Although separated by centuries in time, Naaman the Syrian healed of leprosy and the thankful Samaritan also healed of leprosy both experienced an inner transformation that began with faith and evolved into love. more

This coming Sunday’s three Scripture readings combine the forceful words of the prophet Isaiah, the insightful phrases of the apostle Paul and the homely expressions of the Master Himself to communicate broadly the richness of the Gospel message. more

Herman Melville, known to most readers as the author of Moby Dick, lived much of his writing life in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. more

The early Christian community consisted mostly of Jews. The old time Jews from Judea and Galilee, like the apostles, Martha, Mary, Lazarus, the women who supported Jesus from their means, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, made up much of that first society. more

The four Gospel accounts from Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were written perhaps thirty, forty, even fifty years after the events which they relate actually occurred. These four accounts were written possibly in Jerusalem, maybe in Syria, perhaps in Rome or elsewhere. One or two of these narratives were destined for Jewish readership; the other two were destined for Greek, Roman and Gentile circulation. more

The Gospel according to St. John is a sequence of conversion stories. more

A Bible passage that is most challenging to Scripture scholars is the episode of Jesus encountering the Syrophoenician woman who begs a cure for her daughter (Mk 7:24-30). By any standards, the … more

The recent visit of Pope Francis to the United States evoked a substantial amount of good will, but it also provoked an added bit of commentary on his latest encyclical on society’s care for creation, humanity’s common home. On the day of his holiness’ arrival, the Woonsocket Call featured a political cartoon of the pontiff floating aloft with angelic wings spread wide. The left-handed wing was immensely larger than the right-sided wing. more

Although St. Luke locates Jesus’ most famous sermon “on a level stretch,” St. Matthew has captured the Christian imagination much more compellingly by situating his collection of … more

It is difficult to believe that 10 years have passed since the Holy Year of Mercy in 2015 drew pilgrims to Rome and occasioned regional celebrations throughout the Catholic world. The prayerful … more

In his “Milestones,” written as a cardinal, Pope Benedict XVI recalled that liturgical change was not a top priority for the council fathers as they gathered for Vatican II. more

“No sun; no moon. No morn; no noon. No dawn; no dusk. No proper time of day. No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease. No comfortable feel in any member. No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees. No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! November!” more

The opening chapter of Pope Francis’ recent apostolic exhortation, “The Joy of Love,” celebrates the happy link between the creative act of God at the beginning of time and the creative act of … more

The East Blackstone Quaker Meeting House is an early nineteenth century building boasting a door, walls, roof, floor, windows, a few pews, a pulpit, an organ, and a wood burning stove. The dull blue … more

There was a time when ransoming captives was a very relevant act of mercy. Moors from North Africa regularly captured unlucky Europeans and then demanded ransom from their unfortunate families. more

Readings: Acts 2:42-47 1 Peter 1:3-9 John 20:19-31 During the Easter season, the church's liturgy celebrates the life-giving effect of Jesus’ resurrection on the Christian community. … more

The animosity among the various peoples of Asia Minor is not only legendary, hostilities continue to this day. The Parthians, Medes, and Elimites, the Canaanites, Samaritans, and Jews of yesteryear … more

When President Obama announced his endorsement of homosexual marriage, he acknowledged that there were religious implications to his decision to endorse same-sex unions. more

An ancient aphorism advises, “As a person prays so that person believes.” The very manner of praying, worshipping, and ritually celebrating actually directs, guides and even forms a person’s beliefs. more

St. Matthew envisions Christ upon a mountain four times in his Gospel account. Christ is taken by Satan to the top of a high mountain to be offered all the world’s kingdoms arrayed before them. Christ ascends another mountain for his introductory catechesis on the nature of the Christian life, the celebrated “Sermon on the Mount.” Again Christ and three select apostles climb Mount Tabor, the mountain of the Transfiguration, where Christ is glorified in the presence Moses and Elias. Now finally, Jesus invites the Eleven to meet him on the mountain of his Ascension in Galilee, charging them with a final commissioning to go out and become the Church, continuing the Incarnation down through the ages. more