Spirituality
Was John the Baptist free from original sin?
While Father Ken Doyle explains the doctrine that only Mary was conceived free from sin, he points to signs that the Baptist was freed from original sin after conception, but before birth.
Early Fathers of the Church
One of the greatest ways to grow in the spiritual life and be imbued with the Catholic spirit is to read the writings of the early Church Fathers.
The Fathers of the Church: Who they are and why they matter
Almost as soon as anyone begins to explore Christian heritage, he or she invariably runs across references to "the Fathers of the Church" or "early Church Fathers." One gets the clear impression that whoever they are, these people are important!
The baptism of St. Augustine by St. Ambrose
St. Augustine.s baptism climaxed one of the greatest conversion stories ever. He arrived at the baptismal font only after an agonizing process of deliberation.
The Fathers of the Church and the Bible
The fathers may not be well-known, but, thanks to them, the church survived in an age of persecution and established the basic beliefs of Christians, such as one God and Jesus as redeemer of the world.
Parish landscape is changing rapidly, to a Catholic’s chagrin
Father Ken Doyle replies to a parishioner who finds his parish offering fewer Masses, fewer sacraments and no parish activities, and what can be done in an era of change.
Jesus’ intercession is the cornerstone of the church, pope says
"On the Mount of Olives, Jesus prays; on the cross he prayed; his life ended in prayer," the pope said. "And this is our security, this is our foundation, this is our cornerstone: Jesus who prays for us! Jesus who prays for me."
Seek Jesus, and life will never be the same again
Zaccheus, the corrupt tax collector, looks for Jesus and listens to him with an open heart, and is transformed, as Msgr. Joseph Prior explains this Sunday’s Gospel reading.
Readings of the holy Mass – Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Read or listen to the readings before Mass with the resources below from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, using the New American Bible, Revised Edition.
Pope: God weeps for humanity lost in war, idolatry
God became man in order to weep for his lost children who, through the idolatry of money, have left countless innocents dead because of war and arms trafficking, Pope Francis said.