Spirituality
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.
Sing to the Lord, despite the rising waters of fear
A drive through I-95's Fort McHenry Tunnel offers Michelle Francl-Donnay a clue as to how the ancient Israelites might have felt crossing the Red Sea on dry land -- fearful, but trusting in God.
‘Who, me? Yes, you.’ Fess up to sins, stop judging others, pope says
Drop the innocent look and the habit of judging others, Pope Francis said; recognizing one's own faults and failings is the first requirement of being a good Christian.
Forgiveness of sins: An audio reflection for Lent
Listen to our podcast of Permanent Deacon Michael Pascarella offering a reflection and a prayer based on a passage from the Gospel of John.