A few quick takes for your weekend: 1. The Church Is Not Backward, But Forward — my good friend Rebecca on the far-reaching wisdom of the Church. This article will also give you an idea of what’s coming up in our next episode of BioTalk! I’ll be editing that this weekend. 2. The Church and [...]

The Sepulchre by Dan Burr I really love this painting I came across over the weekend that goes perfectly with yesterday’s Gospel reading: On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So [...]

Hey, where are you going? It’s not Easter, yet. “Stay a while. Do not hurry by the cross on your way to Easter joy, for we know the risen Lord only through Christ and him crucified.” (Fr. Richard John Neuhaus, Death on a Friday Afternoon). image: The Lamentation, Peter Paul Rubens c. 1609 Jason Hall [...]

Before his inaugural Mass this morning, Pope Francis descended the popemobile to bless a disabled man in St. Peter’s Square. He’s preaching the Gospel of Life without saying a word. I love this man. He also has to be giving his security team some mild heart attacks. I like what Elizabeth Scalia had to say [...]

The anticipation of Catholics all over the world was palpable yesterday. I could feel it, even though I was alone in front of the television. I don’t know if it was that darn seagull or what, but something indicated that last night was going to be the night. And then… And then… …Who? And then [...]

It’s late evening on Ash Wednesday. You’re tired and hungry and wondering why, exactly, you’re doing this again. I recently came across this helpful little nugget in one of my retreat journals that might give you some much needed motivation: Here (hopefully) is a little more inspiration for those suffering from fasting fatigue on this [...]

In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul explains how, when God calls people, he does not base his decision on human criteria – wisdom, power, nobility – but often chooses uneducated, unimportant and even despised people in the world’s eye to convert the wise, the strong and the “important”. Consider your own calling, [...]

It doesn’t get much more beautiful than this. From St. Augustine, whose feast was today: Late have I loved you, Beauty so ancient and so new, late have I loved you! Lo, you were within, but I outside, seeking there for you, and upon the shapely things you have made I rushed headlong — I, [...]

Over at the TOB Institute, Christopher West reflects on the resurrection of our bodies. A little piece: During this Easter season it is fitting to reflect on the resurrection not just of Jesus’ body, but of our own bodies at the end of time. … We often speak of the “souls” in heaven. When we [...]

As assisted suicide deaths rise yet again in Oregon and Switzerland and they prepare to discuss legalizing the practice in Massachusetts, over at Catholic Lane this morning, I revisited and revised a previous post from here: For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you [...]