Catholic. Pastoral. Trusted.
September 2014 My liturgy professor once shocked me out of my post-lunch comatose state one afternoon by saying, “If the Eucharist does not cause you to want to make a difference in the world, then you are doing nothing more than making meaningless, ritual turns around an altar.” What could...
JOHAN VAN PARYS explores the variant forms of symbolism on which our faith is built and how gaining a deeper understanding of their roles can propel us forward in our spiritual growth.
July-August 2014 What’s in a namesake? This year, one of my beloved aunties turned eighty. She rides her bike every day. She attends choir rehearsal every week. And she loves to travel. Everyone knows her as Auntie Maddy. I was shocked when I learned many years ago that Maddy’s real...
May/June 2014 ‘There is only one calling, and it is the one Jesus addresses to each of us: “Come and follow me.”’ Every time I sit at the desk in my home office, I glance at the small crucifix lying on it—a simple wooden cross with a small metal corpus....
March 2014 "Christianity isn’t just a theory people speak and write about; it’s a way of life". For centuries, Christians have walked ancient pilgrimage routes to the sacred sites of Christendom. It’s not surprising that the most popular has always been the Holy Land, where pilgrims can walk in the...
January 2014 "The Church is the result of centuries of labor and love." A few years ago, our church hosted an exhibit of contemporary art. Some considered the art beautiful and engaging; others thought it ugly and offensive. Though acceptable for a gallery, contemporary art was deemed unfitting for our...
December 2013 "In Jesus, God took on the image of each of us so that we might become like Christ." Since 2000, we have been blessed with an art gallery at The Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis, MN, named after Pope John XXIII. Between eight and ten exhibits every...
November 2013 My father was a great storyteller. Over dinner, he would acquaint us with distant ancestors we knew only from old photographs and bad paintings. Before bed, he would make biblical stories truly come alive. And on saints’ days, he would regale us with their famed deeds. These stories...
July-August 2013 The apostles presented the Gospel truth in different languages through various channels. My nieces and nephews are great kids—intelligent and kind—and I’m proud to be their uncle. Still, I regret their lack of participation in the life of the Church. From what other parishioners tell me, this is...
May-June 2013 I celebrated my first Communion in 1967. Of the many religious gifts I received, my absolute favorite was a statue of Mary. She wore a beautiful pastel dress and had flowing blonde hair and brilliant blue eyes. Even more exciting, she played “Immaculate Mary.” The statue received a place...