Spirituality
Readings of the holy Mass – Thirty-third 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.
God’s kingdom gives hope, not flashy entertainment, pope says
While many are tempted by "new things, revelations and messages," God has already spoken, the pope said Nov. 10 in his homily during his morning Mass in the Domus Sanctae Marthae.
Prayers for the dead not meant to ‘change God’s mind’
Father Ken Doyle replies to a question about why Christians pray for people who have died. Death and its sequel, including judgment, will always be a mystery to us, but he explains how our prayers can aid the dead.
Women helped nurture young church under persecution
Women in the early church did not generally leave behind doctrinal writings. But their lives had such a powerful impact that their stories were written, recited and sung from their day down to ours.
Early Mothers of the Church
The men called "Fathers of the Church" guarded the faith taught by the apostles. But the early Mothers of the Church proved influential in the first centuries of the church's development. See our package of stories on this topic.
Women flexed intellectual, spiritual power in early church
Jesus led a revolutionary approach to the treatment of women, and Christianity opened the door to recognition of women's dignity. So it's no wonder women in the early church took up Christianity with gusto.
A survey of women of the New Testament
From Paul's writings, the apostles clearly depended on women and their families for hospitality and support to spread the message of Christ.
Where is our hope today? It lies in Christ Jesus
We may be tempted to despair and lose hope, but we can turn to figures such as St. John Paul II and those of Scripture who held onto hope in dark times, writes Msgr. Joseph Prior on this Sunday’s readings for Mass.
Readings of the holy Mass – Thirty-second 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.
Government: It’s God’s idea, but our task to make it better
God calls for good governance of his people on earth, but not for a specific form, writes Gina Christian. Though she will vote Nov. 8 with a heavy heart, she knows the ballot box can lead to an encounter with our divine king.