by Rebecca Sontag The first known garden to be officially dedicated to the Virgin Mary bore little resemblance to the idea of the “Mary Garden” we know today. It was not filled with purely ornamental flowers, decorative topiaries and manicured nooks punctuated here and there with lovely statuary. This particular …

Q: Since public Masses have been canceled, a friend encouraged me to practice “spiritual communion.” I wasn’t sure what that meant. Can you explain? A. The practice of “spiritual communion,” as a means of drawing close to Jesus even when we cannot receive the Eucharist, has deep roots in the …

by Courtney Mares Rome Newsroom, Apr 30, 2020 / 11:45 am MT (CNA).- After eight weeks without funerals, Italian families will be able finally to gather together to mourn and pray at funeral Masses for the victims of the coronavirus starting May 4. In Milan, the largest city in Italy’s …

CNA Staff, Apr 30, 2020 / 04:00 pm MT (CNA).- As more Catholic dioceses begin to resume public Masses during the coronavirus pandemic, a group of theologians and medical experts has provided guidance for doing so as safely as possible. “With proper safeguards to prevent infection, and integrating the scientific …

by Mark Danis Mahatma Gandhi said, “A nation’s greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members.” The onslaught of the coronavirus has exposed the frighteningly fragile support structure for a vulnerable segment of our society: the elderly. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports the highest percentage of …

Pope Francis Prayer Intentions for May For Deacons We pray that deacons, faithful in their service to the Word and the poor, may be an invigorating symbol for the entire Church      

by Father Robert J. Hater The old black rosary hangs on the headboard of the bedroom once occupied by my father and mother. More than 60 years ago my father brought it home, a gift from a Marianist brother who gave it to him for Christmas. It’s been there ever …

by Mary Farrow Denver Newsroom, Apr 30, 2020 / 03:01 am MT (CNA).- If everything were going according to plan, Jessica would be entering the convent on August 22. But, thanks to coronavirus, everything is not going according to plan. “I was accepted to pre-postulancy with an order, and as …

by Perry West Denver Newsroom, Apr 29, 2020 / 05:13 pm MT (CNA).- While the coronavirus has shut down universities and artistic events, the drama department of a Catholic university performed a play nevertheless, through a video conference. A production of Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure” was meant to be staged …

by Courtney Mares Vatican City, Apr 29, 2020 / 02:00 pm MT (CNA).- Pope Francis has postponed this year’s Peter’s Pence collection until next fall as the Vatican confronts the economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. The collection, which traditionally takes place in churches across the world on June 29, …