By Fr. Kenneth Doyle
Q. According to the Gospel, when Jesus was dying on the cross, He cried out, “My God, why have you abandoned me?” Why was he saying this? Did he really feel that his Father had abandoned him? (Coxs Creek, Ky.) A. Half a century ago, when I first began to think about the meaning of […]
3/29/17
Reading Time
3
min
By Maria Pia Negro Chin
Recently a colleague shared his experiences of the 2017 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress and told us how he was re-energized by the powerful testimonies there. As I listened to him and looked into the event, the theme of the Los Angeles Youth Day prior to the congress caught my attention. Nearly 13,000 teens who […]
3/29/17
Reading Time
2
min
By John Garvey
I am not the first to notice that ideas and styles spread across the fine arts, regardless of medium or genre. In the middle of the 19th century, orchestras grew to 100 or more musicians, and symphonies were lush and tuneful. Think of Wagner, Tchaikovsky and Saint-Saens. Novels had as many characters as orchestras had […]
3/28/17
Reading Time
3
min
By Russell Shaw
It is commonplace to say that America, along with other Western countries, is currently experiencing a cultural — which is to say: moral — crisis. And, in some quarters at least, it’s hardly less common to say this presents the church with both a challenge and an opportunity. The opportunity is to save America by […]
3/22/17
Reading Time
3
min
By Fr. Kenneth Doyle
Q. I have been wondering about the origin of the Hail Mary prayer. I realize that the first part is from the Scriptures, when Mary is greeted by her cousin Elizabeth, but when was the complete prayer introduced in the church and who were its authors? (Northern New Jersey) A. As to the first part […]
3/22/17
Reading Time
3
min
By Fr. Jack Peterson, Ya
Gospel Commentary Jn 9:1-41 It is hard for me to comprehend what it is like to be blind. Reading today’s Gospel reminded me that, unfortunately, I take my ability to see for granted. My heart goes out to those who are blind. I just can’t imagine not being able to see a child smile, […]
3/22/17
Reading Time
3
min
By Elizabeth Foss
The battle for Lent is being waged in our heads — that’s where most marathons are finished, or not.
3/20/17
Reading Time
3
min
By Russell Shaw
It is commonplace to say that America, along with other Western countries, is currently experiencing a cultural — which is to say: moral — crisis. And, in some quarters at least, it’s hardly less common to say this presents the church with both a challenge and an opportunity.
3/20/17
Reading Time
3
min
By Maria Pia Negro Chin
Have you found yourself wondering if Jesus loves you? Think you don’t deserve this love? If you want these doubts dispelled, try praying the Stations of the Cross. Based on scriptural accounts from the time when Jesus was condemned, leading to His death and when He was laid in the tomb, these 14 stations really […]
3/15/17
Reading Time
3
min
When connections pay