by Doreen Abi Raad BEIRUIT (CNS) – The release of at least 12 Greek Orthodox nuns who were abducted in Syria in December was an answer to prayers, said regional Catholic officials. Melkite Patriarch Gregoire III Laham said March 10 that he felt “a wave of joy” along with “thousands and thousands” of other people […]
Author: settinger
St. Mary Magdalene Church Ready to Rise from Ashes
After three and a half years of waiting, the parishioners of St. Mary Magdalene, Springfield Gardens, can finally rejoice and be glad. On Tuesday, Feb. 18, parishioners received bittersweet news that their beloved church building was demolished. On Oct. 28, 2010, the interior and some of the exterior of the church were destroyed by a […]
Penance Is the Path to Healing
by Father John Cush These past two Sundays, the focus of our readings is clearly set on the correct course in our Lenten journey. Last week, with the account given to us about original sin, we were able to reflect a bit on what the Church teaches about the nature of sin. It is, if […]
Discrimination and Genital Sexuality
by Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk Discrimination is often understood as acting out of prejudice against persons who differ from us and do not share our views, traits, values or lifestyles. The word “discrimination,” however, has an older meaning as well, namely, to draw a clear distinction between proper and improper, good and evil, to differentiate and […]
Just War Revisited And Revitalized
by George Weigel Every once in a while, a truly special book comes down the theological pike: a book both scholarly and well-written, a book that stretches the imagination, a book that changes the state of a discussion, if it’s taken with the seriousness it deserves. The late Servais Pinckaers’ “Sources of Christian Ethics” was […]
Elements of Great Religious Films
by Father Robert Lauder In its opening weekend, “Son of God” took in $26.5 million, and the film’s opening success may stimulate discussion among filmmakers and among those of us who view films. “Son of God” has set me thinking about how great films might be used to educate people, not only about the nature […]
Mother Drexel Assisted Diocesan Black Ministry
by Msgr. Paul W. Jervis The weekly Saints for Today’s column in the March 1 issue of The Tablet noted about St. Katharine Drexel, whose feast was on March 3, that, “she established 145 Catholic missions and 12 schools for Indians and 50 for African-Americans.” The saint was very closely involved in our diocese through […]
Relics Remain Unique Way to Meet the Saints (with slideshow)
by Marie Elena Giossi Sacred relics have long been venerated in the Church as symbols of holiness, channels of inspiration and sources of healing; local Catholics sought all three when more than 150 relics and holy objects visited the diocese in late February. As part of an ongoing North American tour, Treasures of the Church, […]
The Top 10 Things You May Not Know About Pope Francis
by Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – When Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran walked onto the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, telling the crowds in Latin: “I announce to you a great joy. We have a pope!,” not many people recognized the name of then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Now, just one year since […]
Jerusalem Trip Was Key for ‘Jesus’ Book
by Mark Pattison WASHINGTON (CNS) – Jesuit Father James Martin today has a hard time believing that he initially turned down a suggestion to go to Jerusalem as source material for his newest book, “Jesus: A Pilgrimage.” “Initially, I didn’t want to go because I thought my own mental images of Gospel passages and stories […]