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Last year was a rough one in many ways. President Donald Trump’s and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s exchange of insults and violent threatening language put the world on edge that nuclear war was, and still is, quite possible.
Category: Columns
To be or not to be — parsing the implications of suicide
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In recent years, we have witnessed a growing tendency to promote suicide as a way of resolving end-stage suffering.
Physician-assisted suicide is now legal in a handful of states, and a number of other jurisdictions are considering laws to legalize the practice.
The lessons within Christ’s Baptism
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Word on Fire
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On January 8, we celebrated the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and it is with this awe-filled liturgy that the three great revelations or “theophanies” of the Christmas season were brought to stunning fulfillment.
The first of those revelations was the birth of the Christ child, which was celebrated on Christmas Day. This “theophany” presented to us the first occasion when it was made known to human sight that God had accepted for himself a human nature and allowed himself to be born in this world as a man.
The lessons within Christ’s Baptism
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Word on Fire
|
On January 8, we celebrated the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and it is with this awe-filled liturgy that the three great revelations or “theophanies” of the Christmas season were brought to stunning fulfillment.
The first of those revelations was the birth of the Christ child, which was celebrated on Christmas Day. This “theophany” presented to us the first occasion when it was made known to human sight that God had accepted for himself a human nature and allowed himself to be born in this world as a man.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., inspires us to work for equality
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is an American federal holiday that marks his birthday, observed this year on January 15.
In his speech to Congress in September of 2015, Pope Francis lifted up four Americans who worked for social justice. Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton were Catholics. Abraham Lincoln and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were not Catholics.
Dr. King was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., inspires us to work for equality
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is an American federal holiday that marks his birthday, observed this year on January 15.
In his speech to Congress in September of 2015, Pope Francis lifted up four Americans who worked for social justice. Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton were Catholics. Abraham Lincoln and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were not Catholics.
Dr. King was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law.
‘Make a joyful noise to the Lord’ in the new year
My five-year-old son is a budding pianist.
Day after day he sits at the piano and plunks away at the keys, often producing beautiful songs from his lessons as well as composing his own.
But sometimes, he doesn’t. Like I said, he’s five.
‘Make a joyful noise to the Lord’ in the new year
My five-year-old son is a budding pianist.
Day after day he sits at the piano and plunks away at the keys, often producing beautiful songs from his lessons as well as composing his own.
But sometimes, he doesn’t. Like I said, he’s five.
Downsizing and bigger matters of faith
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Spoiler Alert! This column reveals details of a newly released film.
When I saw the trailer for Alexander Payne’s new film, Downsizing, I thought the movie would be a light-hearted farce, relying principally on visual gags.
In point of fact, the jokes based on the contrast between regular-size people and their five-inch tall counterparts are surprisingly rare. Most of the film deals with events within the world of the downsized — so everything seems more or less normal.
Christ Child shows way to peace
The World Day of Peace takes place during the Christmas season on January 1 on the feast of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.
Inspired by St. John XXIII’s encyclical Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth), it was introduced in 1967 by Pope Blessed Paul VI and first observed on January 1, 1968.
At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Jesus redeemed us from sin, which causes war and other violence, and taught us how to live peacefully. After his Ascension, he sent the Holy Spirit to help us live a peaceful, Christ-like life.
Unfortunately since Jesus, many wars have occurred. In the 20th century, World War I was followed by World War II, which was much worse. According to the New Orleans National World War II Museum, worldwide there were 60 million civilian and military casualties in World War II.