Weekly Insight
Poland Upholds Marriage
It has been a constant teaching of the Church that society, and its laws, must uphold marriage and family. That means, of course, the true marriage, between a man and a woman, faithful and...
Pope Benedict and Bridget of Sweden
BENEDICT XVI
GENERAL AUDIENCE
Saint Peter's Square
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Saint Bridget of Sweden
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
On the eve of the Great Jubilee in anticipation of the Year 2000 the Venerable Servant of God John Paul II...
Sweden’s Charitable Bibliophile, Saint Bridget
Long before Sweden was known for ABBA and IKEA – two exports not to everyone’s taste, even if billion-dollar brands – along with a soft version of socialism and moribund demographics, the northern nation...
Pope Benedict and Mary of Magdala
BENEDICT XVI
ANGELUS
Castel Gandolfo
Sunday, 22 July 2012
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The Word of God this Sunday presents us once again with a fundamental, ever fascinating theme of the Bible; it reminds us that God is the...
Mary Magdalene’s Metanoia
A blessed feast of Mary Magdalene, which - or who - was raised from memorial status in the liturgical revisions of 1969 to a full feast by a decree of Pope Francis in 2016....
Stauffenberg and Hitler
(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...
Saint Lawrence of Brindisi: Bible and Cappucino
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...
What Have We Even Been Doing This Whole Time? AI and the Imago Dei
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...
Two Prophecies, Two Popes; One Faithful Church
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...
Saint Apollinaris of Ravenna
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...
Mystical-Literal Interpretation of Scripture
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...
Alexius the Beggar
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...
The Witness of the Carmelites of Compiègne
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...
Pope John Paul II and Carmel
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,...
The Message of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
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...
