Hey there, What do you think of when you hear the word prophet? Is it someone who predicts the future … like Nostradomus? In the Catholic Church, prophets don’t predict the future; they proclaim messages from God. Like those from the Old Testament: Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Moses, to name just a few. Until the ultimate prophet came along, Jesus Christ. We learn from the prophets …
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Hey there, We were made for holiness. And with Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, we all are able to obtain eternal life in heaven. Of course, it’s not as easy as it sounds! We need all the help we can get. That’s where Plenary Indulgences come in. Indulgences have been around since the early Church. But, unfortunately, they were misused in the 16th Century and some say it led to …
Hey there, Here we are in Holy Week … the most important week of the year. And in 4 days our Lord will rise! This poem presents a unique viewpoint of Christ’s resurrection. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Death Meets His Master Father Time met pale King Death sitting by a tomb. “Hello, O Friend, I guess you’re here to seal somebody’s doom.” “You might say that,” sly Death …
Hey there, If you’re like me, the Saturday before Easter is a time to prepare for the Easter celebration. Cooking, baking, selecting an Easter outfit. Getting Easter baskets ready. But the Saturday before Easter is called Holy Saturday, and it’s a part of the Triduum. Jesus died on Good Friday and he rose from the dead on Easter Sunday. But there were important events happening on …
Hey there, Last week we began our look at the Triduum with Holy Thursday. Today, our gaze turns to Good Friday. This year, it falls on March 29th. I’m sure you recall that Good Friday is the other day in Lent for fasting and abstinence … aside from Ash Wednesday. And you may make it an annual tradition to attend Stations of the Cross. But there’s more happening on Good Friday. And there’s …
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Hey there, Growing up, I don’t recall participating in the Triduum. I was first exposed to it when my kids were in Catholic grade school. Their religion teacher gave them extra credit for attending all the Triduum services. Now, years later, I make it a point to include the Triduum services in my Lenten activities. The Triduum begins three days before Easter Sunday on the day we call Holy …
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Hey there, In ancient Greece the runner that won the race was not the man who crossed the line in the shortest time … it was the man who crossed it in the least time with his torch still burning. Like those Greek runners, we Catholics carry a light in us that we are called to share with others. On February 2nd we celebrate that light in the Church. It’s the Feast of the Presentation of …
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Hey there, It’s no surprise Mary plays a major role in Catholicism … after all, without Mary there would be no Jesus. But would it surprise you to hear we have 19 Marian celebrations in our Liturgical Calendar? 3 of them are Holy Days of Obligation. Lest you think I exaggerate, here they are: January 1 Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God* January 8 The Feast of Our Lady of …
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Today is All Saints Day when we honor the saints in heaven … including those who we don’t know about. (Reminder: it’s a Holy Day of Obligation.) Tomorrow is The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, also known as All Soul's Day … when we pray for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory. In fact, in the Catholic Church, the whole month of November is dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, …
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Hey there, The word creed is derived from the Latin word “credo,” which means “I believe.” Merriam Webster defines creed as: : a brief authoritative formula of religious belief : a set of fundamental beliefs In the Catholic Church we have not one, but two creeds. The Apostles Creed came first as a way to provide a standard set of beliefs for the growing Christian religion. Later it was …
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Hey there, One of the first words children learn to say is … mine. Or more accurately, “Mine! Mine!” And that’s about the time we teach them all about the Golden Rule: treat others as you would like them to treat you. It’s a concept that goes back to ancient times … it’s been documented as far back as 2000+ years before Christ! And though the term “Golden Rule” is not found in the …
Hey there, Crosses have become a common part of our everyday life. We decorate our houses with them. We wear crosses and crucifixes as jewelry. They are on books and clothes and car windows. We see them all around our neighborhoods and cities. Has the cross become so ingrained in our life that we don’t often think about what it really stands for? If you’re like me, the answer is a …
