“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord (Psalms 33:12). Eternal God, stir thou our minds and stimulate our hearts with a high sense of patriotism as we approach the Fourth of July. May all that this day symbolizes renew our faith in freedom, our devotion to democracy, and …

Before Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical, Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson’s place in the minds of many Americans was simple: founding father, third President, sculpted into Mount Rushmore. After Hamilton… well, let’s just say he’s probably now known more for his flamboyant portrayal. I want to shine a light on one of Jefferson’s …

“They’re projecting that AI assistants will be available to consumers within the next ten years. Looks like John and Jane Doe will have personal robots at home.” My brother Brian punctuated this statement with his brow raised in excited curiosity, then took a sip of his coffee. “Personal robots,” I …

Did you know that there was one Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence? Charles Carroll (September 19, 1737 – November 14, 1832), known as Charles Carroll of Carrollton or Charles Carroll III to distinguish him from his similarly-named relatives, was a wealthy Maryland planter and an early advocate of …

On May 29, residents of Maria Stein watched flames tear through their town’s centerpiece. We are encouraged to hear that many of its treasures were salvaged, able to inspire the faithful for years to come. One of the jewels in the region’s crown known as the Land of the Cross-Tipped …

French artist Augustin Frison-Roche said that “Everything beautiful comes from and speaks of God.” Father Jan Schmidt, rector for the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains, agrees. And while the structure’s art and architecture offer an awe- inspiring worship space, he wants the faithful to know that its gardens …

For formation in discernment Let us pray that we might again learn how to discern, to know how to choose paths of life, and reject everything that leads us away from Christ and the Gospel.

Our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, is the latest in a long line of popes who have chosen that name. The thirteen previous popes named Leo date from the fifth century to the beginning of the twentieth century. The last pope with that name died in 1903. Leo is …

From 2022-2025, our country has faithfully participated in a Eucharistic Revival: “The joyful, expectant, grassroots response of the Church in the United States to the divine invitation to be united once again around the source and summit of our faith in the celebration of the Eucharist” (eucharisticrevival.org). This journey reached …

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 …