Spirituality
The Lord who hides in our hearts
The Ascension, which hid the risen Christ from mere human sight, ultimately reveals how close Jesus longs to be with each of us.
Readings of the Holy Mass – Seventh Sunday of Easter
Read, listen to or watch videos of the Mass readings with these resources from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, using the New American Bible, Revised Edition.
‘Remaining’ in God’s love calls for ongoing response to him
In the Gospel reading for this Sunday Christ calls us into his life of divine love, and Msgr. Joseph Prior examines the ways we can answer the Lord's invitation to his dynamic, animating love.
Language no barrier when pope and ayatollah spoke of peace
A reader wonders about Pope Francis' meeting with Iraq's revered grand ayatollah, and Father Ken Doyle explains their rejection of "the language of war" in his weekly Q & A.
Reform aims to carry Gospel mission forward, not clean up past, pope says
In the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, Pope Francis said, the concept of reform is "in tension not only with what was once deformed" but also "conforming to what is new, to take on a new form."
Pope, at audience with people, talks about the power of prayer
Prayer, Pope Francis told a crowd of 300 people, is not always "a walk in the park." Real prayer requires effort and "certainly gives great peace, but through inner struggle which can accompany even long periods of life."
Dynamic force of love leads to abundant, joyful life
Love entails a relationship involving a giver and receiver of oneself. Jesus, as we learn in this Sunday's readings for Mass, makes manifest God's great love for us, writes Msgr. Joseph Prior.
Readings of the Holy Mass – Sixth Sunday of Easter
Read, listen to or watch videos of the Mass readings with these resources from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, using the New American Bible, Revised Edition.
On the battlefield of life, Mary never leaves us
A Civil War song reminds Gina Christian that the Mother of Christ, entrusted to us at Calvary, stands by us in our struggles, leading us to the peace her Son has won for us.
Contemplative prayer helps us see world ‘with different eyes,’ pope says
Continuing his series of talks on prayer May 5, Pope Francis reflected on contemplative prayer, which is "the 'breath' of our relationship with God" and not so much a way of doing, "but a way of being," he said.