Spring heralds a season of renewal, growth and the blossoming of new life, not only in the natural world but also in the realm of the spirit and the mind. As we witness earth's reawakening, it's a perfect time to delve into
From the beginning, it has been made clear that God intends for us to live in friendship with him and in harmony with one another and the wider creation. But with the Fall, that perspective was lost. God, however, gave us a
As the choice of a bishop potentially can guide and shape the journey of a given diocese or archdiocese for sometimes decades at a time, the nomination and appointment of bishops in the Catholic Church is one that has a significant impact
February’s celebration of Black History Month in the United States traces its roots back to the 1920s, but it attained more formal recognition in the 1970s, as is obvious with President Gerald R. Ford’s 1976 Bicentennial Year message about its importance. Ford
A Catholic chaplain, a priest, was carrying Communion to patients who were bedridden in a hospital. The priest had a list of Catholic patients who had requested communion. In one of the rooms, as he blessed a patient and began to leave,
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
The year 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady to the three shepherd children at Fatima, Portugal, where the Blessed Mother appeared once each month from May 13 until Oct. 13, 1917. The message of Fatima highlights many
Editor’s Note: This story reports on a community that uses the word “fat” as a value-neutral descriptor. To best reflect this perspective, OSV has retained the usage of that language. Of the 108,485 adults received into the Catholic Church in 2013, one
The Year of Mercy promulgated by Pope Francis comes to a close on the feast of Christ the King (Nov. 20). The original announcement was made last year during a homily at a penance service presided over by the pope, who said,
Pope Francis chose as the motto for the Year of Mercy the phrase, “Merciful like the Father” (Misericordiae Vultus, No. 14). He wants to encourage all of us who believe in God to share with others the mercy we have received from
Walking down a city street, who has not encountered a homeless man sitting on a sidewalk and begging for alms? Blessed Frederic Ozanam (1813-53) witnessed such a scene every day as a student in Paris when he walked to his classes at