Over the next couple of days, I’d like to share with you what stood out most for me during Pope Francis’ visit to Mexico. First it was his focus on young people and the challenges they face. Next it had to do with how we respond to challenges that we all face in the light ...read more

Over the next couple of days, I’d like to share with you what stood out most for me during Pope Francis’ visit to Mexico. First it was his focus on young people. Sadly, my next point is a bit more sobering. Fertile Soil Pope Francis could not have gone to Mexico and not spoken about ...read more

Pope Francis went to Mexico, he said, as a “missionary of mercy and of peace but also as a son who wishes to pay homage to his mother, the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe, and place himself under her watchful care” (Meeting with Authorities at National Palace in Mexico City, Feb. 13, 2016) and that he ...read more

It’s always a nice confirmation when the Pope says the same thing you’ve been trying to say. (Maybe he read my blog from last week?) Last Wednesday, Pope Francis’ General Audience Address was titled, God’s Justice is Mercy. You can listen to the Vatican Radio report here: In short, Pope Francis is eloquently making the ...read more

mer·cy noun: mercy; plural noun: mercies Compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. jus·tice noun: justice; plural noun: justices Just behavior or treatment. The quality of being fair and reasonable. Last week we learned why Pope Francis declared this year to be the Year of Mercy. ...read more

With Pope Francis’ changes to the Holy Thursday liturgy last week, I was reminded of a conversation I had with a young man during the Christmas holiday. He was visiting from Europe and was expressing concern about where Pope Francis seems to be taking the Church. He said that among his circle of friends and acquaintances ...read more

Tomorrow is the beginning of the Week for Prayer for Christian Unity. This special week has been taking place for almost 110 years and is celebrated around the world between the Feast of the Confession of Saint Peter on January 18 and the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul on January 25. It’s very ...read more

Two weeks ago we looked at why we need mercy and last week we reflected on Don Francisco’s beautiful song, “Adam, Where Are You?” Last week  we also saw what the Church teaches about Original Sin: Once we were in a state of Original Grace. Original Sin is the state of deprivation of that state, ...read more

A Palestinian Christian prays in the Church of Nativity on Christmas Eve in Bethlehem, West Bank. CNS photo/Debbie Hill ...read more

Last week we saw that the reason why we need mercy is because we are sinners. St. Paul tells the Ephesians, “we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead ...read more