The Gospel, Not ‘Listening,’ Is the Message...
George Weigel
Toward the end of the recent Roman meeting to discuss the Church’s 21st-century mission to marriage and the family, Pope Leo XIV asked the participating bishops to share their reflections on that experience. Bishop Erik Varden, OCSO, of Trondheim, did so in a post on his indispensable blog, Coram Fratribus...

Chiara Luce Badano is Gen X’s first blessed, and today is her feast day...
Chris Stefanick
Sometimes we’d prefer that our lives be a different story than the one God seems to be writing. In our fragile existence, it doesn’t take much to turn a romance into a drama, or an adventure into a tragedy. At a glance, the story of Chiara Badano, an only child conceived after 11 years of marriage, who died at 18 of a painful form of bone cancer...

The Absence of Forgiveness...
Marlon De La Torre
The thought that a criminal would seek forgiveness from someone who would suffer the same punishment of death via crucifixion sounds perplexing. One apparently deserved death; the other did not. One was falsely accused; the other, his crimes were confirmed. Amidst the moral calamity of this horrific event, Jesus the Son of God, the Word made flesh, calls out to God the Father, asking to forgive his executioners...

Does this explain the election of Pope Leo?
Phil Lawler
Within a month after each papal election, stories begin to appear, claiming to provide the inside story of what happened in the conclave. I don’t take those stories too seriously, and you shouldn’t, either. Whoever provided that inside account (assuming the reporter didn’t make it up) was violating his sacred oath to keep the conclave proceedings secret. If he was so cavalier about his oath, why should you trust what he says?

Is a Change Looming for the Vatican’s Second-in-Command?

Pope’s Visit Confirmed: ‘I Look Forward to Returning to Latin America’...

Denver Archbishop Responds to Criticism Over Trump Prayer Meeting: ‘I Was Being a Catholic Priest’...

Pope Leo’s Wednesday Audience: ‘We Must Urgently Protect Families and Marriage’...

Awaiting Pope Leo’s Clarity on ‘Amoris Laetitia’...
Larry Chapp
The meeting in Rome on the pastoral application of Amoris Laetitia is over. It remains to be seen what will come of its discussions as we await a document from Pope Leo XIV that will outline his own interpretation and analysis of the conversations. Many of the participants characterized the gathering as an exercise...

Catholics in Ecuador Mourn Death of Priest Struck by Falling Crucifix During Mass...

Pope Leo Cleared by His Surgeon to Make His Nov. 6-17 Apostolic Trip to Latin America...

The Absence of Charity...

The Prayer of Kings, It’s All Different Now, Rules of the Dining Room...

Should the Chalice Be Available at Mass? New Limits on Lay Access Spark Debate...
Matthew McDonald
Should laypeople be allowed to drink from the chalice during Communion? Bishop Michael Olson of the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, brought renewed attention to this topic on Oct. 1 when he published a pastoral letter limiting the availability of the chalice to certain occasions throughout the year, including Holy Thursday, the Easter Vigil, Corpus Christi, the Chrism Mass, ordinations, and Masses at convents and retreat centers.

Becoming a Sommelier of Life...
John Cuddeback
By a beautiful natural plan, we only grow into our true selves through experience. But not just any experiences will do. They must be of a certain kind, beginning with those fashioned by our parents and educators, and continuing through life in experiences we craft with mentors, family, and friends. This is nowhere truer than in the crucial realm of what brings us pleasure, or not...

Questions for Anyone Planning to Mark the Advent Season by Watching a Snuff Film...

Who Is Dr. Luigi Carbone, Pope Leo XIV’s Personal Physician?

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