Category: Columns

On
Bishop Robert Barron

Cardinal Etchegaray, Fr. de Lubac, and Vatican II

On September 4, Cardinal Roger Etchegaray passed away. Perhaps his was not a household name, but this very decent man made a substantive contribution to the life of the Church, serving in a number of different capacities over the years and collaborating closely with Pope John Paul II.

I had the privilege of meeting him in the mid 1990s when he visited Mundelein Seminary, where I was serving as professor of theology. The Cardinal wanted to address the community, but his English was a bit shaky, so I translated for him. But I recall that his smile and evident joy in the Lord needed no translation whatsoever.

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On
Fr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D.

Contradictory suicide messaging

In July 2014, police found the body of 18-year-old Conrad Roy inside his truck in Fairhaven, Mass. He had died from carbon monoxide poisoning.

As the case unfolded, it became apparent that a friend of his, 17-year-old Michelle Carter, had encouraged him toward suicide. In a series of texts, she repeatedly pressured him to go through with it by sending messages like, “You keep pushing it off and say you’ll do it but u never do. It’s always gonna be that way if u don’t take action.”

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On
Fr. Steve Grunow

God’s timing and the petitions of St. Monica

Word on Fire
Fr. Steve Grunow

St. Monica was likely born in the year A.D. 331 and died in the year A.D. 387 . Her husband was a Roman of minor nobility named Patricius, and with Patricius, Monica had three children, one of whom was named Augustine.

Augustine would become one of the premiere converts to the Catholic faith, and his works of theology and spirituality are among the greatest of the treasures of the Church.

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On
Tony Magliano

No back to school fun for child laborers

It’s that special time of the year again for kids in the northern hemisphere as they start heading back to school. And for those who have discovered the fun of learning, school is an adventure!

But for millions of working children worldwide, the adventures of a new school year remain but a dream. Sadly, these children will never learn to read or write. They will not acquire computer skills. They will not experience singing in chorus, going on field trips, or playing at recess.

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On
Deacon Lawrence Oparaji

Thoughts for high school grads going to college

Journey with Faith
Deacon Lawrence Oparaji

Hello, dear graduate, Congratulations on achieving such an important milestone! You have reached it because of your faith that God, who started this good work in you, will bring it to fulfillment.

In addition, your hard work, your dedication, and some very vital relationships — family and friends who have supported you and loved you and journeyed with you — have all helped you come to this moment in your life. Please know of my best wishes going forward.

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On
Fr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk

Protecting an authentic democracy

Those of us who have grown up within the womb of a democratic society may not always recognize how radical the idea behind such a society actually is, nor how fragile its structure can be in the face of strident claims regarding individual freedoms.

Legalization of abortion, to focus on one of the most strident claims, corrodes the very pillars of our democratic society.

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On
Julianne Nornberg

God’s gift of laughter

Everyday Faith column by Julianne Nornberg

Our Lord loves laughter. I know firsthand because He gave me my husband and my children, who bless me with the gift of laughter every day.

For example, they love to tease me good naturedly about my obsessive-compulsive tendencies regarding germs.

Since my children were babies, I’ve always been fastidious about everyone having clean hands.

So, when my husband was boarding an airplane for a work-related trip, I texted him to ask if he remembered to sanitize his hands after getting settled in his seat.

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