Christ offers words of wisdom when we’re at a loss over the current state of affairs By George Valadie I have no words. And I’m really, really sad about it. If you write for this publication — or any publication — and your goal is to say something that you …
Giving to God and neighbor
To truly ‘live our Mass,’ it must be the fruit of our offering to God that we share with others By Bishop Richard F. Stika “How blessed the people who know your praise…, who find their joy every day in your name, who make your justice their joyful acclaim” — …
Thank God almighty—schools are looking to reopen
‘Schools weren’t built to be empty, and fields and gyms and theaters weren’t erected to stand silent’ By George Valadie I don’t know about your world but I think things in mine are actually getting a little better. I think. After all, it is still 2020. Don’t want to jinx …
A look at the divisions of the New Testament
The Gospels, the letters or epistles, and the apocalyptic genre have their equivalents in the Old Testament By Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM After having examined the divisions of the Old Testament (the Pentateuch or Torah, the Historical Books, the Prophets, and the Wisdom books—see the April ETC), a similar …
Some endure months, years without sacraments
‘Our own experience during the lockdown can inspire us to appreciate the freedoms we possess’ By Bob Hunt As I write this, the Church is approaching the celebration of our Lord’s Ascension. The week after, Pentecost Sunday, our diocese will begin to celebrate public Sunday Mass again, with some restrictions …
An offering pleasing and acceptable to God
St. Gregory the Great: ‘The Mass will be a sacrifice for us to God when we have made an offering to ourselves’ By Bishop Richard F. Stika “No one shall appear before [the Lord] empty-handed.”— Exodus 23:15 How wonderful it is after two long months to again open the doors …
We’re all in need
Crises wreak havoc on our lives, prompt us to be our best selves By George Valadie Well, that was different! No new Easter outfits this year; didn’t even need the ones we got last year. We didn’t go to Mass in our pajamas, but we also didn’t need to arrive …
Jesus, I trust in you
In this time of crisis and pandemic, the Divine Mercy illumines our way and dispels the darkness of fear By Bishop Richard F. Stika “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me” (John 14:1). Though you are reading this column in …
Make a spiritual Communion
Whether we can receive the Eucharist or not, we should always desire to be in union with Christ By Bishop Richard F. Stika “Do not fear: I am with you; do not be anxious, I am your God.”— Isaiah 41:10 Since the first words of fallen Adam: “I was afraid,” …
In these times, meditate on faith, hope, and love
As Christians, we are called to a greater response to whatever challenges our community By Bob Hunt I am writing this in the middle of the coronavirus national emergency. As of this writing, my daughter’s school is on an extended spring break, many restaurants and other businesses have closed their …
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Understanding the divisions of the Old Testament
The books are grouped into four major sections in the Christian tradition By Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM One challenge when reading the Old Testament is dealing with the amount of material contained therein. As a person reads along, he encounters narrative or story-like books or portions of books. The …
Virus and a death in the family make for ‘hellish week’
Every kid wants an extra day of spring break, but no one was hoping for a total school shutdown By George Valadie What a week! One of those unbelievable, don’t-ever-want-to-do-it-again sorts of weeks. I should begin by pointing out that because monthly diocesan newspapers function the way they do, columnists …