It was exhausting and exhilarating. Between the end of one semester and the beginning of the next, I spent ten days working to establish a more visible and permanent presence for the St. Paul Center in southern California—teaching, speaking, taping, consulting with bishops, meeting with scholars and Hollywood stars. At night I sometimes caught chill, […]
Second in a series of three posts. “Why do Catholics have to fast?” The question came from a non-Catholic Boy Scout in my son’s troop. We had spent a long, soggy weekend in the middle of the woods. And now, Sunday morning, the adults announced that breakfast would be delayed so that the Catholics could
Intro to Lent II: Fasting Read More »
Natural revelation refers to God’s self-disclosure in creation, through the things that have been made. Scripture and magisterial teaching are equally clear and emphatic that the knowledge of the existence of God and his basic attributes can be achieved by human reason reflecting on the created order: The heavens are telling the glory of God;
Natural Revelation in the Catholic Tradition Read More »
First in a series of three posts.Reprinted from 2007. How do you know it’s Lent? It’s not so much by the ash mark on your forehead or fish marks on the calendar. Tradition tells us that Lent has three distinguishing marks: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. This three-part series will examine those practices. Prayer is surely
Intro to Lent 1: Prayer Read More »
The Canon of the Old Testament in the Days of Jesus There was no universally-accepted canon of Scripture among the Jews in the first century A.D. Instead, different sects within Judaism had divergent views of which books were inspired and authoritative. The Samaritans and the Sadducees, although very different in their religious views and practice,
Thoughts on the Church’s Old Testament Canon Read More »
Does your mind wander at Mass? If so, here’s some very good news for you drawn from the Banquet Theology in the Gospel of St. Luke.
“Paschal Sacrifice: A Heavenly Banquet for Earthly Beggars” Read More »
The year has hardly begun, and in the United States we’re already well into our race to November’s presidential elections. The campaign follows us wherever we go. The media micro-analyze every candidate’s every word and gesture. And then the news stories make their way into our conversations at work and at home. The papers and
TO OUR VENERABLE BRETHREN THE PATRIARCHS, PRIMATES, ARCHBISHOPS, BISHOPS, AND OTHER ORDINARIES IN PEACE AND COMMUNION WITH THE APOSTOLIC SEE. 1. In Our recent encyclical We examined the disorders with which the world today struggles for the purpose of discovering a sure remedy for such great evils. At that time We pointed out that the
RERUM OMNIUM PERTURBATIONEM: Encyclical of Pope Pius XI on St. Francis de Sales Read More »
Today’s saint, Agnes of Rome, is long overdue for a revival. Why? She was probably the most revered female martyr of the early Church — outstanding in a field that included Blandina and Perpetua, among others. St. Jerome was not a man easily impressed, but of today’s saint, his near-contemporary, he wrote: “Every people, whatever
Mike Aquilina reflects upon the inspiration and impact of St. Anthony.
The Man in the Desert! Read More »
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