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…
Reflections on Humanae Vitae Part I – What it Says
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…
10 Commandments in the Modern World Pt 9 – Relationship Boundaries
Commandment 9: Thou shall not covet thy neighbors wife. In the version of the 10 Commandments found in the book of Exodus place both objects of covetous desires, your neighbor’s wife and his goods, into the same commandment. The version…
Remember Who You Are
There is important liturgical concept called “anamnesis.” Literally translated it means “remembering.” It is so fascinating to me how important this concept is in the Scriptures. In the Exodus, God says of the Passover, “This day you are to remember;…