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Spirituality
What Dante’s ‘Inferno’ can teach us about death and sin
In the northern part of the United States this is the season when mortality is on the mind. Leaves fall, the harvest is gathered, and nature retreats in anticipation of the deathly stillness of winter. With the Church’s annual…
5 things each to know about St. Simon and St. Jude, apostles
The Church celebrates the Feast of Sts. Simon and Judes, Apostles, on Oct. 28. Here are five things to know about each of these men. St. Jude Jude is also called Thaddeus (see Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18). Jude is not the same person as Judas…
Bl. Nykyta Budka: Die with your boots on
When you read about the Eastern Rite saints who lived under Roman persecution, you might wonder if they were really as heroic as their biographers say they were. It was so long ago. Maybe people are exaggerating. Then you look at their…
St. Louis Jesuits perform final concert
A combination of age and no common projects lined up, the St. Louis Jesuits performed as a group for the last time on Sept. 29 with the College Church Choir at Powell Hall at Saint Louis University, raising money for the Ignatian…
Inspiration from St. John XXIII
The feast day of St. John XXIII is Oct. 11. Born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, he served as pope from Oct. 28, 1958 until his death on June 3, 1963. Pope Francis canonized John XXIII on April 27, 2014. St. John XXIII (1881–1963) began the…
John Henry Cardinal Newman: The bridge between Catholics and Protestants
Pope Francis on Sunday will pronounce the formal canonization of five people, including the John Henry Cardinal Newman. Cardinal Newman is a curious figure in Church history, especially as pertaining to the divide between Roman Catholicism…
Angels 101: What we should know about God’s messengers
When we think of angels, we tend to conjure images from Renaissance paintings: chubby cherubs with tiny wings; long-haired figures with flowing robes; or perhaps a heavenly warrior, outfitted in Roman armor. These depictions leave us with…
Ask for a rose …
Sixteen years ago my wife was pregnant with our second child. From several ultrasounds, we knew that our child was a boy and that he had hydrocephalus. Our doctor surmised that his condition would not be severe, but there was no way to know…
Five facts about St. Robert Bellarmine, SJ, doctor of the Church
St. Robert Bellarmine (1542–1621) was a scholar who focused primarily on studies of Church history and the Church Fathers. In response to the Protestant Reformation, much of his efforts went toward organizing Church doctrine for clarity…
Venerable Patrick Peyton, CSC: His life and legacy
“The family that prays together stays together.” These words, so simple yet so iconic, have come to define the life and legacy of Ven. Patrick Peyton, CSC. Known to millions around the world as “the Rosary priest,” Fr. Peyton was born…
