There are many reasons that Paul VI, the author of the papal encyclical Humanae Vitae, will soon be canonized as a saint. For today’s article, I would like to focus on one particular element that may have been a factor:…
Reflections on Humanae Vitae Part III: Paul’s Prophecy
Reflections on Humanae Vitae Part II: What Went Wrong
The pope is the head of the Catholic Church. Every Catholic knows that we are called to listen to him as the Vicar of Christ on Earth. But when Blessed Pope Paul VI issued Humanae Vitae in 1968, an enormous…
Reflections on Humanae Vitae Part I – What it Says
The Church is about to celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of its most famous encyclicals in the modern world: Humanae Vitae. Of course if you have read most of the press coverage, the word “celebrate” may seem a bit…
Not Changed, But Perfected
We live in strange times. I’m sure people of every age feel this way. There is a constant tension between the past and the future. New ideas and ways of thinking are scrutinized against a long tradition. But the last…
Immigration and the Catholic Church
There has been a lot of talk in the news and online about immigration to the United States, particularly illegal immigration along the southern border. Images of detention facilities from the previous and current presidential administrations have stirred up passions…
God of the Old Testament, God of the New Testament
A common attack that believers receive from antagonistic atheists is one that involves the Old Testament. The challenger will often quote some law from Leviticus or Deuteronomy like not touching women during menstruation (Leviticus 15:19). Or they will point out…
A Saint Against Despair – Mark Ji Tianxiang
If you are anything like me, I often feel very despondent of the sin in my life. As the years go on, I do note some spiritual growth. But I am constantly struggling with sins that troubled me from my…
Crafty Virtue: Lessons from the Dishonest Steward
One of Jesus’ most challenging parables is the one about the Dishonest Steward in Luke 16. In that story, a wealthy man is about to dismiss one of his stewards for being dishonest. The steward, wanting to ingratiate himself with…
Reflecting on Jesus’ Grandparents
A few days ago we celebrated the feast of Sts. Anne and Joachim, the parents of the Virgin Mary. Very little can be said about them with certainty. Neither of Mary’s parents are named in the Scriptures. We find these…
10 Commandments in the Modern World Pt 10 – Be Happy for Others
Commandment 10: Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s goods. In our last article, we covered coveting your neighbor’s wife. In this one we will talk about our neighbor’s possessions. It is very natural to want what someone else has. We…