The most common image in most Catholic churches is the crucifix. It is displayed prominently, usually above the altar as a focal point of the congregation. Catholics have a long tradition emphasizing the Passion in our relationship with Jesus. For…
We Are an Easter People
Sacramental Matters
Recently I had a student ask the perennially controversial question “Why can’t women be ordained priests?” Even though this has been declared as a closed question by Pope St. John Paul II, it still recurs over and over. There are…
Patience
One of the things that make life complicated is that sometimes the right thing to do is to wait, to choose to endure, to put up with things as they are instead of as they should be. This is the…
Reflections on Veronica’s Veil
The sixth Station of the Cross is Veronica wiping the face of Jesus. While this story does not appear in any of the Gospel accounts of the Passion, it has become an important source of meditation when thinking about the…
Are the Gospels Historical?
Christianity is an historical religion. We make claims of history. Unlike other religions from the ancient world, the central story of our faith is based in fact, not myth. If you were to ask an ancient Roman about when Hercules…
The Meaning of Life
What is the meaning of life? It sounds like a trite question, but it’s one we all ask: what’s it all for? What is really important? Why are we here? Society offers an answer: the purpose of life is to…
Why We Must Prioritize the Unborn
“The threat of abortion remains our preeminent priority because it directly attacks life itself because it takes place within the sanctuary of the family and because of the number of lives destroyed…” The US Catholic Bishops made the above statement…
Evangelization Begins with Love
If you are anything like me, watching the news about our country is very upsetting. We are all Americans and yet we often appear more and more divided. To be honest, I have spent less and less time watching the…
Human Error
“To err is human“, famously wrote Alexander Pope. This is very true. But what do we do about it? When people err, the modern approach as seen on social media seems to be to condemn them for it, and if…
Start Over with Jesus
Every year we make New Year’s resolutions. When the calendar resets, we often take that as a moment to hit the reset button on our lives. There is nothing magical about the change in date, but it speaks to the…