D.D. Emmons writes from Pennsylvania.
Many sacred beliefs of our Catholic faith can be traced to the 21 ecumenical councils held since the fourth century. Called either an ecumenical (universal) or a general council, these terms are often used interchangeably. Councils consist of Church bishops from around
God created everything: the heavens, the earth, the trees, the flowers and every creature on the earth; God did not create worry. Call it by any name, despair, anxiety, concern, God did not create it. We mortals often get worried and preoccupied
“Corpus Christi is the most solemn feast of the Church year.” — St. Peter Eymard (1811-68) While most Catholics are familiar with the annual feast reverently called the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), we sometimes
Next to Jesus, the most important person who ever lived was Mary — the Blessed Mother. For Catholics, our love affair with her began over 2,000 years ago when an angel visited a young Jewish girl and told her that she had
An adult convert once told me that joining the Catholic Church was like stepping out of a dark room into the sunlight. I can relate. Never once have I regretted making this life-changing decision to become a Catholic. I was not knocked
Many have walked through the doors of church and immediately been asked if they’d be willing to “take up the gifts” during Mass. The laity carrying the bread and wine to the altar — the bread and wine that will become the
During a recent RCIA class, the instructor provided a handout that included three basic Catholic prayers: the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Glory Be. One of the class participants immediately said: “Hey, your Our Father doesn’t include, “For thine is
For most of us, entering our parish church is like walking into our home. We know where everything is located, the pictures on the wall, the furniture, our favorite seat. Even when we go to another church, the surroundings are so similar
Shutterstock Likely the best description of St. Elizabeth of Hungary is to say that she was, in a way, the antithesis of the rich young man described in Matthew’s Gospel. The young man turned away when Jesus said: “If you wish to
One feast day that often slips by without notice is the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. This miraculous event, which has been part of the Church calendar for more than 1,500 years, is an unmovable feast — that is, it