Reflecting on the upcoming Year of Mercy, Msgr. Michael J. Cantley shares his thoughts on the invitation Pope Francis is extending to look at the face of Jesus and discover God’s mercy as it is revealed in the Scriptures.
Guest Columnists
Mercy of Christ in Annulment Process
By simplifying and accelerating the annulment process, the Holy Father has acknowledged that many people yearn to experience the mercy of the Lord by seeking a declaration of the nullity of their marriage, a marriage which was null from the start, and beginning a new life. This reform of the process is not to favor the nullity of marriage but rather to speed the process for the declaration of nullity if, indeed, that is the truth of the situation.
Glimpse of ‘Heaven’ Is Inspiring, But Unsatisfying
NEW YORK (CNS) – As its title suggests, a trip to the pearly gates and back is the highlight of “90 Minutes in Heaven” (Samuel Goldwyn). Writer-director Michael Polish’s drama is based on the true story of a Baptist minister and his near-death experience.
Popes in These United States
THE HISTORY OF popes in these United States is full of surprises. And one of them – to begin at the beginning – includes the little-known fact that Blessed Paul VI was not the first pontiff to set foot on American territory, when he landed at newly renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport on Oct. 4, 1965. No, the first pope to plant a papal slipper on the sovereign territory of the U.S. was Blessed Pius IX, way back in 1849.
Pay TV Weakness Felt by Major Media
The cable television world is shrinking. Not by a lot, but it’s shrinking. The minor signs of shrinkage were felt by the behemoth TV companies even before the Wall Street swoon in August.
Lessons From Mary
Since Pope Francis spoke of “feminine genius,” I get questions periodically as to what it possibly means. I could not speak for the pope. I could only reach for my own answers, which come into view through the people I associate with his description.
Moral Defects Detract From Pleasant ‘Walk’
Buddies hit the trail – rather than the road – in the scenic fact-based comedy “A Walk in the Woods” (Broad Green).
Trust Is a Precious Commodity
Broken trust is like a shattered coffee mug: You can glue the pieces back together, but it’s never going to look like it used to and may even leak.
Remembering The Few
SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, on Sunday, Sept. 15, 1940, Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine were driven from the prime minister’s country house, Chequers, to the nearby village of Uxbridge: a Royal Air Force (RAF) station and the headquarters from which Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park was directing the RAF’s No. 11 Group against the onslaught of the German Luftwaffe in southern England. When the prime minister and his wife walked into No. 11 Group’s Operations Room, Park, a doughty New Zealander who flew his own personal Hurricane fighter, said, “I don’t know whether anything will happen today. At present, all is quiet.”
Emotional ‘War Room’ Focuses on Family
Prayer becomes the ultimate weapon to save a young family in crisis in “War Room” (TriStar). This Christian-themed drama is the latest offering from Alex and Stephen Kendrick, the fraternal team behind 2008’s “Fireproof” and 2011’s “Courageous.”