Photo Credit: Getty Images The National Catholic Reporter wrote that on the first Sunday after his election last May, Pope Leo XIV led thousands of people in Vatican Square in singing the traditional noontime prayer, Regina Coeli, rather than reciting it as all his predecessors had done before him. Since then, Leo has taken to singing at Papal... Continue Reading →

Photo Credit: Getty Images I have been thinking a lot about Mary, Joseph, and Jesus who are ‘on the run’ since Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem. A few historical facts might make their escape more understandable. Herod the Great (yes, that is his title), wanted to kill the infant Jesus. We know that part of the... Continue Reading →

Photo Credit: Bible Study Tools We're about to celebrate the Feast of the Three Kings, or Epiphany, as the Church calls the event. Here's what we really know about these men and what they can teach us. First, there may have been—and probably were—more travelers in the group. They traveled from Mesopotamia, the home of astrology... Continue Reading →

Raise a toast. Stay up for the fireworks. Kiss someone near. Hug the dog. Guzzle the egg nog. The New Year has arrived. Settle into a favorite chair and praise God that you have made it to this point in human time. Reach into the sparkling night sky and watch a few glittering planets on their... Continue Reading →

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com Simplicity is the soul of Christmas. God revels in simplicity. An adolescent mother, a caring young father. A long arduous journey just to give their names in the town where the man’s family has roots. Humbly asking for a place to stay and offered only a shelter for animals. The first visitors... Continue Reading →

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com Our Advent readings teem with references to the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures. We are mostly attentive to the writings of Isaiah especially Chapters 40 and 61. Isaiah is considered the “greatest of the prophets” (New American Bible [NAB] p. 824) who received his call in the temple of Jerusalem described in Isaiah,... Continue Reading →

Photo Credit: Pixabay.com Stephanie Saldaña is a writer who lives with her husband, a Syriac Catholic priest, and their family in Bethlehem. In a recent article published by Commonweal (“We Must Celebrate Well” Nov. 25, 2025) Saldaña captures the present reality of the Holy Land poignantly as she recounts what she is reflecting on as she wanders... Continue Reading →

“In its heyday, the penny had immense cultural impact. It was the going rate for thoughts. It was a symbol of frugality, saved and/or earned. It could sometimes be pretty, and other times arrive from heaven. And how many ideas would never have come to light without a penny dropping?” (Victor Mather, The New York Times eulogy on... Continue Reading →

Photo Credit: DepositPhotos I believe Thanksgiving Day is an interdenominational Holy Day! Some people admit it's the only day they really pray with others. I'm always impressed with the sincere composure I have witnessed at Thanksgiving tables over many years. Children scan the faces of adults whose heads are bowed mumbling along with a leader— probably the host... Continue Reading →

Photo Credit: Wikipedia In the center of reporters, jammed elbow to elbow, and thrusting microphones in front of him last week, Pope Leo looked calm but determined. He spoke in English, a seemingly calculated move because his response appeared aimed at American audiences who might be listening and wondering about the American efforts to punish... Continue Reading →