Perspective
Lenten assignment: Be grateful
True gratitude is a grace, or gift, from God. It proceeds from a humble and transformed heart. We do not render thanks merely because it is polite or expected or […]
Columns Archive
A more human society
A zeal for expanding premature death
When supporters of physician-assisted suicide announced in 1993 that they would sponsor a ballot initiative to legalize it in Oregon, they had bigger plans in mind. Coalition leader Dr. Peter […]
The Sunday Gospel
Faithfulness to God gives strength to His people
First Sunday Of Lent Luke 4:1-13 The Book of Deuteronomy provides the first reading for this first Sunday of Lent. Deuteronomy looks to the days when the Hebrews were fleeing […]
Perspective
Thank you, Sister Norma Pimentel
Sister Norma Pimentel, a Mexican-American Catholic sister born in Brownsville, Texas, daughter of immigrants, serves as the Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley. She has become […]
Perspective
Writing in the attic: the Catholic call to creativity
The idea came in a dream. It was just like the movies, the fantasy of every writer who has slogged away at a keyboard, awaiting inspiration. Haley Stewart’s came. “I […]
Perspective
McGuffey Readers
When I was in high school, my English class read Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” in an edition that showed Daphne in the altogether, as she was transformed into a laurel tree. The […]
Bishop
A Lenten message from Bishop Rhoades: ‘Now is a very acceptable time!’
On Ash Wednesday, we hear these words from St. Paul’s second Letter to the Corinthians: “Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Lent […]
Perspective
The deeper implications of Lenten conversion
Christian baptism involves a whole new way of looking at things, a whole new way of feeling about things, a whole new way of doing things. And this precisely means […]
Perspective
Jesus and a Peloton bike
“You are brave. Thank you for showing up!” I am brave, I thought. I did show up! “You are here for a reason. What’s that reason?!” I am here for […]
Perspective
On the lost art of “pairing ‘em up” and its effects on marriage today
One of the more common concerns that young adults express to me is the difficulty in meeting and dating. Once adulthood is reached, of course, the purpose of dating is […]
The Sunday Gospel
Conversion a matter of the heart
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Luke 6:27-38 The First Book of Samuel is the source of this weekend’s initial reading in the Liturgy of the Word. Ancient in origin, scholars […]
Perspective
How does idealism and perfectionism negatively affect marriage?
The Church chose the week leading up to Valentine’s Day to focus on and honor marriage. I hope to produce a series of articles on that topic. We begin with some […]