by Father William J. Byron, S.J. WHEN THE YEAR OF FAITH opened last October, Pope Benedict XVI invited the whole Church into “a time of particular reflection and rediscovery of the faith.” He later decided to vacate the chair of Peter and now pursues his own journey of reflection and rediscovery. The prayers of the […]
by Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk IN MARCH, 2013, the British paper The Independent ran an article entitled, “Children in gay adoptions at no disadvantage: Research confirms same-sex couples are just as good at parenting as heterosexuals.” The article, based on a study at Cambridge University, concluded there was “no evidence” to support the claim that children’s […]
by Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk GOVERNOR BOBBY Jindal of Louisiana, in his Dec. 13, 2012 op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, argues that the cost of birth control could be reduced by eliminating the required doctor’s visit to get a prescription, or in other words, making contraception available “over the counter.” If it were made available […]
by Kathleen M. Gallagher Abortion is a hot topic at the New York State Capitol these days, which is curious for a couple of reasons. First, the procedure was legalized here in 1970, three years before Roe v. Wade. And while the abortion lobby is declaring the need “to protect women’s freedom to choose,” no […]
by Deacon Richard Cheu Living Well with Chronic Illness: A Practical and Spiritual Guide (Dog Ear Publishing, 2012, pp. 240) is written to help chronically ill patients take charge of their health care with the assistance of healthcare providers, caretakers and family members. In this book, readers learn how to: respond to chronic illness in […]
by Father William J. Byron, S.J. Military suicides were at a record high in 2012. They surged to an alarming number of 349, far exceeding the number of combat deaths in Afghanistan. Troubling as that sad statistic is, the military suicide rate is still below that of the civilian population. It is saddening, of course, […]
by Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk On TV these days, we’re seeing more and more programs about “body art” and tattoo design. Despite the apparent widespread acceptance of the practice, there are several problems with tattooing that go beyond the sanitary issues, disease transmission and unclean inking needles that can be found in second-rate tattoo parlors. Tattoos, […]
With awards season in full swing, it’s time for the Media Review Office of Catholic News Service to select its top 10 movies for 2012. Some of these choices have been or will be saluted by secular critics and prize-givers, principally for their aesthetic qualities. Others are celebrated here primarily for their spiritual and moral […]
by Hugh F. Kelly Two particular categories of individuals seem most highly sceptical of alleged coincidences. The first are street-wise cops. The second are spiritually-wise believers in God’s Providence. Each for their own reasons instinctively look to “connect the dots” to find patterns in apparently random events. Consider this unlikely chain of occurrences. • I […]
by Father Raymond P. Roden In the late 1960s when many religious sisters reclaimed their baptismal and family names, Sister Mary Marcellus, C.S.J., became Sister Mary Anne Ricioppo, C.S.J. Curiously, the name didn’t stick. It was one of those funny things in a time of whirlwind change that she continued on as Marcellus in spite […]
