2025-March-April-Liguorian-Magazine by Liguori Publications

That Implement of Gruesome Death Is Christianity’s Undying Emblem

Has Surprised People Throughout the Ages— We Just Have to Pay Attention

ASOUL GARDEN OF INSPIRATION FOR MOTHERS

The power of a woman is most concretely observed in the seeds she plants, day a er day, in the lives of those around her. Soul Garden, edited by Hope Schneir & Sia Hoyt, is a deluxe, illustrated large size volume of personal stories, essays, poems, and recipes written to cultivate the motherly role of women by o ering inspiration, camaraderie, and encouragement.

Contributors from across the country and around the world invite readers to put away their screens and to pick up this lovely, tangible book, where they can nd nourishment for the soul and tips for the practical life. Among the nine chapters are “Nurture”, about caring for the children and the other people God places in women’s lives; “Ponder”, which considers the lessons, blessings, and challenges of motherhood; “Dwell”, which suggests ways to create a beautiful home, regardless of a woman’s budget; and “Fiat”, in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the model woman.

SGP . . .8.5 x 11 Sewn So cover, Illustrated, $29.95

“Soul Garden feels destined to be thumbed through endlessly, treasured, and passed down from mother to daughter. It contains a wealth of wisdom and inspiration, poetry and artwork.”

—Noelle Mering, Author, eology of Home

“ ese beautiful pieces, collected and shared over so many years, lled with wit, wisdom, and encouragement, will inspire women of all generations.”

Kendra Tierney, Author, e Catholic All Year Compendium

◆ The Catholic All Year Compendium

Kendra Tierney shares how her family incorporates traditional Catholic practices into today’s family life throughout the Church year and have fun doing it!

CAYCP . . . Sewn So cover, $19.95

“ e unique perspective provided in this book will surely help any mom re ect in a new way on the simple joys of motherhood.”

Emily Jaminet, Author, Holy Habits from the Sacred Heart Also Available

◆ A Continual Feast

Evelyn Vitz offers a cookbook full of 280 wonderful recipes and ideas drawn from throughout the Christian tradition with suggestions about when, and why, these dishes might be served.

CFEP… Sewn So cover, $24.95

◆ Numbering My Days

Chene Heady shares the beauty of a life based on the Church's liturgical calendar, the Church's seasons and feasts, and daily readings, and how it o ers an authentic model of spiritual development for anyone.

LVLTP . . . Sewn So cover, $16.95

◆

e World’s First Love

Fulton Sheen presents a moving portrayal of the Blessed Virgin Mary that combines deep spirituality, history, philosophy and theology in a word portrait that is a never failing source of information and inspiration.

WFLP . . . Sewn So cover, $17.95

March-April 2025

Discovering God in Unusual Places

God has surprised people throughout the ages—we just have to pay attention

FR. RICHARD GRIBBLE, CSC

THE JUBILEE 2025 | PILGRIMS OF HOPE

The Basilica of St. Peter’s “Digital Twin” Welcomes Online Visitors

This new series for 2025 celebrates the year of jubilee

GARY GATELY

The Truth of the Real Presence

A Catholic’s five-hour trip up an Amazonian river crystallizes the Eucharist’s power

FR. PATRICK KEYES, CS s R

Embracing Our Fragility and Vulnerability

Accepting our fragility can help us become the people God created us to be

THOMAS M. SANTA, CS s R

Faith in a Skeptical World

Discover the wonders of faith in the people and places around you

LAIK SIDDIQUI

LIVING THE

Introducing a new regular feature

Essentials for learning and practicing the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Navigating College With Faith

Finding our identity is easier when we start from a foundation in God

Why the Cross?

That implement of gruesome death is Christianity’s undying emblem—and the reasons why are plentiful

Word From the Publisher 5

and Buzzes

KINDNESS

Useful suggestions to help you grow and live out your faith

SCRIPTURE SCOOP Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper

WILLIAM A. ANDERSON, DMIN,

On the Cover Image: Ivan Samkov / Pexels

March–April Columnists

Scott Czarnopys (“Face to Face”) is married to his beautiful wife, Arley, and has two children, Haven and Daxton. He is an elementaryschool principal serving in his fourteenth year at Saint Patrick School, a thriving semi-rural Catholic school in the Grand Rapids area of Michigan.

Vinita Hampton Wright (“Redemptive Living”) worked in religious book publishing for more than three decades. She is retired and continues to write, edit, and present retreats and workshops on creativity, writing, and prayer. She works as a spiritual director in Northwest Arkansas.

Fr. Peter D. Hill, CSsR (“Plain Talk”), is a Redemptorist missionary who has served as parish priest of Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church, Santa Cruz, Trinidad and Tobago; director of Holy Redeemer Retreat House, Dominica; and formation co-director at North American Redemptorist Formation House in San Antonio, Texas.

Fr. Michael McAndrew, CSsR (“Padre Migrante”), has served for thirty-plus years in Redemptorist Hispanic ministry initiatives, youth ministry, bilingual parish missions, and farmworker ministry. He works with the Catholic Migrant Farmworker Network, directed a Campesino ministry, and recently published a book with Liguori Publications: Walk With My People: A Life in Migration Ministry (828720).

Br. Raymond Pierce, CSsR (“The Lighter Side”), is a native of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. His ministry is storytelling via email. Every week, he sends “Morning Smiles” emails of humor and personal stories to nearly 1,000 senior citizens.

Fr. Thomas M. Santa, CSsR (“A Word from the Publisher”), was named president and publisher of Liguori Publications in January 2024, his second assignment as the company’s leader. Professed as a Redemptorist in 1973, his ministries have included retreat work and writing reflections for the Scrupulous Anonymous newsletter.

Tim and Julie Smith (“Kitchen Table Gospel”) have been professional music ministers in the Phoenix area for more than thirty-five years. They have written and recorded dozens of music collections, including liturgical music, theater music, children’s music, and bilingual music, and their songs have been published in multiple hymnals.

Adam Tran-Chung (“Social Media Perspectives”) is a student of the Redemptorists and is studying philosophy at St. John’s University in New York City. He is an accomplished concert pianist and organist and enjoys composing liturgical music. He is interested in exploring how social media can be used as a tool for evangelization.

“God does not make mistakes. So, when things don’t go our way, welcome the presence of God. His surprises can highlight our lives.”

FR. RICHARD GRIBBLE, CSC

Catholic. Pastoral. Trusted. SINCE 1913

Publisher

Fr. Thomas M. Santa, CSsR

Director of Digital and Creative Services

Wendy Barnes

Associate Editor

Fr. Byron Miller, CSsR

Developmental Editor

Paige Byrne Shortal

Manuscript Editor

Amy Deputato

Journalist

Gary Michael Gately

Design, Production, and Post-Production

John Krus and John Gantz

Contracts, Rights, and Permissions

Emmy Sandstedt

Director of Sales and Marketing, Liguorian Ad Sales

Chuck Healy

Marketing Coordinator

Kathy Lane

Sales and Customer Service Coordinator

Donna Hurley

Subscription Questions? Visit Liguorian.org. Call: 866-848-2492

Email: Liguorian@sfsdayton.com

Write: Customer Service, PO Box 292527, Dayton, OH 45429-0527

If you prefer that your name and address not be available to select organizations, please mail your address label to: Mail Preference Service, Liguorian, PO Box 292527, Dayton, OH 45429-0527.

Liguorian is available on CD from Xavier Society for the Blind, 154 E. 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010, or call 800-637-9193 for materials for the blind only.

To advertise in Liguorian: Call 800-325-9521 or email adsales@Liguori.org.

Publication Mail Agreement #40112731. Canadian Return Mail Request: PO Box 122, Niagara Falls, Ontario L2E 6S8 Canada ISSN 0024-3450

Printed in the US at Kingery Printing.

Support Our Ministry

Please help us continue Liguorian and other Liguori Publications ministries by making a tax-deductible donation or remembering us in your will. Our legal title is Redemptorist Fathers dba Liguori Publications, Federal ID 43-0653409.

Print + Digital Subscription

One year: $38; Outside US: $53 (US funds only).

Liguorian is named after our founder and patron saint, St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696–1787), Doctor of the Church, bishop, patron of confessors, moral theologian, prolific writer, pastoral theologian par excellence, and founder of the Redemptorist Congregation. It is in his spirit and inspired by the charism he shared with us, “With him there is plentiful redemption for all,” that this magazine and all pastoral educational products of Liguori Publications proudly claim we always strive to be Catholic, Pastoral, Trusted. To learn more about the Redemptorists, visit Redemptorists.com

Beeps and Buzzes

Ibelieve one of the most perilous journeys we routinely embark on is when we engage with social media. I do not necessarily want to single out social media, because all media is perilous in this day and age, but social media is dominant. Every time we click on some item of interest, it is recorded. Then, the next time we access one of our social media accounts, similar items appear—seemingly out of nowhere. I am amazed at how this happens and how quickly my so-called “areas of interest” are applied to my searches. Whatever algorithms are used—and I do not know who created these algorithms—somehow now determine the boundaries of my interest.

My watch signals me all day to tell me what to do. “Time to stand up.” “Time to take your medicine.” “Based on your previous purchases, this sale may interest you.” “May I add this item to your cart?” Even simple things, like the time of day, can become distracting and unwanted, with a buzz or a beep every hour on the hour. I find it all somewhat helpful but, most of all, irritating. I am tired of being beeped or buzzed or whatever all day. I yearn for no sounds and no vibrations.

I find the automatic spell-check particularly annoying. Whatever entity decides what my text messages are supposed to say is frequently off target. I am particularly frustrated that it is almost impossible to text the word “God.” It is routinely changed to “Gif” or even to “Gid” (whatever that is!). Why is it so difficult to end a text message with the simple declaration “God bless you”? It seems like Google, Alexa, Microsoft, and Siri have all determined that such a heartfelt blessing is somehow inappropriate. Surely, I must have meant something else.

FR. THOMAS M. SANTA, CSsR

All these distractions are nothing compared to the misinformation that dominates social media, masquerading as truthful.

