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Original Nakedness: Seeing as God Sees

This article is part of an ongoing series on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” (TOB). I began several months ago to explore the three “original experiences” Pope St. John Paul II pondered in his Theology of the Body. In these reflections, we saw that the original …
Thoughts from the Franciscan Friars on the Russian-Ukraine War

The following is a statement from the provincial ministers of six provinces belonging to the Order of Friars Minor in the United States regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Feb. 24, 2022 — We are horrified at the unfolding violence in Ukraine and the death and destruction unleashed on the …
Shreveport Martyrs: The surest Path to Heaven

Just before Christmas, I gratefully received the book Shreveport Martyrs of 1873: The Surest Path to Heaven, which recalls the Yellow Fever epidemic that devastated Shreveport, LA, wiping out one-fourth of its population. As the Daily Shreveport Times stated: “Whole families were swept away, and commercial firms, partners and clerks, …
A Patron Saint for Cancer: St. Peregrine Cancer Care Ministry at Maria Stein gives hope

by Susie Bergman Growing up around Dayton, David Burkhardt frequently heard of the Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics, but never explored it. In 2019, his wife, Somporn Mary, was diagnosed with lung cancer and, throughout her journey, he introduced her to the Catholic faith and reacquainted himself with …
Dealing Emotionally With Parish Changes

by Father Robert J Hater, PHD How do parishioners cope with major changes occurring in their parishes? This question is especially significant when a member of the faithful is involved in parish affairs or has a long history with the parish. We all experience life changes. Some are rewarding, like …
Making Saints

How does the Church decide whether someone is a saint? Sometimes it is said that the Catholic Church “makes” someone a saint, but whether a person is a saint or not is decided by God, not the Church. At the same time, there is a lengthy Church process for declaring …
Holiness as the Perfection of Charity

Among the more famous passages from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah is the anthem of the Seraphim who surround God’s throne and chant, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts! All the earth is filled with his glory!” (Is. 6:3.) It introduces a central paradox for Christians, because …
BISHOPS BIG GAME FRIENDLY WAGER LEADS TO BIG WIN FOR STUDENTS

The friendly wager between Archbishop José H. Gomez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati on the Big Game between the LA Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals was a big win for students in both Archdiocese, with more than $22,000 raised …