I was young—very young!—but I still remember the canonization of Pope Pius X. It was in 1954, the year I made my First Communion; and he was a strong proponent of frequent Holy Communion, especially for children. I am certain that it was the first time I’d ever heard that very big word, “canonization”—and it stuck in my head and in my heart. A pope, I remember thinking, must be a very holy man. On August 21, the Church commemorates... Read more
Austrian artist Deborah Sengl has unveiled a new creation: a crucified chicken. The work will be on display in a deconsecrated church, now the city museum of Wiener Neustadt, in Lower Austria. Since 1966 the late Gothic monastery church, which originated in 1444 as St. Peter on the Barrier Catholic Church, has been home to art exhibitions. Don’t worry, though, Sengl says. This new work is not intended to offend people of faith. Rather, according to the artist, it is... Read more
It was circa 2001, I was working with Al Kresta, he was guest hosting on Catholic Answers Live—and it was my privilege to answer calls for the most popular nationally syndicated Catholic show on the airwaves. Ten minutes before showtime, the phones lit up—ALL the lines—and it stayed that way for the duration of the two-hour show. Within seconds after one call ended, the next hopeful caller would be on the line, waiting to pose a question for the show’s... Read more
When I was a child, I once heard my mother talking with a friend about sex. Not the “oh my gosh!” kind of sex talk. You see, the woman and her husband were very devout; and her complaint was that after they had sexual relations he would pop up, kneel beside the bed, and pray. Every time. I don’t know whether he intended it to be a prayer for forgiveness, but that’s how she took it. She felt—rightly or wrongly—that... Read more
Last year, attending the diaconate convocation for the Archdiocese of Detroit, I wrote about how my husband and I were privileged to pray before a first-class relic of St. Teresa of Avila. And What, Exactly, Is a Relic? First, let’s clear up what it’s not. Catholics do not, under any circumstances, “worship” relics. St. Jerome wrote, “We do not worship, we do not adore, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the creator, but... Read more
Jesus is so lucky to have us! An illustrated reflection on the 41,000 denominations. Read more
Those of you who, like me, spent your aimless youth slathered in Coppertone and languishing on a hot beach in a vain attempt to get a suntan will appreciate this story. * * * * * St. Lawrence, one of seven deacons who served under Pope Sixtus II, died on August 10, in 258 A.D. According to legend, he was “roasted” alive on a grill—but maintaining his good humor to the end, he is reputed to have said during his ordeal, “Turn... Read more
It’s an old bar-room joke: Someone says “Pull my finger” and when you do as he asks, he uses the opportunity to fart loudly. Funny, funny. A tourist from Missouri who was traveling in Italy might have tried the same stunt this week, when he unintentionally broke the finger off a 600-year-old statue in Florence’s Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. Called the “Annunciazione,” the statue of the Virgin Mary is actually a copy of an original by 15th century Florentine sculptor... Read more
The United States is one of only 2% of nations worldwide to permit elective abortion without restrictions, at any time, for any reason. That’s right: We rank right there at the bottom on the humanitarian scale, along with Communist China and North Korea, for our willingness to kill babies in the womb at any time, even if they are developed enough to survive on their own, regardless of fetal pain, if that’s what the mother chooses. Only one other nation,... Read more
The International Court of Justice in The Hague has been asked to revisit a 2,000-year-old case–convening a re-trial of Jesus Christ and prosecuting those responsible for his unlawful conviction. Dola Indidis, a Kenyan lawyer who is former spokesman for Kenya’s Judiciary, has built his case on facts which you already know: that Jesus’ trial before Pontius Pilate was invalid, because it was “conducted in a manner contrary to a fair trial.” Indidis hopes to persuade the ICJ to issue a... Read more
Seasons of Grace
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