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When Christopher Carstens asked his four year old son Laurence what his favorite part of the Mass was, Laurence responded: “Eating donuts after”. While it may not be the best response to what part of the Mass is the best, at least it’s a start. But, as Carstens points out in his new book, A Devotional […]
4 Simple Ways to Increase Your Devotion at Every Mass Read More »
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It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a young woman (or man!) in possession of good taste in literary must be a Jane Austen fan. We love the timelessness of the stories and how the themes are still relevant to us, two hundred years after their initial publications. As the daughter of an Anglican minister,
The 7 Deadly Sins as Jane Austen Characters Read More »
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Wikipedia was launched in 2001 and a month after it was established, the entry on Jesus Christ was created. Since its founding, the site has become a wealth of knowledge with over 300,000 active users. Across all languages, Wikipedia generates approximately 18 billion page views per month. It has become the first stop most people
If the 10 Commandments Were Written for Wikichristians Read More »
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Naming a baby (or choosing a Confirmation name!) can be a tough, daunting task – especially for Catholics! There are all different kinds of naming styles and so many considerations, such as family traditions or names, if you want to directly or indirectly honor someone, popularity, and a host of others. But what if you
How to Pick a Name to Honor the Blessed Virgin Mary Read More »
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Father Kyle Manno grew up in Illinois – but now he’s taking to the streets of LA with a mic to discuss Jesus with fellow Christians, atheists, and . . . spider man. Check out this sneak peek video of a brand new series on YouTube coming next month: So just who is this priest
‘Priest with a Mic’ Hits the Streets of LA Read More »
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Did you know that nuns are totally boring? They never do anything fun or interesting. I mean, there’s a reason why you never see them out of the convent. They’re probably praying 24/7, completely closed off from the world so they can’t even relate to us in any way. 1. They’re totally out of touch
6 Reasons Why Nuns Are Totally Boring Read More »
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VATICAN CITY – Hundreds of priests are gathering in Rome this week for a Vatican class on exorcism. They’re arriving from over fifty countries to take part in the 13th annual course titled “‘Exorcism and the Prayer of Liberation”. The course was first offered in 2005. Since that first class, the number of priests attending
Hundreds of Priests Study Exorcisms at the Vatican Read More »
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In the world of Catholic names, John, Paul, James, Mary, Katherine, and Elizabeth barely scratch the surface. Read more: 14 Awesome and Downright Hilarious Saint Names for Your Next Kid Here are some of the most outlandish names of saints that we could find! 1. Saint Frumentius Frumentius was sent to Ethiopia by St. Athanasius.
These 7 Saints Have the Weirdest Names We Could Find Read More »
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ROME – Last year, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI shared a birthday beer and Bavarian pretzels with his friends and family. This year, the retired pope was again joined by his 94 year old brother, Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, who traveled from Bavaria to celebrate. The retired pope turns 91 this year. Like last year (this @oss_romano
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Celebrates His 91st Birthday Read More »
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ROME – Pope Francis made his pastoral visit to the Roman parish of San Paolo della Croce a Corviale this week. During his visit, Pope Francis visited the young and old. He celebrated Mass and spent time with the sick and impoverished. Pope Francis also answered questions from children during their Catechism class. Some children
Pope Francis Comforts Child Grieving the Loss of His Atheist Father Read More »
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We read in the Gospel of Luke Chapter 24 that after the Resurrection that some of the disciples of Jesus mistook him for a ghost. Jesus had to prove to them he was not a ghost. He did this by allowing them to touch him and eating a piece of baked fish with them. After
9 Extraordinary Facts About Ghosts That Catholics Need to Know Read More »
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Sometimes passing the Faith on to the youngest disciples can seem a daunting task. Where to start? How can you make Catholicism, the sacraments, and the saints accessible without watering them down? How to keep them engaged? This new activity book from Sophia Institute Press can help. Filled with pages to color, word searches, and
The Saints Lead Children Deeper Into the Faith Read More »
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During the Congressional hearing on Facebook’s data use on Wednesday, Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers asked Facebook Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg why Facebook rejected an ad for the Franciscan University of Steubenville (FUS) Masters of Theology program. The ad, featuring the San Damiano cross, was cited for being “shocking, sensational, and excessively violent”. It was
Despised and Rejected: Mark Zuckerberg Answers to Deletion of Franciscan University Ad Read More »
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This week’s big news in the Catholic world is the publication of the latest apostolic exhortation, Gaudete et exsultate. If you’re especially active on social media, your timeline might’ve been flooded with quotations and opinions since day one. However, many of us who have a packed schedule and have not had the chance to read
How (And How Not) to Read Gaudete Et Exsultate Read More »
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Young adults are leaving the Catholic Church! Did that get your attention? If not, it should have. According to a 2014 Pew Research study, 36 percent of Americans ages 18 to 29 identified themselves as “no religious affiliation”. Curtis Martin, founder of FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Studies), thinks that the Catholic Church is losing
Youth Ministries Aren’t Working – Here’s What You Can Do About It Read More »
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It is no surprise that Gaudete et exsultate, Pope Francis’ latest apostolic exhortation on holiness is making news (and waves!). Hopefully, it is also making saints. Pope Francis exhorts the faithful to seek holiness. He encourages and edifies us, giving us the examples of many saints. Forty to be exact, (if we include those declared venerable
The Obscure and Holy Saints of Gaudete et exsultate Read More »
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Pope Francis’ third apostolic exhortation is titled Gaudete et exsultate – “rejoice and be glad”. In the exhortation, Pope Francis’ goal is to re-purpose the call to holiness as something practical for today’s world. In chapter four of the exhortation, ‘Signs of Holiness in Today’s World’, Pope Francis describes signs and spiritual attitudes that are, in
Pope Francis’ Five Signs of Holiness in Today’s World Read More »
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That pretty much says it all… “Preach the gospel always; and if necessary, use words.” Attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi. As clever as it might sound, he never said it. And he wouldn’t have, anyways. First of all, Francis preached at every opportunity he was given and his peaching pierced the hearts of
Things the Saints Never Said Read More »
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Pope Francis’ third apostolic exhortation was published today, and it’s all about practical ways to holiness. In Gaudete et exsultate, Pope Francis encouraged all people today to embrace the call to holiness in today’s modern world. But this apostolic exhortation isn’t just about understanding what holiness means. Instead, Pope Francis’ goal with this apostolic exhortation was
7 Things Pope Francis Wants You to Know About Holiness Read More »
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VATICAN CITY – A statement released by the Holy See Press Office this week confirmed that Pope Francis will be releasing an apostolic exhortation next week. The title of the exhortation is Gaudete et exsultate, “Rejoice and be glad”. Archbishop Angelo De Donatis, the vicar general of the Diocese of Rome, will present the apostolic exhortation
Pope Francis Will Issue Apostolic Exhortation on Holiness Next Week Read More »