All these distractions are nothing compared to the misinformation that dominates social media, masquerading as truthful. Anyone can be an expert—or so it seems. For example, one social media personality presents herself as “Mother,” a religious superior, but she has never been elected as a superior of any canonical institution. Another is a priest of a congregation that is not in union with Rome. He nonetheless offers spiritual direction and advice to unsuspecting people who are just trying to do good. I cannot even begin to list those “warriors" in cultural struggles and theological battles who routinely misrepresent themselves and sow discord and confusion as of matter of course. If you pay attention to what they are “selling,” you’ll notice there is a huge battle raging over the implementation of the Novus Ordo (“New Mass”). No, there is not. There is no new Mass. There is the Sunday liturgy that has been celebrated in the Roman Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council. It was new 50+ years ago, but now it is normal; to say otherwise is not truthful.

Because of all this—and, frankly, I am barely pulling back the covers and revealing what is going on—it is essential that we, as people of faith, can discover true and faithful navigators who can help us on our journey. It is not an accident that we at Liguorian identify ourselves as Catholic, pastoral, and trusted . We strive to be faithful at all times to the teaching of the Church, and we apply it in the spirit of St. Alphonsus Liguori. We choose authors with trustworthy credentials to write for

this magazine. Because we are committed to being faithful to Catholicism, pastoral living, and truth, we routinely reject what is unhelpful, manipulative, or “theological trash-talking.” We are part of the body of Christ, and we are determined to build up the body and guide it on our shared journey of faith.

This issue of Liguorian offers some helpful perspectives on Catholic living. It is only a snapshot of our Catholic life, but we hope you find it helpful and inspirational in your own spiritual journey.

Please continue to support us and join with us in promoting and distributing good Catholic reading to your family and friends. Once you have read this issue of Liguorian , please share it with someone else who might benefit from it. Encourage people to request a free digital subscription to Liguorian. If it is almost time for you to renew your print subscription, please do so, as it enables not only the print edition but also the digital edition.

The next time my watch beeps and tells me something I don’t want to know, instead of being irritated, I will try to accept the beep as a reminder to pray, to be grateful, and to see the power of God at work in our lives. In this way, perhaps I can tame the algorithm that has been imposed on me and see it as an opportunity for the manifestation of God’s grace.A

Readers Respond *

Send Us Your Feedback!

Write: Liguorian Editor, 200 Liguori Drive, Liguori, MO 63057 E-mail: Liguorianeditor@Liguori.org

The opinions expressed don't necessarily reflect the opinions of the e ditors. Letters must be signed and include the writer’s full address and daytime phone number. Names will be withheld from publication upon request. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for length, clarity, and style.

Dear Editor,

I’ve been a subscriber to Liguorian for many years and thoroughly enjoy each issue. I was especially touched by the article “Starry, Starry Night” (November-December 2024), as it is very similar to one of my favorite contemplations. I like to go out on a clear night, look up at the stars, and contemplate Matthew 10:29–30: “Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs on your head are counted.”

Imagine that the Creator of the entire universe knows me personally enough to count the hairs on my head! The longer I pray on this verse, the more awestruck and humble I become. Thank you for this great publication. Keep up the good work.

Peace and prayers, Frank M. (via email)

“Imagine that the Creator of the entire universe knows me personally enough to count the hairs on my head!”

Dear Editor,

Thank you for the article on the year of jubilee (“Jubilee 2025 | Pilgrims of Hope,” January-February 2025). One thing I love about being Catholic is knowing that people all over the world are praying together. It’s awesome. I look forward to reading more about this special year. Thank you for all your work.

Bill C. (via email)

See page 14 in this issue for “Jubilee 2025 / Pilgrims of Hope” by Gary Gately.

Dear Liguorian Editor, I was moved by Dave Bachmann’s story about the waitress and the customer who saw each other as real people, not just one robot waiting on another robot (“Thank You for Your Service,” JanuaryFebruary 2025). It’s a message I needed. Everybody is a person and deserves to be seen. I’m going to try to do that better.

Lucille B. (via email)

SPIRITUAL S TRENGTH FOR THE HOUR OF TESTING

◆ THE HOUR OF TESTING

Spiritual Depth and Insight in a Time of

Ecclesial Uncertainty

The renowned spiritual writer Fr. Donald Haggerty presents a powerful work of Catholic spirituality that confronts the ecclesial uncertainties and world circumstances that demand profoundly new insights. e relationship between our spirituality and the state of the Church, between our holiness and the darker forces within a contemporary culture, is especially pertinent today. is book o ers a striking interpretation for a renewed spirituality: that Jesus will live out within the Church the su erings of his own Passion and death. e demands of our holiness during such a time will be to live a spirituality in union with signi cant features of Jesus’ own last week.

To ponder the spiritual magnitude of the current hour and to perceive key insights for spirituality, the meditations in this book will intensify our love for God and provoke in us a greater desire for the full gi of self to God.

HTP . . . Sewn So cover, $19.95

“Fr. Haggerty helps us to draw nearer to God by uniting ourselves more closely with the Passion of Christ cruci ed.”

— Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York

“A hard-hitting analysis of today’s societal psychosis and dark godlessness, calling us to live in union with Christ’s Passion. is is a prophetic book.”

— Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P., Founding Editor, Magni cat

◆ SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS

Fr. Haggerty o ers a unique step-by-step introduction to the way of contemplation as St. John taught it—a burning, transformative intimacy with the God who made us.

SJCP Sewn So cover, $19.95

◆ TO HEIGHTS AND UNTO DEPTHS

Letters from the Colorado Trail

The inspiring story of an epic hike by Fr. John Nepil of the full Colorado Trail that presents the Catholic faith as an Incarnational worldview where we rediscover humanity, creation, and God. e 54 high peaks of Colorado, all over 14,000 ., are drawn together by a 486-mile Colorado Trail. His adventure presents us a new perspective that the Catholic worldview o ers the fullest spiritual vision of the backcountry, and the backcountry a privileged place for Catholic education. Drawing on great thinkers of the past century, including Luigi Giussani and Hans Urs von Balthasar, this work is a “ rst ascent” — a new route where Catholic theology meets alpine adventure.

is is a theological guidebook for those seeking a deeper spiritual vision of the mountains, for all who desire to recover the great patrimony of humanity — to see the Catholic vision of the reality, and to embrace it as a way of life.

THUDP Sewn So cover, $18.95

“ is is an immersion in the ‘Book of Nature’, along with the books of Scripture, to encounter the living God. It’s what makes the book remarkable, and why you need to read it.”

— Charles Chaput O.F.M. Cap.† , Archbishop Emeritus, Philadelphia

" is book is a pilgrimage of the heart combining storytelling, philosophy, history, nature writing, spiritual re ections —a package that is rich and unique. " — Sam Guzman, Author, e Catholic Gentleman

◆ THE DAY IS NOW FAR SPENT

Cardinal Robert Sarah calls this his most important book, as he analyzes the spiritual, moral, and political collapse of the Western world, and offers a remedy of a renewed devotion to Christ through prayer and virtue.

DNFSP . Sewn So cover, $19.95

Lenten Sacrifices

Growing up on the Caribbean island of Dominica in the 1980s and 1990s, I dreaded the season of Lent. As a child, Lent meant no meat on Fridays, no listening to calypso and soca music, and very low-key birthday celebrations (or no celebrations at all!). Those days of Lent seemed interminable and boring. Lent was all about sacrifice and giving things up. To my young ears, this did not sound appealing. However, as I matured in my faith, Lent meant much more than just giving things up, and sacrifice took on a deeper meaning.

Sacrifice is hard, especially when life has already demanded so much from us. For those who have spent years raising families, caring for others, or facing personal struggles, giving up one more thing can feel overwhelming: Haven’t I sacrificed enough already? And yet, Lent invites us to approach sacrifice not as an obligation but as an opportunity.

True sacrifice isn’t about deprivation for its own sake. It’s about detachment. We are called to let go of the things that clutter our hearts and minds and hinder our relationships with self, with others, and with God. Whether it is letting go of resentment or excessive worry, sacrifice is meant to free us, not burden us.

When we gaze at the cross, we should see the ultimate sacrifice, the love of Jesus for us all. When we make sacrifices during Lent, we imitate that love, even in small ways. In the seminary, one Lenten sacrifice was eating a simple soup dinner on the Fridays in Lent. The money saved by eating this simpler meal was donated to a charity at Easter. By our sacrifice, we brought a little bit of hope and life to others.

You may not be able to sacrifice a meal, but there are other practices worth considering this Lenten season.

FR. PETER D. HILL, CSsR

Instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media, devote some of that time to prayer or reaching out to others.

Attention— In our fast-paced world, sacrifice the need to always be busy. Instead, be fully present with those around you, listening with compassion and without distraction.

Comfort— Choose to fast not only from alcohol, chocolate, and soda but also from behaviors that keep you comfortable, such as avoiding difficult conversations or clinging to routines that keep you from growing.

Time— Instead of watching TV or mindlessly scrolling through social media, devote some of that time to prayer, spiritual reading, or reaching out to someone who is lonely or may need support.

In each of these sacrifices, we give more than we lose. We give time to God and space to others, thereby gaining a renewed focus on our own spiritual journey. Lent teaches us that sacrifice is transformative. Our Lenten practices should be such that, come Easter, we may find we have become a little bit more like God.

This Lent, instead of simply asking, “What will I give UP?”, consider asking, “What (or whom) will I give TO?” Offer your sacrifices as gifts—gifts of love, time, and devotion. Let them draw you closer to others and to God.A

Discovering God IN UNUSUAL PLACES

GOD HAS SURPRISED PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE AGES—WE JUST HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION

FR. RICHARD GRIBBLE,

CSC

Astaple for many “Boomers” was Highlights, a children’s magazine first published in 1946—the very year that kicked off the historic American baby-boom years that lasted until 1964. Children and grandkids of Boomers probably know the magazine, too. I remember a fun challenge among its many creative features: a scene on a page would appear normal, but hidden in it were things that didn’t belong, like animals or objects. The challenge? To find what’s hidden! I remember that some things were easy to identify, but others left me scratching my head.

This Highlights memory of discovering the unexpected within something larger is a fitting metaphor for the challenge many people face in finding the presence of God in unusual places. Indeed, our Lord often surprises us in when and where he shows up. Finding the multiple ways that God comes to us is a great challenge today. Secularism and the material world seek to dominate our attention and snuff out the presence of God. Thus, seekers have a hard time finding God. It’s worse than completing a child’s Highlights puzzle.

