Columns

By Fr. William P. Saunders

Many years ago, I had an abortion. After many years as a lapsed Catholic, I returned to the Church and to confession. The abortion sin was confessed to a chaplain while I was in the hospital. Although he said something about abortion carrying with it an excommunication, he gave me absolution. I gave it no additional thought and continued to receive the sacraments (Communion, Reconciliation, and even remarriage within the Church.) It wasn?t until recently that I read something about the "rite" of removing an excommunication that I began to fear I had done and continue to do something wrong.

6/2/97
Reading Time 3 min
By Fr. William Saunders

My elderly mother always has Masses offered for deceased relatives on the anniversary of their deaths. Where did this practice come from and is it important? 

1/1/97
Reading Time 4 min
By George Weigel
President Obama’s re-election and the prospect of a second Obama administration, freed from the constraints imposed by the necessity of running for re-election, have created a crisis for the Catholic Church in the United States. In the thought-world and vocabulary of the Bible, “crisis” has two meanings – the conventional sense (a grave threat) and …

The crisis of a second term Read More »

1/1/70
Reading Time 3 min
By Bill and Monica Dodds Catholic News Service
It’s good to be reminded, or to realize for the first time, that caregiving is pro-life. What seems so obvious can be easily overlooked, especially if you’re a caregiver. So busy (at times so overwhelmed) with your caregiving duties, you may tend to think that you no longer can contribute to normal duties. But you …

Caregiving is pro-life Read More »

1/1/70
Reading Time 2 min
By Tony Magliano
It’s a good thing the Lord hears the cry of the poor, because Congress is barely listening. Although the federal deficit of approximately $1 trillion and the national debt of more than $15 trillion are important realities that need to be seriously addressed, cutting and eliminating programs that aid the poor is morally unacceptable. Aid …

Congress turns its back on the poor Read More »

1/1/70
Reading Time 3 min
By Cindy Wooden
VATICAN CITY – With Jesus’ resurrection “love has triumphed, mercy has been victorious,” Pope Francis said in his first Easter message “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world). “Let us become agents of this mercy, channels through which God can water the earth, protect all creation and make justice and peace flourish,” the …

Channels of peace Read More »

1/1/70
Reading Time 4 min

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