That They May Be One
On the night before his arrest, Christ prayed that his followers would be one. In the Gospel of John, he prays not only for his disciples but for those who would come after them: I do not pray for these...
Tagged: church
The Church is Not a Democracy
The Church is not a democracy. Seriously, how often have we heard this phrase? Does it not hold an honored place among ecclesial truisms, like “the Church thinks in centuries,” or “Catholics don’t sing”? Surely, in a literal sense, we...
The Church is the community of believers
A reflection on the readings for April 28, 2024 — The Fifth Sunday of Easter In 21st-century American Christianity, there appears to be a strong desire to separate belief in Christ from membership in the Church. This is backed up...
Francis and Benedict’s thoughts on a smaller, purer Church
I’d like to provide a brief history lesson on the “smaller, purer Church” predicted by Pope Benedict XVI and also reaffirmed by Pope Francis on multiple occasions. Background Catholics in the West have witnessed what seems to be an unstoppable...
How Can We Become Supernatural When We Aren’t Even Natural?
There is a growing realization that Christians need community. As Pope Francis wrote in Fratelli Tutti: “No one can face life in isolation… We need a community that supports and helps us, in which we can help one another to...
Synodality: A New Way of Living as a Church
On Sunday, Pope Francis opened the two-year process for the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops with a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. The diocesan phase of the Synod is set to begin this Sunday, October 17....
The extremist reactionaries have all the oxygen they need
This evening, the President of the United States of America amplified a voice that is basically calling for the downfall of the entire Catholic hierarchy. So honored by Archbishop Viganò’s incredible letter to me. I hope everyone, religious or not,...
Wednesdays with Pope Francis: The Church
In this catechesis series, Pope Francis teaches us about the Church. This is the third course in the “Wednesdays with Pope Francis” series. The first course was on the sacraments. The second course was on the gifts of the Holy...
The Church: A History of Reform
I’m currently making my way through James Hitchcock’s History of the Catholic Church which succinctly summarizes the main developments of the Church over its 2000 year history. One thing this brief survey of the Church has taught me is that...
How to Choose a Church
I am truly fascinated by conversion stories because conversion is predicated on a reorientation of the heart itself, a fundamental change in how one sees and approaches the world that may require shunning close friendships, family, and careers. As a...
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