(Here is a reprise of a reflection by Joseph Donnelly, on the courage of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and those who plotted to overthrow Hitler in the final days of World War II. Stauffenberg was executed on this 21st of July in 1944, the day after his failed attempt...
Guilio Cesare Russo was born to a family of Venetian merchants, but not in Venice, but rather far to the south, in the village of Brindisi, right down on the heel of the boot of Italy. He took the name Lawrence when he entered the Order of the Capuchins,...
The very phrase “artificial intelligence” is an acknowledgement that AI is, in a pretty fundamental way, a likeness. It’s an imitation of human intelligence. One question which occasionally troubles us is how good this imitation could be. Could it ever get so perfectly alike that it turns out to...
Introduction
As conflicts between nations continue to impact our life and threaten the fragile stability of the world, conflicts within the Church weaken the Church’s mission to call the world to conversion and to the truth of the Gospel. The purpose of this article is to make available and accessible...
The See of Ravenna – on the north-east coast of Italy – was once, way back in the Middle Ages, nearly on par with Rome in terms of its ecclesiastical stature. Of course, Rome was and is always Rome, and the Pope, the Pope, who is always, unto the...
The mystical literal interpretation of scripture is an avenue to powers many consider to be unusual. It is not a method they teach you in catechism class. Some of its masters, such as Venerable Mary of Agreda in her classical Mystical City of God, succumb to errors by failing...
Saint Alex – or Alexius – known as ‘the Beggar’ was a Christian in the early fourth-century, was the son of a Senator, Euphemian, and his wife, Aglae. Fearing the allure of the riches of the life intended for him, Alexius decided to renounce everything to follow Christ in...
It was on this day in a Parisian summer in 1794 that sixteen female members of the Carmelite Order, located at Compiègne – one day after their patronal feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel – lined up one by one in the Place de la Révolution (now more...
A young Karol Wojtyla, while discerning his vocation as he matured in his hometown of Wadowice, thought of becoming a Carmelite, drawn to their contemplative life and deep spirituality, prayer, devotion to Our Lady, silence, and total focus upon God. His spiritual director recommended rather that he follow the...
Around this time of year in the Office of Readings, or Lauds, we follow the travails of the prophet Elijah from the Book of Kings, his battle with the Ahaz, the false prophets of Ba'al, the whole spiritus mundi - and the Jezebel behind the throne. He was indeed...
Throughout my life, I often witnessed my father turn to the Blessed Mother in prayer. It was not something he did only in moments of fear or uncertainty—it was a relationship that seemed to accompany him through every season of his life. Even in his youth.
Perhaps other readers, like myself, enjoy watching those 'Mayday' episodes. You know, those quasi-documentaries that re-create airplane disasters, showing the tragedy unfold in the first half, and then going through the forensic details that brought the plane down - like a nut that's the wrong size or improperly fastened.
I...
(The young Josef Ratzinger completed his doctorate on the thought of Saint Bonaventure, and his devotion is evinced by his giving not just one, but three full addresses on the great Franciscan. They can be found in our archives. They are personal for the former pontiff and, as he...
In a beautiful witness to Christian charity and youthful generosity, 60 teenage Explorers from the Federation of North American Explorers (FNE) recently hosted a special community dinner for 50 seniors from St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, in Markham, Ontario, here in Canada. What unfolded was far more than a...
Today marks the anniversary of the official beginning of the French Revolution, on this fourteenth of July in 1789 with the storming of the Bastille prison. Much ado is made of this 'storming', purportedly to release those unjustly imprisoned by the regime, even though there were only seven inmates...
A true saint for our times is the one we celebrate today - Camillus de Lellis (+1614) (we will follow the Canadian calendar, and for those American readers who would like to reflect on Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, please see here).
Camillus was born in what is now Abruzzo, in Naples,...
We could do with more leaders such as Saint Henry (+1024), 'Emperor of the Romans' and 'King of the Italians', the last of the 'Ottonian' line - descended from the Emperor of the recently re-founded Roman Empire, Otto I (+973). Henry was from Bavaria – whence Josef Ratzinger would...
The publication of Magnifica Humanitas (2026), the first encyclical of Pope Leo XIV, has renewed global discussion on the Catholic Church’s historical relationship with slavery. In the document, Pope Leo expressed deep sorrow and asked forgiveness for the direct and indirect support that certain members and institutions of the Church...
July the 12th is ‘Orange’ Day, celebrated still with fervour in Northern Ireland, commemorating the defeat of the rightful Catholic king of the Stuart line, James II of England and Ireland (and VII of Scotland) by the forces of the Dutch and Protestant William of Orange (named after a...
Then the disciples came and asked Jesus, ‘Why do you speak to them in parables?’ He answered, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given’ (Mt. 13:11). ⧾
Our Lord’s answer to the disciples’ question...
BENEDICT XVI
GENERAL AUDIENCE
St Peter's Square
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
Saint Benedict of Norcia
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Today, I would like to speak about Benedict, the Founder of Western Monasticism and also the Patron of my Pontificate. I begin with words that St Gregory the Great wrote about St Benedict: "The man of...
