sunday, also known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, falls this year on Sunday, June 19. Originally proposed as a feast day by St. Thomas Aquinas, this liturgical solemnity honors the Eucharist, reminding all to recognize that
Catholics know St. Anthony of Padua as a Franciscan preacher, a doctor of the Church, and the patron of lost things. For the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement in upstate New York, he’s also a big brother. “He is a big brother to us and
God is love and has given us everything in our lives. The most appropriate response is to give everything back to him, including our very selves. Here is a consecration prayer to the Trinity with this in mind, attributed to St. Francis de Sales. I
The Austrian farmer Franz Jägerstätter (1907-1943) was executed by the occupying Nazi regime for his refusal to serve in the armed forces of the Third Reich. His conscientious objection was based on his deep Catholic faith, and he articulated his reasons in many letters, postcards,
Visitors to Assisi can once again see Blessed Carlo Acutis, the first millennial to be beatified in the Catholic Church, dressed in jeans and tennis shoes through a viewing glass on his tomb. Archbishop Domenico Sorrentino removed the panel covering Acutis’ tomb on June 1,
At the beginning of June, we remember two critical stages in the Church’s fight against the sexual abuse of minors. The first is the 20th anniversary of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, adopted by the U.S. bishops during their epochal June
During the celebration of Mass, the priest has the option of choosing Eucharistic Prayer I (also known as the “Roman Canon”). During this prayer the priest has the option of reciting two short lists of saints. Besides the Blessed Virgin Mary, the saints mentioned in
Catholics and people worldwide celebrate St. Joan of Arc — a heroine who fought for both God and country — on her feast day, May 30. On that day, nearly 600 years ago, the Maid of Orléans was condemned to death after being convicted of heresy. The
