Category: Columns

On
Tony Magliano

The world is awash with weapons

If someone’s house was on fire, would you pour gasoline on it? Well, the answer is obvious: Of course you wouldn’t. Yet that is very similar to what the United States and many other more economically developed nations are doing.

Despite the tragic fact that approximately 40 current armed conflicts worldwide are causing over 150,000 deaths annually, countless serious injuries, untold destruction, and 28,300 people per day fleeing from their homes, many of the wealthiest countries continue to pour flammable weapons into these volatile conflicts. And the U.S. is leading the pack (see: http://bit.ly/2ufpP5Y).

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On
Fr. Donald Lange

Mary’s assumption invites us to follow her

On August 15, we celebrate Mary’s assumption into heaven.

In no. 966 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church it says, “The Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.”

Shows us how to love

Mary’s assumption can motivate us to reflect upon events that led to her being assumed into heaven as a reward for her faithfulness.

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On
Julianne Nornberg

Approaching the Eucharist with childlike awe

Everyday Faith column by Julianne Nornberg

In awe, my five-year-old son peered over the pew during the Consecration, the most holy part of the Mass during which the host and the wine become the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Normally my youngest can be a bit rambunctious during Mass, but we try to pull him aside and point out the miracle before us at each Consecration.

Seeing through a child’s eyes

“The priest, in persona Christi, is asking the Holy Spirit to change the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus right now,” I whispered into my son’s ear. “Look! He’s holding up Jesus!”

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On
Fr. Tad Pacholczyk

Considering options for infertile couples

When Catholic couples experience trouble getting pregnant, they often seek medical help and begin to research what options are available to them.

A number of moral considerations and questions generally emerge during this process: Why are techniques like in vitro fertilization (IVF) considered immoral? What approaches will the Church allow us to try? What does our infertility mean, spiritually and personally, in the face of our fervent but frustrated desire for a baby?

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On
Bishop Robert Barron

Pope Francis speaks to priests

I write these words from the Nuremore Hotel in Monaghan, Ireland, where I am conducting a retreat for the good priests of the Dublin Archdiocese.

As I look out at these men, I am reminded of so many of my own relatives on both sides of my family (“Gosh, he looks like Uncle Charlie” and “That one is the spitting image of my cousin Terry”), for I am Irish all the way through. Many of the priests who are making the retreat are retired, and it is edifying to see so many who have bravely borne the heat of the day. Do say a prayer for them.

The theme that I have chosen for my talks is “Pope Francis Speaks to Priests.” I have culled a number of motifs from the pope’s numerous talks, sermons, and lectures to priests, seminarians, and bishops. Allow me, in the course of this brief article to say just a few words about each one.

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On
Julianne Nornberg

Struggle is necessary in this life

Everyday Faith column by Julianne Nornberg

Slowly, slowly, with back hunched over and knees bent up toward the handlebars, my six-year-old daughter trudged on her big-wheeled tricycle toward the grocery store to get popsicles.

So adamant was she about not trying her two-wheeled bicycle that she resorted to a preschooler vehicle to reach her destination.

Swallowing my usual remarks during such displays of tenacity, I patiently walked beside her, giving her a push now and then up the slopes, then gently reminded her that when she masters her two-wheeler, she will not struggle so much.

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On
Fr. Donald Lange

July 4 invites us to reflect on freedom

Independence Day is an American federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Studying the Declaration of Independence can motivate us to reflect upon the meaning of freedom and independence.

Dependence on God

We Catholics believe that our independence and freedom are rooted in our dependence upon God. Our dependence upon God is clearly stated in the preamble of the Declaration of Independence.

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On
Bishop Robert Barron

Looking at Luther with fresh eyes

With great profit and pleasure I’m currently reading Alec Ryrie’s new book Protestants: The Faith that Made the Modern World. Among the many texts appearing in this year of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, Ryrie’s stands out for its verve, clarity, and historical sweep.

In some ways, it is an answer to Brad Gregory’s The Unintended Reformation, though it lacks the intellectual depth and thoroughness of Gregory’s magisterial study. What has so far intrigued me most of all in Ryrie’s book is his portrait of the undisputed father of the Reformation, Martin Luther.

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