The Life of Virtue

For nearly three months, I have been involved in a study of the Gospel of Matthew, produced by Catholic Scripture Study International . Thus far, my group has completed lessons on the first nine chapters of this Gospel. I am learning more than I ever dreamed I would or thought there was to know about Sacred Scripture. Truly, this is a wonderful way that I have found to feed my hunger to know and love my Lord more deeply! In addition to knowing Jesus Christ through Scripture, I have begun assimilating Thomas a Kempis's The Imitation of Christ into my prayer life. I simply read a few brief passages at a time, and then meditate on them. Since I have begun, I have received lessons in humility, reminders not to become attached to worldly things and people, and advice on how to read the Scriptures and proclaim Him as Truth. I also learned that I must spend more time listening than speaking; I need to be formed more than I need to try to form others. I'm learning as I read and...

Recently, Pope Benedict XVI received the Archbishop of Canterbury (the head of the Anglican Church) at the Vatican under the auspices of ecumenical dialogue. Such meetings are typically little more than photo opportunities where vague niceties are exchanged; where there is little theological substance. Alas, the most recent successor of St. Peter seems to have redirected the prevailing winds. He reminded Dr. Williams that the Anglican Church, by virtue of its lack of authoritative teaching (my assessment), has created several theological and moral obstacles to reunification of the One True Church. Nonetheless, there is hope! Read the news release here . My fellow Christians, let us pray that all Christians will one day be reunited under the authority of the Church founded by Jesus Christ. God Bless.

As though anything less were to be expected, there are good vibes coming from the papal household. Yes, Pope Benedict and his posse rock! First, a new book authored by the Supreme Pontiff will be published in the spring of next year. Apparently, it is a book that seeks to refocus the conception of the "historical Jesus" away from trends that have prevailed in recent years. Once again, the focus will be placed on Jesus as fully human AND fully Divine. I can't wait to get my hands on this one! In addition to a new book by the pope, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa has written a review of a recent book that espoused the formerly-prevailing, heretical trend. Although the research of the Italian authors was conducted according to sound historical methodology, the conclusion (apparently) leads readers away from the authentic Jesus, who is the Lord of all history. Check out the news release about the pope's new book, and the full text of the review by Fr. Cantalamessa here . God Ble...

Stewardship is a word that is vastly misunderstood in Catholic culture these days. Therefore, this post will serve not only as an exposition of stewardship as a tool in transforming our Church. It will also serve as the latest installment of the "Catholic Word of the Week." So often, people assume that stewardship applies only to their finances. Those people are wrong! (Sorry, there is no real charitable way to say that.) Stewardship ends with finances; it has its beginnings elsewhere in the lives of individual Catholics (and other Christians, I'm sure). The International Catholic Stewardship Council is now making a concerted effort to "foster an environment in which stewardship is understood, accepted and practiced throughout the Catholic Church." There are few things that modern Catholics need to better understand than stewardship. (That they must attend Mass EVERY week, and that the Eucharist REALLY IS JESUS are two.) So, what is stewardship, you ask?...

Earlier this afternoon, I was blessed to have read the following quote from Pope John Paul II. Open your hearts to Christ and go our to meet Him; quench your thirst at His spring. He offers a water that will satisfy your thirst for truth, for joy, for happiness, and for love. Without a doubt, the statement above is true! I know from personal experience. Before my conversion of heart began (an certainly before I found full communion with the Catholic Church), I thirsted for truth, joy, happiness, and love. For several years, I believed that I had these things. However, once I took the smallest sip from the spring of Christ's truth and love, I knew that I had been fooled (and foolish!). Since my conversion began, since I have opened my heart to Christ and gone to meet Him, I have found the only Truth that truly quenches my thirst and satisfies my hunger. There is no greater joy, happiness, or love to be known this side of the New Jerusalem in eternity. God Bless.

Fellow Christians, I exhort you to pray for all of the bishops of America as they convene in Baltimore this week for the annual meetings of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This year, there are several important items on the agenda, issues that are vitally important to the holiness of the Church in our nation. Pray that these men will enter into the proceedings faithfully and prayerfully. Pray that they will be guided by the same Holy Spirit that was granted two millennia ago to prevent the Church from falling into error. Pray that they will not refuse to listen to the voice of the Lord, and that they will remain united with the Supreme Pontiff in Rome. Ongoing coverage of the meetings can be found here , here , here , here , and here . Holy Apostles, pray for our bishops, who are your successors on earth. God Bless.

