“Catholic social teaching has explosive power for changing not just individuals, but whole societies. And it’s the saints who light the fuse,” writes Brandon Vogt, author of Saints and Social Justice. In this newly released book, Vogt introduces us to saints both familiar and unfamiliar and demonstrates how their lives offer a living model to putting Read more
In Jewish religious practice, Yahweh could not be visibly represented in any form (see Deuteronomy 4:15-19). Hence Jews were prohibited from making images, which were characteristic of polytheistic worship. The nature of Yahweh was represented not by pictorial representation, but by the human race. Humans alone could be called the image of Yahweh because in Read more
Whether to marry and whom to marry are among the biggest decisions—arguably the most important—a woman or man makes. The statistics reveal that human beings aren’t really as skilled as they need to be in this arena, with the rate of divorce roughly between 40% and 50% for first marriage and at 60% for second tries. And Read more
Is the Pope infallible when he proclaims a new saint, extending their liturgical cult to the universal Church? Many theologians – most in fact – believe he is and it is a commonly held and taught belief. Vatican Insider discusses this with Bishop Giuseppe Sciacca, a distinguished canonist and Adjunct Secretary of the Apostolic Signatura. Is Read more
The message for Sea Sunday from the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples reads as follows: This world of the sea, with the continuous migration of people today, must take into account the complex effects of globalization and, unfortunately, must come to grips with situations of injustice, especially when the Read more
“Who says men don’t cry?” is New Zealand Marist priest, Tony O’Connor’s initial reflection of ministering on the border of Mexico and the United States. Part of Fr O’Connor’s ministry, working in the Brownsville Texas parish, is to visit two detention centres, one for captured minor migrants and the other for captured adult migrants. Given their personal circumstance and Read more
While growing up in the Dominican Republic, Ana Garcia-Ashley lived on a dirt road that always had plenty of traffic, making it too dangerous a place for neighborhood children to play. One morning, her grandmother got fed up with the situation and decided to take action. She went door to door, rounding up other concerned Read more
Which is correct?: A. People drown by breathing in water. B. People drown by holding their breath under water. Confronted with such a question, the vast majority of people would know that A was the correct answer. Indeed, most people would know that water in the lungs is proof of death by drowning but that lack of it is Read more
12 thousand personal interviews after his morning masses in St. Martha’s House and not one day off. The Pope’s alarm clock goes off at 4:45 am and he only has one half hour nap a day. No wonder his body rebels now and again and he has to cancel certain events When priests told him Read more
God cannot be found in noise and agitation. His true power and love are revealed in what is hardly perceptible, in the gentle breeze that requires stillness and quiet to detect. In silence, God listens to us. In silence, listen to Him. In silence, God speaks to our souls and the power of His word Read more