At age 3, Brother Tim Sucher, OFM, of St. Francis Seraph Church in Cincinnati, and his older brother saved their pennies to buy their first nativity scene – one “just like Granny’s” – to add to their family’s Christmas decorations. Now, decades later, that same nativity scene is part of …

The song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is an English Christmas carol. From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface …

by Mary Farrow Denver Newsroom, Dec 13, 2020 / 04:58 am ‘Tis the season to be jolly, and, perhaps, to have one’s social media inundated with memes about Christmas being nothing more than a co-opted pagan holiday – maybe a winter solstice celebration – repurposed and baptized by Christianity. “There …

Every year church sanctuaries around the world mirror our hearts as they prepare to receive the newborn King. Red poinsettias, flickering candles and the smell of fresh evergreen are reminders of the joyous season. To make that possible, many parishes have a dedicated group of sacristans and decorators who donate …

I traveled to Iceland in August. After years of wishing, planning and saving, I was at last on board a 757 headed east to Reykjavik, to start a six-day solo trip across the Icelandic south coast. During my years of preparation, the trip became a beacon of hope. When overwhelmed …

True sportsmanship goes beyond the actions and play on a field or court. It encompasses respect, graciousness and support for one another. This football season the St. Antoninus (St. A) Bandit division football team and its opponents collaborated in support of one special boy: Braxtin Gruber. Braxtin dreamed of playing …

I heard that during Advent’s final days the “O Antiphons” are prayed as part of Evening Prayer. What are these antiphons? As Catholics go through the liturgical year, no day is the same as another. As you mention in your question, one example of this variation is the “O Antiphons,” …

Compassionate Lord, we pray for those who have been devastated by today’s devastating tornado outbreak in Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky. We remember those who have lost their lives so suddenly. We hold in our hearts the families forever changed by grief and loss. Bring them consolation and comfort. Surround …

Saint Damasus was born in Rome at the beginning of the fourth century. His father, a widower, had received Holy Orders there and served as parish priest in the church of St. Laurence. Damasus was archdeacon of the Roman Church in 355 when the Pope, Saint Liberius, was banished to …

First Vespers for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, music by the Athenaeum Chorale and the Mount St. Mary’s Latin Schola. This event will include the chanting of the psalms and canticles of Evening Prayer for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the Patroness of the Seminary. The concert will …