As I pondered what to say about the Eucharist for this issue of the magazine, I found that I was at a loss for words—I mean that both figuratively and literally. What can I possibly...
“Do this in memory of me.” Jesus first spoke these words to His disciples as they gathered with Him in the Upper Room to eat the Passover meal on the eve of His Passion. He...
“Hagan esto en conmemoración mía”. Jesús dijo estas palabras por primera vez a sus discípulos cuando se reunieron con Él en el Cenáculo para comer la cena de Pascua en vísperas de su Pasión. Él...
Father Aloysius Gerdes was not expected to recover from surgery during St. John the Baptist Church’s construction, but he said he’d be back for another 20 years—and he was! Pastor for 46 years until his...
Note: This article is part of an ongoing series on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” (TOB). In his effort to show us the true meaning of “purity of heart,” Pope St....
Why can’t non-Catholics receive Holy Communion in Catholic churches? The Catholic Church ordinarily does not admit non-Catholics to Holy Communion. This practice can be especially difficult for those with close family members who are non-Catholic,...
Recently, my daughter and I spent the day together. We were having a great day, but I had this nagging anxiety nipping away at my ability to be fully present to her. Struggling to not...
There’s nothing mainstream about the Christian life. Our culture indulges in sexuality, gluttony, moral relativism and self- servitude, without giving much of a glance to its own inherent dignity and worth. Society loves stuff and...
In a world oversaturated with visual content, we can become so desensitized to images that slowing down to fully appreciate art becomes a daunting task. Many people breeze through museums, galleries and churches, missing opportunities...
Every rite, ritual, discipline and devotion of the Catholic Church is ordered by and around the Eucharist, which the Second Vatican Council calls the “source and summit of the whole Christian life” (Lumen Gentium 11)....
Many people have asked me if leading the National Eucharistic Revival deepened my own relationship with Our Lord in the Eucharist. Indeed, yes! It has been a profound grace of the Revival, and I hope...
Popcorn with the Pope: A Guide to the Vatican Film List provides exactly what the subtitle suggests: an eclectic collection of movies created in March of 1995 by Pope St. John Paul II. A great...
It takes a village to raise a Family—of Parishes. The head of that village is the pastor, who, through the Beacons of Light transition, was given the responsibility of care and leadership of his parishes....
In rural South Sudan, there are few places where people from rival tribes can come together in peace and openness. As a South Sudanese, Comboni Missionary Father Louis Okot was aware of this division when...
In the history of the Catholic Church, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, colloquially called Eucharistic ministers, are a recent development. The Second Vatican Council opened the door for lay people to assist in distribution of...
For 100 years, Catholic Rural Life has promoted Catholicism throughout rural areas of the U.S. While the ministry is based in Minnesota, there are religious order men and women supporting this integral mission in the...
Many members of the St. Henry Family of Parishes thought it was a monumental goal: Adoration at St. Wendelin Church five days a week, including through the night. The goal sprang from a difficulty—the reduction...
Names are a significant part of an individual’s identity, embodying personality, religious and cultural roots, and family background. Naming is one of the great privileges given to Adam in the Garden of Eden. “Genesis” means...
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