God’s Old Testament Surprises God’s surprising entrance into situations is a regular theme in the Hebrew Bible. Abram had never encountered the Lord until God tells him, “Go forth from your land, your relatives…to a land that I will show you.… To your descendants I will give this land” (Genesis 12:1, 7). God comes to the first patriarch with no

warning and no introduction. And Abraham follows God.

Many generations later, Moses escapes Egypt, fearing he would be discovered and implicated in the death of a fellow Hebrew. In Midian, Moses encounters a burning bush that is not consumed. (See Exodus 3:2.) Approaching this strange sight, Moses is told to remove his sandals because he is standing on holy ground. The voice tells Moses, “I am the God of your father…the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6). How could Moses imagine that God would come to him manifested as a voice from a burning bush that is not being consumed by the flames? Moses pays heed. God indeed is found in unusual places.

Elijah, in flight from the wrath of King Ahab, finds himself in a cave. The Lord tells him, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the L ord ; the Lord will pass by” (1 Kings 19:11a). The prophet experiences a strong wind, an earthquake, and fire, but

God is not in any of those things. Rather, God is present in “a light silent sound” (1 Kings 19:12). Ultimately, Elijah listens. Yes, God can be found in unusual places.

Some Old Testament prophets received their call in what might seem to be unusual ways, and their perception of being unqualified for such a vocation was common. Isaiah envisions Yahweh “on a high and lofty throne” (Isaiah 6:1) with seraphim stationed around him. Under the circumstances, one can readily understand Isaiah’s hesitancy, with God coming in such a shocking and magnificent way. Isaiah wails, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the L ord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). Eventually, convinced by God of his worthiness, the prophet responds to “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” by stating, “Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).

God comes to Jeremiah before he

Arguably the most dramatic and certainly the most spectacularly surprising entry of the Lord into anyone’s life is that of St. Paul.

is even born: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you” (Jeremiah 1:5). As with Isaiah, Jeremiah feels unworthy and ill-prepared for the prophetic ministry, but the Lord assures him, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak” (Jeremiah 1:7).

Amos also hesitates to accept the

prophetic commission: “I am not a prophet, nor do I belong to a company of prophets. I am a herdsman and a dresser of sycamores, but the L ord took me from following the flock, and the L ord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel’ ” (Amos 7:14–15).

The Unusual in the New Testament

The surprising presence of the Lord is also richly described in the New

Testament. Imagine the surprise of Zechariah when he is informed by an angel that his wife, Elizabeth, a woman who had been barren her entire life, is to bring forth a son who “will be great in the sight of [the] Lord” (Luke 1:15a). And although she is shocked, Elizabeth is elated when she becomes pregnant, proclaiming, “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others” (Luke 1:25).

CONVERSION OF PAUL THE APOSTLE; DETAIL OF FRESCO IN THE VATICAN CAPPELLA PAOLINA BY MICHELANGELO / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Even more dramatically, Elizabeth’s younger cousin, Mary of Nazareth, is also visited by an angel, who informs her, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:31–33). Mary, a virgin, understandably has difficulty comprehending this reality as the angel informs her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, concluding, “Nothing will be impossible for God” (Luke 1:37). Mary’s reply is her fiat: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38a).

As the Twelve Apostles are called, Nathanael is somewhat incredulous when Philip tells him they have found “the one about whom Moses wrote in the law” (John 1:45), responding, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46). He quickly amends his initial skepticism, proclaiming upon meeting Jesus, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel” (John 1:49).

Saint Luke records St. Peter’s ashamed reaction to his first encounter with the Lord Jesus—an encounter that led to a huge number of fish in their nets: “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). Jesus famously assures Peter, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10b).

Arguably the most dramatic and certainly the most spectacularly surprising entry of the Lord into anyone’s life is that of St. Paul. On his way to Damascus to continue persecuting the members of the “new way,” Saul of Tarsus is knocked to the ground by a sudden flash of light. He hears a voice proclaim, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). Saul shoots back, “Who are you, sir?” The reply? “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be

told what you must do” (Acts 9:5–6). Blinded by the experience, Saul does as he is told, eventually experiencing a total volte-face— a total transformation of his direction and purpose in life—with his sight regained. Saul, the great persecutor of Christians, becomes Paul, the great evangelist to the Gentiles.

God Will—and Does— Surprise Us Today

Sometimes God’s surprises are joyful and filled with many possibilities. At other times, God challenges and distresses us. How do we deal with the various surprises that God sends our way? When good fortune of any nature comes to us—like a triumphant family event, great success in business, or a monumental spiritual insight—it can be easy to accept the reality of such a situation. We rejoice and give thanks and glory to God for our good fortune. But the challenges and defeats of life, many of which are equally surprising, also result from the presence of God.

Acceptance of God’s plan is clearly presented in the various biblical examples I’ve recounted. Rather than running away, saying no, or ignoring the appearance of God, Abram, Moses, the prophets, Mary and Elizabeth, and the apostles—including St. Paul— somehow realized that God had entered their lives in surprising and dramatic ways for a positive purpose. Their collective fiats allowed salvation history to move forward, from the call of the first patriarch to the

birth of Jesus Christ, to today. They could not see or know the future, but they willingly and obediently accepted the surprising presence of God in their lives.

Similarly, we are often asked to find the presence of the Lord, as did Elijah, in unusual ways, places, and especially people. When the Lord comes our way, are we attentive to his presence? Or are we plagued by “tunnel vision” that causes us to miss God’s presence or, worse, ignore the Lord when he comes knocking on our door? Recall the Book of Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.” We must anticipate God’s call or his summons, for it may come when we least expect it. We must be prepared to open the door.

God does not make mistakes. So, when things don’t go our way, welcome the presence of God. His surprises can highlight our lives.

Finding the presence of the Lord is often a challenge, but an anecdote about philanthropist Andrew Carnegie is instructive. Arriving basically penniless in the United States from Scotland in the mid-nineteenth century, Carnegie built his business, culminating in the foundation of U.S. Steel. He became one of the richest men in the country. A reporter once asked Carnegie why he had several millionaires working for him. He said that when he had hired those people, they weren’t making huge salaries, but he had been able to find that special quality inside each of them. He provided an analogy: When one digs for ore or precious metals, tons of dirt, rock,

We can learn much and gain much strength from meeting the surprises God has for us and finding the Lord in unusual situations, places, and people—kind of like the puzzles in Highlights .

and debris must be removed to find those special metals. Similarly, each person needs to be mined to get past all the extraneous qualities and find the “gold” in the person—and when a person’s “gold” is developed and refined, the person should be paid accordingly for his or her contribution. Carnegie’s attitude is one we should adopt in our own attitude toward others.

The Lord does not make mistakes. Therefore, because we were made in God’s image, there is goodness and godliness in each person. It might take some time and effort on our part to discover it, but the presence of God is found in every person. Similarly,

God will surprise us; the Lord is present everywhere. We just have to be open to recognizing him.

Being Open to Highlights from God

Challenging situations, events, and people are part of life’s journey. While it is not as easy to recognize God in the challenges, they are also examples of how God surprises us. Openness to the power and presence of God is an essential part of the Christian life. Difficult situations require patience and the will to continue moving forward. A natural tendency is to remove oneself from the challenging situation or individual and seek another direction. However,

we can learn much and gain much strength from meeting the surprises God has for us and finding the Lord in unusual situations, places, and people—kind of like the puzzles in Highlights.

Many great lessons arise from situations we did not anticipate or even from problems and defeats. When things go well, we can easily miss the lesson being taught, but defeat always mandates that we pay attention to what our Lord wants to convey. Let us not turn from the surprising presence of God in our lives. Let us welcome it. It will bring us great joy and, more importantly, move us one step closer to life eternal.A

Fr. Richard Gribble, CSC, was a professor of religious studies and theology at Stonehill College for 27 years. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy, then earned Master of Divinity and Master of Sacred Theology degrees from the Jesuit School of Theology, followed by a PhD from the Catholic University of America. He is the author of numerous historical and spiritual works and is currently in residence at the University of Notre Dame.

FJubilee 2025 | Pilgrims of Hope

The Basilica of St. Peter’s “Digital Twin” Welcomes Online Visitors

or the faithful around the globe who can’t make it to Rome for the 2025 jubilee year, St. Peter’s Basilica now offers close-up, 3D digital views of the Renaissance masterpiece online. From the dome designed by Michelangelo that towers 450 feet above the basilica floor to St. Peter’s tomb beneath the altar, the “St. Peter’s Basilica: AI-Enhanced Experience” melds centuries of history and modern technology to provide intricately detailed tours of the interior and exterior of the world’s largest church.

The Vatican teamed up with Microsoft to create a “digital twin” of St. Peter’s, using 400,000 high-resolution photographs captured by drones and cameras over a period of four weeks when the basilica was closed to the public. Online visitors can zoom in on Bernini’s baldachin, the massive baroque sculpted bronze canopy above the altar; admire Michelangelo’s Pietà and the shimmering mosaics of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and saints in the cupola from just yards away; or descend into the grottoes, where more than 90 popes, including Pope St. John Paul II, are entombed.

Microsoft worked with Iconem, a digital-preservation company, and, with the help of artificial intelligence and lasers, the two tech companies stitched together overlapping photos to create the 3D replica. It not only provides a captivating virtual tour but also aids conservation efforts: the AI-powered model has already enabled basilica caretakers to detect cracks, missing mosaic tiles, and

other signs of wear invisible to the naked eye at the basilica, completed in 1626.

The digital twin is part of a broader initiative to make the basilica more accessible during the jubilee year, when 32 million pilgrims are expected to visit the basilica, on top of the average of 50,000 who normally visit daily. Virtual visitors can explore the basilica 24/7 at their own pace, guided by interactive tools, audio narration, and text in multiple languages that detail its history, architecture, and religious significance. You can access the 3D guided tour of St. Peter’s at virtual.basilicasanpietro.va/ en/explore-the-basilica.

To engage younger audiences, the Vatican partnered with Microsoft’s Minecraft Education platform to give students worldwide a gamified version of the basilica, delivering an interactive learning experience that combines history, art, and faith. And a digital, animestyle jubilee mascot named Luce (“light” in Italian)—who wears a rosary, sports blue hair, and teaches about the Catholic faith—has gone viral with younger audiences online.

