How do we respond to an idea that is different from what the Church teaches? Whether it is a thought we develop on our own or a teaching from someone we admire and respect, such ideas can be very seductive. One option is to trust in our own understanding andContinue Reading
Today the Church honors two of its greatest apostles. Peter, upon whose faith the Church was built, fertile ground for the seed of the vine, and Paul whose missionary efforts helped to extend the branches of that vine to the ends of the earth. The word apostle means “one whoContinue Reading
We are a forgetful people, and so we need reminders. Why is it so important that we remain quiet when we enter a church? Why is so much importance attached to the cupboard that holds the Eucharistic host between masses? Why do we kneel whenever we cross in front ofContinue Reading
New work based on a page from the Winchester Pontifical also known as the Benedictional of Saint Aethelwold.Continue Reading
The Most Holy Trinity is often referred to as a mystery of faith. But is a mystery something we cannot understand? Not at all, we can understand the mystery of the Trinity to the extent that God has revealed it to us. So what has God revealed to usContinue Reading
Icon of Saint Anthony of Padua, commissioned by the Franciscan Monastery, Washington D.C. Continue Reading
Between the great empires of Rome and Persia, in ancient Mesopotamia, Ephrem was born in the city Nisibis. The preaching of Saint Jacob, Bishop of Nisibis, drew Ephrem to the Faith as a moth to a flame and he was baptized in his eighteenth year. He grew in learning andContinue Reading
Before He ascends to the Father, Jesus breathes on His Apostles and imparts to them the Holy Spirit. Then just before His Ascension He tells them to wait for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. Are they receiving the Spirit twice? Not exactly, at Pentecost the Apostles receiveContinue Reading
As we mature, we begin to look for meaning in our lives. We spend our youth learning about the world and about ourselves. We discover our interests, talents and abilities, and sharpen them to a high degree. And then, we grow restless. We look for our purpose. We questionContinue Reading
Icon of Mary, Mother of God, commissioned by the Franciscan Monastery, Washington D.C.Continue Reading