Perspective
A thrill of hope
The arena was perfectly silent. Twenty thousand young people knelt at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis as the Eucharist was exposed in a monstrance on the altar in the center […]
Columns Archive
Bishop's Column: In Truth and Charity
The Shining Example of the Holy Family
The following homily was delivered by Bishop Rhoades at a Vigil Mass for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Dec. 29: When we think of […]
The Sunday Gospel
Family life is rooted in the unconditional love of God
Feast of the Holy Family Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 The Book of Sirach is part of the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament. As are many other books in this body […]
The Sunday Gospel
God asks for our honest, total love this Advent
Fourth Sunday of Advent Matthew 1:18-24 This weekend the Church celebrates the fourth and last Sunday of Advent 2019. For its first reading, this weekend’s liturgy offers a reading from […]
Perspective
Books for Christmas – 2019
Resist the twitterization of thought — give books for Christmas! The following titles will delight, instruct, edify or all of the above: “Churchill: Walking with Destiny” by Andrew Roberts (Viking) […]
Perspective
‘The Crown’ and the primacy of grace
Spoiler alert Like, I daresay, most of the English-speaking world, these past couple of years I’ve been watching episodes of “The Crown,” the beautifully filmed, marvelously written program on the […]
Perspective
Finding reason to hope amid the pessimism
My father-in-law, Joseph, was a wonderful guy. An immigrant who passionately loved America, he was hardworking, honest and thrifty. He had a laborer’s hands but a poet’s mind. Joseph had […]
The Sunday Gospel
The coming of the Lord is at hand
Third Sunday of Advent Matthew 11:2-11 The Book of Isaiah is the source of this weekend’s first reading. Isaiah was between a rock and a hard place, so to speak. […]
Perspective
Rudolph to the rescue: the triumph of an under-deer
Robert May was painfully aware of the distance between his dreams and his reality. The 34-year-old Dartmouth graduate had long fantasized about writing the great American novel. Instead, he was […]
Perspective
Christmas is proof that God believes in us
Recently, a friend recounted all of the activities ahead of her to get ready for the Christmas season: shopping, baking, decorating, getting cards out and spending extra hours at the […]
Perspective
God is not an insurance policy
You know the commercials: “15 minutes could save you 15% or more.” “Like a good neighbor…” “You’re in good hands…” In this land of plenty, we like to protect our […]
The Sunday Gospel
Prepare a fitting dwelling place for the Lord
Second Sunday of Advent Matthew 3:1-12 Indicating the importance of Advent and the message of these readings, the Church this weekend celebrates the Second Sunday of Advent, rather than the […]