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Over the Christmas break, I spent a fair amount of time binge-watching Jordan Peterson videos. For those not in the know, Peterson is not the latest hip-hop sensation. He is a psychology professor from Toronto who has made a rather substantial splash as a culture-commentator and public intellectual, largely through appearances on social media.
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We celebrate Holy Family Sunday on December 30 between Christmas and the feast of the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God.
Holy Family Sunday reminds us that the infant Jesus was raised in a family. Under Mary and Joseph’s guidance, in his human nature, Jesus grew in wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.
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Dr. John P. Joy |
This is the final installment of this series of essays commemorating the 50th anniversary of Pope Paul VI’s Creed of the People of God. The final portions of the creed touch on the Mass and the Eucharist, time, and eternity.
To the editor:
The December 6 issue of the Catholic Herald had tough competition from tree trimming, gift wrapping, and Christmas cards.
But I welcomed a “sit-down” to read the special “In Memoriam” section about Bishop Robert C. Morlino in the Herald. It speaks beautifully to a life well-lived.
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There is a common, and I’ll admit somewhat understandable, interpretation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy that sees the great work as a celebration of the virtues of the Shire, that little town where the hobbits dwell in quiet domesticity.
To the editor:
What does the Bible tell us are the four spirits which will be governing the hearts of men at the second coming of Jesus Christ? Zechariah 6:1-5 provides an account of four chariots pulled by red, black, white, and pale green horses. Revelation 6:1-17 provides a similar account.
If we look at these colors as “isms,” what would they be? Let’s take red first. Do you know an “ism” depicted as red? Sure, communism; Red Russia, China, Korea, Cuba, Vietnam; very active in our lifetimes.
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The word Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, which means “coming”. During Advent we wait patiently for the coming of Jesus.
According to the General Norms for the Liturgical Year and Calendar, Advent has a two-fold character. It is a season to prepare for Christmas when we remember Christ’s first coming to us.
Following are excerpts from the funeral homily for Bishop Robert C. Morlino given at his funeral Mass on December 4, 2018. The entire homily can be seen here.
Your Excellency Archbishop Listecki, visiting archbishops, bishops, distinguished civil leaders, my brother priests coming from near and far, deacons, those in consecrated life, seminarians, and our beloved lay faithful, we appreciate your attendance today at the Funeral Mass for Bishop Morlino.
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Perhaps you’ve heard the extraordinary story of John Chau, the young Christian missionary who tried to bring the Gospel to North Sentinel Island, one of the most remote and isolated communities in the world, and who, for his trouble, was killed before he even got past the beach.
His endeavor has inspired a whole range of reactions — outrage, puzzlement, sympathy, deep admiration — and has stirred up in many people, both religious and secular, questions about the missionary nature of Christianity.
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| Fr. Steve Grunow |
In the weeks prior to the celebration of Christmas, many Christians will sing “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” a traditional hymn of the Advent season that implores:
O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel . . .
It seems to be a stringing together of liturgical antiphons, derived from scriptural texts, which originates in the 12th century.
