When examining Pope Francis’s perspective on synodality, many observers, both proponents and detractors, often discuss two possible influences that helped shape his approach. One factor they often point out is the extent to which the way the Church was organized...
Because today is the day after Pentecost, we celebrate the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, a feast established by Pope Francis in 2018. It is a moveable feast, which means its date is determined each...
On May 11, 2023, Pope Francis added 21 Coptic Orthodox martyrs to the Roman Martyrology, during a visit of the Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II to Rome. This was described by Pope Francis as a “sign of the spiritual communion...
Earlier today, Pope Francis declared that 21 Coptic Orthodox Christians, who were beheaded by Islamic militants in Libya in 2015, would be added to the Roman Martyrology. Francis made the announcement during an audience with Pope Tawadros II, the leader...
I have learned the Lord’s Prayer three times in my life—in English, German, and Italian. Like many Catholic children, I learned the English version at Mass. I have a very clear memory of the first Mass in which I was...
We end the week with a treat: a recent address by the papal nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Christophe Pierre. He delivered the Francis John Cardinal Dearden Lecture at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, last Wednesday,...
What do our many and varied calendars reveal when we pause to examine them? They both impose and reflect rhythms, some of them natural, some invented. The calendar year seems to be one of the latter. There isn’t anything special...
Working with children, both as a catechist and as a choir director, has taught me many things, but first among them, is that sharing your faith involves all of your senses. This rings true for kids of all ages, from...
Before the advent of “gifted and talented” coursework at the high school level, my classmates and I were among the original “trailblazers.” By the time we reached senior year, we had either taken classes at neighboring colleges in math and...
Whew! Chocolate egg foils may still litter the kitchen, but the children survived the long Holy Week church services (maybe even got their feet washed?) and Lent is behind us for another year. It may unfortunately be unrealistic to think...
One of the most beautiful things about being Catholic is the universality. Catholicism wraps its loving arms around so many rituals, practices, and traditions through inculturation. It embraces each and every person and presents to us an incredible array of...
On May 15, 2018, the Vatican announced the promulgation of Cor Orans, the document containing the directives for communities of contemplative nuns around the world. In the years that followed, few Catholic websites in the United States have given a...
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