These are the only two ultimate destinations for us human beings—either endless, perfect happiness, or endless, perfect misery; and these correspond to the choices life presents to us. Read More →
When Saint Paul visited Athens and saw the abundance of statues of the gods they worshipped, he observed: “I see you Athenians are very religious.” If Paul were to visit the United States in the month of October, he would no doubt say, “I see you Americans are very... Read More →
Come to me, all who weary and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29). If you would, take the time you would normally spend reading... Read More →
Saint Teresa of Calcutta is cited by Pope Leo XIV in his just published apostolic exhortation Dilexit te (“I have loved you”): Foundress of the Missionaries of Charity, she dedicated her life to the dying abandoned on the streets of India. She gathered the rejected, washed... Read More →
The church witnesses for life simply by being the church. By gathering for worship, hearing the Word of God, celebrating the Sacraments, and observing the Christian Year, the congregation declares that innocent human lives are to be recognized and defended. Without... Read More →
Roe v. Wade—and the dishonest decades-long defense of its mandate to kill unborn children—has left a legacy of badly distorted public reasoning. To reach a pro-choice outcome, judges twisted justice; to constrain dissent, legislators silenced opposition; to appeal for... Read More →
In Catholic (and some Protestant) liturgical calendars, September 29 is the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels. In England and Ireland, it marks the beginning of the academic year, “Michaelmas Term,” and the end of the harvest season. The Bible is alive with angels. St.... Read More →
American society is fractured; discourse that is civil is rarely heard. We are divided Red against Blue and Blue against Red. Our history is reckoned glorious; or it is taken to be an embarrassment. Technology throws gasoline on fires that otherwise might be easily... Read More →
[This (2009) column is reprinted from Fun Is Not Enough, a collection of Fr. Francis Canavan’s Catholic eye columns edited by Dawn Eden Goldstein and published in 2017.] __________________________________________________________________________ Since man is a social... Read More →
In a recent address to French Catholic political leaders gathered in Rome for the Holy Year, Pope Leo spoke of the weighty challenges they face in our often hostile world: I am well aware that the openly Christian commitment of a public official is not easy, especially in... Read More →
