The following column was written by The Christophers’ Jerry Costello: The nice thing about Veterans Day is that it has a very democratic base for those it honors. All you have to do is serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. They don’t ask when you did, what you did, or how you did it. You qualify, period. Of course, there are those who rate a special recognition—the combat veterans, the “Greatest Generation” of World War II, the heroes of all... Read more
Do you ever struggle to figure out what the best decision is in a certain situation, the decision that you believe God wants you to make? The “figuring out” part is the process of discernment, and it’s the topic of Father Jonathan’s video reflection this week. He points out that discernment doesn’t just apply to people who are deciding on a vocation like marriage or the religious life; it can be used when making other decisions involving career or relationships.... Read more
Seventeen-year-old Sadie Robertson from the Duck Dynasty clan has been a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” this season, and she has charmed both the viewers and judges with her talent, innocence, and sense of humor. She also hasn’t been shy about revealing that her Christian faith is a guiding principle in her life. Last night, she and her professional partner Mark Ballas went one step further with an interpretive contemporary dance telling the Adam and Eve story from the... Read more
“If you save her life, I promise to dedicate my life to You.” At age 19, Nicole Lataif made that promise to God while riding in the elevator at Boston Children’s Hospital where her 12-year-old sister was a few hours away from succumbing to cancer. Then, an instant later, Nicole changed her mind. Speaking out loud, she said, “Even if You don’t save her life, I promise to dedicate my life to You.” In a situation that might have driven... Read more
“Master, what good must I do to possess eternal life?” the rich young man asked Jesus in Matthew 19. That’s a question each of us should ask today so we can find the best path to loving God the way He loves us. In this week’s video reflection, Father Jonathan Morris explores the meaning of the rich young man’s story and what it can teach all of us – rich, poor, or somewhere in between – about ways we can... Read more
Christopher contributor Father Jonathan Morris spent last week in Rome while the Extraordinary Synod for the Family took place. Now that it’s over, he took some time to answer a few questions via an email interview: TR: In brief layman’s terms, what is the purpose of having a synod on the family? Father Jonathan: The history of “Synods” can be traced back to Pope Paul VI, whom Pope Francis just beatified in Rome. It comes from the Greek, meaning “journeying... Read more
What do Regis Philbin, Dorothy Day, Deacon Greg Kandra, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, and I have in common? We’re among the 76 people profiled in author, historian and fellow Patheos blogger Pat McNamara’s book “New York Catholics: Faith, Attitude, and the Works.” I’m not in that illustrious company because of anything I’ve done, but rather because Pat appreciates what The Christophers have meant – and continue to mean – to Catholic culture and culture in general. In “New York Catholics,” Pat... Read more
The following is the text of the Christopher News Note “Overcoming Loneliness” (which was written by a freelancer). If you’d like a pdf or hard copy, see the end of this post: Loneliness is a problem we all face. It is a feeling that can occur even when we are surrounded by other people. Nothing can fill the void created by this feeling except for a deep connection with God and others. Mother Teresa once said that out of all... Read more
It was 2002 when 27-year-old Daniel Fazzina was diagnosed with a “lymphatic cancerous tumor” in his chest. Located right above his heart – and actually larger than his heart – it was crushing his pulmonary artery, suffocating him. Doctors said the tumor was inoperable in its current condition, so they would try to treat it with medication and chemo. If those options didn’t work, his prognosis was death within three weeks to three months. At one point, Daniel lay in... Read more
Biographical details about Nina Pham, the Texas nurse who contracted Ebola while caring for patient Thomas Eric Duncan, are slowly emerging. Today’s New York Times reveals some of her religious background. Since local officials announced Ms. Pham’s positive test early on Sunday, the news has resonated through circles of friends who worked with Ms. Pham or studied nursing with her at Texas Christian University, and through the Vietnamese community in Fort Worth, where she grew up. In interviews and news... Read more
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