In the section of his apostolic exhortation labeled "Some Challenges of Today's World," Pope Francis speaks about the idolatry of money and a financial system that excludes rather than includes. These comments have generated a considerable amount of commentary in the media, both print and electronic. Articles are appearing in major news magazines, newspapers, and in their associated blogs...
They went home by a different route!
This little detail from the Gospel for the Solemnity of the Epiphany always sticks out for me. Given the fact that this Sunday is all about the manifestation of Jesus as God, King and human, it may not be all that important. Yet it always manages to evoke a response whenever I read this Gospel.
Doing things differently is never easy. If it...
After writing about economic concerns, Pope Francis continues to proclaim the joy of the Gospel by addressing issues that confront those who are actively engaged in the task of evangelization. He writes of the many different challenges that evangelizers must face in the culture of the 21st Century and in the respective societies where the Gospel is being preached.
In his preaching,...
The next section of Evangelii Gaudium concerns itself with economic concerns and has been the source of some negative feedback from certain elements in today's culture and society. The Holy Father has consistently iterated since his inauguration that he finds it incomprehensible that our news media should find stories about the rise and fall of the stock market more widely publicized than...
Regular Catholic church-goers will probably be able to identify one of the more popular hymns that is often sung at the Opening Rite of the Mass. It is entitled, "All Are Welcome." Someone once related a story to me that spoke of a priest who, before making the sign of the cross at the beginning of Mass, offered the opinion that he was not at all inclined to agree with the sentiments of...