What Is Heaven?
Christians agree that God invites us all to end our lives in a state of being called 'heaven'; that is, in a personal relationship...
There is Much Hope: My Experience at the National Eucharistic Congress
A couple of weeks ago in Indianapolis, IN, 60,000 Catholics gathered together for a five-day National Eucharistic Congress. I was blessed to be one...
19th Sunday: The Merciful Presence of God
And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence (1 Kings 19:...
Tolkien, Discernment, and Vocation in The Lord of the Rings
The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, issued from the Second Vatican Council, emphasized the point that every person has a vocation to...
18th Sunday: The Bread of Life and the Canon of Holy Mass
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. (Jn 6:33)
As we listen to our Lord’s Eucharistic...
Pope Benedict and Saint Eusebius of Vercelli
This morning I invite you to reflect on St Eusebius of Vercelli, the first Bishop of Northern Italy of whom we have reliable information....
Why Does Hell Exist?
“The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a...
17th Sunday: The Perfect Sacrifice
Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as...
From the Heart of a Woman: What It Really Means to Be a Man
What does it really mean to be a man? Well, I cannot tell you firsthand. I am a woman. However, I believe that it...
Shūsaku Endō’s novel Chinmoku [Silence]: Christ’s Sabachthani versus Fr. Rodrigues’ Apostasy
(Please note: this article refers to the book; admittedly, I have not seen the film.)
Chinmoku – a Tragedy
Contrary to the interpretation of many Western...
