Pope Francis does have a special devotion to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots. While studying in Germany in the 1980s, he discovered this devotion at the Church of St. Peter am Perlach in Augsburg. In the church, there is a … Continued
Prior to the year 1234, the church did not have a formal canonization process as such. Also, one must consider the life of the church during the time of Roman persecution, and the life of the church after the legalization … Continued
There always will be a mystery as to how God, who is infinite and beyond time and space, and thereby knows past, present and future at once, interacts with us, poor human beings, who are limited by time and space, … Continued
The passage in question occurs in Matthew 15:21-28. Our Lord is approached by a gentile Canaanite woman (also called the Syro-Phoenician woman) whose daughter is possessed by a demon. On first hearing their conversation, Our Lord definitely seems hostile and … Continued
St. Matthew recorded in the Gospel, “Jesus entered Peter’s house and found Peter’s mother-in-law in bed with a fever. He took her by the hand and the fever left her” (Mt 8:14-15). Note that the passage does not mention St. … Continued
In the second story of creation, Genesis 2:21 reads: “So the Lord God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The … Continued
Before addressing the moral issue of the practice of homosexuality, we must first review some basic truth principles: First, each of us, whether male or female, is made in God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:27). We must be ever mindful … Continued
The Catechism defines pornography as “removing real or simulated sexual acts from the intimacy of the partners, in order to display them deliberately to third parties” (#2337). Sadly, pornography is a pervasive, multi-billion dollar business in our country alone, with … Continued
Jesus entered this world to forgive sins. Recall the words of our Lord: “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him may not die but may have eternal life” (John 3:16). During … Continued
As Catholics, we firmly believe that the real presence of Christ is in the Holy Eucharist. The Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests asserts, “The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of … Continued
The Catechism reminds us, “Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures … Continued
When discussing prayer with His disciples, our Lord said, “This is how you are to pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us … Continued
The Mass is the most beautiful act of worship of Almighty God and a precious treasure of our Catholic Church. To fully appreciate the Mass, one has to understand its historical development. Granted, the root of the Mass is the … Continued
The gospels clearly attest that our Lord came to forgive our sins and all sins. When the angel of the Lord appeared to St. Joseph in a dream to inform him of Mary’s conception by the power of the Holy … Continued
Before addressing the use of votive candles in particular, we have to appreciate the symbolism of light and the general usage of candles in religious practice. In Judaism, a perpetual light was kept burning in the Temple and the synagogues … Continued
Chapter 9 of the Letter to the Hebrews addresses the sacrifice of Jesus: Verses 25-28 read, “Not that [Christ] might offer Himself there again and again, as the high priest enters year after year into the sanctuary with blood that … Continued
The offering of Masses for the repose of the soul of the faithful departed is linked with our belief in Purgatory. We believe that if a person has died fundamentally believing in God but with venial sins and the hurt … Continued
Traditionally, we have placed fonts of Holy Water near the entrances of our Churches. This placement and usage corresponds actually to Old Testament Jewish practices of purification: The Book of Leviticus prescribed various ritual purifications using water to remove the … Continued
The 1985 Extraordinary Synod of Bishops asserted “that the liturgy must favor the sense of the sacred and make it shine forth. It must be permeated by the spirit of reverence, adoration, and the glory of God.” To foster such … Continued
Incense is an aromatic substance which is the resin from certain trees. When burned over charcoal, the incense produces a sweet smelling aroma. Too make the smoke thicker and to enhance the fragrance, sometimes other perfumes are blended with the … Continued