There is not a believer anywhere who has not demanded from the depth of his soul, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” The words of the eager Greeks in today’s Gospel echo the sentiments of everyone who seeks a personal commitment to Jesus Christ. more

One of the saddest results of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century was the distressing neglect of sacred Scripture that resulted in the Catholic Church. Officially, the church never neglected Scripture. more

Pope Francis has clearly gone out of his way to project an image of the Church as a merciful, reconciling community. On a grand level he initiated in 2015 a Jubilee Year with the Papal bull, … more

The Apostles Peter, James and John were singled out by Jesus Christ at least three times to witness major Biblical events that would both challenge and strengthen their understanding, their … more

The Gospel according to St. Mark is traditionally considered to be the oldest of the four canonical Gospel accounts. more

His Eminence, Francis Cardinal Arinze of Rome, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, has distinguished himself lately as a defender of Roman Catholic … more

On October 28, in Rome’s St. Peter’s Square, 498 martyrs of the religious persecution in Spain (1936-1939) were beatified. It was the largest group ever to be beatified at the same time. As … more

The cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston was recently renovated, welcoming parishioners on Palm Sunday to its bright and expansive interior. Like our own cathedral in Providence, Holy Cross is a … more

Although St. Peter made himself scarce during the hours of Christ’s passion and death, he soon became keenly and sadly aware of the humiliation and suffering that Jesus experienced during his … more

Years ago someone asked my father what his favorite verses from the Bible were. He quickly responded, “The Twenty-third Psalm.” I was stunned that my father came up with an answer at all and even … more

St. Antoine Residence in North Smithfield has Holy Mass offered every day in the facility’s chapel. Occasionally, family members who live in the area will arrive in time for Mass and celebrate … more

Slightly more than a stone’s throw from my family home in Woonsocket are two parishes of Ukrainian heritage. St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church is located on Blackstone Street, and, just yards … more

Brides and grooms, or perhaps mostly brides, thumbing through the Church’s preparation for marriage booklets will often select some early verses of chapter 13 of St. Paul’s 1st Epistle to the … more

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is a celebration of the mystery of divine election. From all eternity God has elected and selected certain souls on whom he has showered definite blessings and whom he has challenged with specific adversities. more

The Christian world is rightly concerned about personal morality. Christians should not cheat on their spouses, cheat on their taxes nor cheat at the neighborhood card game. Character, integrity and honor have been the quest of Christian believers and the mark of Christian saints in every age. Francis of Assisi and Charles de Foucauld leaving aside their youthful naughtiness come readily to mind. The Christian community has also been involved since Biblical times with social justice. The outstretched hand of the least brother or sister has been readily grasped by the strengthening embrace of a benevolent Christianity. Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac rescuing Parisian newborns and paupers have left a still vibrant legacy. And the Christian community has a proud heritage in education and certainly in liturgy, worship and prayer. more

Father Joseph Egan was a long-time dogmatic theology professor at St. Bernard’s Seminary in Rochester, New York. It was always his contention that St. Luke wrote Acts of the Apostles in order to justify the missionary activity to the Gentiles by St. Paul in light of the prior if somewhat limited outreach to the Gentile world by St. Peter. By the time St. Luke was writing Acts, St. Peter’s stature within the Christian community was acknowledged and respected enough that any precedent St. Peter had initiated could justifiably be cited as reason for other followers of Christ, like St. Paul and St. Barnabas, to venture out into similar even if more extensive challenges and apostolates. Accordingly, St. Luke devotes an entire chapter of Acts to the conversion by St. Peter of the Gentile but God-fearing centurion Cornelius and his household. more

Kim Davis, the beleaguered county clerk from Frankfort, K.Y., stopped issuing all marriage licenses in June after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling effectively re-defined marriage for the nation. Two homosexual couples and two heterosexual couples sued her. more

Christ’s celebrated Sermon on the Mount as found in the Gospel account of St. Matthew is narrated clearly with an eye toward Moses’ acceptance of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai centuries … more

Travelers through Eastern Europe have often observed primitive huts constructed from corn stalks or sunflower shoots large enough to shelter a farm laborer overnight. Harvesters know that the time … more

A local cable-channel preacher was adamant that the presence of Christ in the Eucharist is strictly symbolic. His argument did give the viewer pause. more