Spirituality

A paralyzed church is ill and needs the Spirit for courage, pope says

"Fear is not a Christian attitude. It is the attitude of a soul behind bars," Pope Francis said May 15. "A scared Christian is a person who has not understood what Jesus' message is."

Remember those good intentions of prayer

Michelle Francl-Donnay thinks we might take the Prayers of the Faithful too lightly. Do we remember them after Mass? We should hold one of them in our hearts long after.

How do I love thee? Gospel teaches how to count the ways, pope says

Real love is constant, concrete and communicates -- it is action over words and it obeys the Beatitudes, Pope Francis said at his morning Mass.

Put your problems, concerns, loved ones in the Lord’s hands, pope says

"A prayer of entrustment" is something many Christians do not do very often, but they should, the pope said May 5 during the Mass in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

Honor your father, even if he’s not honorable

Father Ken Doyle advises forgiveness for the adult child dealing with her father's age and illness. Also, a teenager wonders how to get closer to God.

God has no office hours

Any time is the right time to "ask and you shall receive" in prayer, writes Father Ken Doyle in answer to readers' questions.

Silence as a way of being

Michelle Francl-Donnay doesn’t find noise at church unnerving. Silence is an internal stance, the better to hear God in the busyness of people, the body of Christ.

Remember when you first met Jesus, suggests Pope Francis

In every relationship, including one's relationship with Jesus, it is important to remember that "first encounter," that initial, life-changing moment of love, the pope said today.

Growing closer to God

As a moth circles a flame as its reference point, we can keep Christ as our center so as to glorify God in our lives, writes Deacon Bill Masapollo.

Teaching and preaching on same-sex marriage

Father Ken Doyle reiterates for a reader the church's teaching on marriage between one man and one woman, and how priests can convey the message from their pulpit.