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 […]
by Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk Imagine a deadly scenario like this: A businessman is rendered unconscious by medical professionals to help him heal after a serious car accident, using pharmaceutical agents to cause a medically-induced coma. A few days later, a business competitor, wanting him dead, enters the hospital and kills the comatose patient. At his […]
by Father Frank Mann Third and final in a series IN AN ARTICLE titled “What Humans Owe to Animals,” The Economist magazine states: “It is all very well to say that individuals must wrestle with their consciences – but only if their consciences are awake and informed. The fact is, industrial society, alas, hides animals’ […]
by Father Frank Mann Second in a series Most certainly, a plethora of folk are choosing to eat less (or no) meat for a variety of reasons. From a health perspective, studies are validating that meat abstinence is often healthier and has likewise been associated with lower levels of obesity, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and […]
by Kathleen M. Gallagher THEY CAME TO Brooklyn from all over the state. They arrived on planes, trains and automobiles. They sacrificed a Saturday with family and friends, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the busiest time of the year. They met at DeSales Media Group, home of NET-TV, to participate in […]
by Father Eugene Hemrick When we respond, “Lord hear our prayer” to the offertory petition at Mass, “Let us pray for priestly vocations,” what should we include in this petition? Having worked in seminary formation, I can say that the formation of seminarians is awesome work in need of much prayer. During a recent faculty […]
