If you’ve been Catholic for at least a few years, you will be familiar with a tradition celebrated on Good Friday in churches around the world — the adoration of the cross. But how did this tradition begin, and what does it
Joe Heschmeyer explores redemptive suffering. Suffering exists, and there’s no getting around it, and no escaping from it. But suffering doesn’t have to be pointless. Because God is good, we know that he will only permit suffering if he can draw some
Our Sunday Visitor contributing editor Russell Shaw writes: “Midpoint in Lent is a great time to pause and take stock. Most of us probably started Lent with a bang, filled with determination to make good use of this opportunity for penance and
What does it mean to be pastoral? Dr. Greg Popcak suggests that this Lent, in order to become healed from the disease of sin, each of us must call on the Divine Physician. He writes: “We can’t cure ourselves of the tendency
Writer Renée Darline Roden asks, “What am I hoping to be healed from in Lent?” She notes, “Healing begins with naming our vulnerabilities, naming our weaknesses,” and adds, “Healing means being made whole. It means being reunited with the parts of our
It’s March 2021, and that means it’s the month dedicated to St. Joseph in this current year dedicated to St. Joseph. And coming up on March 19, it’s the solemnity of St. Joseph. This means it’s time for some feasting, writes the
Ava Lalor writes how Lent is not often a season during which we focus on gratitude — especially in the middle of a pandemic. “This Lent, as the editorial board has written, feels in many ways to be a continuation of Lent
Conversion means believing that God became flesh to make all things new and offer his kingdom to everyone, said Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, offering the first meditation of Lent for leaders of the Roman Curia and Vatican employees.
Pope Francis was not present for
Pope Francis sent copies of a 17th-century book of spiritual meditations to members of the Roman Curia to help guide them during their Lenten retreat.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vatican announced Jan. 20 that "this year it will not be possible
Lent is a time to reconsider the path one is taking in life and to finally answer God's invitation to return to him with one's whole heart, Pope Francis said.
"Lent is not just about the little sacrifices we make, but about discerning