Over many years of speaking and writing about religion, I have developed a few guidelines for explaining and defending the Catholic faith. Stick to these principles and you will grow as a catechist (a teacher of the faith) and an apologist (a defender of the faith). Be informed: You can’t …

Have you ever heard the expression, “Once a Catholic always a Catholic?” All of us know someone who never goes to church but thinks of them self as Catholic. We received that gift of Catholic identity from our family and from God. Baptism came to so many as infants. Through …

Q: My husband has not practiced the Catholic faith for 30 years. What does he need to do to return to the sacraments? A: Once baptized, a person is always a Christian. But as you note, it is possible to leave the practice of the faith for a time (or …

You have probably heard the old expression, “Everybody makes mistakes. That is why pencils have erasers.” As Catholics, we have something much better than an eraser. We have a kind of reset button known as the Sacrament of Confession, or Penance, or Reconciliation. All three of those names for the …

Have you decided on your New Year’s resolution yet? Every year, thousands of us decide to lose 10 pounds and join the gym, stop playing so much golf and spend more time with the kids, or if you really mean business, go to Mass more than one day a week. …

Your faith can come alive at any moment of your day. “Daddy, why is the priest dressed like Jesus?” your son asks you during Mass. You freeze. No one’s ever asked you that before. What do you do? You can shush him, or you can teach him something about the …

Q: At the beginning of Mass during the penitential act, the priest/deacon asks for God’s mercy on behalf of the people, but in doing so he never mentions the sins for which we need mercy. Is it allowable to mention specific sins at this time? The penitential act at the …

SEEK THE LORD by Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr Christians from the earliest days have always defended the defenseless, bringing God’s love to the poor, the marginalized, and the vulnerable. No one is more vulnerable than a child in the womb. In America today, about one in five pregnancies end in …

Tis the season to be merry. Or is it? Too often, we dread the holidays because of all the hassle involved in making merry. Not the least of which is getting gifts for family and friends. Thanksgiving is so simple: great food, great company and not a worry in the …

What are we saying this year? Season’s greetings? Holiday greetings? Merry Christmas? Anecdotal evidence would seem to indicate that how we greet others at Christmas time has more to do with fear than with conviction. We fear that we will offend someone or instigate an unpleasant confrontation. So we default …