There has been something inexplicable going on somewhere deep within me this Advent. I am finding it difficult to put it into words, but Christmas, its true meaning, and all its implications are overwhelming me. Of course, Christmas is the...
[Author’s note: Conservative Catholics sometimes argue that Pope Francis puts too much emphasis on the social dimension of Catholic teaching; they worry that such an emphasis on the communal will distort the Church’s moral teachings. In reality, however, the Church...
Today is Thanksgiving Day in the United States. The word thanksgiving takes on a special meaning for those of us who are Catholic, because it is the meaning of the word Eucharist. A Christian life well-lived is filled with gratitude for all...
The preparation for the Synod on Synodality is enabling the Church to take a deeper look at her own reality. What constitutes the Church? What makes us the Church? How do the members of the Church fit and work together?...
I’d like to reflect on reverence at Mass. I know that in our fast-paced, constantly moving society, it can be easy to forget how important it is to show reverence when we come to church on Sundays and holy days....
Throughout his papacy, traditionalist critics of Pope Francis have accused him of sowing confusion among the faithful or even of teaching heresy. Perhaps most famously, in 2016 four cardinals submitted five dubia, or questions seeking clarification, regarding Francis’s apostolic exhortation...
A reflection on the readings for June 19, 2022, The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ “Why can’t I change after all these years? Why can’t I change my ways? I find it so strange after all...
There are two supernatural events narrated in today’s scripture readings. The first event concerns Abraham (Gn 15:5-12, 17-18). Abraham heard God speak, saying, “I have brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you possession of this land.” But...
What is the “sacred”? Too often, we see it as the opposite of the mundane or common. This view is incorrect and can damage our understanding of the Faith. A setting apart In a previous essay for WPI, I explained...
Every three years, the Sunday Gospel readings spend a few weeks working through chapter 6 of the Gospel of John. The Year B Gospel readings mostly focus on Mark’s Gospel and so John 6 comes as a somewhat startling and...
A homily for the twenty-first Sunday of Ordinary Time (Cycle B). Readings available from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This is the custom of the simple: they ever find fault with the more subtle doctrines and foolishly tear in...
The conversation around the Eucharist in recent months has focused on political figures and “Eucharistic coherence.” I can’t help but juxtapose these largely theoretical discussions with the real barriers to the Eucharist that exist for many of the faithful. I...
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