Friendships can be a source, not only of spiritual growth, but also of great enjoyment and satisfaction — and thus, the ending of a friendship on bad terms can be the cause of considerable pain and sorrow. Arguments, disagreements, or misunderstandings can end relationships that had
“For decades now, the entrenched wisdom has been that women’s unhappiness is largely due to the fact that home life demeans us and the remedy is for us to demean it in return,” explain Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering, co-authors of Theology of Home II: The
Some years ago, I wrote a parable of sorts to address why God might allow evil: An alien spaceship came near Earth to observe whether we were worthy of a visit. It focused its surveillance equipment on a random city and peered into a hospital
They canceled Easter. Is Christmas next?” Matthew Hennessey asked this question in the Wall Street Journal on December 8. Lockdown regulations did indeed cancel Christmas gatherings and festivities for many. We bishops have been hearing variations on Hennessey’s cry from our people as we approach another pandemic-dominated
My first Christmas card in the seminary was such a memorable one that I still have it today. It was a beautiful up-close picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary, head bowed, and eyes closed in deep prayerful silence before the mystery of God who had
One of the mistakes of nationalism is the belief that nationhood takes precedence over God. We think of Henry VIII’s establishment of a national church and the spilling of the blood of the martyrs on its altars. We are reminded, in this context, of St.
Several hours before the beginning of 2021, a 9-year-old Argentine boy was saved from a stray bullet by a small metal crucifix on his chest, an event that local media have called “a New Year’s Miracle.” According to a report from the police office of
Goodbye 2020! It has been rough. The year actually incentivized making a good New Year’s resolution. And by good, I mean holy. The world has always let us down — more so in 2020 — but we know that God has something better for us.
When Pope Francis proclaimed the Year of St. Joseph late in the year, he made clear the “St. Josephs” of 2020, those living hidden lives of service, “praying, making sacrifices and interceding for the good of all,” inspired the Church’s new holy year. “Each of us can
No matter what kind of bad news happened over 12 months, goodness will always triumph. At the end of a bad year, it is tempting to be pessimistic about life and even grow in despair. This is especially the case when we surround ourselves with