Each November 10, the Universal Church celebrates the feast of Pope St. Leo the Great . He is one of the greatest popes and teachers that the Catholic Church has ever known for two primary reasons: his seminal, definitive teaching on the dual natures of Christ; and his defense of right doctrine and truth against several heresies. Anyone who is interested in learning more about this Doctor of the Church's catechesis and Christology must read only one document: letter number 28 , otherwise known as "The Tome." The letter, in fact, was used as the definitive point of reference for the Council of Chalcedon, which dogmatically declared that Christ was fully human and fully divine in one person. How important this letter is to the history of Christendom! Indeed, every faithful Catholic ought to take the twenty minutes required to read it. In the same letter, Pope St. Leo the Great expressed his distaste for heterodox teaching by directing it toward an Eastern priest, Eutyches. ...

I believe I am one of the last orthodox bloggers who has not read Deus Caritas Est in its entirety. Well, I finally have the opportunity to do so. Since I have begun, I have been astonished at how much philosophy, theology, and catechesis our beloved pope fits into such a small place. True, the principles are base, but I never get tired of hearing that "God is Love;" and I never tire of reading the multifaceted ways in which that statement is true. But I digress... As I read a passage of the encyclical today, and as I heard the Gospel reading proclaimed at Mass today , I realized that I want to be a lover rather than a liar. Yes, denying my flesh the things it desires, serving the poor, taking up my cross daily, and following Jesus to the fullest of my ability sounds much better than the alternative. In the Gospel of Matthew (25:40), Jesus illustrates that "whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." Jesus' apostles also knew...

In his latest General Audience, Pope Benedict XVI continued to build the Heavenly City here on earth by reminding the faithful that "we are justified by grace." Nothing that we do is enough to get us to Heaven. Only when God, through Jesus Christ, shares His life with us do we have the opportunity to enter the peace and joy found in the New Jerusalem. Praise be to God for His goodness and mercy!

It certainly is nice to see that some bishops are exercising their supreme teaching authority withing their dioceses to remind lay Catholics that they cannot, in good conscience, separate politics and faith. The two must be inherently linked. Bishop Robert Morlino recorded a message that was played for Catholics in every parish in the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin. In that message, he urged Catholics to stand with the Church in opposition to homosexual "marriage," embryonic stem cell research, and the death penalty. ( Click here to read the news story.) For more information on this bishop's advocacy of true marriage, visit the Diocese of Madison homepage . Catholics throughout our great nation should pay attention to the concept put forth in Bishop Morlino's message. Our voting rights are inextricably connected with our duties and moral obligation to first defend the doctrines of our beloved Church. Further, all life is sacred, and it must be defended from con...

Yes, I will continue to publish this column regularly. It did not die with my old blog. This week's installment is inspired by the conversion story I gave at the RCIA meeting last night and my time spent in Adoration today. The newest Catholic Word of the Week: MONSTRANCE . Monstrances are sacred vessels used for Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction. They are crafted out of precisous metal (gold or silver), and have circular openings that allow for exposition of a consecrated host. Designs for monstrances vary from parish to parish, but they are always crafted to reflect light. This symbolizes the brilliant light that radiates from Jesus Christ, who is truly present in the Blessed Eucharist. The ornate beauty of monstrances serves two purposes. First, Our Lord deserves only the most beautiful dwelling while He is present on this earth; He should not be left in a common, conspicuous place. Second, people are attracted to the beautiful art that surrounds Jesus; they must look at the...

Pope Benedict XVI has spoken again regarding the confrontation the will surely take place between those who seek to proclaim the "essential contents of [the] Christian faith." This time, the Supreme Pontiff addressed students and faculty at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, and he reminded them that they should be on guard against "ambiguities" that weaken those essential elements. Without a doubt, Pope Benedict's message must be heeded not only by students and faculty at that institution. Every teacher and student of the faith, whether at a pontifical university or in a parish religious education program, should be wary of watered-down catechesis and theology. Truth, as revealed by Our Father in Heaven, cannot be compromised in any way, shape, or form. Nothing can be added or omitted according to the will of human beings. In order to truly build the City of God on earth, humanity must realize that it is our responsibility to conform ourselves to ...

It is unclear to me how people can "rationally" deny the existence and the benevolence of God. Quite simply, no other being--physical or spiritual--could work miracles as the Lord of Heaven and Earth has done and continues to do. There are no coincidences in this universe. My friends, I received word yesterday that my wife's uncle has been freed of all traces cancer. How is this evidence of God's existence, you ask? How is it not simply a function of modern medicine? The first piece of evidence is that he was healed at all. So many cancer patients undergo treatment that produces no results. Indeed, my own grandfather suffered that unfortunate fate nearly two decades ago. There is still another reason to believe that miracles are the work of God's hand: the pace at which he was healed. The diagnosis came less than one year ago. True, it seems as though it has been a long battle, but other patients endure illnesses of much longer duration. True enough, moder...