Number of seminarians, weddings, infant baptisms per Catholic place them in nation’s top 10 By Deacon Bob Hunt An article published last month by The Catholic World Report purports to rank the Catholic dioceses in the United States by how fruitful each diocese is in terms of seminarians, weddings, infant …
Dicastery addresses titles given to Mary
‘Co-redemptrix’ and ‘Mediatrix of All Graces’ need to be understood correctly By Deacon Bob Hunt On Oct. 7, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) published Mater Populi Fidelis (“Mother of All the Faithful”), in which the dicastery addresses issues related to some titles that have been given …
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A reminder of what following Christ means
Erika Kirk forgives ‘that young man’ charged with assassinating her husband By Deacon Bob Hunt This world, and our country at this time, is a violent, destructive, dehumanizing place. Even still, every once in a while, there is a moment of grace that reminds us of God’s love and challenges …
What the Church teaches on organ donation
This columnist is in need of a kidney transplant and asks for prayers from his readers By Deacon Bob Hunt This is going to be a more personal column. People have been asking about my health. I am in need of a kidney transplant. People who love me have been …
In Nicaea: settling the Arian controversy
The council 1,700 years ago used the word ‘consubstantial’ that remains in the creed By Deacon Bob Hunt The Catholic Church in Alexandria, Egypt, was abuzz in the year 318. A priest of the diocese named Arius was preaching a doctrine that was attracting a lot of attention and growing …
Why will there be a Last Judgment?
The reasons include revealing for all to see the fullness of God’s justice and glory By Deacon Bob Hunt In the Book of Revelation 5:1-5, John describes a vision of a new heaven and new earth that represents the culmination of God’s kingdom. The old order has passed away. The …
The pope’s authority has a long history
His role as teacher, governor, and symbol of Christian unity dates even to Pentecost By Deacon Bob Hunt Why do we have a pope? The origins of the papacy, of course, are in the words of our Lord to St. Peter when Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do you say …
The reasons why Jesus kept His wounds
The disciples recognized the risen Lord from the signs of His suffering By Deacon Bob Hunt St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), the great Carmelite reformer and mystic, was praying in the chapel of her community’s monastery when she received a vision of Jesus. After contemplating the vision for some time, …
A prayer for everyone this Easter season
St. Paul: ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing’ By Deacon Bob Hunt “We are an Easter people,” St. Augustine of Hippo proclaimed, “and ‘Alleluia’ is our song!” As we approach Easter Sunday and the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord, our …
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Church’s teaching on immigration is clear
The Church cares for everyone, regardless of their status as legal or illegal By Deacon Bob Hunt There has been a great ruckus since Donald Trump became president over the role of the Church in politics. This was true when Joe Biden, who insisted that he was a devout Catholic, …
Focus on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving
They represent the totality of the Christian life, which calls us out of ourselves By Deacon Bob Hunt Lent is a season of transformation. The Church calls us to focus on three aspects of our Christian life: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. But focusing on these aspects of the Christian life …
Wanting Jesus and coming ‘back home’
He ‘finally arrived,’ desiring the Eucharist after years away from the Church By Deacon Bob Hunt I was raised in a Sunday Mass and sacraments Catholic family. By that I mean that my parents took us to Mass every Sunday and made sure we received the appropriate sacrament at the …