Archive: December 2014

The Rosary: A Lifeline To Heaven

One of the great works of art is Michelangelo’s Last Judgment on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. His uplifting mural combines the horror of damnation with the joy of eternal salvation in a vivid scene that should inspire any right-minded person...

Family Life Should Bring Us Closer To God

On one occasion during the U.S. Civil War, Union soldiers from the North and Confederate troops from the South were camped for the night a short distance from each other. A major battle was expected the following day, so each army’s band played...

Mary and The Christian Faithful

Over the centuries Catholics’ regard for Mary has sometimes verged on worship. Although mainly true of the uneducated, excessive veneration of Mary has also occurred among educated Catholics, notably in the idea that Mary is Co-Redemptrix. This...

The Family Altar

Today we continue our Christmas celebration with a consideration of the Holy Family. This feast has the same first two readings every year but one of three different Gospels. The first reading is always the reading from Sirach (3:2-6, 12-14) about...

O Holy Night

O Holy Night. Along with Silent Night and O Come all ye Faithful, O Holy Night is a Christmas hymn that touches us deeply. We want to sing it or hear it sung on Christmas. One of the many beautiful verses in O Holy Night is: Long lay the world in...

None Dare Call It Education

Each year the National Association of Scholars compiles a list of books from over three hundred colleges and universities that are recommended for summer reading by their incoming freshmen. The Association calls its list “Beach Books,” although it...

Engineering Babies

In this Christmas season, Christians throughout the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who brought a message of hope and redemption to the world. This celebration poignantly reminds Christians of the joy of...

On What’s Important

Many years ago, a colleague sat me down for a “wisdom” conversation. For more than an hour, he shared the story of his family and career. Then in his late fifties, he was filled with regret because of foolish choices, incomplete...