The Vatican also has installed webcams that provide live-streamed online views of St. Peter’s tomb and the 12-foot-high bronze Holy Door, whose richly detailed panels depict biblical scenes such as the Fall of Adam and Eve, the Virgin Mary at the annunciation, the return of the Prodigal Son, and the resurrection of Jesus. Pope Francis passed through the Holy Door on Christmas Eve 2024 to usher in the jubilee year, normally celebrated every quarter-century. Those who cross the threshold of the basilica’s Holy Door or visit other designated pilgrimage churches around the world during the jubilee year can receive a plenary indulgence, which provides remission of punishment for sins. A

AI-generated image of Michelangelo’s Pietà inside St. Peter’s Basilica. IMAGE: MICROSOFT

The “digital twin” of St. Peter’s Basilica enables online visitors to explore 3D images of the exterior and interior of the world’s largest church. PHOTO: MICROSOFT

The Timeless Golden Rule

There is a line in Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis that I keep thinking about. He is quoting Samuel Johnson: “People need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed.” This profound observation rings especially true today, when we so often find ourselves caught up in the whirlwind of immense technological advancements and cultural shifts.

It is tempting to believe that our current era is unique, a time of unprecedented change and challenge never before experienced. Perhaps. Even despite the increasing pace of technological innovation, the fundamental truths of human existence remain constant. One such truth is captured in the Golden Rule: “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12).

While many have communicated new moral codes and societal norms, the Golden Rule offers a timeless principle that transcends cultural and historical boundaries anywhere in the world. As C.S. Lewis states, also in Mere Christianity , “The Golden Rule of the New Testament…is a summing up of what everyone…had always known to be right. Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that.” He goes on to explain, “[The Rule] is meant for all [people] at all times, and the particular programme which suited one place or time would not suit another.” Those programs created for a particular circumstance are too often like a ship sailing farther and farther from home, never to find its way back.

We need not create a new parish program or Catholic-school curriculum about our morality. Samuel Johnson stated that we need only to continue to remind each other of what we’ve always known to be true and good. Truth is not the new trinity of me, myself, and I. Rather, the truth continues, as it always has, to look outside ourselves and serve the good of others. It becomes even more transcendent when we apply the truth that we are all made in God’s image. When we truly see each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, we can apply the Golden Rule seamlessly.

SCOTT CZARNOPYS

Learning to share as a child helps build a foundation for living the Golden Rule.

The Golden Rule is not merely a suggestion but a moral imperative. It calls us to step outside ourselves and consider the needs and feelings of others. It challenges us to practice empathy and extend forgiveness. In a world often characterized by division and conflict, the Golden Rule offers a beacon of hope, guiding us on the path to unity.

The reminder of the Golden Rule calls us to transcend our differences and embrace our shared humanity. And how do we “remind” others of this timeless truth? By living it—as parents, teachers, colleagues, bosses, neighbors, and friends. Let us commit ourselves to living this timeless principle not just in word, but in practice as well—starting today.

I’ll pray for you. Please pray for me!A

ANNA KRAYNOVA / SHUTTERSTOCK

The Truth of the Real Presence

A CATHOLIC’S FIVE-HOUR TRIP UP AN AMAZONIAN RIVER CRYSTALLIZES THE EUCHARIST’S POWER

FR. PATRICK KEYES, CSsR

Mass began at about four o’clock on a hot and sticky afternoon in the community of São Francisco, near the Alto Río Copea, a river in the middle of the Amazon jungle. As I preached, Dona Vado, a community leader, and her sister entered the chapel. I remembered stopping at Dona Vado’s community downriver earlier in the day to ask if she needed a ride to Mass. I was told she was working in the fields and couldn’t go to Mass.

After Mass, I apologized to Dona Vado and asked, “How did you make it to church?”

“Paddling,” said Dona Vado. Amazingly, she had traveled for nearly five hours up the Alto Río Copea to get to Mass.

“Dona Vado, that’s too dangerous,” I protested. “It was too big of a sacrifice to paddle upriver in the heat and sun with the piranhas and crocodiles. You could have lost your life!”

“The sacrifice I made was nothing like the sacrifice that Jesus made.”

—DONA VADO

Dona Vado (left), with her sister and Fr. Patrick Keyes, CSsR, in front of São Francisco Chapel, under construction.

“The sacrifice I made was nothing like the sacrifice that Jesus made,” Dona Vado responded. “I knew that if I didn’t come to Mass today, it would be another year before I would be able to go to Mass. I can’t be without my Jesus for a year.”

I was blessed to be able to serve as a missionary in the Amazon in Brazil, where there are no highways or trains. The roadway is the river, and the cars are boats. I lived in Coari, a municipality in the Brazilian state of Amazonas, which is in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. I was responsible for more than 130 rural communities. Small chapels are dotted along the various rivers that flow into the mighty Amazon. Because of the difficulty of boat travel and the number of communities, I was able to visit each community only once a year. Dona Vado was right. Had she not made it to Mass that afternoon, she would have had to wait another year to celebrate the Eucharist.

Dona Vado’s extraordinary story is an extreme example, but in the thirty-five years of my priesthood, I have experienced countless illustrations of people’s love of and belief in the Eucharist. I have seen Catholics become very concerned when a host falls to the floor during Communion and quickly clean the area of the dropped host. I have served elderly people in hospitals who are mostly unresponsive, yet they open their mouths and say, “Amen!” when I lift the host and say, “The Body of Christ.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people called their churches to say they wanted the Body of Christ. At the time of high contagion, it wasn’t possible to visit skilled-care facilities, but after several months, I was able to celebrate Mass at a local nursing home. At Communion, I gave a man in a wheelchair the Body of Christ. With tears in his eyes, he said, “I’ve been waiting for Jesus to come to me for too long. Thank you, Jesus!”

I could tell many more stories of people and their deep love for the Eucharist. For example, when my father moved into an apartment for senior citizens, he said, “This is the best place I’ve lived in eighty years. Here, I have Mass every day, right down the hall.”

Many Catholics might not be able to articulate the precise theology of the Real Presence of Christ, and they may stumble saying the word “transubstantiation,” but, by their actions, they show a deep belief in the Real Presence. Countless times, I have offered Communion to people who have replied, “I need to go confession.” These people truly believe in the Real Presence. They would not state their need for reconciliation if they thought the Eucharist was a mere symbol.

Many Catholics might not be able to articulate the theology of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, but their actions reveal a deep belief in it.

As a pastoral theologian, and in the spirit of Redemptorist founder St. Alphonsus Liguori, I am interested in doctrine and practice. I believe that it is important to study doctrine, and it is also necessary to reflect on the practice of theology. Talking with a seven-year-old boy who is working toward his first Communion or a ninety-year-old woman who wants to receive Communion on her deathbed are examples of living theology—the theology of praxis. Their beliefs and practices can help us understand the Eucharist.

In the center of downtown Mexico City is a church named Templo Expiatorio Nacional de San Felipe de Jesús . Saint Felipe de Jesús, a missionary in the Philippines in the sixteenth century, was the first Mexican saint and martyr. On his way back to Mexico to be ordained, his boat was shipwrecked in Japan. On February 5, 1597, he was crucified. Three hundred years later, the San Felipe de Jesús church was dedicated. It is intended to be a church where the Blessed Sacrament is always exposed and adored—the word expiatorio describes a place of prayer for the expiation of sins.

Lord Jesus Christ, we worship you, living among us in the sacrament of your Body and Blood.

May we offer to our Father in heaven a solemn pledge of undivided love. Amen.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION PRAYER, UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS

doubt that if you were to ask someone kneeling in the church, “Why are you here?”, the person would respond with confidence, “Because Jesus is here.”

As you might expect in a world of more than one billion Roman Catholics, other houses of worship like San Felipe de Jesús are open. Three of them include the reopened Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, a stunning medieval gothic house of worship; Sacré-Coeur Basilica, also in Paris; and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. Like San Felipe, the latter two were built by the donations of the faithful and are active homes for prayer and expiation in front of the Blessed Sacrament.

As I mentioned, my experience is that people believe in the Real Presence but are not always able to articulate that belief. But studies find that too many Catholics are skeptical about Christ being truly present in the Eucharist (see next page).

The church of San Felipe de Jesús is a stunning neo-Romantic structure situated on Avenida Francisco I. Madero (Madero Avenue), one of the busiest, noisiest pedestrian walkways in a city of millions of people. There, vendors hawk wares, people beg for meal money, couples hold hands as they stroll, families bond as they walk, and shoppers hunt for bargains or that “special something.”

When you walk through the church door, you are transported into another world, a sacred space of reverence and devotion. Day and night, many people pray in front of the Blessed Sacrament. I have no

To discover the truth, two things are important. First, study and believe the theology of the Eucharist from Scripture, the early Fathers of the Church, the Church in the Middle Ages, and the centuries through today. Second, it is just as vital to reflect on the practice of the people in the pews. That includes your fellow parishioners who faithfully and consistently adore the Blessed Sacrament, the Catholics and others who stop into the church of San Felipe on their way home from work, those faithful who revere the Eucharist week after week at Mass, and courageous believers like my friend from Brazil who miraculously averted danger as she paddled for five hours up a treacherous Amazonian river just to have her Jesus—Dona Vado. A

In the vibrant historical center of Mexico City, the church of San Felipe de Jesús offers perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Bringing Back the Skeptical and the Fallen Away

In a much-touted Pew study on religion that says only a third of US Catholics believe that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Christ, survey-takers could agree with one of two choices: “The bread and wine actually become the Body and Blood of Christ.” or “They are symbols.” The first choice is correct. It is troubling that two-thirds of the respondents replied with the “symbol” choice.

In 2023, a different study—with better results—was taken by CARA, Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. The study asked Catholics to express what they believed about the Eucharist. Two-thirds articulated that they believe Christ is truly present in the Eucharist. While that percentage also is troubling, it is much more reflective of the beliefs of Catholics, in my opinion.

We must do more to help Catholics in their unbelief, but more disturbing to me than people’s inability to articulate an understanding of the Real Presence is the fact that only 17 percent of Catholics attend Mass every week, only about 35 percent attend once a month, and more than 50 percent attend Mass only a few times a year or not at all.

If around 67 percent of Catholics believe that Jesus Christ is really present in the celebration of the Eucharist, why don’t more of the faithful attend Mass more regularly? Mass attendance has dropped off precipitously in just a few years, and it seems to be continuing a

downward slide. The answer is not primarily to teach eucharistic theology classes to people so they will understand the Mass and see it as “the source and summit of the Christian life” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1324). I believe the answer is to offer meaningful celebrations of the Eucharist. Our history has shown us the importance of reverent worship spaces, well-performed music, meaningful homilies, and a welcoming community. The foundation is already there!

