Justin McClain, Author at EpicPew – Page 2 of 3

Justin McClain

Justin and his wife Bernadette have three children (John-Paul, Mary Christine, and Thérèse), and they live in Bowie, Maryland, and attend Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Justin has taught theology and Spanish at Bishop McNamara High School in Forestville, Maryland, since 2006. He has two B.A.s from the University of Maryland - College Park, an M.A. from the Universidad de Salamanca (Spain), and an M.A. from Staffordshire University (England). Along with EpicPew, Justin has written for Aleteia, Ave Maria Press, Catholic Exchange, Catholic365, the journal Church Life, Our Sunday Visitor, and various other publications. Catch up with him on Twitter: @McClainJustin.

Need a pre-Lent infusion of deep reflection? Check out this book by Cardinal Tagle

Need a pre-Lent infusion of deep reflection? Check out this book by Cardinal TagleBy

Throughout the liturgical year, not limited to Advent, Christmas, Lent, Triduum, or the pinnacle of Easter, it is worthwhile to reflect deeply on the remarkable implications of the Paschal Mystery. In doing this, Catholics benefit to engage in spiritual reading throughout the liturgical year. “What a wonderful mystery it is to live by the life of […]

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8 Ways Catholics Can Reclaim *SAINT* Valentine’s Day

8 Ways Catholics Can Reclaim *SAINT* Valentine’s DayBy

Are you tired of the commercialism that has ravaged the true meaning of Christmas, Easter, Saint Patrick’s Day, and other ideally sacred days? Speaking of *Saint* Patrick’s Day, doesn’t *Saint* Valentine’s Day have a similarly better ring to it? How ironic that, although Saint Valentine opposed the pagan Roman practices, a particular neo-paganism has taken over

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Finally, Catechesis for the WHOLE Family – Check Out Our New “A Family of Faith” Series!

Finally, Catechesis for the WHOLE Family – Check Out Our New “A Family of Faith” Series!By

  Catechesis for the Whole Family In the midst of various catechetical frameworks and platforms, catechesis is often centered on either solely the child (e.g., CCD) or solely the adult (e.g., RCIA). However, how often is catechesis focused on the WHOLE family? After all, as Pope Saint John Paul II reminded us in his 1981

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Read Pope Francis’ 20 Most Crucial Quotes on Repentance, Conversion, and Reconciliation from “Misericordia et Misera”

Read Pope Francis’ 20 Most Crucial Quotes on Repentance, Conversion, and Reconciliation from “Misericordia et Misera”By

Pope Francis issued his apostolic letter Misericordia et Misera (“Mercy and Misery”) at the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, which lasted from December 8, 2015, to November 20, 2016. In the midst of the Year of Mercy, questions occasionally arose regarding the place of repentance, conversion, and reconciliation in the broader scheme of mercy.

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7 Challenging Quotes to Catholics Involved in Politics

7 Challenging Quotes to Catholics Involved in PoliticsBy

Governments and administrations, whether led by Democrats, Republicans, or other political affiliates, all come and go. However, the kingdom of God is timeless, and far surpasses any political turmoil that may arise. After all, as Jesus reminds us, “My kingdom does not belong to this world” (John 8:36). Jesus – neither Democrat, nor Republican, nor Socialist, nor

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Do you know the “Miracle Man of Montréal”? Check out these videos on Saint André Bessette.

Do you know the “Miracle Man of Montréal”? Check out these videos on Saint André Bessette.By

Friday, January 6, 2017, marks eighty years since the world lost (and heaven gained) Saint André Bessette, C.S.C., commonly referred to as the “Miracle Man of Montréal.” Saint André is the first saint of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and is well known for – among multiple other accolades – founding Saint Joseph’s Oratory in Montréal,

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The Holy Innocents and Year-End Giving: 15 Pro-Life Orgs Who Defend the Human Rights of the Unborn

The Holy Innocents and Year-End Giving: 15 Pro-Life Orgs Who Defend the Human Rights of the UnbornBy

December 28 is the Catholic Church’s Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs. When we acknowledge these “Holy Innocents,” we are referring to those young boys massacred by King Herod as he sought to kill the Christ Child, as mentioned in Matthew 2:16-18. In modern times, we likewise take the time to remember those “holy innocents” who have

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People in Spain have an “Uber” version of the Confession and it’s awesome

