Opinion
‘For Christ is born of Mary’
As Advent leads Catholics toward the celebration of Jesus’ birth at Christmas, it’s fitting that the Church also honors Mary, the great mother of God, in the middle of this season. Last week we celebrated the Immaculate Conception of Mary on Dec. 8 and Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12. Those two days on […]
What does being ‘open to children’ mean?
By Tara Plymouth In our Family Life Office’s marriage preparation programs, we encourage couples to be “open to children” or “open to life” when they get married. However, the phrase “open to children/life” seems ambiguous. Also, in today’s culture, with widespread contraceptive use and many unfortunately living together premaritally, many couples may not know what […]
Connecting with those we never met
By Father Stephen H. Paolino Recently I was involved in a discussion about Facebook, a web site where people can connect with one another and have discussions with people they possibly haven’t seen in a while or have never met in person. You connect with others on Facebook by becoming “friends” with them. The discussion […]
Giving thanks andgiving back
This newspaper arrives in most homes on Thursdays. Except next Thursday, which is Thanksgiving Day. If you are hosting family and friends for a Thanksgiving feast, this week is one of preparation before the big dinner. In America we have so much for which to give thanks to God. Our Creator gives us life, our […]
Pennsylvania Catholic Conference: End of session review
By A. B. Hill Health care reform. Abortion. Adoption. Gay marriage. Education. These are among top issues tracked by the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference (PCC) in the 2009-2010 legislative session. What happened and where do we go from here? {{more}}Health careIn March 2010, the U.S. Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Life-affirming health […]
In recovery, a gift from God
It might be said that with great suffering comes even greater grace to endure. A source of severe human suffering for millions of today’s men and women is the scourge of addiction. Its many forms include substances such as alcohol and drugs, but also behaviors such as sexual activity and gambling. A person suffering with […]
Papal humor
George WeigelThe Catholic Difference Despite the world’s fascination with All Things Papal, there isn’t much out there about papal humor. Which is, in a sense, entirely understandable: It takes a certain breadth of imagination, shall we say, to imagine Gregory XVI or Pius XI telling a joke (much less telling one on himself). Blessed John […]
Remember the faithful departed in prayer this month of the holy souls
The Church’s celebrations of All Saints Nov. 1 and All Souls the following day lead the month that is traditionally known as the month of the holy souls. Prayer for the dead is not, in the Catholic tradition, a morbid practice but a remembrance of the dead by us, their brothers and sisters this side […]
Respect for Catholic voters
Next Tuesday’s elections invite citizens to the polls to elect men and women for local, state and federal offices. Tuesday will also see the end of vilifying advertisements on TV and radio and automated phone calls, at least for another two years. And to the relief of Catholic pastors, there’ll be a respite in the […]
Our Lady, the model of all prayer
By Msgr. Michael K. Magee Two weeks ago, the Catholic Standard & Times featured on its front cover a story of the Cardinal’s blessing of a new shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in our Cathedral Basilica, and the Spanish-language text of his homily for the same occasion (i.e., the Hispanic Heritage Mass) on page […]