On the feast of St. Thomas the apostle, he whose unbelief helps us in our belief, I happened to reread this passage from the late Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen on “The Scars of Christ: A Lesson on Enduring Faith” from the book Characters of the Passion. The scars of Christ have a starring role in the Passion of the Son of God and in our lives and redemption. In a world that knows so many deep gouging wounds of the... Read more
It’s not sufficient — or acceptable — to be cynical about politics. It’s absolutely true that politics won’t solve our problems and save our souls, but disengagement is not a moral option. In his latest media interview, Pope Francis observes, when asked about the heads of state who have come to visit him during his first 15 months as pontiff: Many have come and it’s an interesting variety. Each one has their personality. What has called my attention is the... Read more
With the Beatitudes as our identity card, we are called to live life “changed and transformed” in the Trinity. Wednesday’s Magnificat had a meditation from Pseudo-Macarius, an Egyptian monk and hermit, that helps those of us who are not in the hermitage. It began: Our souls must be changed and transformed from the present state to a new one, to a divine nature, and to become new instead of old, that is, good and kind and faithful from being bitter... Read more
You don’t get more practical than the Beatitudes. That was Pope Francis’ Monday morning message after his weekend devoted to peace in both the Middle East and in our hearts. Political strategies are only as good as the authenticity of heart. Not for the first time, during his homily, the Holy Father talked about the most practical elements of faith, pointing to the Beatitudes as our “identity card” as Christians. Via Vatican Radio, he said: The world tells us that... Read more
The Child of Bethlehem is frail, like all newborn children. He cannot speak and yet he is the Word made flesh who came to transform the hearts and lives of all men and women. This Child, like every other child, is vulnerable; he needs to be accepted and protected. Today too, children need to be welcomed and defended, from the moment of their conception. That was Pope Francis, speaking at none other than the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Headlines and... Read more
This past weekend I was passing through and happened to have the honor of being in northwest Ohio where Fr. Matthew Frisbee was celebrating his first Mass at All Saints Church in Rossford. One got the impression from the start that Mass was filled — and packed it was — with people all well-aware of their call to holiness, seeking to be faithful to it. From the opening “Ave Maria” to the devout belting of “O God Beyond All Praising,”... Read more
Bishop Thomas Olmsted writes in the Arizona Republic: Every day, large numbers of innocent lives are snuffed out through abortion and euthanasia. But the execution of the guilty through the death penalty does not help to overcome a culture of death. The way we treat criminals says a lot about the value we give to every human person. There are certainly significant differences between the taking of an innocent human life, which is intrinsically evil and can never be justified,... Read more
Beginning on Palm Sunday, 1010WINS in New York began airing a Holy Week message sponsored by Catholic Voices USA starring Cardinal Timothy Dolan, with narration work from Mother Agnes Donovan from the Sisters of Life. The Holy Week message seeks to do a few things: One is to let people know about some of the active ministries in New York on fire with merciful love of God. Another is to explain who we are as a Church and why we... Read more
Who am I? Who am I, before my Lord? Who am I, before Jesus who enters Jerusalem amid the enthusiasm of the crowd? Am I ready to express my joy, to praise him? Or do I stand back? Who am I, before the suffering Jesus? These were the questions Pope Francis implores Christians to ask ourselves this Holy Week — listening to, praying about, entering deeper into the Passion of Jesus Christ. During his Palm Sunday homily in Rome, the... Read more
Grazie Pozo Christie is a diagnostic radiologist in south Florida who loves her Catholic faith and loves the first pope from the Americas and the evangelical opportunities his popularity has given Catholics in the last year. A Hispanic wife and mother and fellow with the Catholic Association, she talks a bit about the past year with Pope Francis. (Full disclosure: She has also been through a Catholic Voices USA communications weekend, where I am a founding director.) Is it significant... Read more
Kathryn Lopez
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