That November day in 2004 began like so many others: off to early Mass, breakfast at Sparky’s Diner, and then on to work. It started taking a different turn late in the morning, when my son Tom called, asking that I drive him to a doctor’s appointment. More »

The title “Mother of God” is the Western church’s equivalent of the ancient Eastern title Theotokos, which means “God-bearer.” In 431, the Council of Ephesus sanctioned the title Theotokos for Mary as a way of declaring and protecting the divinity of Christ. The title declares the most important truth about Mary: She is the Mother of God. More »

No doubt about it, the church today faces many obstacles. But imagine for a moment some of the obstacles that faced the first generation of Christians. More »

Sometimes simple obedience is all that stands between us and the awesome power of God. This truth is dramatically evident in the life of St. Juan Diego, the Aztec Indian whose faithfulness changed the course of history. More »

Some years ago, as Advent was approaching, I began to feel that my relationship with God had reached a plateau. Wanting to find deeper meaning in the season, I took one of the Advent calendars provided by our parish which listed each day’s Mass readings. Then I went to a local bookstore to buy the same Bible that my two daughters had used for their religious education classes. More »

In February 1927, with one stroke of the pen, Mexican President General Plutarco Elias Calles turned every priest in his country into an outlaw. He ordered them to leave their posts, wherever they were, and to report immediately to Mexico City. More »

The saints were not immune from the suffering that comes from loss and grief. No one is; it’s part of the human condition. More »

With November, we enter the season of last things. Those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere are watching the last leaf fall, the last bird fly south for the winter. More »