Also, Catholics need to know that some of the most beautiful buildings in the history of civilization reveal a great love for the Eucharist. Soaring Gothic cathedrals, lovingly crafted liturgical vessels, glorious settings for the Mass, stunning arrangements of flowers, and more—all are displaying love and devotion for the Eucharist.

Within those glorious structures and in all spaces Catholic, we need to form vibrant faith communities that are

welcoming to visitors, to people who come for funerals or other celebrations, and to those who come once a year or only every so often.

In 2024, I celebrated thirtyfive years of priesthood—thirtyfive years of celebrating the Eucharist primarily in poor Latino communities in the United States and in Latin America. In those years, people like the tireless faith exemplar Dona Vado and countless others have taught me that they know Christ is present in the Blessed Sacrament. I pray that more Catholics show their belief in this truth.

Fr. Patrick Keyes, CSsR, is a Redemptorist Catholic priest who professed his first vows in 1985 and was ordained in 1989. Since his ordination, he has worked primarily with the Latino community in the United States and Latin America. He holds a doctorate in pastoral counseling from Fordham University in New York, with a dissertation on creating culturally diverse communities. He lives at his parish, Holy Trinity, in the center of Mexico City and serves as the formation director for the postulants of the community.

PHOTO BY GENE

Embracing Our Fragility and Vulnerability

A Path to Integrated Living

FR. THOMAS M. SANTA, CSsR

TOUGHING IT OUT DOESN’T WORK, BUT ACCEPTING OUR FRAGILITY CAN HELP US BECOME THE COMPLETE HUMAN AND SPIRITUAL PEOPLE GOD CREATED US TO BE

Human beings are extremely fragile—not as fragile as other creatures, but still fragile. We’re more hardened and protected than a hummingbird, but we lack the brute strength of a humpback whale. Just as a moth can be brushed away with the wave of a hand, humans can be discarded, but usually not that easily. Tragically, we see exceptions when an assault weapon’s spray of bullets silences lives in seconds.

Our fragility makes us vulnerable. We are not the steeled and invincible characters found in comic books. No Iron Man or Wonder Woman lives among us, regardless of our posturing and ability to ignore our challenges in life.

Despite the parameters of our being, or perhaps because of them, people repeatedly demonstrate that they are quite capable of denying both fragility and vulnerability. We don’t need a rocket scientist to uncover this truth—our state of denial can be illustrated with just a small injection of reality into our awareness. It is remarkable to observe the many who seem to live their lives either without integrating fragility and vulnerability into their personhood or, if they are aware of these traits, hiding them from the rest of the world.

Some people seem to project strength, radiating an aura of being very much in control and having it all

together. We can easily name some high-profile political and business figures who revel in their false strength and confidence, when the truth about them is the opposite of how they appear. Such a person projects a masquerade, a phony distraction that conceals the vulnerability underneath the mist of self-propelled and manufactured expertise. Fragility persists in him or her all the while.

Despite our ability to deny or mask human fragility and vulnerability with bravado, life invites people to at least consider, if not accept, truths about themselves that they may prefer to ignore or dismiss. Some experiences are so powerful that it is impossible for people to hide their feelings; still, some try. Those who continue their charade effectively reject life’s invitation to express the fragile beings they are.

Many ordinary human experiences invite reflection and illustrate this all-too-common opportunity to show fragility. Examples include sickness, such as the unexpected diagnosis of life-threatening cancer or the sudden loss of someone close to us. The abrupt change in an important relationship. The unexpected fender-bender. The blunt, careless criticism of something or someone we value and care for. Even the unexpected change in the weather. Each of these examples can leave us unprepared and forced to adapt, reminding us of

When people ignore their spiritual selves, they drift toward isolation.

our fragility and vulnerability and helping us adjust to the situation.

In addition to the events and experiences that happen outside ourselves, there are also the experiences that reside within the depths of our being. The different mental illnesses and disorders that affect so many people are well-known examples of the human condition. Each illness, each silent but stealthy manifestation, has the potential to wreak real emotional havoc in the life of a person who suffers from it, possibly leading to anxiety, stress, addiction, or a multitude of other experiences and behaviors.

Unfortunately, a common coping tool when fragility and vulnerability show up is the impulse to “tough it out.” Why do people do that? Some people see it as the “manly” or “womanly” thing to do. For others, it is an outward sign of personal strength in the face of adversity. For still others, particularly for those with a certain Christian form of pious thought and practice, it is the “cross that we have been given to carry.”

If a person’s struggle is rooted in mental illness, he or she may have

other reasons for enduring the pain rather than addressing the issue. Chief among these is a fear that acknowledging a mental struggle to another person will somehow mark the afflicted as “weak” or tarnish his or her reputation. There is also the deep distrust that some people have for any kind of behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy, or medical therapy beyond an occasional aspirin. Some people even decline medical treatment out of fear of becoming addicted to the medication.

The inclination to deny what we are experiencing and the propensity to try to endure it are harmful. These approaches exacerbate mental illness or addiction; in short, they fuel conditions that negatively impact healthy living and thrive in isolation. Someone with mental illness who isolates from his or her relationships and community is particularly fragile. Isolation is paralyzing and potentially deadly; it pretends to

offer some form of safety, but it’s a perverse lie. Isolation does not make a person safe; it only precludes any lasting growth and maturity, making it even more difficult for the person to become truly integrated.

Acknowledging our humanity, including the fragility and vulnerability that is innate in all of us, is an essential step in growing into mature people. We must embrace the parts of us we consider weak along with our strengths and talents.

Acknowledging

our humanity, including the fragility and vulnerability that is innate in all of

us,

an essential step in growing into mature people.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ (1881–1955), a Jesuit priest and paleontologist, once observed, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” This profound statement needs to be discussed and applied, because it helps people accept, rather than deny, fragility and vulnerability.

Human and spiritual, accepted as complementary to each other, offer a perspective that helps us understand

the basic integrative components of authentic and healthy living. This understanding stands in stark contrast to conflicting perspectives that do not contribute to integrative living, such as the isolation of ourselves or our experiences, the demanding concentration that social media requires, and the decline of traditional communitarian worship, to name just a few.

These perspectives are even more concerning when their full ramifications are considered. The connection between humanity and spirituality should not be ignored. The challenge is to live in the fullness of the human experience and, in the process, to be formed as an integrated spiritual person. A person’s spiritual practice reveals his or her human experience.

A traditional understanding of spirituality, regardless of the disciplines and practices engaged, is that spirituality and worship require relationship and community for the disciplines and practices to be authentic, to make any kind of sense. Sitting alone, isolated in your private place in the darkness, repeatedly engaging in specific rituals, is not healthy religious expression, except perhaps occasionally. There is a challenge in this assertion to both the people and the institutions that supposedly represent spiritual and religious truths.

For a person to strive toward, and achieve, the ideal of being an integrated and balanced human, he or she must embrace the fullness of the human and spiritual experience, including fragility and vulnerability. Our physical and spiritual experiences must reflect this truth.

In modern terminology, the human and the spiritual must provide a “safe and welcoming space” to encourage and enable the process of becoming an integrated, healthy person. Coming to this awareness and choosing to live in an integrated way seems to be the best path shared by both humanity and spirituality. Partnering “fully human” and “fully

spiritual” is essential if we wish to become the best we can be.

When people ignore their spiritual selves, they drift toward isolation. And when a spiritual practice ignores, denies, or—worse—excludes an authentic human characteristic, it contributes to isolation and denies people the possibility of integration and balance.

The point of authentic integration is the experience of accepting this delicate balance. Such an experience shows us that fragility and vulnerability are the building blocks and the light of truth as you fully embrace what emerges. You no longer believe, or hope, or propose. You know. Not an opinionated or stubborn “knowing,” but a real revelation rooted in authentic humanity and spirituality, which are united in support of the truth. This great unfolding and awareness of truth begins with our

commitment to first acknowledge our fragility and vulnerability, then ultimately to embrace both experiences.

Authentic experiences rooted in the human condition and often informed by a spiritual perspective are ultimately healthy and integrated. Real maturity, the ever-growing awareness of the true self, does not deny incompleteness or weakness; on the other hand, it does not reject conviction or strength. It seeks only to balance the fullness of each person: human and spiritual. In this balance, we discover and celebrate the integration that we seek.A

Fr. Thomas M. Santa, CSsR, is the president and publisher of Liguori Publications and the publisher of Liguorian magazine.

The human and the spiritual must provide a “safe and welcoming space” to encourage and enable the process of becoming an integrated, healthy person.

Faith in a Skeptical World A Personal Journey

LAIK SIDDIQUI

In the quiet corners of my childhood home, nestled among the dog-eared books and faded photographs, I always felt a sense of something greater. My parents, though not overtly religious, instilled in me a curiosity about the world and its mysteries. This curiosity, I would later realize, was the first step on my winding path through the landscape of faith and doubt.

As a child, religion was a distant concept, something I observed in others but never truly felt. I watched my classmates attend Sunday school, heard them speak of prayer and miracles, and wondered what they experienced that I did not. Was there truly an unseen force guiding our lives, or was it merely comforting fiction? My questions, innocent at first, would become the foundation of a lifelong exploration.

My teenage years brought with them a surge of skepticism. Armed with newfound knowledge of science and philosophy, I began to question everything. The elegant equations of physics and the mind-bending concepts of cosmology seemed to leave little room for divine intervention. I remember nights spent poring over books by Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, their words resonating with my growing disillusionment with organized religion.

Yet, even as I embraced skepticism, I had a nagging feeling that something was missing. The world, explained through the lens of pure materialism, felt somehow diminished. The awe I felt when gazing at a star-filled sky or witnessing an act of profound human kindness seemed to hint at something beyond mere atoms and chemical reactions.

During my college years, I first encountered the writings of Carl Sagan. His ability to marry scientific rigor with a sense of cosmic wonder struck a chord within me. Here was a scientist who could speak of the universe with almost religious reverence, who saw in the vastness of space and the complexity of life something akin to the divine. Through Sagan’s words,

I began to see that the dichotomy between science and spirituality might not be as rigid as I had once believed.

