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Commentary
Leap and there will be a net: message resonates
“Leap and there will be a net.” This little message has resonated in my heart since I first heard it. It is as if the Holy Spirit wants it known that we should be taking risks if we really believe what we profess. Discipleship is no place for people who …
Did Pope Francis change church teaching on homosexuality?
Dear Father: I keep hearing that Pope Francis changed Church teaching on homosexuality with his question, “Who am I to judge?” Is that true? Dear Reader: Pope Francis did not change church teaching [cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church (2357-2359].
Thank you to all who have assisted this ministry
The life of a vocation director seems to be straight out of the Parable of the Sower that Jesus tells in Matthew 13. Having held this position for eight years, only this year am I finally able to witness men whom I first worked with to discern the seminary and …
Good thieves part of what keeps me Catholic
Pope Francis…a thief? When I first heard it mentioned, I smiled faintly in disbelief. If anyone knows not to break the seventh commandment — You Shall Not Steal — it’s this guy. Yet, come to find out, it is true. The pope’s a thief.
Q&A: Is it permissible to dip the Host into the Precious Blood?
Dear Father: Recently, I have observed a parishioner receiving the Eucharist by dipping the Sacred Host into the Precious Blood and then consuming it. I have always been under the impression that this is not permissible. Can someone receive Communion this way? Dear Reader: Thank you for your question. You …
Grateful for the gifts received by “Simons”
When last I left this column, I was still trying to recover from a break-in at the parish rectory. While it was a moment for me to reflect on the vulnerability that Christ faced in both becoming Incarnate and facing the trials of Holy Week, another (much more welcome) scenario …
Humility key to recalling everything is a gift from God
I just can’t get out of my mind a Bugs Bunny cartoon that depicts the night of the Academy Awards. Elmer Fudd stands at the podium about to announce the Oscar for “Outstanding Cartoon Character.” Bugs is sure he will win. As Elmer Fudd describes the amazing attributes of this …
Witnessing First Communions brings back memories
A large First Communion crowd and a loud baby (my own) made it very hard to pay attention at Mass this weekend as my wife, mother-in-law, and I stood in the back of St. Martin of Tour’s in Cheviot this Sunday. Even so, First Communion always brings back memories for …
Editor’s Note: Outrage over conduct clause is confusing
The outrage about the conduct clause in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati teachers’ contract leaves this management veteran confounded and confused. In the several decades of my career in newspaper management, I enforced company policies that supported corporate and professional identity that included things as simple as dress codes and as …
A young reporter’s take on Nepal trip
By Megan Walsh For The Catholic Telegraph I think everyone should travel outside of the United States at least once in their lifetime. If one can afford it, the experience compensates for the 15 hour flight or the really spicy food or even the scheduled electrical blackouts.