Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a leading theologian of the 20th century and the first pope to resign from office in nearly 600 years, has died at the age of 95, the Vatican announced. His death was announced in Rome on Dec. 31. His funeral Mass will be held on Jan. 5, 2023, in St. Peter’s…
“First, we make habits, then they make us,” observed a number of famous poets and authors through the ages (too many to mention and each in their own phrasing). Here are five (5) sure-fire ways to improve the odds of truly achieving your 2023 goals: 1. BE SPECIFIC. You won’t know if you achieve a…
The contemplative is the stay-at-home mother within the Church,” reflects Sr. Mary Josefa (Kathleen ’07) Holcomb, O.S.B.. “The stay-at-home mother has a role that is not seen, and probably not appreciated, by many in the world … but how many families need that mother’s presence! The Church is a family, too. It needs the presence…
At this time of year, in the weeks before Christmas, our house is usually bustling with activity as we move decorations from their basement storage to places of prominence on the main floor. My personal favorites are the nativity scenes. You might accuse us of being “crèche obsessed” as we have one in the front…
Pro-Democracy, former media tycoon and courageous Catholic Jimmy Lai sentenced to 69 Months in Communist Prison—December 2022 CNA / WSJ—The godfather of an arrested Hong Kong Catholic entrepreneur and pro-democracy advocate says he hopes Jimmy Lai’s courageous example will inspire more calls for justice amid an ongoing crackdown on human rights in now-Communist Hong Kong.…
Each day from Dec. 17 through Christmas, the Catholic Business Journal will post the “O Antiphon” for that day. Below is the first of these antiphons, followed by a wonderful article by Fr. Juan Diego of the Norbertines. Enjoy! —ed. O ANTIPHON — December 17: O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi provsti, attingens a fine…
“Gazing afar off, behold I see the power of God coming, and a cloud covering all the land. Go out to meet him and say: tell me if you are the one who is to reign over the people Israel.” So sounds the cry of the world before Christ, a cry placed on the lips…
Beginning to think about Christmas gets a power boost as we get into Advent and the four Sundays before Christmas day. Sharing the daily Bible readings of the Mass and the stories in the various daily devotionals we read gets Pat and me in a reflective mood. There is no question that the world changed…
There is a commonly held belief that Christmas, besides celebrating the birth of our Lord, brings what is known as a Santa Claus rally in the stock market. Since we’re approaching that time of year, I thought it might be interesting to delve into the numbers and see if this perception is truly fact or…
A quick glimpse at what’s happening in China now. As we cull this news, I wonder how many Chinese know of St. Francis Xavier, the Jesuit sent as a missionary to the Far East by St. Ignatius himself (the founder of the Jesuit order). “Go set all on fire” Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552), whose Feast…
Dear and distinguished friends, Allow me first of all to thank Doctor Stephen Frost for the invitation he has extended to me to speak to you. Along with Doctor Frost I also thank all of you: your commitment to fighting the psychopandemic propaganda is commendable. I am well aware of the difficulties you have had…
November 22, 2022 The Pilgrims who sailed to this country aboard the Mayflower were originally members of the English Separatist Church (a Puritan sect). They had earlier fled their home in England and sailed to Holland (The Netherlands) to escape religious persecution. There, they enjoyed more religious tolerance, but they eventually became disenchanted with the Dutch way of…
Ukraine—CNA—After the liberation of the Mykolaiv district in Ukraine from the Russian army last week, residents began to return to their homes with the hope of saving at least some of their possessions. Together with the parish priest, Society of Christ Father Oleksandr Repin, and other nuns, Benedictine Sister Faustina Kovalska went to the site…
Rochester, NY—CNA—Bishop Robert Barron has pledged to reconsecrate a Catholic Minnesota cemetery vandalized on Halloween night with satanic and vulgar graffiti. “On this feast of All Souls, when the Church honors our beloved dead, I would like to express my outrage at this desecration and my assurance of prayers for the families of those whose…
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a new case, Gonzales v. Google, seeking to hold Google and its subsidiary, YouTube, legally responsible for injuries to victims of terrorism promoted on their sites. This case has implications far beyond terrorism, potentially making these companies responsible whenever their web search algorithms steer viewers to dangerous content. …
CNA—Pope Francis on Monday called on entrepreneurs to be “prophets“ and to continue to transform the economy. “We are living in an era of notorious economic and social imbalances,” the pope told members of two Spanish associations of entrepreneurs at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Oct. 17. It was “urgent to propose a suitable economy…
California’s Governor Gavin Newsom threatened to “fight like hell” to expand baby killing in California and across the nation, and he is making good on his diabolical vow. In the past week alone, Newsom: Launched a billboard campaign profaning the words of Jesus to lure girls and young women from other states to kill their…
CNA—Catholic artist Timothy P. Schmalz calls Padre Pio his favorite saint. And so, when he learned that four of his sculptures would honor the Italian mystic on his feast day—Sept. 23—he was overjoyed. “I thought a couple years ago about that moment in my life where Padre Pio gave me that peace and comfort and…
CNA w/ edits—A major gas station chain in Brazil is building chapels for the Blessed Sacrament on the country’s highways as an “oasis” for travelers. It is normal for travelers to stop at a gas station to fill a vehicle’s gas tank and maybe grab a bite to eat or take some time to rest,…
CNS/Catholic Sentinel—Oregon’s rich Catholic history begins a few miles north in what was then Oregon Country and now is Washington state. Archaeological digs at Fort Vancouver, Washington, have uncovered a trove of Catholic artifacts from the earliest days of the church in the Pacific Northwest, including a crucifix, rosary beads and a Miraculous Medal, all…
