The Critical Necessity of Catholic Education

Last updated on: February 7, 2022 at 6:32 pm By Lois Kerschen

Having just celebrated Catholic Schools Week, I want to pay tribute to Catholic education and emphasize how critical it is not only to the future of our children, but to the future of our culture. There is an excellent article on this subject, “Why Catholic Schools Matter,” by Jack Butler that appeared in the National Review on February 3, 2022. https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/why-catholic-schools-matter/ Butler comments that there is “always something a bit countercultural about attending Catholic school. To attend Catholic school is... Read more

Meaningful Music at Mass

Last updated on: February 4, 2022 at 7:36 pm By Lois Kerschen

Do you sing at Mass? You should! The music is not just background accompaniment to the experience of Mass. Rather, Catholic hymns are an integral enhancement of the liturgical message. The music carries a meaningful link to the message of the readings. These follow a different theme at each celebration. For example, on the Feast of the Epiphany, the first reading comes from Isaiah (60:1-6)—he predicts the coming of the nations to the light of Christ “bringing gold and incense.”... Read more

Kneeling: An Act of Humility and Adoration

Last updated on: February 1, 2022 at 9:29 pm By Lois Kerschen

Kneeling during a Catholic Mass has always seemed to me to be an important act of worship. I always wondered why Protestants didn’t kneel, and after researching the question, I am more convinced that kneeling is a needed act of humility. History of Kneeling in Church There is actually a lot of history, and perhaps myth, behind the practice of kneeling. For starters, there are 23 references to kneeling in the Bible. The instances all deal with respect, worship, supplication... Read more

St. Joseph: A Real Man

Last updated on: January 29, 2022 at 4:39 pm By Lois Kerschen

When over a fourth of children in the United States are growing up in fatherless homes, there is a need for St. Joseph as a model for men as men and fathers. This fatherlessness is a serious crisis because, according to the National Center for Fathering (using data from reliable government and education sources): 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes. So are 90% of all homeless and runaway children, 85% of all children who show behavior disorders, 80%... Read more

Brave New World: Not Brave, Not New

Last updated on: January 26, 2022 at 10:40 pm By Lois Kerschen

Aldous Huxley’s classic novel Brave New World predicted a dystopia that has somewhat come to pass. As Catholics, and as a democratic society, we need to re-examine Huxley’s world and seriously consider changes to avoid his outcome. Huxley’s future world was set in 2540, but in a later work he remarked that we were moving toward his dystopia faster than he anticipated. Indeed, instead of 500 years, it has taken less than 100 years for some of his fears to... Read more

Women’s Bodies: Empowered Not Impeded

Last updated on: January 23, 2022 at 8:19 pm By Lois Kerschen

The most damaging lie of abortion advocates is that women need abortion to be successful in their endeavors. Their bodies and fertility have thus been targeted as impediments to be overcome rather than gifts to be celebrated. Oddly enough, a movement that claims it is fighting for women’s “rights” has denigrated the remarkable abilities of women’s bodies. Being able to construct a whole new human is a superpower that only women have. We should be in awe of that fact!... Read more

The Persecution and Resiliency of the Catholic Church

Last updated on: January 22, 2022 at 4:54 pm By Lois Kerschen

The elimination of religion is something that many governments have pursued. So far, none have succeeded, at least not permanently. Over 2,000 years, the Catholic Church has been repeatedly and viciously persecuted and banned, but it is still here. Why do various political systems want to eliminate religion? In Marxist theory, it is necessary to substitute the state as the be-all and end-all of people’s lives. Otherwise, the Church is a rival for control, money and the loyalties of citizens.... Read more

A Different Education: Sisters and Seekers

Last updated on: January 17, 2022 at 8:06 pm By Lois Kerschen

From first grade through college, I was fortunate enough to go to Catholic schools. Besides receiving an excellent education, I was exposed to the spirituality and the community life of the nuns, elements that are particularly attractive in these times. In elementary school, I had Franciscans; in high school, Benedictines; in college, Immaculate Heart of Mary sisters. The Benedictines of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the IHMs of Monroe, Michigan, both communicate regularly through various publications. Nuns & Nones, Sisters &... Read more

Guilt Is Good. Confession Is Better.

Last updated on: January 14, 2022 at 6:08 pm By Lois Kerschen

There is a well-known saying: Confession is good for the soul. What does that mean? How does that apply to the Sacrament of Confession in the Catholic Church? The meaning of this saying is that people will feel better about themselves if they confess to whatever is nagging them with guilt. Get it off your chest! Rejecting Guilt Leads to More Suffering However, guilt is definitely “out” in our current society. Guilt feels bad, but our cultural obsession is to... Read more

Every Catholic Parish Should Be a Pro-Life Resource

Last updated on: January 11, 2022 at 9:50 pm By Lois Kerschen

Every Catholic parish should be a resource for women with unplanned pregnancies. If we are committed to the sanctity of life, then we have to be active in caring for mothers and babies in need. Every diocese has a Respect Life office, and most parishes have a pro-life committee of some sort. These committees, however, might be involved in just 40 Days for Life or educational materials for the parish community. Walking with Moms in Need The U.S. Conference of... Read more

Who was the first appointed deacon?