If Patience Is an Excuse for Inaction, It Is Not a Virtue

Last updated on: March 10, 2022 at 8:39 pm By Lois Kerschen

The September 13, 2021 Angelus News, the official publication of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, featured a story with the headline “It’s time to start telling the truth about St. Junípero Serra.” The word “start” really raised my hackles. For years there has been vicious misinformation spread about St. Junípero Serra, the founder of the California mission system; some even say, “the founder of California.” Six years of misinformed protest In 2015, there were calls to remove the statue of... Read more

Famous Churches Still Serve Their Communities

Last updated on: February 9, 2022 at 8:29 pm By Lois Kerschen

My husband and I travel whenever we can. As a consequence, we have visited a great many Catholic churches, either for Sunday Mass, to visit a shrine or to revel in the beauty of a magnificent structure. This column will discuss some of our adventures from time to time – so stay tuned! I’ll start with the Mission Basilica in San Juan Capistrano, California, completed in 1986 and designated a basilica in 2000 and a national shrine in 2003. Although... Read more

In Times of Trouble, Seek God

Last updated on: February 9, 2022 at 8:27 pm By Lois Kerschen

As the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks comes upon us, we are probably all remembering the events of the day and its aftermath. My personal connections included a daughter in New York City and a niece and brother-in-law who both worked for the Pentagon but were, fortunately, not on site that day. My niece’s office was being remodeled, so she was in temporary quarters in another location. If not for that, the results of that day might have... Read more

Observing Meatless Fridays

Last updated on: February 9, 2022 at 8:14 pm By Lois Kerschen

Did you know that Catholics are still supposed to observe meatless Fridays? What? Didn’t that practice end in the 1960s? Nope, not exactly. It’s seems the rule change was not issued with clarity. Either that, or people heard what they wanted to hear, and the Church was not able to get the misinformation corrected. According to Canon Law (#1250-52) Catholics (who are able) are still expected to fast and abstain from meat on Fridays. However, in 1966, the United States... Read more

What’s in Your Catholic Home?

Last updated on: February 9, 2022 at 8:06 pm By Lois Kerschen

Does your home look Catholic? Do you behave like a Catholic? Is your home populated with Catholic reading materials and articles of faith? If not, how do you feed your faith? How do you expect your children to absorb Catholicism and make it their own? This latter question is related to a commonly understood problem in the teaching of reading. Children of poverty often don’t learn to read easily because they have no exposure to or expectations about reading at... Read more

If God is All Good, Why Is He Blamed for the Bad?

Last updated on: February 9, 2022 at 8:12 pm By Lois Kerschen

God is good. All the time. God is never bad. Ever. Such a simple concept, isn’t it? If God is All Good, then God can never do anything bad. God will never be part of anything bad. Nonetheless, when people are looking for someone to blame for their troubles, they get angry at God. Let me deal with this anger part first. Okay, on one side is the Almighty, All-Powerful God. On the other side is little ol’ you. Arguing... Read more

Who Do You Say That I Am?

Last updated on: November 7, 2021 at 6:37 pm By Lois Kerschen

At some point in all our lives, each of us needs to ask ourselves the all-important question from Christ that is recorded in Matthew 16:13-15: When Jesus came to the neighborhood of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples this question: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” they replied, “Some say John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “And you,” he said to them, “who do you say that I am?”... Read more

Why We Remain Catholic

Last updated on: October 17, 2021 at 8:25 pm By Lois Kerschen

What is it that we say we believe when we recite the Creed at Mass on Sundays? According to the call-and-response Creed we use at Easter, we believe in: God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary, suffered death and was buried, rose again from the dead and is seated at the right hand of the Father; The Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the... Read more

Tabernacle Placement in the Church and in Our Hearts

Last updated on: October 17, 2021 at 8:16 pm By Lois Kerschen

Where is the tabernacle supposed to be in a Catholic church? This question has come up in my parish since a recent remodeling of our sanctuary resulted in the movement of the tabernacle, followed by quite a kerfuffle! Location, Location, Location The location of the tabernacle is probably taken for granted by most Catholics because the tabernacle seems to be just always there (somewhere). Isn’t it directly behind the altar or off to the side somewhat? Basically, yes. However, there... Read more

Jesus replied: "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘__________________’"