Catholic. Pastoral. Trusted.
Believe it or not, before Vatican II, it was generally believed that the Mother of God was not only exempt from original sin but also from the pangs of childbirth, fatigue, doubt, temptation, ignorance, and death. These human experiences, it was reasoned, were a consequence of sin, and Mary was...
Veneration of the icon means focusing our attention on a specific element, such as Mary’s face or her right hand, which points to the image of the Child—any aspect that communicates an exchange of energy, a divine presence. The icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help presents no written words...
Lent appears to never end. But Easter seems gone in a snap. Some years I blink and wonder if I missed it. But in actuality, while the plastic bunnies and egg-laden trees disappear by Monday afternoon, to Christians, Easter is a fifty-day season! Think about it. On Good Friday we...
A story of how one couple follows the example of our risen Lord, even when their pain seems unimaginable. It was the phone call every parent dreads. In the early-evening hours on the last day of 2014, the police called a close friend of mine with tragic news. A driver...
Lilies are the perfect flowers for Easter. Since the 1920s, when they were first introduced in the United States, they have become a symbol of Easter. For many, their strong fragrance and striking appearance are synonymous with the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord. But did you know that...
In my freshman year of high school, I attended a talk hosted by an evangelical youth group. The topic was about “almost-ers”—people who weren’t quite good enough to get into heaven and who would therefore burn in hell forever. I was fourteen! It terrified me! Who is ever good enough?...
Back in the last century—in the days before mobile devices and the internet, before texting and webcams—my dorm room housed an instrument called a telephone. To keep long-distance calls as inexpensive as possible, my parents devised a signaling routine. I would call home in Springfield from my dorm room in...
The safety drill on airplanes is familiar. After you’re seated, the flight attendant explains that if oxygen masks drop from the overhead compartment, parents must put their masks on first and then assist their children. As I sit through those drills, I sometimes wonder if I would be able to...
Saint Alphonsus de Liguori, the founder of the Redemptorists, was known to tell people: Pray always, and if you cannot pray, pray that you can pray. He understood that prayer is an essential part of Christian life. This ongoing communication with the Divine gives us the opportunity to express our needs, wants, desires,...
Why do some people express concern over applying business principles to Church operations? Is it a belief that business deals with matters the Catholic Church doesn’t, like generating wealth and building stock dividends? What business practice is of value to the Church? With Pope Francis’ recent election, now is...
Therapists working with patients unable to make a decision because they’re paralyzed by fear or anger often use a technique called reframing to give them a different perspective. Similar to putting a new frame around a familiar picture, therapeutic reframing enables situational details that were once hidden to emerge. The...
Welcome to our September issue, in which we celebrate the joy of renewal. As discussed by columnist Kate Basi in “Just Live It,” the act of becoming new is constant. This month, for example, students are back in school, breathing in the scent of crayons, old books, or new laptops—renewing...
A dusty eight-inch knight in armor stands guard on my desk, holding a letter-opener lance in his gauntleted hands. Years ago, he stood watch on my father’s desk. Next to the knight sits a well-worn prayer book, stuffed prayer and holy cards, that belonged to my mother. I keep these...
Welcome to our December issue, in which we mark the seasons of Advent and Christmas. The season always brings to my mind memories of Christmas vacations when I was a kid. What do you remember about your Christmas vacations? Were they brimming with excitement and anticipation, itchy from new sweaters,...
Welcome to January’s issue of Liguorian, where our theme is diversity and unity. For me, the theme has a special resonance as I think about Pope Francis and his inspirational words and actions. In a general audience in October, the Pope addressed the joy and power that can be found in...
The human brain works better when we walk. We think more clearly and more creatively. Our memories get better. We learn things more quickly and more completely. Our concentration is stronger. Walking reduces the risk of stroke, heart attack, and other health problems. You may know all this from your...
Let me start by acknowledging that I’m a big fan of pop culture. I don’t like everything, but pop culture offers music, movies, art, books, and other works that can be entertaining, energetic, and redeeming. So please note that I speak here as a fan of pop culture. But pop...
The theme of this month’s issue—faith-filled women—feels very familiar to me. I’ve been surrounded by faith-filled women my entire life. Maybe you have, too. While my father was an important and devoted presence, my mother and aunt taught me the day-to-day application of my faith. My wife’s quiet and practical...
Thieves broke into the empty home of my son’s friend but only grabbed his shoes. Why? Nothing else was worth taking. The young man—I’ll call him Jake—was orphaned at twelve and moved in with an aunt in a rough neighborhood. He was regularly urged to commit crimes and use drugs,...
Written by Virgil Tipton Buried in a musty cardboard box—under a stack of letters, postcards, books, and old bank statements—I found a photo created by a little miracle of timing. My siblings and I believe it may show our parents’ first touch. My mother told us a story years ago...