Spirituality

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,…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

“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…

John isn’t exactly a funny name to us but when St. John the Baptist was born, his relatives were scratching their heads over it. “Where did that come from? Nobody else in the family has that name.” “Elizabeth dear, shouldn’t the boy be…