Matt Vander Vennet currently resides somewhere in central Illinois. Matt is a doctoral candidate studying Church History at the Catholic University of America, is currently writing his dissertation, and is the advancement director for a local Catholic high school. Matt holds an M.A. from Holy Apostles College & Seminary and an M.Phil from CUA. Matt is married to a beautiful redhead named Liz and loves being daddy to their daughters and son! He loves a good brew (NO IPAs!), the Green Bay Packers, & also plays guitar. Feel free to check out www.mattvandervennet.bandcamp.com.
What exactly is a “Doctor of the Church” you might ask? The word “doctor” comes from the Latin word “docere”, which means to teach or instruct. The Church sees these great doctors of the Church are some of the greatest teachers and instructors of the faith. When the Church recognizes someone as a doctor, this …
Who Were the First 4 Doctors of the Catholic Church? Read More »
Little is known of Saint Matthew, the Gospel writer, outside of what was recorded in the New Testament. Still, we can glean some very important facts about him and his relationship with Christ. Matthew was a tax collector for the Romans. His job was to solicit taxes from his fellow Jews – a practice that …
11 Awe-Inspiring Art Pieces That Celebrate Saint Matthew Read More »
40 years ago, and before he was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Arlington, VA, Father Aitcheson was a member of the KKK. In what can be described as a radical conversion to Christ, Fr. Aitcheson left the KKK and pursued God’s calling: to become a priest in God’s Church, sharing in the one …
Catholic Priest Opens up About His Conversion and Past in the KKK Read More »
Are you one of those people who enjoy learning about your faith in a more academic setting but don’t have the time or the resources to stop everything and uproot your family so that you can further your education? Do you love learning about God so much that it hurts because you’re pretty sure that …
8 Incredible Catholic Online Programs You Should Know About Read More »
The internet has provided mankind with unparalleled access to a vast amount of information at his fingertips. One of the highlights of the internet is that it provides all the information that you need regarding places of relief when nature calls in or surrounding the Vatican. See where the bones of St. Peter lie, leap into …
The Heavenly Bathrooms of the Vatican are Stunning Read More »
As we celebrate America’s 241st birthday, I thought about how religion has been part and parcel of the United State since our founding and even before. Religious belief is a part of the American psyche and deeply informed the Founding Fathers and their hopes for the new country they were creating. The erroneous perception that …
These are the Oldest Churches in America (Some are Stunning!) Read More »
The internet has exploded with the emergence of the auto-corrected gaff known as “covfefe” in one of President Trump’s recent tweets. While the original tweet has been corrected, the president acknowledged the auto-corrected mistake and tweeted this: It has taken the interwebs by storm and no one knows what it means. A woman …
President Donald J. Trump made a historic first foreign trip overseas with visits to Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the Vatican – seats of the three major monotheistic religions of the world. The deliberate stops in the three locations should not be lost. Clearly, the president is looking to form some sort of coalition of major religious …
The POTUS and the Pope, All the Pictures You Can Handle Read More »
The month of May is Mary’s month and we appropriately honor all mothers for who they are and what they have done for us during Mary’s month. As the mother of God, she deserves the greatest honor and thanks for her “yes” to God and his plan of salvation. Her “yes” allowed the Incarnation to …
Behold Your Mother—in Images (including the oldest known image) Read More »
Let’s be honest. There are some great and not so great shows on television. Sometimes what makes a show great are the characters or the writing or even the scenery or location. Let’s be more honest (honest-er!). There needs to be more great quality Catholic programming on the airwaves (or through the cable-jack). I have a …