When we refer to someone’s life as “scandalous,” we usually mean that the person has done something shocking, immoral, or illegal. Our daily news is filled with scandalous stories of individuals who have been caught […]
Every statue, painting, icon, medal, or other representation of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque includes a depiction of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This is hardly surprising since it was largely her visions of Jesus Christ, […]
Why do so many Catholics—both those who practice their faith and those who don’t—have statues of Saint Francis of Assisi in their yards? Why would Francis’ hometown of Assisi be considered the perfect place to […]
He was one of the first four men named Doctors of the Church. He created a Latin translation of the Bible used by Catholics since the fourth century. His extensive writings—commentaries, letters, and essays—influenced Christian […]
On September 20, the Catholic Church remembers 103 men, women, and children who died as martyrs in Korea. These canonized saints, mostly Koreans but also French missionaries, died during waves of anti-Catholic persecution by Korean […]
On September 17, 1621, the Cardinal-priest Robert Bellarmine died in Rome. Why did Pope Pius XI declare him a saint in 1930? And why did the same pope declare him a Doctor of the Church […]
Once upon a time, bishops were often chosen by popular acclamation. That is, when the office of bishop was empty and the people had gathered to choose a new one, crowds would shout out the […]
How is it possible for someone to condone the enslavement of other human beings? How could anyone justify or tolerate slavery? While twenty-first century Westerners may find it unthinkable, many cultures throughout history have accepted […]
If Saint Mariam Baouardy (1846-1878) had lived in the distant past rather than in the nineteenth century, it would be tempting to think that some of the stories told about her were fiction. Could all […]
Was there a secret to Pope Pius X’s success? Is there a reason that he was able to bring about several important and positive changes in the life of the Church during his relatively brief […]
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