Spirituality
As fragile as a fig tree: An audio reflection for Lent
Listen to our podcast of Permanent Deacon Michael Pascarella offering a reflection on how we are like the proverbial fig tree, whom God cares for and wants to bear good fruit.
What’s the Catholic view on Islam and terror?
Father Ken Doyle offers the church's teaching in answer to a reader's Catholic friend, who lumps all followers of Islam together with terrorists.
In Isaiah, words for those who long for God
In one of the readings for the Easter Vigil, Michelle Francl-Donnay sees not only glittering words of hope in dark times, but hints of how God hopes we will respond to his immense and steadfast love.
God forgives and expects you to do the same, pope says
"Sin is not just a simple mistake," Pope Francis said today at Mass. "Sin is idolatry. It is adoring the idol, the idol of pride or vanity, money, myself or well-being -- the many idols we have."
God wants to heal us: An audio reflection for Lent
Listen to our podcast of Permanent Deacon Michael Pascarella offering a reflection and a prayer on how God can restore our connection to him.
Let Jesus cleanse you of your sins, pope urges
Christian faith and a moral life are responses to God's mercy and not the result of "titanic" human effort, Pope Francis said.
Mom wonders about priest’s stipend for wedding
Father Ken Doyle covers the issues of how much money to give the priest celebrating a wedding Mass, where the money goes and other considerations in his weekly Q&A column.
Pope: Putting trust in world, not God, blinds people to needs of others
When people trust in the world more than in God, their heart becomes numb and their eyes blind to those in need, Pope Francis said.
Guilt isn’t so bad, when it leads to mercy
CatholicPhilly.com editor Matthew Gambino looks at the contrasts of sin and goodness, and the culmination in God's gift of mercy, in a liturgical prayer for the Third Sunday of Lent.
Good works are proper response to God’s ‘exaggerated’ pardon, pope says
When the Bible says, "though your sins be like scarlet" God will make them "white as snow," it exaggerates, just like God exaggerates in his willingness to forgive people, Pope Francis said.