But it's hard to escape the baggage of Christmas. It’s usually about this time that I start thinking about all the people who get lonely at Christmas. It’s true. This holiday reminds us of family, of our childhood and many people don’t have that, or have issues to reconcile or a past that they would rather not remember. Secular Christmas brings all that to the forefront. ...read more

Come, Flower of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: save us without delay! When I think of this antiphon I can’t help but think of Mary. In fact, I would consider that this O Antiphon, O Radix Jesse, is inseparable from Mary. But O Radix Jesse, Root of Jesse, is a ...read more

Earlier this week I found myself listening to R.E.M.’s It’s the End of the World (although I much prefer the cover by Great Big Sea). It’s a good song and, while I’m not exactly sure what it’s about, I always think about it around this time of the year when all the Mass readings have ...read more

I have many friends who do not participate in Halloween activities. They refuse to do so because they believe that Halloween is a pagan holiday. Some even go as far as saying that it is a Satanic feast. I’ve always felt that there’s nothing wrong with participating in Halloween activities. After all, I don’t believe ...read more

If you’re in the Church, it’s becoming harder and harder to ignore our missionary call. This something Pope Francis has continually talked about since his first year of papacy: go out to the peripheries; get out of the sacristies; go and make disciples of all nations. In a way, the ground was prepared by Pope ...read more

Whenever I see a rosary hanging on someone’s rear-view mirror, I automatically feel a kinship with the Catholic driver. However, a rosary is not a decoration. It is a powerful spiritual tool, and popes have been encouraging Catholics to pray the Rosary for years. Since October is the month of the Rosary, here are three ...read more

NOLENSVILLE, Tenn. (CNS) — For Sarah Hart, writing a new hymn is always about pleasing God. “I do think, ‘God, I hope this is pleasing to you. I hope that this thing I’m doing is my prayer to you,'” she told the Tennessee Register, newspaper of the Diocese of Nashville. “Writing a song for me ...read more

Depressed and suicidal, Keith found himself going from bad to worse. He needed help. And then one night he found it in an unexpected way. ...read more

As we await further details of Pope Francis' promised visit to Canada, Deacon Pedro takes a look back at two earlier papal visits. ...read more

Read the full text of Pope Francis' homily given during a penitential service in the Vatican on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, March 25, 2022. ...read more