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St. Agnes (died c. 305) Feast day: Jan. 21 These days, invoking God in the Girl Scout Promise is optional. Nonetheless, for Catholics and perhaps members of other Christian churches St. Agnes is still on their books as the Girl Scouts’ patron saint. St. Agnes was chosen not only because she was barely in her …
1/7/09
Reading Time
3
min
By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The traditional decorations of Christmas are reminders that the light and love of Jesus Christ bring new life to all who wait in darkness, Pope Benedict XVI said. The pope spoke about Christmas trees as symbols of new life Dec. 12 when he met a delegation from Austria, which donated the …
Christmas decorations remind us of new life from Christ Read More »
12/17/08
Reading Time
2
min
By Fr. William P. Saunders
“Our Lady of Victory, pray for us!” was the fervent prayer of all of the faithful in the fall of 1571. Why? First, some historical background. At the time, the Muslim Turks were ravaging Eastern Europe. In 1453, Constantinople had fallen to the Muslims, leaving the Balkans and Hungary vulnerable. In 1521, Belgrade and most …
10/8/08
By Gretchen R. Crowe Herald Staff Writer (from The Issue Of 2/22/07)
For years, knitting was something grandmothers did while sitting in rockers drinking cups of tea and recollecting stories from days long gone by. In the mid-part of this decade, however, knitting suddenly became “the” thing to do, with commuters pulling out yarn and needles on the Metro and co-workers proudly comparing rows of self-crafted monotone …
2/22/07
Reading Time
3
min
By Thomas Craughwell
Juliana Falconieri grew up among saints. Her uncle, St. Alexis Falconieri, was one of the seven founders of the Servite Order. The priest who taught Juliana as a child and deepened her love of God as she developed into a young woman was St. Philip Benizi, one of the early superiors of the Servites. Inspired …
6/15/06
Reading Time
2
min
By Angelic Mistakes: The Art Of Thomas Merton, Roger Lipsey, New Seeds Books, 2006
Reviewed by Menachem Wecker Special to the Herald (From the Issue of 6/1/06) The disappearing ink act performed at the Summer Palace in Beijing might best symbolize Thomas Merton’s art and life. At the palace, retired calligraphers gather to write with water on the sidewalks. Though the sun quickly evaporates the water, the marks seem …
Abstract-Looking Meditation on Thomas Merton’s Art Read More »
6/1/06
Reading Time
3
min
By Fr. William P. Saunders
In invoking our Lord's name with reverential faith, one is turning to Him and imploring His divine assistance.
1/5/06
Reading Time
5
min
By Fr. William P. Saunders
Before addressing the morality of "sex change" operations, or what is more formally termed "sexual reassignment," we need to first call to mind the fundamental moral foundation governing this issue. Each person is a precious human being made in God's image and likeness with both a body and a soul.
10/20/05
Reading Time
5
min
By Thomas Craughwell
St. Matthew the Evangelist (1st century) Feast day: Sept. 21 Time has cleaned up St. Matthew’s reputation. Today he is venerated as the patron of bankers, accountants and financial professionals in general — all useful individuals who help us manage our money. While we can assume that Matthew had a good head for figures, his …
9/15/05
Reading Time
2
min
By Fr. William P. Saunders (from The Issue Ofâ 11/17/05)
Do we know what happens in Purgatory?
5/1/05
Reading Time
4
min
