Where did the New Testament canon come from?
October 17, 2019
The canon of Scripture refers to the list of books recognized as sacred, inspired and authoritative as God’s revelation.
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All about angels
October 9, 2019
We celebrated the feast of the Archangels Sept. 29 and the feast of the Guardian Angels Oct. 2.
How long should we pray?
September 27, 2019
Among the many questions contained in St. Thomas Aquinas’ “Summa Theologiae,” this is one of the most practical and helpful for the daily living of our Catholic faith.
We are the stewards
September 17, 2019
Nearly every parable of Jesus features a character who does something completely unexpected. Jesus then uses that unexpected plot twist to make his point. We have grown so familiar with Jesus’ parables that we rarely notice anything askew, but this week’s Gospel, the Parable of the Unjust Steward, contains a surprising twist that’s obvious to any reader.
Who may be a godparent?
September 17, 2019
A godparent is someone who serves as a sponsor for a person being baptized. A sponsor is a member of the church community who supports the person being baptized in his or her faith life. This practice reflects the ecclesial nature of faith: Baptism is a sacrament of faith, and while each member of the church must confess the faith insofar as he or she is able, Catholics do not have faith individualistically. Rather, we receive faith as a gift from God within the community of faith, the church.
The feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary
September 11, 2019
The feast of the Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary originated in Spain and was approved in 1513. In 1683, Pope Innocent XI extended the celebration of the feast day to the universal church, to be celebrated Sept. 12, four days after the feast of the Birth of the Blessed Mother. Although removed in 1970 from the universal calendar, Pope John Paul II reinstituted the celebration as an “optional memorial” in the Roman Missal in 2003.
The importance of holy silence
August 7, 2019
Pope Francis hung a bright red sign on his home-office door two summers ago that reads, “No Complaining Allowed.”
Catholics and prenuptial agreements
July 25, 2019
The church does not have a blanket prohibition against prenuptial agreements, and so such an agreement does not in itself constitute an impediment to a Catholic marriage. In certain specific circumstances, a “prenup” can be warranted.
Mary during the ministry of Jesus
July 25, 2019
In the Gospels, once the public ministry of Jesus has begun, Mary is mentioned in only a few scenes.
Death penalty change?
June 26, 2019
It is true that the position of the Catholic Church against the use of the death penalty has been strengthened because of a textual change in the Catechism of the Catholic Church announced by Pope Francis in August 2018.
