(ChurchMilitant.com) – Nearly three weeks ago on May 24, Andrzej Duda was elected President of Poland. Two days later he would make a pilgramage to Jasna Góra Monastery in Czestochowa to pray and entrust his presidency to the icon of the Black Madonna — Our Lady of Czestochowa. Two weeks later, on the Feast of … Read More
(OSV) — Pope Francis said the Vatican was ready to make an announcement concerning the alleged Marian apparitions in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith met recently to discuss the issue and “we’ve reached the point of making a decision and then they will say,” he told journalists on the flight … Read More
Three Hard Beatitudes: Poor in spirit, meek, clean of heart. Today’s Gospel: Mt. 5:1-12 It’s a truism among priests, and people who preach regularly, that after you’ve made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, as several of us did a few weeks ago, every single homily and sermon has to begin with the words, “When … Read More
(VIS) – As in previous years, the Pope has sent a message to participants in the 37th nocturnal pilgrimage on foot from Macerata to Loreto, Italy, gathered in the Helvia Recina stadium of Macerata during the night of 6 June to attend the opening Mass celebrated by Cardinal George Pell. This time, due to his … Read More
(The Zionsville Current) Jericho, in the Palestinian Territories, is best known as the city where Joshua “fit the battle” and the “walls come tumblin’ down.” Archaeologists cannot confirm that famous Biblical story, but did unearth a tower that held a world’s record for more than 5,000 years. Located in the Judean Desert, Jericho is known … Read More
When B.B. King met Pope John Paul II “Meeting the pope will be a very emotional experience for me, it will be electrifying” (by mtv news staff 12/19/1997) B.B. King will be presenting his trademark guitar, the legendary “Lucille,” to Pope John Paul II following a performance at the Vatican on Friday, December 19, according to … Read More
(Word on Fire, Fr. Robert Barron) We tend to read the Ascension along enlightenment lines, as if Christ has gone to a distant, irrelevant place. The biblical reality is this: Jesus, in ascending into heaven, has not gone “up, up, and away.” Rather, he has gone to heaven to direct operations more fully here on … Read More
(by Gretchen R. Crowe, OSV Newsweekly) Ready for some Catholic sightseeing? Based on culture, history, physical landscape and spirituality, the following list of Top 10 U.S. Catholic Cities — listed in no particular order — highlights American hubs with a Catholic pulse. Each location, whether it be large or small, east or west, contributes to the richness … Read More
By Mary Rezac (CNA).- “I should like a great lake of beer for the King of Kings. I should like the angels of Heaven to be drinking it through time eternal.” While that might not exactly sound like a quote from a Catholic nun, it is actually an excerpt from a poem attributed to St. Brigid … Read More
(Aleteia) At the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, there is a very special liturgical censer—the largest in the world, in fact. It’s almost five feet tall and weighs 117 lbs. It is raised to over 65 feet high in the air by ropes in order to dispense incense throughout the cathedral and can … Read More
March 6, 2015 (The Criterion) Reflection / Daniel Conway The next time the Archdiocese of Indianapolis advertises a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, don’t hesitate. Don’t think about it, discuss it with family and friends, or pray about it at length. Say a quick prayer to the Holy Spirit and sign up—right away! If you … Read More
Every year Catholics try to answer the age old question: What should I do for Lent? Well, who better to pick for as your Lenten spiritual director than Pope Francis? He has some great ideas for you! Here we selected 10 of his best tips: 1. Get rid of the lazy addiction to evil “[Lent] … Read More
10. Priests aren’t obligated to celebrate the Mass every day. No, priests aren’t required to celebrate the Mass every day. However, through the sacrament of Holy Orders, the priest has promised to pursue holiness and serve his people. What better way to do both than through the Sacrifice of the Mass? By celebrating the Mass … Read More
This week, Archbishop Tobin writes a bit about the pilgrimage to the Holy Land in his weekly column: To view photos of his Catholic archdiocesan Holy Land pilgrimage on Pinterest, click here. Our Lenten journey, a pilgrimage of hope Archbishop Joseph W. TobinThis is the first of a series of articles I am writing for … Read More
(CNA/EWTN News).- While addressing the priests of the Diocese of Rome on Thursday, Pope Francis also responded to a question about married priests, underscoring that the Church has great concern for priests who leave ministry to get married and later want to return, but that on the other hand he does not know if the … Read More
