Growing up in Guatemala, I went to a Catholic School, celebrated our Catholic faith – Catholicism was all I knew. Guatemala, at the time, was probably 99 percent Catholic. Moving to the U.S. was a big change in every way. When I moved here, directly from Guatemala to Ohio, I …

Death creates a tension within us. We know that it is inevitable, yet we also have a strong desire to prolong our lives. Dr. Ernest Becker, father of Terror Management Theory, says that we develop various phobias in order to cope with this tension. If you’re afraid of heights, it’s …

I have heard it is possible for someone who wishes to receive communion at Mass to be denied. In what cases can someone be denied communion? Is this different from being “excommunicated”? When Catholics approach to receive communion, it is presumed that they are in a proper state to receive. …

In the Spring of 2019, I took my oldest daughter to see the stage production of Hamilton. Huge fans of the music since the time the cast album dropped, we couldn’t wait to finally see it performed in person. As the theatre darkened and the first notes of the show …

Since the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting shutdown of many businesses, we have often heard the term “essential workers.” But as I pointed out in my recent pastoral letter, Radiate Christ, everyone is essential. Each of us has a role to play in the Church and in …

Desde el ataque de la pandemia COVID-19 y el cierre resultante de muchas empresas, a menudo hemos escuchado el término “trabajadores esenciales”. Pero como señalé en mi reciente carta pastoral, Radiate Christ, todos son esenciales. Cada uno de nosotros tiene un papel que desempeñar en la Iglesia y en la …

by Father Kyle Schnippel On Aug. 19, 2020, Cincinnati Reds Broadcaster Thom Brennaman uttered an ill-conceived and ill-advised homophobic slur as the broadcast returned to air. Thinking his mic was still dead, he spoke a word that was full of hatred and bigotry towards those who experience same sex attraction, …

I looked out over thousands of faces in the University of Dayton (UD) arena more than four years ago during my presidential installation and urged us to put a stake in the ground. Let us be “The University for the Common Good,” I said, humbly aware that UD doesn’t have …

Question: I sometimes hear of Catholic colleges and universities honoring individuals who challenge the teachings of the Church. What makes a university “Catholic”? Can such a designation be taken away? Answer: The university system began during the Middle Ages when the Church and society were closely intertwined. As the Church …

Because of well-publicized, persistent instances of racial discrimination, the summer of 2020 has seen a rise in race-consciousness across the political, ideological and religious spectrum. And it is correct to note that racism in American society is, in some sense, systemic. Despite authentic legal, political and social progress, racism can …