The Church calls us higher through the lives of the saints, through one person after another who experienced the mercy of God and knew he had to bring that mercy to the world. When we hear these stories, we begin to realize
Deacons, above all else, are servants. The origin of the word in Greek, diakonia, means just that — servant — and it is a role the deacons of the Church enthusiastically have fulfilled since the time of the apostles. For hundreds of
Catholicism first came to California in 1769, when Spanish Franciscan missionaries led by St. Junipero Serra came from Mexico to San Diego to establish the future state’s first mission. Today, California is home to 12 dioceses and 11 million Catholics — 29
The face of the Church in the United States is changing, and the face of the clergy is changing with it. And while this change in demographics presents certain challenges for seminaries and houses of formation, leaders in the Church say these
The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, more commonly known by its acronym CARA, has kept a close eye on the trends in seminary formation and those entering religious life for many years. As the Church in the United States grows
The Resurrection is arguably the central tenet of Christianity. It’s what’s most important. Jesus died, and he rose again. Pretty simple. Pretty straightforward. Pretty easy to understand (if not to digest). Or that’s what I thought before I embarked on a Lenten
As nearly 100 men marched on Aug. 11 through the campus of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, the flickering tiki torches illuminated not only a newly confident movement committed to white supremacy, who chanted “You will not replace us,” and “Jews
Did you know that fitness and leading a healthy lifestyle provides us with great opportunities for virtue? It’s true. And, in fact, it’s my opinion that fitness is one of the most under-utilized opportunities we have to witness to the Faith. God
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced Jan. 25 that three young adults would represent the United States at the pre-synod gathering to be held in Rome from March 19-25. This gathering is an opportunity for the Vatican to hear directly from
The season of Lent is special for Catholics. It is a time of preparation for the great feast of Easter, the annual celebration of Christ’s resurrection. Historically, the season can trace its roots and penitential nature to the period of preparation of
More than a decade after the first iPhone was introduced to the public, smartphones have become present almost everywhere in American life. At work, school — even the dinner table; and through all hours of the day, the technology has become integrated