Pope Francis changes structure of Vatican doctrinal office
by Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Feb 14, 2022 / 04:35 am Pope Francis on Monday reorganized the internal structure of the Vatican’s doctrine office into two sections — the latest step in his ongoing reform of the Roman Curia. In a letter issued motu proprio (of his own accord) on Feb. 14, …
A Question of Faith: When is Marriage A Sacrament
As part of marriage preparation, the priest informed us only a marriage between two baptized persons is a sacrament. Since my fiancé is not baptized, how will the Church view our marriage? Catholics exult marriage, believing God is its author. Marriage is meant to be a covenant between two baptized …
February 14: Saints Cyril, Monk and Methodius, Bishop
On Feb. 14, the universal Church honors two brothers, Sts. Cyril and Methodius, who are called the “Apostles of the Slavs” for their tireless work in spreading the Gospel throughout Eastern Europe in the ninth century. Such was their influence in Church history, through their evangelization efforts, that the late …
Why Love Is More than a Feeling
What if we were to make all our decisions solely based on how we felt in the moment? You may be familiar with the four types of love: eros (love of desire), storge (love of affection), philia (love of friendship), and agape (self-giving love). While each of these forms of …
February 14: Saint Valentine
The love of God reigns in the hearts of all saints, but there is one who has the joy of being the patron saint of lovers: St. Valentine. According to a tradition, St. Valentine risked his life to marry couples in a Christian way during the time of persecution. He …
Hope for Troubled Marriages
Twenty-three years after saying “I do,” Gloria and Dan Sprague were staring at the end of their marriage. “Communication had totally broken down for us so much that we didn’t think it could be restored. We lived in two separate households for 11 months. I filed for divorce. It wasn’t …
The Rome church where you can venerate St. Valentine’s skull
by Hannah Brockhaus Rome, Italy, Feb 14, 2021 / 02:00 am MT (CNA).- When most people think of romantic love, a third-century skull crowned with flowers probably does not spring to mind — nor the story behind it. But a visit to an unassuming Byzantine basilica in Rome might change …
Invalid baptisms: A Catholic explainer about the facts and the fears
by Kevin J. Jones Denver Newsroom, Feb 11, 2022 / 17:19 pm Baptism involves a simple formula: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” The celebrant pours water on the head of the baptized, or immerses them in water. Usually, Catholic clergy …
Catholic athlete Sarah Escobar makes history at Winter Olympics
by Katie Yoder Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Feb 12, 2022 / 11:48 am When Sarah Escobar packed her bags for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, she included a memento from her mother: a stone carved with the word “Faith.” “Sarah’s mom said she gave it to her, and Sarah holds it …
Milwaukee priest named USCCB associate general secretary
by Christine Rousselle Washington D.C., Feb 11, 2022 / 15:00 pm Fr. Paul Hartmann, a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, has been named the Associate General Secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, it was announced Thursday. He will assume his new role in May 2022. “I …
