A very wise and intelligent Jewish university professor and scripture scholar [Pinchas Lapide] once wrote a book about the meaning of Easter Sunday. Though he himself was a devout, Orthodox Jew, he had great sympathy and admiration for Catholicism;...
In 1999, a thirteen-year-old American girl named Dria Davis successfully escaped from the nation of Saudi Arabia, where she was being held a prisoner by her Muslim father. Fourteen years earlier her parents had married in Florida: a Cuban-American...
Once upon a time a young woman gave birth to her first child, a beautiful baby boy, just one month after her husband had died in a tragic accident. The neighbors were all very concerned for the mother and child, and held a baby shower, bringing a...
There was a parish that had a Rosary Altar Society, and some of the members were young, stay-at-home moms. One day the group had a luncheon and meeting at the home of one of the officers, and several women brought their small children with them...
A Catholic priest in Texas named Father Paul served as a prison chaplain, and one year on Easter Sunday he said Mass for the Catholic inmates there. One of the prisoners there—we’ll call him Kevin—had been incarcerated for sixteen years, but was...
In 1985 the country of Lebanon in the Middle East was undergoing something of a civil war, marked by terrorism, bombings, and frequent fighting among rival groups. It was a very dangerous place, even for journalists—as an American named Terry...
Several centuries ago there was a famous painting showing a young man playing chess with the devil—a game in which the young man’s soul was at stake. Every chess piece on the board was clearly visible in the painting, and it portrayed the instant...
Once there was a man named Pete whose life was both difficult and inspiring. He was raised by very devout parents who did everything possible to plant and nourish the seeds of Christian faith within their son. However, when Pete grew up and got out...
Once upon a time there was a poor, unremarkable kingdom that had only one claim to fame: its king owned, as a family heirloom, a magnificent diamond of amazing beauty and perfection. He kept this treasure on display in a special room in his castle...
One Sunday afternoon in New York City, a man named Steve got on the subway and found a seat in a quiet car. Some of the people were reading the newspaper; others were dozing, and some were thinking or contemplating with their eyes closed...
Fr Joseph Esper