Statues May 27, 2009

I have posted a new post about statues and Jehovah’s Witnesses at my central blog.

“Mary Save Us” May 26, 2009

This past weekend I was in San Antonio and I stopped at Christ the King bookstore and found a little booklet called Mary Save Us published by Our Sunday Visitor. The title seemed overly provocative to my former Southern Baptist eyes. I couldn’t read in it to see what it was about, but I was too curious to pass it up. So I shelled out $5.95 plus tax to purchase it. I do not regret it.

Holy Father’s Prayer Intentions January 1, 2009

The Holy Father’s prayer intentions for January:
General: That the family may increasingly be a place of formation in charity, personal growth, and the transmission of the faith.
Mission: That Christian denominations may strive for full unity so as to be more credible witnesses of the Gospel to a world in need of a “new evangelization.”
Prayer: [...]

Mary and Philosophy January 1, 2009

From Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Fides et Ratio (On Faith and Reason):
I turn in the end to the woman whom the prayer of the Church invokes as Seat of Wisdom, and whose life itself is a true parable illuminating the reflection contained [...]

New Year’s Resolution December 28, 2008

Every year people make New Year’s resolutions, usually things having to do with your body such as, “lose weight”, “get in shape,” and “stop smoking.” As good as these things are, let us remember to take care of our souls first. If we seek the kingdom of God above all else, these things will follow. After all, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. If we remember this, we will be properly motivated to avoid the glamour of evil and be proper stewards of this temple, our body….

Prayer for life October 6, 2008

Father in Heaven, we thank You for the numerous lives You have saved through the successful work of Your pro-life leaders.  We pray that they will have the gifts of fortitude and perseverance, and that hearts might be changed so that laws might be changed.  Lord, conform our mind and thoughts to Yours so that [...]

Synod on Sacred Scripture October 5, 2008

I recently received a comment about a readers confusion regarding the Catholic Church and the role of Scripture.  I recommended that this reader purchase a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and read it while paying special attention to the Scriptural footnotes.  I also recommend to my readers in general to pay attention [...]

The Angelic Salutation October 5, 2008

From Baltimore Catechism No. 4:
Hail, Mary, full of grace! the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Next in beauty to the Lord’s Prayer comes this prayer. [...]

Mary: The Morning Star October 4, 2008

Q: Why do Catholics call Mary the “Morning Star”?  There are only two people in the Bible given this name: Jesus, the true Morning Star, and Satan, the false “morning star.”
A: Jesus and Mary are both correctly called the Morning Star, but in difference senses.  Mary is called so only in relation to Christ, who [...]

Paul and the Virgin Mary September 27, 2008

In this year of Saint Paul, I want to answer the question I’ve been asked many times: if Mary is so important, why doesn’t the Bible, especially St. Paul, say more about her?
The question has a bad presupposition: that a subject’s importance can be judged by how often it is mentioned in the Bible.
So let’s [...]