This realization opened new avenues of exploration. I delved into the works of philosophers and theologians who grappled with the big questions of existence. I found myself drawn to the writings of

Paul Tillich, who spoke of God not as a supernatural being but as the “ground of being” itself. His concept of faith as “ultimate concern” resonated with my own sense of awe and wonder at the universe.

As I continued my journey, I began to see religion not as a set of unquestionable dogmas but as a human attempt to grapple with the profound mysteries of existence. The stories and rituals that had once seemed alien to me took on new meaning. I saw in them the collective wisdom of generations who had wrestled with questions of morality, purpose, and the nature of reality itself.

My exploration led me to unexpected places. I found myself drawn to Buddhist philosophy, with its emphasis on mindfulness and the interconnectedness of all things. The concept of “non-self” challenged my notions of individual identity and opened new ways of thinking about consciousness and its place in the universe.

In my professional life as a scientist, I have found that my spiritual journey has enhanced, rather than hindered, my work. The sense of wonder that drives my faith also fuels my curiosity about the natural world. The humility that comes from recognizing the limits of human knowledge pushes me to question my assumptions and remain open to new discoveries.

My personal faith has also deepened my connection to others. By recognizing the common threads that run through different religious and philosophical traditions, I have found a greater sense of empathy and understanding for people from all walks of life. I have learned to see beyond the surface differences of belief and ritual to the shared human experiences that unite us all.

“The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass, God is waiting for you.”

—WERNER HEISENBERG, PHYSICIST AND NOBEL LAUREATE

I also rediscovered the wisdom in the traditions I had grown up around. The parables of Jesus, stripped of supernatural claims, revealed themselves as profound teachings on empathy and social justice. The rituals of Judaism, which I explored through friends, offered a beautiful way of sanctifying time and cultivating gratitude.

Yet, even as I found value in these traditions, I struggled with the exclusivity that often accompanied them. The idea that any one religion could claim a monopoly on truth seemed at odds with the vast diversity of human experience. I found myself drawn to the words of the Sufi poet Rumi, who wrote, “I belong to no religion. My religion is love. Every heart is my temple.” This became a guiding principle in my spiritual journey. I realized that, for me, faith was not about adhering to a specific set of beliefs, but about cultivating a sense of openness to the mystery of existence. It was about recognizing the limitations of human knowledge and embracing the wonder of the unknown.

As I have grown older, my relationship with religion and spirituality has continued to evolve. I have come to see faith not as a destination but as a journey, a constant process of questioning, exploring, and growing. There are still days when doubt creeps in, when the vastness of the universe and the complexity of existence seem overwhelming. But I have learned to embrace these moments of uncertainty, seeing them not as a threat to faith but as an integral part of it.

As I reflect on my journey, I am reminded of a quote by the physicist Werner Heisenberg: “The first gulp from the glass of natural sciences will turn you into an atheist, but at the bottom of the glass, God is waiting for you.”

While I might not use the term “God” in the traditional sense, I resonate with the sentiment. The deeper I have delved into both science and spirituality, the more I have come to appreciate the profound mystery at the heart of existence.

Today, my faith is not about certainty but about embracing the questions. It’s about cultivating a sense of awe at the beauty and complexity of the universe. It’s about striving to live with compassion and purpose, recognizing our interconnectedness with all of life. And it’s about remaining open to the possibility of transcendence—those moments when we glimpse something beyond our everyday perception.

In a world often divided by religious differences, I have found that this approach to faith can be a bridge rather than a barrier. By focusing on the common values and experiences that underlie different traditions, we can foster dialogue and understanding across cultural and ideological lines.

As I continue on this journey, I am reminded that faith, like life itself, is a constant process of growth and discovery. The questions that sparked my curiosity as a child continue to drive me forward, always seeking, always wondering. And in that seeking, in that wonder, I find something sacred. A

Laik Siddiqui is a scientist living in Uttar

Pradesh, India.

Living the Catechism

Essentials for Learning and Practicing the Catechism of the Catholic Church

From the prologue of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), in the section titled “The Aim and Intended Readership of This Catechism,” comes the following:

This catechism aims at presenting an organic synthesis of the essential and fundamental contents of Catholic doctrine, as regards both faith and morals, in the light of the Second Vatican Council and the whole of the Church’s tradition. Its principal sources are the Sacred Scriptures, the Fathers of the Church, the liturgy, and the Church’s Magisterium. It is intended to serve “as a point of reference for the catechisms or compendia that are composed in the various countries” (CCC 11).

This work is intended primarily for those responsible for catechesis: first of all the bishops, as teachers of the faith and pastors of the Church. It is offered to them as an instrument in fulfilling their responsibility of teaching the people of God. Through the bishops, it is addressed to redactors of catechisms, to priests, and to catechists. It will also be useful reading for all other Christian faithful (CCC 12).

Often, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is seen as a kind of “owner’s manual” or, for others, a book

of directions and boundaries. It is most assuredly not either of these, which becomes clearer when the canons referenced above are understood and accepted in context. The Catechism is, in fact, an “organic synthesis” or, better yet, a combination of multiple sources and ideas to present an overview. It in no way attempts to include every point, every emphasis, or every detail. The footnotes are essential, directing us to the sources and resources necessary for a full understanding.

The Catechism is a useful and essential tool for teaching, but it is ideally dependent on a pastor or teacher with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and the ability to contextualize what is being presented. This dynamic allows for the movement of the Spirit of God that is revealed in the experience and in the actual living of what is being presented—in other words, the teaching and preaching experience that the Catechism envisions as essential for learning and practice.

Often, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is seen as a kind of “owner’s manual” or, for others, a book of directions and boundaries. It is most assuredly not either of these.

Perhaps one of the best illustrators of this point is Father Mike Schmitz and his popular podcast, The Catechism in a Year. Father Mike did not only read the Catechism to his listeners but also provided the necessary context, experience, and perception required for a full understanding and appreciation. This is probably why this podcast was so popular: it mirrored in practice what the Catechism was intended to be and how it was intended to be used.

With that said, canon 12 states that the Catechism “will also be useful reading for all other Christian faithful.” Again, pay attention to the wording. It does not state that it is an owner’s manual for Catholics but rather that the Catechism should be referenced and read by ALL Christians—a completely different description, reflective of the primary purpose of the Catechism a

Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Vaticana

Listen to The Catechism in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz wherever you get your podcasts.

Lent: An Alternative Focus

It’s customary to focus on sinfulness during Lent. This is a season of reflection, sacrifice, and penitence. We try to pray more, do penance by giving up a luxury or favorite habit, and offer our time, treasure, and talent for the benefit of others.

As I have journeyed with people in spiritual direction, it’s become clear that most people don’t need help to feel guilty or penitent. In fact, most of us carry guilt and shame habitually, and this, itself, is a habit worth giving up for Lent. Christ came not to condemn us but to offer us another way of going through this life—a way of forgiveness, freedom, gratitude, and hope. But how do we give up such a close association with sin in its many iterations? Shouldn’t we confess our sad state and spend ample time feeling appropriately awful about it?

In wrestling with this, I went back to Jesus in the gospels. What I saw again and again was this: he met people in their pain and unwellness. Many of his encounters were acts of healing. He looked for what needed to be made whole in a person’s life. In the majority of Jesus’ encounters with people, he began with their wounds.

What if, instead of trying to identify my every sin and failing, I prayerfully consider my wounds? What if, instead of confessing the same old sins, I express to Jesus how I am hurting and in need of freedom?

After all, our woundedness is closely connected to sin. We hurt others, and they hurt us, out of selfishness, lack of faith (fear), and the desire to control people and situations. On the broader scale, millions of people suffer grave wounds of poverty, hunger, and disease because patterns of greed and power-mongering shape entire political, social, and economic systems. Systemic sin is responsible for at least as much human suffering as is individual wrongdoing.

Redemptive Living

VINITA HAMPTON WRIGHT

Bring to our Lord your wounds and ask to be healed.

I have discovered that if I explore my woundedness, I will likely expose unhealthy patterns of attitude and behavior in myself and in those whose lives touch mine. If I look at my wounds, they will show me the sin that is causing the most damage. Yes, perhaps I lust after a nicer car, and I need to face that. But the self-loathing I have learned over a lifetime of engaging with advertising and social media turns out to be the graver manifestation of sin. When Jesus heals me by confronting my self-loathing, he will, as a matter of course, deal with the sin at the root of my pain.

So, here’s my suggestion for Lent: bring to our Lord your wounds and ask to be healed. When he makes you whole, you will also hear him say, as he has said so many times when healing those who suffer: “Son / Daughter, your sins are forgiven.” A

ZAMRZNUTI TONOVI / SHUTTERSTOCK

Navigating College With Faith

FINDING OUR IDENTITY IS EASIER WHEN WE START FROM A FOUNDATION IN GOD

ALEXANDER DUONG

College can be challenging and stressful for young people. There are worries about keeping up with coursework, getting good grades on papers, passing final exams, and paying tuition. But perhaps the greatest stress we face is identity confusion. Most college students are in transition between their teen years and adulthood. Preparing to be an adult in the real world demands skills we are still developing, and mistakes can have serious and lasting consequences. We are trying to figure out who we are and what our place is in the world, and the results of this discernment may dictate how our personalities develop or change—which in turn plays a role in the choices we make in our lives after college. There are many factors that impact our development during this time, such as academic experiences and financial stability, but there is no greater influence than that of our peers and the social groups we find ourselves in.

Adopting the beliefs and values of the people we interact with is an inborn psychosocial mechanism. We seek to avoid isolation because we want to be loved and protected, and oftentimes this leads us to do whatever it takes to form and maintain friendships. Fitting in with our peers can be a significant factor in how we perceive ourselves and the world around us.

Negative Influences

We are living with pervasive negative influences that radically impact the values and beliefs of my generation. These influences include an increase in secularism, political and social agendas that twist the teachings of Christ and the Church, and the normalization of moral depravities while traditional values are shunned.

Too often, how we seek relief from isolation and stress is rooted in earthly, temporal comforts, and we do not seek God as the true comforter and focal point of our identity formation. Thus, our identities as adults are influenced by that which is contrary to divine law and the teachings of Christ.

For example, when we’re stressed in college, we often try to find ways to alleviate that stress quickly and easily. Why is this a problem? Because the help we seek from God does not always come quickly or in a form we recognize. As we become more and more stressed, we turn to that which might bring immediate, albeit temporary, relief. In many cases, this leads us to pursue unprincipled behaviors that can, when repeated over time, begin to shape our identities. While we welcome the relief and might feel liberated for a time, seeking relief through earthly pleasures does little for our character or spiritual growth.

