There was a point in my life when I thought I wanted to be a Buddhist. Disillusioned with the strict dogma and old-fashioned views of Catholicism, I began to look elsewhere for my religious fulfillment. I had heard through multiple friends about the benefits of meditation, and once I started to meditate I began to… Read More Catholicism: A Story of Identity
As a parish pastoral associate , one of my favorite “ice-breaker” questions for small groups is: “What has been your most profound experience of Liturgy?” The answers are usually quite revealing, ranging from wedding Masses to funeral Liturgies to “mega-Masses” like those at World Youth Day. My answer, however, is always the same: my most… Read More Liturgy and Perfection
The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts. For theirs… Read More Plain Persons, Popes, and the Benedict Option
Last week, Pope Francis released his first major teaching letter, Laudato si’ (“Praise Be,” invoking the opening lines of St. Francis of Assisi’s canticle, “Brother Sun and Sister Moon”). An encyclical years in the making, it weaves together science and theology, ecology and economics to urge not only Catholics and other Christians, but all members… Read More The Environmental Encyclical is Out – Now What?
When the Supreme Court handed down its decision in the Obergefell v. Hodges case this past Friday, legalizing same-sex marriage across the nation, I was in the midst of a workshop with a group of highly intelligent, dedicated young Catholic teachers. As it has everywhere around the country, this news stirred up considerable conversation. What… Read More Hopes for Justice, Understanding, and Unity in the Wake of Obergefell v. Hodges
All’s well that ends well. At least, that is how the NBA is hoping basketball fans feel after the Golden State Warriors, the best (and most entertaining) team in the league, triumphed over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in this year’s Finals. And with this week’s draft, many NBA fans will be looking to… Read More Why the NBA’s Officiating Crisis Matters
This post by Henry Longbottom, SJ is also featured on The Jesuit Post. A thinly veiled piece of climate alarmist propaganda. A groundbreaking exposition of Catholic ecological thinking. Well intentioned but economically naïve. A slippery slope towards extremist environmentalist positions. Such are the reactions to Pope Francis’ ecology encyclical—and it hasn’t even been published yet.… Read More Six Things to Know About Pope Francis’ Upcoming Encyclical
Millennial 