Written by Gail Finke, Illustrated by Emma Cassani “St. Biscuit’s” Neighborhood nickname for the hard-to-spell parish (pronounced “bah-NIG-nus”) “Of all the places I’ve worked, St. Benignus is the most like a family. Like the early Church, they love each other as a family. If there’s a problem, everybody knows and …

This article is part of an ongoing series on Pope St. John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” (TOB). I began several months ago to explore the three “original experiences” Pope St. John Paul II pondered in his Theology of the Body. In these reflections, we saw that the original …

In his 1999 “Letter to Artists,” Pope St. John Paul II invoked a famous line from Fyodor Dostoevsky’s novel, The Idiot, attributed to the protagonist, Prince Myshkin: “Beauty will save the world.” He explained that “beauty is the key to the mystery and call to transcendence. It is an invitation …

The saints have been of life-long interest to Pope Benedict XVI. As a young priest participating in the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), then Father Joseph Ratzinger was greatly influenced by a main theme: the “Universal Call to Holiness.” The Council fathers wrote that “all the faithful of Christ,” in every …

Just before Christmas, I gratefully received the book Shreveport Martyrs of 1873: The Surest Path to Heaven, which recalls the Yellow Fever epidemic that devastated Shreveport, LA, wiping out one-fourth of its population. As the Daily Shreveport Times stated: “Whole families were swept away, and commercial firms, partners and clerks, …

by Susie Bergman Growing up around Dayton, David Burkhardt frequently heard of the Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics, but never explored it. In 2019, his wife, Somporn Mary, was diagnosed with lung cancer and, throughout her journey, he introduced her to the Catholic faith and reacquainted himself with …

by Father Robert J Hater, PHD How do parishioners cope with major changes occurring in their parishes? This question is especially significant when a member of the faithful is involved in parish affairs or has a long history with the parish. We all experience life changes. Some are rewarding, like …

by Matt Hess Blessed Solanus Casey is a man for our time. While never stationed in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, he labored nearby in Huntington, IN, and Detroit, MI. His love for those around him, simple living and trust in God make him a model for modern Catholics. The son …

How does the Church decide whether someone is a saint? Sometimes it is said that the Catholic Church “makes” someone a saint, but whether a person is a saint or not is decided by God, not the Church. At the same time, there is a lengthy Church process for declaring …

Among the more famous passages from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah is the anthem of the Seraphim who surround God’s throne and chant, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts! All the earth is filled with his glory!” (Is. 6:3.) It introduces a central paradox for Christians, because …