Spirituality
In a thunder of motorbikes, ‘riding sweep’ means leading by sacrifice
Avid motorcyclist Gina Christian reflects on a leader who makes himself last in line and first to assist on every mile of the journey down earthly and spiritual roads.
In the Gospels, when people reject Jesus, they reject the cross
Msgr. Joseph Prior reflects on the cost of discipleship -- picking up one’s cross every day -- and how people such as those in this Sunday’s Gospel reading fail to commit to Jesus’ mission of love.
Readings of the holy Mass – Thirteenth 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: Before you judge, take a good look in the mirror
The day's Gospel reading from St. Matthew recounted Jesus telling his disciples to not judge so "that you may not be judged."
To make sense of a broken world, we look to the face of Christ
In the Gospel reading for this Sunday, Jesus asks, "Who do you say that I am?" Our answer, writes Msgr. Joseph Prior, can guide us to understanding when tragedies like the shooting in Orlando strike.
Readings of the holy Mass – Twelfth 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.
Parishioner wishes priest would keep liberal politics to himself
Father Ken Doyle explains to a reader the intersection of the church's public policy positions, some political viewpoints and the Sunday homily. He also advises a grandmother not to baptize a grandchild herself.
Give it up to the Lord, let go of resentment, pope says in homily
Asking God for help in forgiving one's enemies is the best prayer anyone can say, Pope Francis said in a morning homily.
When our hearts break, listen to the One who hears
Gina Christian finds in the biblical story of Hagar, who listened to God’s message in the desert, advice to help cope with one tragedy after another: Don't run away, but walk in the ways of God.
When forced to listen, the words of the Mass reveal a jarring mystery, anew
Michelle Francl-Donnay, working in Rome at the Vatican Observatory, was ready for Mass when a nun confiscated her Italian translation. Deprived of language, Michelle was gratefully supported by the faith of others.