On Wednesday during his general audience, Pope Francis made an appeal for peace in Ukraine, and called for a day of prayer and fasting next week on Ash Wednesday: My heart aches greatly at the worsening situation in Ukraine. Despite the diplomatic efforts of the last few weeks, increasingly alarming scenarios are opening...
What’s the big deal about traditionalism? Surely it’s harmless enough? If people want their smells and bells, why not? Who knows? Maybe some of that old fashioned Catholicism will rub off on the modernized Church. Well…. as an ex-priest of the Society of St Pius X, I have a different view. The phenomenon...
Today, I’d like to draw your attention to an excellent video by the Franciscan friar Fr. Casey Cole. Fr. Casey has a very popular podcast and YouTube apostolate called “Breaking in the Habit.” The mission of this media apostolate is to evangelize and catechize in the way of St. Francis of Assisi. Fr....
When in 2020 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued an instruction that the plural pronoun “we” was not to be used in the baptismal formula because it implies that the baptizand is baptized not by Christ but by the worshiping community, the decision was widely seen as a curiosity only...
The abbot dipped his right thumb in the chrism and made the sign of the cross on my forehead, He said, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” I responded, “Amen.” The abbot then said, “Peace be with you.” I responded, “And also with you.” As I turned and began to...
When I was 27, I was cast as Louisa, the 13-year-old daughter, in a semi-professional production of The Sound of Music. Physically, it made sense especially since I looked at least 10 years younger than my actual age. My friend Beth who was shorter and even younger looking than me was cast as...
Excerpt from Hope from the Ashes by Paul E. Jarzembowski (Paulist Press, 2022) The stories of many active churchgoers on Ash Wednesday are surprisingly similar. Each of us could probably recount our own stories of Ash Wednesdays past. After months of seeing the same faces in our pews, we often are greeted on...
A reflection on the readings for February 20, 2022 — The Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Different elements make what we call religion, faith tradition, Christianity, or Catholicism. A religion encompasses many dimensions – revelation, doctrines, traditions, rituals, practices, and ethics. Together, they make a religious tradition, and more specifically for us, Catholicism. During...
None of this is easy, however, unless we are accustomed to find moments of silence throughout our day and to set aside the activism of Martha in order to learn the quiet contemplation of Mary. We find it hard to give up that activism – and very often activism can be an escape...
There is a tendency among some Catholics to suggest that Catholic teaching has not developed or changed over time. If they studied history, they would know differently. Indeed, if they studied the saints and major thinkers throughout the centuries, they would see how change has been incorporated within Catholic tradition and recognized as...
On Tuesday of next week, February 22, 2022, I will be taking part in an online event sponsored by the Cenacle Sisters and moderated by Mark Piper, their director for Ministry and Mission Advancement. I will be joined on the panel by WPI contributor Kerry Campbell, who has a wonderful podcast and apostolate...
Super Bowl LVI is over, leaving some ecstatic and others crushed. Soon it will be time for March Madness – a thrilling twenty-one-day extravaganza of exceptional sportsmanship. Perhaps not as extravagant or thrilling, but Lent 2022 is also on the horizon. Is anybody screaming with excitement? It is customary for me to wait...
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