BENEDICT XVI
GENERAL AUDIENCE
Saint Peter's Square
Wednesday, 19 September 2007
Saint John Chrysostom (1)
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
This year is the 16th centenary of St John Chrysostom's death (407-2007). It can be said that John of Antioch, nicknamed "Chrysostom", that is, "golden-mouthed", because of his eloquence, is also still alive today because of...
Saint John Chrysostom (+407) was a model bishop, a doctor of the Church, an ascetic and contemplative monk who wanted only to retreat from the turmoil of life in the Eastern empire, and live a life devoted entirely to God. He was chosen first as a priest in Antioch,...
September 12th commemorates the Holy Name of Mary, made sacred by the holiness of the Theotokos, the Mother of God, full of grace. It was Pope Innocent XI â a great and holy reforming Pontiff who resisted the Gallican ambitions of Louis XIV (who did not send any help to...
I recently reread Charlotte BrontĂ«âs Jane Eyre, which I first read when I was a teenager; now, in my thirties, I have since reread this book countless times, each time showing a new facet to me. In this most recent re-read, I was struck by the different interior lives...
A few words may be in order on the deaths of two icons of the fairer sex, whose lives were controversial. Dolly Parton died on August 25th and the encomia have been pouring in. A good olâ southern girl done good. And there is good to say â her...
It was twenty-five years ago today that the towers fell. Many readers will recall the morning they turned on their radios and televisions - this was in the halyconic largely pre-widespread-internet era -Â to hear of the tragedy unfolding at the World Trade Centre buildings.
Four planes were hijacked by...
(Here is a reprise of Cameron Turner's reflection on the assassination of Charlie Kirk one year ago...Requiescat in pace.)
On September 10, 2025, 31-year-old conservative activist Charlie Kirkâco-founder of Turning Point USA and host of the âProve Me Wrongâ debate seriesâwas fatally shot at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, during the first stop of...
Memento mori is a Latin phrase meaning âremember that you will die.â For centuries, it served as a warning against wasting life on temporary things and as a call to live with wisdom, purpose, and eternity in mind.
The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of...
Saint Peter Claver (+Sept. 8, 1654), whom we celebrate on this 9th day of September, was a Jesuit priest in the first missionary fervour of Ignatius' nascent Society, a native of Spain, but who spent most of his life evangelizing in what is now Colombia, South America, ministering with...
Franz Biebl (1906 - 2001) was a contemporary German composer, known for his choral ensemble works, the best known of which is his Ave Maria (Angelus Domini), published just in time for Mary's month of May in 1959. The sublime work, originally written for all male voices, was brought...
A blessed and joyful birthday to the Blessed Virgin Mary! This feast that has been celebrated since at least the sixth century in Syria, in the wake of the proclamation of Mary as the Mother of God, and, by corollary, co-Redemptrix of the human race, at the Council of Ephesus...
Two saints to mark on this September 7th, which also happens to be Labour Day this year:
First, Saint Cloud, whose name evokes the ethereal and heavenly, fitting for these last days of summer. His original name was actually Clodoald, a sixth-century hermit (+560), who was of royal lineage -...
Labour Day is a rather prosaic name for the last holiday of summer. Why not, 'blow out day', or 'the end of leisure, and back to work day' (at least for teachers and students), or 'summer's almost over' day...Ah, well, love's labour - or the love of labour -...
So you, O son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israelâ (Ez. 33:7).
This mission given by the Lord God to the Prophet Ezekiel is in turn, the task of those charged with oversight in the Church, the New Israel of God; bishops most certainly...
As universities gear up to receive students, we should leave the travails of this world for a moment and ponder the other-worldliness of Mother - or Saint - Teresa of Calcutta (+1997)Â who did not go to university, but who was nevertheless far better educated and formed than most modern...
Fil Henley provides convincing evidence that Taylor Swift lip synched - or mimed - her songs during her recent 'Eras' tour. Keep in mind that the tour raked in two billion dollars, a hefty sum by anyone's terms, funded by the expensive tickets (starting at $49, but going up...
Blessed Dina Belanger (+1929) is a home-grown Canadian saint whom we commemorate today. Born April 30th, 1897 in St. Roch, Quebec, now a suburb of the capital city, Dina was baptized a few hours later. (After all, why wait?) From an early age, she displayed remarkable musical aptitude, and, by...
The ongoing new take on Lord of the Rings - 'Rings of Power', an 'Amazon Original' - is, as expected, from what Ben Reinhard report - and I paraphrase - a dumpster fire, a debacle, a scandal and a morass of moral turpitude. Not that I have seen it,...
One of the great joys of history is reminiscing about the past, giving hope for the present; for history is âeschatologicalâ, moving towards a final purpose. Hence, we Catholics should never lose hope, and this virtue is easier to cultivate and foster in our souls if, as Christ said,...
BENEDICT XVI
GENERAL AUDIENCE
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
Saint Gregory the Great (1)
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Last Wednesday I spoke of a Father of the Church little known in the West, Romanus the Melodist. Today I would like to present the figure of one of the greatest Fathers in the history of the...
Kennedy Hall has positioned himself as the foremost apologist for the SSPX, his books and articles are considered required reading by some fellow traditionalists. His most recent foray into that field may be found here, responding to a previous article by âBrother Linusâ â a pen name of an...
