When the Protodeacon, Cardinal Mamberti, announced the new pope’s name, I lost it: Viva il papa! Papa Leone! The crowd went crazy. It was electric. It was better than any football game, election, or other entertainment. The Church does drama so well because she deals in eternal realities. The pope …

What is the best remedy for us when we find ourselves overwhelmed by sadness, despair, or hopelessness? We have all heard it said, “Laughter is the best medicine.” We know from experience that sharing a good laugh or simply a smile can serve as a healing balm and restorative remedy …

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so …

Genres of dramatic or literary works are identified in multiple ways, but one of the most common ways distinguishes between tragedy and comedy. In this dichotomy, the Gospel begins with aspects of tragedy but ends with a comedic resolution. A tragic work is one in which an intractable problem either …

When Father Mike Schmitz visited Cincinnati on May 21 for his national Parables tour, he was able to reconnect with the bishop who ordained and commissioned him with the assignment that has borne countless fruits for 20 years. Before showtime, as excited Catholics buzzed around the Taft Theater hoping to …

“In every age and culture, communities have raised up men and women who lived saintly lives in the movements of their day. In every continent, the Church has canonized men and and women to whom we can acknowledge the possibility for everyone to aspire to live as excellent witnesses of …

Note: This article is part of an ongoing series on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body.” As we saw last time, continence for the Kingdom of Heaven is considered a higher calling than marriage. This does not, however, in any way imply a devaluing of marriage, the …

In the lengthy tradition of Christian theology, considerable attention has gone to understanding attributes of God that can be discerned through Scripture and natural revelation. For example, He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and perfect in justice, mercy, and holiness. There is also a long tradition of “apophatic” theology, also called “negative …

Damascus began as a Catholic Summer Youth Camp for children in the Diocese of Columbus, but over the past 25 years it has grown into something much more. “We often say that we are a Catholic missionary movement that’s seeking to bring as many people as possible to an encounter …

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains in downtown Cincinnati has been a beacon of faith and hope for area Catholics since its dedication nearly 180 years ago. Two of Cincinnati’s faithful shepherds played significant roles in its construction or renovation: then-Bishop John Baptist Purcell and Archbishop Karl Joseph …