Some Christmas mornings I wake up feeling spiritually underwhelmed. I don’t feel the holy wonder at the miracle of God being born upon Earth but instead feel disappointment in my own lack of real, faithful preparation for the Nativity. The previous weeks were spent fretting over decorating and shopping and …

In the waning days of December, some non-Christians celebrate the winter solstice instead of Christmas. The connection between the two observances is worth reflecting on this Advent Season. The winter solstice, which will occur on December 21, marks the longest night of the year. After that, the nights grow shorter …

Are you ready for Christmas?” I dread that question. After all, who is ever really ready for the cooking, cleaning, packing, traveling, buying, wrapping and even fighting that fill up our typical preparations for the holidays? Not me. The good news is that Advent doesn’t have to be that way. …

I admit it, I am a die-hard fan of print media. From the time I was a small child, I loved to hold on to books and dive into the stories that awaited me inside their pages. To this day, I love picking up a magazine, a library book, a …

Question: I have been told that women served as deacons in the early Church? If this is true, what was their role? Answer: Instances of women serving as deacons in the early Church, especially in Syria, are referenced in various documents. However, evidence shows deaconesses did not have the same …

On Nov. 24 this year, the universal Church celebrates the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, more commonly known as the Feast of Christ the King. Pope Pius XI instituted this feast in Dec. 1925 by the promulgation of his encylical, Quas Primas, written in the …

I attended a funeral a couple months ago. The dear lady who passed away was 90 and she clearly had been treasured by the large number of family and friends present. Between the grief among the congregation and my close proximity to the casket during Mass, the reality of death …

Question: In the Scriptures, why is Jesus referred to as the bridegroom, and what is the theological meaning pf the term? Answer: Each of us is made for union with God, but we do not always live up to this calling. Unlike us, God is faithful and He desires to …

Next year, the men in my family will celebrate an important milestone: 25 years of going on an annual camping trip together. When it all started, my dad and uncle were there, but the rest of us were just boys. We idolized the grown-ups for their ability to pitch a …

All God-given vocations are important. That is why God gives them! Our archdiocesan Prayer for Vocations specifically mentions the vocational call to a chaste single life “and faithful husbands and wives, who are a sign of Christ’s love for His Church.” The Vocations page on our archdiocesan website (catholiccincinnati.org/ministries-offices/vocations/) also …