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Spirituality
Brother from another mother
From the nation of Armenia, in the darkest hours before the dawn, shines this tale of pure friendship. Polyeuctus (died 259) was a soldier in the service of Rome. Closer to him than a blood brother was his comrade in arms, Nearchus. In a…
Who were the three Wise Men?
Every Christmas the Nativity set is unpacked. The shepherds find their place, and the three Wise Men and their camels join them. It’s likely that one of the Wise Men is Asian, one African, and one Caucasian. The best-informed children will…
10 simple spiritual resolutions for the new year
Losing weight, eating healthier, exercising more regularly, getting more sleep, or quitting a bad habit probably top your New Year’s resolution list for 2020. Have you thought about making a spiritual resolution for 2020? It’s great to…
Superheroes and saints
Superheroes dominate today’s culture. We need only look at the blockbuster films featuring compelling characters with superpowers to know that Hollywood has found a lucrative formula. The enormous success of Marvel and DC films create an…
Thanksgiving: The science of joy
Did you know that practicing gratitude can make you more physically and psychologically resilient and improve your relationships? It can make you live longer, think more clearly, sleep better, and forgive more readily (see…
Key figures of the Reformation: Henry VIII
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first part of a nine-part series where Fr. Dwight Longenecker examines the conflicts of the 16th century through its main players. Each article will connect with contemporary Church life, showing the origin of the…
A consecrated virgin: A path less traveled
There are approximately 3,000 publicly consecrated virgins in the world, with France, Italy, Argentina, and the United States having the highest percentages (in that order). This tally does not include those women privately consecrated,…
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…
