2016-09-30T15:58:50-05:00

On August 10, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of St. Lawrence of Rome. I remember his story from my childhood:  His name is evocative of romance, of danger, of grit and guts and grace.  Among the hundreds of saints who have been formally canonized by the Church, St. Lawrence stood out in my youthful mind as a sort of Robin Hood figure—loving the poor, jovial in his daring example before the King. In particular, I was entranced by three... Read more

2016-09-30T15:58:50-05:00

Augustine of Hippo lived a wild life—abandoning the faith, fathering a child out of wedlock, and rejecting the values of his mother Monica. Monica, however, prayed for her son, that he would turn back to God.  For thirty years, Monica prayed unceasingly for her son—who eventually was converted, and who became one of the Church’s greatest theologians.  He was named Doctor of the Church, and the story of his dramatic conversion gives hope to mothers who pray for their wayward... Read more

2016-09-30T15:58:50-05:00

Welcome to Missouri, a land of fertile plains, rolling hills, well-watered prairies and historic rivers…. and Prayer.  On August 8, Missourians voted by a wide margin (83% of voters, or 780,000 people) for Amendment 2, a constitutional amendment which protects Missouri residents’ right to pray in public.  Missouri’s Catholic bishops backed the amendment, issuing a statement on August 3 which said “True religious freedom does not just constitute freedom to worship on Sunday, but also includes the freedom to express... Read more

2016-09-30T15:58:50-05:00

“So he’s given us a year to figure out how to violate our consciences…” “You’ve got a dramatic, radical intrusion of a government bureaucracy into the internal life of the church…” –Most Rev. Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan has been an outspoken critic of the health care mandate imposed by the Department of Health and Human Services, requiring all businesses (even Catholic organizations) to offer free contraception and abortifacients as part of basic health care for... Read more

2015-08-06T03:55:36-05:00

At the beginning of each of the ten videos in Fr. Robert Barron’s “Catholicism” series, there is a scene in which thousands of white rose petals drift downward from the ceiling at Rome’s Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major).  It’s a breathtaking symbol of the “miracle of the snow”—the rare summer snowfall which, according to legend, fell on August 5, 352, on the Esquiline Hill, one of the famed “Seven Hills” of Rome. It’s a scene that’s recreated... Read more

2016-09-30T15:58:51-05:00

The Ladder of St. Augustine By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Saint Augustine!  well hast thou said, That of our vices we can frame A ladder, if we will but tread Beneath our feet each deed of shame! All common things, each day’s events, That with the hour begin and end, Our pleasures and our discontents, Are rounds by which we may ascend. The low desire, the base design, That makes another’s virtues less; The revel of the ruddy wine, And all... Read more

2016-09-30T15:58:51-05:00

Happy Birthday, Louis Armstrong! “He was born poor, died rich, and never hurt anyone along the way.” With his flashy cornet and trumpet playing and his raspy voice,  Armstrong was a profound influence on the American music scene.  Here is one of my favorites: “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Love it! Read more

2016-09-30T15:58:51-05:00

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2016-09-30T15:58:51-05:00

Peter, James and John climbed the mountain with Jesus to pray; and there they witnessed an unveiling of the divine glory of Christ.  The miracle of the Transfiguration helped to strengthen the Apostles’ faith, revealing that Jesus was really God.  It is an encouragement to all Christians as well, giving us hope that we, too, will be glorified in heaven. On the Feast of the Transfiguration, celebrated this year on August 6, we are reminded of this great miracle—which has been... Read more

2016-09-30T15:58:51-05:00

“It is better that one man should die, rather than the people.”  This was the prophecy from the high priest Caiaphas, as quoted by the John in the 18th chapter of the fourth Gospel.  And it is Caiaphas who questions Jesus about His divinity in Matthew 26:57-64, before turning Him over to Pontius Pilate to be crucified. Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. But... Read more



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