Spirituality
New books offer variety of options for spiritual reading during Advent
Browse our list of 31 books suitable for your spiritual reading during Advent, which begins Dec. 1, and the Christmas season.
What to tell Catholic parents who don’t want their child baptized
Let the child decide when he or she is old enough to choose a religion, some say. Father Kenneth Doyle responds by asking if one would refuse to teach children math until they are old enough to decide if they like it. Parents pass on what they value, especially the values of Christian faith, he writes in his weekly column.
Churches must first be places where God is adored, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Temples and churches are places people gather for many reasons, but if a place of worship is not primarily a place where God is adored, then it can’t really be called a temple or a church, Pope Francis said. “I think, and I say this with all humility, that we Christians […]
Pope Francis says he goes to confession every two weeks
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis said he goes to confession every two weeks, knowing that God never tires of forgiving those who repent, but also knowing that having a priest say "I absolve you" reinforces belief in God's mercy.
Pope prescribes daily rosary for what ails you
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis admitted he wasn’t a pharmacist, but he didn’t hesitate being the spokesman for the heart-healthy benefits of 59 little pills strung together: the rosary. “I want to recommend some medicine for all of you,” the pope said Nov. 17 at the end of his Sunday Angelus address. “It’s […]
Can cremated remains be buried at sea?
Q. There was a photo in our local Catholic newspaper of a pastor presiding over a burial at sea. Please clarify the church's teaching on cremation and the proper final resting place of the cremated remains. (I thought that the "cremains" were to be buried.) (Davenport, Iowa) Q. I am a longtime practicing Catholic, but there is a question that has been bothering me: with respect to the canonization process for Pope John Paul II. How did the devil's advocate treat the issue of the clergy sexual abuse scandal? (Marlboro, N.J.)
Learning to accept and surrender
The silence of God when you need him most is one of the most difficult mysteries a person of faith will ever have to face. Yes, prayer works, and we absolutely need to rely on the Lord's strength when troubles come, but many of us lose confidence in God's love when he doesn't do exactly what we want.
Pope says purported visions of Mary can lead people away from God
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Purported visions of Mary, if taken in the wrong spirit, can sow confusion and distance people from the Gospel, Pope Francis said. Curiosities distance people “from the Gospel, from the Holy Spirit, from peace and hope, from God’s glory and God’s beauty,” the pope said Nov. 14 during a homily at […]
Confession renews grace of baptism, Pope Francis says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — With baptism, Christians are cleansed of sin, but the sacrament doesn’t wash away human weakness nor the obligation to ask forgiveness when they make mistakes, Pope Francis said. Baptism is “God’s powerful intervention in our lives to save us. This saving intervention of God doesn’t remove our human nature and weakness; […]
God may scold, but he never slaps, pope says
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — God’s hands are never used for violence, Pope Francis said. “I can’t imagine God slapping us,” the pope said. “Scolding us, yes, that I see, because he does do that, but he never, ever hurts us.” God shows love and tenderness, “even when he must scold us; he does it with […]