People in Spain have an “Uber” version of the Confession and it’s awesomeBy

There is now an app whereby a Catholic in Spain can find a priest to meet him or her in order to be offered the sacrament of reconciliation (also known as “penance” or simply “confession”). The new app is called “Confesor Go” (note that, yes, there is one “s” in the Spanish word “confesor”), and there is

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5 Reasons to Stay Away from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in DC

You should NEVER visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Here’s Why

You should NEVER visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Here’s WhyBy

Visiting the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in D.C. is a terrible idea. Let me explain…   1. It’s too small (If by “small” you mean the largest church in not only the United States, but also North America, and one of the largest in the world.)   2. There aren’t

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25 Years Later, Did Mary "Know?"... These 12 Celestial Renditions Are Always Good Reminders

25 Years Later, Did Mary “Know?”… These 12 Celestial Renditions Are Always Good Reminders

25 Years Later, Did Mary “Know?”… These 12 Celestial Renditions Are Always Good RemindersBy

The now-classic Christmas (Advent?) song “Mary, Did You Know?” was originally performed by Michael English in 1991, making it twenty-five years old this year. The lyrics were written by Mark Lowry, and the music by Buddy Greene. The song is now a perennial favorite as far as contemporary Christian music goes. However, twenty-five years later, the question

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Florence Henderson’s Deep and Formative Catholic Faith

Florence Henderson’s Deep and Formative Catholic FaithBy

Famed Hollywood legend Florence Henderson, who played the iconic role of family matriarch Carol Brady on the American cinematic staple “The Brady Bunch” (1969-1974), died suddenly of heart failure on Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 24, 2016. Born on February 14, 1934 (Saint Valentine’s Day), Henderson was 82 years old. As described in Deacon Greg Kandra’s

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Large-scale Manhunt in France Following Attack and Killing at Retirement Home for Catholic Monks near Montpellier

Large-scale Manhunt in France Following Attack and Killing at Retirement Home for Catholic Monks near MontpellierBy

A large-scale manhunt has been underway in France since the evening of Thursday, November 24, 2016, after a masked intruder carrying a knife, and reportedly a type of firearm, entered a retirement home for Catholic monks in Montferrier-sur-Lez, a village in the vicinity of Montpellier, on France’s Mediterranean coast. At least one victim – a woman, believed to

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12 Reasons to Give Thanks for Being an American Catholic Right Now

12 Reasons to Give Thanks for Being an American Catholic Right NowBy

Isn’t it time for the Catholic Church, especially in the United States, to finally “get with the times”? This is the twenty-first century, after all, and there is no time, nor room, for Middle Ages-level superstition or “unthinking, backward” ways within the informed populace of a developed nation. Some of the more unacceptable viewpoints may include

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Archdiocese of Boston Expresses Disappointment on Legalization of Marijuana

Archdiocese of Boston Expresses Disappointment on Legalization of MarijuanaBy

^ Note: The above image is of the self-proclaimed “Sisters of the Valley,” who are not actually Catholic nuns as recognized by the Catholic Church. Their actions have been documented by such pieces as Sr. Theresa Aletheia Noble’s April 2016 article The Marijuana “Nuns” Need to Give up Their Schtick: The fake “Sisters of the Valley”

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Legal, But Moral? – A Reminder of Why the Catholic Church Opposes Recreational Drug Use

Legal, But Moral? – A Reminder of Why the Catholic Church Opposes Recreational Drug UseBy

In recent years, the general public’s perception of the acceptability of recreational drug use, particularly in the form of marijuana, has increased. This follows the same trend of tolerating behaviors that were once taken for granted as inherently immoral. For the present situation, what is the problem with a little drug use here and there?

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The National Black Catholic Congress Releases Its New Website During Black Catholic History Month (November)

The National Black Catholic Congress Releases Its New Website During Black Catholic History Month (November)By

November is the Catholic Church’s celebration of “Black Catholic History Month,” as described by the Archdiocese of Washington. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops likewise offers a webpage featuring Timely Ministry Resources for Black Catholics. The evangelization of the African continent extends back to the Apostolic Age, when in the epoch following Jesus’ Ascension and then Pentecost

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7 Ways to Make Your All Saints Day Happier Than Your Halloween

7 Ways to Make Your All Saints Day Happier Than Your HalloweenBy

Every October 31, American Catholics worth half their weight in holy water are busy reminding their countrymen that without All Saints’ Day (November 1), there would be no Halloween. Indeed, the word “Halloween” derives from the anachronistic designation of “All Hallows’ [i.e., Saints’] Eve.” There are various worthwhile articles detailing how Catholics can celebrate Halloween,

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