From the left: Sr Laura, Sr Greta share with me about Venerable Henriette Delille’s story and her continuing significance. During my time in New Orleans, I visited with Sr. Greta and Sr. Laura of the Sisters of the Holy Family to learn about the Cause for Venerable Henriette Delille, founder of The Sister’s of the ...read more

This week the Vatican, specifically Pope Francis, was the target of the angst of the Turkish government. While that drama played itself out on newspaper pages around the world, a couple of other things happened: The Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the Congregation for Institutes of Religious Life and Societies of Apostolic Life and the ...read more

Often our most valuable pieces of art are our most valuable pieces of history. The historic component of a work of art adds to its value because of its character, exclusivity and insight into an age passed through which we glean a portrait of a younger but equally impressive and imaginative humanity. This will certainly ...read more

This past Christmas we reflected upon the incomprehensible mystery of the incarnation – God the Father made known to us through the man Jesus Christ. He chose a specific time, place, and way in our history to reveal Himself to us. That is the “Incarnation.” It’s a word we’ve probably heard many times. But have ...read more

April 26, 2015 – Fourth Sunday of Easter   Theme: Exodus, a fundamental experience of vocation Dear Brothers and Sisters, The Fourth Sunday of Easter offers us the figure of the Good Shepherd who knows his sheep: he calls them, he feeds them and he guides them. For over fifty years the universal Church has ...read more

Side altar at St. Augustine’s Church in Treme New Orleans is a city with deep Catholic roots. There are many religious communities that have played critical roles at various points in the city’s history. In our new series, three of the seven women religious communities that we’ll feature have unique connections to the city. My principal guide ...read more

On Sunday, Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the faithful of the Armenian rite. The Armenians were on hand to see the Holy Father name one of their own, Saint Gregory of Narek, a Doctor of the Church. While not trying to draw significance away from that, or from the Mass that ...read more

Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday morning – the Octave of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday, sometimes called Quasimodo Sunday after the first word of the entrance antiphon, which sings of how we are to desire, like newborn babes, the pure spiritual milk that shall nourish us on our way to ...read more

On Divine Mercy Sunday, the Second Sunday of Easter, Pope Francis celebrated Solemn Mass for the Centenary of the Armenian Martyrdom. Read the full text of his opening address below, along with the message of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians: “On a number of occasions I have spoken of ...read more

Venerable Henriette Delille, Founder of the Sisters of the Holy Family. As I mentioned in a previous post I’ve been in New Orleans for the past couple of days doing some research for a new series which will feature the charisms of seven women religious communities in Louisiana and Africa. Naturally, my first stop was ...read more