This is not to say that all earthly pleasures, or our desire to relieve stress, are necessarily bad in and of themselves. Common features of college life, like concerts, par -

ties, sporting events, and fraternities or sororities, can be sources of community and enjoyment. What many young people can forget is the need to establish clear and healthy priorities—in other words, to put these pleasures in their proper place.

Christ knows what it is to be physically and mentally anguished.

Because many seem to place materialism as their highest priority and faith as secondary—if faith has any place in their lives at all—is it any wonder that older generations complain about how younger generations have become increasingly selfcentered and immature? When worldly pleasures are the focus of our lives, and living our Catholic faith takes a back seat, we may find ourselves weaker mentally, emotionally, and spiritually without realizing it. While it is possible to be a good person without faith, it is not possible to become the best person God created us to be.

Identity Rooted in Faith

Why does it matter for our identities to be rooted in our faith in God? What does this really mean? The simple answer is that God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent; therefore, natural and divine laws are perfect. If God’s laws are perfect, then striving to abide by such laws helps us come closer to perfection. Of course, we cannot obtain true perfection in our earthly lives because of our wounded nature, but this does not mean we should not strive to be as perfect as possible (not in a scrupulous or self-righteous way, of course). Following God’s laws is bound to bear fruit. And I am not talking about material benefits but rather benefits to our character and spiritual well-being.

How, then, do we build our faith and wisdom to see that God keeps his promises to us? To gain the “eyes of truth,” we must look beyond our human understanding, let go of our doubts and fears, and quell our desire for immediate solutions to our troubles. This is relevant especially for college students because we do not yet have enough life experience to put things into proper perspective. We are called and challenged to seek out the right influences in our lives, and these healthy moral influences can be found within our Church. We need a strong Catholic community to live the life to which we are called. A common thread that unites all young Catholics is our identity as the body of Christ. The Eucharist is the focal point of this unity because it reminds us of Christ’s sacrifice, which restored humanity’s communion with God and the graces that come with that communion. Further, the Eucharist unites the Church throughout the world. Our longing for community is met in this worldwide communion. We belong to one enormous Church, comprising millions of people around the globe, and remembering Christ’s sacrifice assures us that we are not alone in the things that create stress in our lives.

The help we seek from God does not always come quickly or in a form we recognize.

Christ knows what it is to be physically and mentally anguished; he knows what eats away at our hearts and makes us feel weak; he experienced the deep hurt that comes with being rejected by one’s detractors and even loved ones.

God’s grace gives us the capacity to endure stress and pain and even to benefit from it spiritually. That is the beauty of it—when college students form our identities around our love of God, it dramatically alters how we view challenges in life, allowing us to see them in a healthy and holistic way.

When God becomes a priority, we seek to be the people he wants us to be. When we seek to be the people he wants us to be, our identities are formed on a firm foundation of faith.

When our identities are formed on a firm foundation of faith, we can do our part to create a positive culture that emphasizes character and spiritual development, thus bringing forth true happiness and helping students better deal with the complex stresses and challenges of college life. A

Alexander Duong holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in both theology and clinical psychology and is pursuing a master’s degree in theological studies from Franciscan University of Steubenville. As director of faith formation at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Seattle, he inspires his students to grow in their faith and become great saints. He also has interned with Back on My Feet, helping at-risk and homeless individuals find employment.

To Walk With Migrants

The Pharisees knew much about Jesus, but they never knew him. They knew he was the carpenter’s son, that he was from Nazareth. Yet their prejudices kept them from knowing Jesus. Each year during Lent, we walk with Jesus for forty days. We walk with him in the desert, learning many things about him, his life, his ministry, and his teaching. We recognize him in caring for the poor, healing the ill, and giving sight to the blind. We recognize him in the breaking of the bread, praying in the garden, and walking the path to Calvary. The gospels teach us a great deal about Jesus before he entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, but it is in his passion, death, and resurrection that we come to know him.

When I first began working in this ministry, a wise Redemptorist told me, “To work with Latinos, you need to learn the culture, the history, the feasts, and to walk with the people. If you do not walk with my people, do not bother to learn Spanish.” To know the migrant is not simply to know about the migrant. Prejudice and racism are learned behaviors, but they are so much a part of our lives that it is difficult for people to know the stranger among us. We need to listen, observe, and discern ways to resolve the difficulties caused by the vast migration of people around the world. We will only achieve peace if we approach the problems of migration together. We do so by accompanying migrants as they seek a place to call home.

As our faith is a journey with Jesus, coming to know Jesus in the migrant means entering into a relationship with the migrant. In his message for World Day of Migrants and Refugees (September 29, 2024), Pope Francis said that “the encounter with the migrant, as with every brother and sister in need, is also an encounter with Christ.”

Pope Francis’ Prayer for Migrants

God, Almighty Father, we are your pilgrim Church journeying toward the kingdom of heaven. We live in our homeland, but as if we were foreigners. Every foreign place is our home, yet every native land is foreign to us.

Though we live on earth, our true citizenship is in heaven. Do not let us become possessive of the portion of the world you have given us as a temporary home.

FR. MIKE M c ANDREW, CSsR

As our faith is a journey with Jesus, coming to know Jesus in the migrant means entering into a relationship with the migrant.

Help us to keep walking, together with our migrant brothers and sisters, toward the eternal dwelling you have prepared for us.

Open our eyes and our hearts so that every encounter with those in need becomes an encounter with Jesus, your Son and our Lord.

Amen. A

To learn more about walking with migrants, consider the bilingual presentation Walk With My People: A Life in Migration Ministry by Fr. Michael McAndrew, CSsR, Liguori Publications (828720). To order, call 800-325-9521 or visit Liguori.org.

VG FOTO / SHUTTERSTOCK

Padre Migrante

The Catholic

Argentine Judge Issues Arrest Warrants for Ortega, Wife

An Argentine judge has ordered the arrest of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega—whose regime has intensified its brutal crackdown on the Catholic Church and thousands of other nonprofit organizations—for “systematic violation of human rights,” according to a lawyer who sought a warrant against the dictator.

The lawyer, Darío Richarte, said in social media posts that federal Judge Ariel Lijo also ordered the arrest of Ortega’s wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, and about a dozen others linked to the Sandinista regime. They stand accused of murders, torture, arbitrary imprisonments, forced disappearances and deportations, and persecution of dissidents for religious and political reasons.

Richarte, a human rights lawyer and professor of international criminal law at the University of Buenos Aires, and fellow lawyers affiliated with the university, filed the case against the Ortega regime in August 2022. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Richarte wrote, “After almost two and a half years of investigation, the judge has just resolved the summons to give an investigative statement and the arrest warrant with an international arrest warrant for Daniel Ortega, Rosario Murillo, and around one dozen others responsible for serious human rights violations…. A little light in so much darkness! A little justice for so many victims!”

The arrest warrants are based on the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows prosecution of crimes against humanity outside their country of origin.

Judge Lijo cited a “systematic and widespread plan of violent repression against the civilian population” designed to “dissuade social demonstrations.” Lijo issued the arrest warrants about six weeks after Ortega and his wife expelled the president of the nation’s Catholic bishops’ conference, Bishop Carlos Enrique Herrera of Jinotega, because he accused a local Sandinista mayor of sacrilege for blaring loud music outside San Juan Bautista Cathedral to disrupt Mass. Government authorities now often intentionally disturb Masses.

The government exiled Herrera to Guatemala, making him the third Catholic bishop expelled by Ortega’s regime this year, leaving in the country only five of the nine bishops who had served there. A

A crowd with blue and white Nicaraguan flags fills the street at a May 2018 protest. (WIKIPEDIA)

To read this story in its entirety, go to thecatholicobserver.substack.com

Gary Gately is the founder and editor of The Catholic Observer, a subscription-based newsletter. Gately, a lifelong Catholic, is an award-winning journalist who has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The National Catholic Reporter, America: The Jesuit Review, Newsweek, The Baltimore Sun, The Boston Globe, the Center for Public Integrity, CNBC.com, and United Press International. Please email news tips or suggestions to Garymichaelgately@gmail.com.

Subscribe Free to The Catholic Observer

To sign up for The Catholic Observer newsletter at no cost or for a paid individual or group subscription, please type this line into your web browser and follow the instructions.

thecatholicobserver.substack.com

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega

US Jewish Groups Urge Pope to Avoid “Incendiary” Comments About Israel’s War Against Hamas

A coalition of more than 50 major US Jewish organizations called on Pope Francis to stop making “incendiary” comments about Israel’s war against Hamas, saying they “distort Israel’s legitimate military campaign and fuel antisemitism and unjust targeting of the Jewish state.”

In a letter to Francis, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations referred to Francis’ recent comments accusing the Israeli military of gunning down children and bombing hospitals and schools. “This narrative does not acknowledge Israel’s right to defend itself in the aftermath of the October 7 [2023] massacre, where Hamas murdered 1,200 innocent civilians and took 251 hostages, 101 of whom still remain captive,” said the letter, signed by William C. Daroff, the group’s CEO, and Harriet P. Schleifer, its chair. “Further, it does not acknowledge Hamas’ use of human shields and civilian infrastructure for terror purposes, putting the entire population of Gaza at risk.”

The letter noted that in the year after the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack on Israel ignited the Israel–Hamas war, worldwide cases of antisemitism have soared—and hit a record high in the United States. “The American Jewish community calls on you to refrain from making incendiary comments and to build bridges between our two peoples,” the Jewish conference said in its letter to Francis.

The 88-year-old Jesuit pontiff has repeatedly denounced Israeli strikes on Gaza in recent weeks while calling for a cease-fire, the release of hostages, and delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid to the territory. After his Angelus prayer on December 22, 2024, at the Vatican, Francis said, “And with pain, I think of Gaza, of so much cruelty, of the children being machine-gunned, of the bombings of schools and hospitals. What cruelty.”

That came a day after the pope lamented an Israeli airstrike that Gaza’s health ministry said killed at least 25 Palestinians in Gaza, including a family of 10—seven of them children. “Yesterday, children were bombed,” Francis told cardinals at the Vatican. “This is cruelty; this is not war. I wanted to say this because it touches the heart.” A

To read this story in its entirety, go to thecatholicobserver.substack.com.

