Art: Coronation of the Virgin with the Trinity and Saints Miniature from a Psalter (series) c. 1440, Olivetan Master. National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC “Hope finds its supreme witness in the Mother of God . In the Blessed Virgin, we see that hope is not naive optimism but a gift of grace amid the realities of life.” — Pope Francis [1] As the Church venerates Mary, Mother of God on the first day of this jubilee year of 2025, our gaze turns to the mother of Jesus, the mother of the Church, our spiritual mother who accompanies each of... Read more
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Articles Under: Saints and Holy Men & Women
“Yes, ‘tis sweet to trust in Jesus, / just from sin and self to cease, / just from Jesus simply taking / life and rest, and joy and peace.” [1] These lyrics, sung repeatedly in my youth, planted in my heart seeds of longing to trust Jesus, to hear his voice, to take him at his word, to be confident that he speaks to me. So far, the journey has consisted of trudging through miles of the mud of my doubts and renewed resolves, punctuated by joyful epiphanies and triumphs. I also look back on humiliating defeats from which, paradoxically,... Read more
There ’s something particularly mysterious about the motherhood of Mary. Her fiat that shook the whole world as the uncontainable God chose to be contained within her womb. Her prompting at the wedding at Cana, “do whatever he tells you,” echoing through generations as if she is saying it directly to us. Her overwhelming trust in God as she endured the heart-suffering of Calvary, her own heart being pierced as she watched her innocent son suffer and die. The final moments of Christ’s life when he gave her to us through John, his beloved apostle, revealing to the whole world... Read more
Many moons ago, when I was a young social work student in North Dakota, I was required to take a course called “Indian Studies.” One of the books for the course was titled Black Elk Speaks . It was the moving account of the experience of the life of indigenous peoples prior to the arrival of the white European settlers, as seen through the eyes of a Lakota elder named Nicholas Black Elk. John Neihardt, the man who penned the book in the early 1930s, had a sense of the urgent need to preserve a record of what native life... Read more
In the Latin language there is a saying that could also be applied to our work as catechists: nomen est omen . This means that the name also reflects the inner essence of a person or a thing. In other words, the name speaks for itself. The name of St. John Bosco has become synonymous with good and holy catechesis. In this sense, all reflection on his inspiring life and work can show us what transmitting the faith should look like. Bosco lived in Italy in the 19th century. He was born and grew up in poor circumstances, and from... Read more
In many depictions of the annunciation, Mary is pictured as having been interrupted by the angel Gabriel in the midst of study. Whether she has a book open in her lap or tossed aside, a scroll in her hand or on a nearby stand, it is clear that, before this event, she was reading. Art historians have proposed interesting cultural interpretations of this motif, and these interpretations have their place. However, it seems that this motif, and the idea of Mary as an intellectual in general, has the potential to serve a pastoral purpose when investigated scripturally and spiritually. When... Read more
In Evangelii Nuntiandi (EN), Pope Paul VI, of sainted memory, said something that has become almost a banner that we fly above our apostolic work today, both in our evangelization and our catechesis. “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.” [1] This is often taken to mean that teaching, both the act and its content, are somehow to be considered a second-rate concern for our mission today. The almost ubiquitous line is, “Well, doctrine is important, but . . ..” In statements of this... Read more
What does it mean to be a disciple? We might think the answer simple enough: a disciple follows a teacher, so a Christian disciple is one who studies and puts into practice the teachings of Jesus. The problem here, though, is that Jesus isn’t only a wise teacher. To be his disciple requires something more. At the Great Commission, when he charged his apostles to “go therefore and make disciples,” he made it clear that disciple-making consists of two closely related actions: “teaching” and “baptizing” (Mt 28:19–20). The new disciple needs to be taught, to take upon himself the mind... Read more
To order these books and films from Ignatius Press click here. Or call 1-800-651-1531. Let them know you saw the ad here. This is a paid advertisement in the April-June 2021 issue. Advertisements should not be viewed as endorsements from the publisher.Read more
To order these books and films from Ignatius Press click here. Or call 1-800-651-1531. Let them know you saw the ad here. This is a paid advertisement in the October-December 2020 issue. Advertisements should not be viewed as endorsements from the publisher.Read more
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