Spirituality
Pope: A hardened heart can’t understand God’s mercy
The first step on the path of faithfulness, Pope Francis said today at morning Mass in Rome, is to recognize you are a sinner. "The Lord ... always asks us to open ourselves to his mercy and his love," the pope said.
Pope writes most tender answers to kids’ hardest questions
In his new book Pope Francis offers fatherly answers to children's questions like why there is evil, knowing their parents are in the background listening. Our columnist Michelle Francl-Donnay reviews.
A heart that can’t forgive stays shut to God’s mercy, pardon, pope says
"If you aren't able to forgive, how will God be able to forgive you? He wants to forgive, but he won't be able to if you have a closed heart and his mercy can't get in," he said.
Salvation comes from small things, not power, lavish show, pope says
Salvation is not found through extraordinary things or powerful people and alliances, Pope Francis said at his morning Mass. God offers it freely in response to "simple" acts of faith, like helping those in need, he said.
Speak up, somebody might need your words
People might be offended when we talk about the love of God, writes Chris Stefanick, but more often they wouldn’t mind us sharing about our faith any more than they’d mind us sharing about our favorite football team.
Hungry reader waits all day to break Lenten fast at midnight
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are the only two days the church prescribes for fasting, and a reader wonders about the letter, and the spirit, of that law, as Father Ken Doyle explains.
Like a parent, God is ready for our middle-of-the-night call
Michelle Francl-Donnay finds solace in Psalm 130, with its cry from the heart, and in the inexhaustible mercy of God -- tender, compassionate and indulgent -- that is ready every time we ask for it.
Be a happy Christian: Show teens the joy of your faith
Chris Stefanick's teenagers are proud of their faith. How did he and his wife do that? They make their faith attractive by being passionately alive in everything, then Bam! -- faith becomes contagious.
Pope: Being Christian is doing God’s will, not just talking the talk
"God is concrete" and so is the Christian life, which requires doing God's will and serving the least as well as those around you, Pope Francis said today at morning Mass.
Don’t lose heart, God will forgive, pope says
"All of us are sinners, all of us!" the pope said. "Before God, we all have some fault. Yet we should not lose heart: He is close to us to give us comfort, mercy, forgiveness."