Spirituality

For those sensitive to incense, some options arise

Father Ken Doyle offers some alternatives for people who suffer migraine headaches from the use of incense at Mass. They should attend a Mass where they can, without the smoke.

A harvest of holiness in blood and fire

For St. Charles Lwanga and his fellow Ugandan martyrs -- and for thousands of African Christians today -- faith in Christ demands the ultimate sacrifice, writes Gina Christian.

Holy Trinity a ‘marvelous mystery’ of love, unity, pope says

While intellectually difficult to understand, the mystery of the Holy Trinity is understood in one's heart as the revelation of God's love for all men and women, Pope Francis said May 30 in St. Peter's Square.

Heroes of peace in a broken world

Some 1.1 million Americans have died on the battlefield, and as the church labors for peace, Gina Christian gives thanks for those who have lived out Christ's call to "lay down one's life for one's friends."

The rewards of retreats

A spiritual retreat can be quiet or loud -- reflective or interactive -- but the key to a good one is not only what happens there, but how our lives change afterward, writes Father Herb Weber.

Getaways with God

With retreat centers increasing their capacity and more about to reopen, now is an ideal time to start planning a retreat in which "the whole point is to relax in the Lord."

Love is key to understanding mystery of Holy Trinity

God our creator has invited us into his relationship of intimate love, characterized by the Trinity and described in this Sunday's readings for Mass, which Msgr. Joseph Prior explains.

Readings of the Holy Mass – Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

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.

Prayer not a ‘magic wand’ but humble dialogue with God, pope says

In prayer there is the "risk of not being the ones to serve God, but of expecting him to serve us," Pope Francis said. Our relationship with God is not magical but one in which he converts us, "not we who must convert God."

Say ‘yes’ to the Holy Spirit, ‘no’ to divisive ideologies, pope says

Celebrating Mass for Pentecost Sunday, Pope Francis said those who listen to the Holy Spirit are not "concerned with conservatives and progressives, right and left" but are impelled to unity and "the harmony of diversity."