Spirituality

Hospitality and its ‘better part,’ prayer, keep us on road to God

Msgr. Joseph Prior explains two important aspects of Christian discipleship in the readings for this Sunday's liturgy. Both lead us on the path and the destination of love.

Readings of the holy Mass – Sixteenth 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.

Pray with Pope Francis in July

CatholicPhilly.com offers monthly videos of Pope Francis’ prayer intentions, from the Apostleship of Prayer. Watch this month’s video here and pray the prayer intentions below.

Christ, and a priest, could help a person past purgatory

Father Ken Doyle reflects on Christ's forgiveness of the repentant thief and the "apostolic pardon" of the church to explain how the cleansing state of purgatory might be bypassed before heaven.

On tragedies big and small, learn the meaning of ‘offer it up’

We've all got crosses to bear -- be they common irritation or real agony -- but offering them up through Christ opens the way to grace and redemption, writes Gina Christian.

The littlest acts of mercy might be the biggest

Msgr. Joseph Prior unpacks the readings for this Sunday's liturgy, including the Gospel parable of the Good Samaritan. We might not face such urgency today, but we're all called to show compassion every day.

Readings of the holy Mass – Fifteenth 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.

Look up at the stars and down at the dew, and adore the Creator

Michelle Francl-Donnay reflects on her stint this summer at the Vatican Observatory facing the grandeur of the created universe. The sight of Saturn's rings made her stammer about God.

Begin again today, and banish the blues of acedia

Effie Caldarola looks at her own bad attitude and finds in Benedictine spirituality, still practiced today, ways to look beyond the closed circle of herself and brighten up right now.

It won’t be easy, but we’re on a mission from Christ

The joy of the 72 disciples sent into the world by Jesus in Sunday’s Gospel reading can be ours as well, writes Msgr. Joseph Prior, as we invite others to share in the life of Christ.