Pope Francis: Homilies Should Never Be Longer Than 10 Minutes

“Brevity,” William Shakespeare reminded us, “is the soul of wit.”

It’s also essential in a good homily, Pope Francis said on December 4, 2024.

In fact, Francis said during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square, homilies should never exceed 10 minutes, and they normally should be eight minutes or less.

“Beyond eight minutes, the preaching starts to fade; it is not understood. Never go over 10 minutes, ever! This is very important,” Francis said, drawing applause (perhaps from some Catholics who’ve endured too many lengthy, rambling homilies). Francis noted that some homilies go 20 or 30 minutes long, and people sneak out to smoke a cigarette.

The Jesuit pontiff also said homilies should be focused: “Preachers must preach an idea, a feeling, and a call to action.” Francis reminded that homilies must always be centered on God, so those delivering them must resist the temptation to focus on their own pearls of wisdom rather than on Jesus.

“Not wanting to preach oneself also implies not always giving priority to pastoral initiatives promoted by us and linked to our own name,” he said.

It’s not the first time Francis has warned against long homilies. In June, for example, he said homilies should be limited to about eight minutes to prevent members of congregations from nodding off.

“PREACHERS MUST PREACH AN IDEA, A FEELING, AND A CALL TO ACTION.”

In the early Church, elaborate homilies from priests, including St. John Chrysostom, often went on for hours, but they have grown much shorter in recent years, though they still vary widely in length and style.

Pope Francis also said during the same general audience that those preparing homilies must look prayerfully to the Holy Spirit for inspiration: “Preaching with the anointing of the Holy Spirit means transmitting, together with the ideas and the doctrine, the life and profound conviction…with a demonstration of spirit and power.” A

To read this story in its entirety, go to thecatholicobserver.substack.com.

AROUND THE TABLE

Asparagus Soup A

TASTE OF SPRING FOR EASTER BRUNCH (MAKES 4–6 SERVINGS)

Ingredients

2 quarts water

½ pound asparagus, tough ends removed, cut into 1-inch lengths

1 potato, peeled and diced

1 onion, sliced

1 medium carrot, sliced

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Salt and pepper to taste

ETORRES / SHUTTERSTOCK

Directions

➊ Cook the vegetables in boiling salted water until they are tender, then pass the soup through a sieve or blend in a blender.

➋ Return the soup to the pot and add the heavy cream, butter, salt, and pepper.

➌ Stir, bringing the soup to a boil. Stir again.

➍ Lower the heat, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes. Serve hot.

To order, visit Liguori.org or call 800-325-9521.

The Subject of Suffering

Bringing five children into the world in the span of eleven years has taught us to shape-shift our language to reach the variety of comprehension levels around the dinner table. When you have a five-year-old and a sixteen-year-old, you must articulate “heavy subjects” in different ways. How you explain the mystery of the cross to a first-grader is different from your explanation to a senior in high school.

The movie versions of the death of Jesus (The Greatest Story Ever Told , Son of God , The Passion of the Christ) are traumatizing for younger children and should be viewed only with great caution. I (Tim) am still recovering from when my second-grade teacher, Sister Xavier, showed our class a depiction of the second Sorrowful Mystery—the Scourging at the Pillar—and said, “He did this because of YOUR sins!” (I still have nightmares.) On the other hand, I do not believe that “dumbing down” the reality of the paschal mystery is a good idea. Jesus was not just having a “sad day.”

There are three rituals of the Church that can help bring a balanced understanding to families of various ages and sensibilities:

Ash Wednesday—Three days after our daughter Bernadette was born, we brought her to church, and an ashen cross was traced on her forehead. Strange that a first-century instrument of execution would mark a newborn’s perfect face. But we perform this ritual to remind us that death, ever present and awful in the eyes of the world, is simply a doorway to a deeper reality in Christ when viewed from a Catholic Christian perspective. So, we mark ourselves once a year to remind us of our mortality.

TIM AND JULIE SMITH

Venerating the cross is an act that people of all ages can understand.

Baptism— Because we live in the Southwest, our kids learned to swim as infants, and they have no fear of water. For us, water was and is a symbol of life and sustenance. However, in Scripture, water is often a symbol of death—the watery chaos and the flood in Genesis, the Red Sea in Exodus, and the storm at sea in the gospels. The blessing of the baptismal waters cites these passages right before the child is immersed into this blessed but deadly water. So, when our children were baptized, they were marked with water (symbol of death) and signed with the cross (another symbol of death). The next time we gather the family with these elements—cross, holy water, lighted candle, white cloth—may be at someone’s funeral. However, as St. Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome (and to us): “We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

Good Friday Veneration— I remember, as a child, watching my mom kiss the cross on Good Friday. She did it reverently and with a solemnity that moved me at the time. When I was attending a Catholic high school, I concluded that there is simply no “cool” way to saunter up and kiss the cross. It is an act of humility that is never explained but universally understood. We all embrace suffering in big and small ways. The act of venerating the cross is one that people of every age seem to understand. May this Lent bring you a deeper understanding of the mystery of the cross. A

PIUS GRASTIAN / SHUTTERSTOCK

The story of Jesus Christ is one that embodies absolute faith and humility. Now, the Thomas Kinkade “Life of Christ” Illuminated Masterpiece brings new and fully dimensional expression to the life of Jesus Christ.

The story of Jesus Christ told in an illuminating new way Handcrafted of fine artist’s resin and hand-painted each scene comes to vibrant life, including The Nativity, Healing the Sick, Turning Water Into Wine, Carrying the Cross to Calvary, the Crucifixion, His Resurrection and Glorious Ascension into Heaven. In the center of the highly detailed sculpture, the depiction of Jesus Walking on the Water illuminates with a shimmering allure as an aqua blue glow emanates from beneath the ebb and flow of crystalline “water.”

Not available in any store. Act now!

The Thomas Kinkade “Life of Christ” Illuminated Masterpiece can be yours for only $169.99, payable in five easy installments of just $33.99 each*, the first billed before shipment. It includes a Bradford Exchange Certificate of Authenticity attesting to the quality of its craftsmanship and its officially licensed status. Our 365-Day Guarantee assures your complete satisfaction.

Strong demand is expected from Thomas Kinkade collectors and the devoted alike. Send no money now. Just complete and mail the Reservation Application or visit us online today!

SHOP TODAY AT BRADFORDEXCHANGE.COM

A Stronger Relationship

As a student in religious formation, the focal point of my life is growing in my relationship with God. In today’s world, social media has become a core aspect of daily life. It can be a tool that helps us connect with our friends and family, share our faith, and stay informed. I see social media as also being a way to deepen our relationship with God.

One aspect of social media is the amount of easily accessible faith-based content. From Catholic influencers sharing reflections on Scripture to live-streamed Masses and prayer sessions, there are so many ways to practice our faith online. Many sites provide daily reminders to turn our hearts and minds toward God. A simple scroll can reveal quotes from saints and even practical advice for living a virtuous life. I’m reminded of all the different times that my “for you” page has included videos from Catholic influencers, such as Father Mike Schmitz, offering reflections on gospel passages and new ways to approach life and grow in our faith. Such posts have allowed me to find opportunities for growth not only in my faith but also in my relationship with God.

Social media serves as a mirror that reflects our priorities and helps us deepen our self-awareness. What do my posts and interactions say about my relationship with God? Am I consuming content that is nourishing my soul? Am I liking posts that help me spread my faith to others? By constantly questioning the actions we take on social media and how they impact our spirituality, we are creating a “safety zone” to ensure that the time we spend online is nurturing our faith and our connection with God. Such questioning serves as a kind of modern-day examination of conscience.

Using social media as a means for spiritual growth requires us to stay aware of our intentions with the internet and the apps we use. It’s quite easy to get swept up in the constant flow of information and notifications that are the nature of these platforms. I know I oftentimes spend too much time “doomscrolling”—a term that references a person’s consuming an endless procession of content—and then losing the initial intention I had when I logged on. That “safety zone” can help us keep our intentions clear.

If we approach social media as a tool for drawing us closer to God, we might begin to see ourselves becoming more faithful disciples of Jesus and growing in holiness. Instead of just a way to pass the time, social media becomes a faith-focused space where we strengthen our relationship with our gracious God. A

St. Joseph Mass League

Established in 1919, to help people in times of joy and sorrow, for both the living and deceased.

Approaching social media prayerfully and with intention can help us grow closer to God.

Why the Cross?

THAT IMPLEMENT OF GRUESOME DEATH IS CHRISTIANITY’S UNDYING EMBLEM— AND THE REASONS WHY ARE PLENTIFUL AND INSPIRING

TIM AND JULIE SMITH

The Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, Arizona, displays one of the largest and most stunning sculptured crosses in the country. Standing firmly in the sanctuary, this magnificent emblem of Christianity overlooks the breathtaking red rocks of Oak Creek Valley. We have the unique opportunity to sing and pray there for several hours every week, as we serve as music ministers at weekly Masses, adoration, and weddings.

For us Catholic Christians, the cross is a unique and iconic image that we venerate. Oceans of ink have been poured out in explaining the gruesome reality of crucifixion and the “theology of the cross.” But when I gaze at the cross, I ask myself, Why and how did we get here?

• Why, in our worship, do we focus on a barely covered, bleeding figure of a man who is impaled on a first-century instrument of execution?

• How did we get to the point where this horrid device, designed to terrorize a population by publicly torturing people to death, has become an object of veneration?

• Why do we use this symbol to mark our bodies, bless our children, remember our deceased, and sacramentalize our homes?

• How did we get to a place where a terrifying object whose history reveals humanity at its worst has become an icon of sacred art, fine jewelry, and divine love?

For answers, we can turn to our communion of saints, frail humans who give us insight and wisdom to help us answer these perplexing questions. Several of these saints are so intimately connected to the cross of our Lord that “of the Cross” is part of their names.

The illogical wisdom and perfected folly of the cross can be better understood and embraced as we look at seven views of the mystery of the cross.

The Cross as Burden

ST. SIMON OF CYRENE

Every Catholic church has a shrine to this unlikely saint. Simon of Cyrene is the centerpiece of the Fifth Station of the Cross. Though he is mentioned in all three synoptic gospels, we know little about him. The father of Rufus and Alexander, Simon was pressed into service because Jesus could no longer haul the heavy object. When soldiers tapped him to carry the cross of our physically weakened Lord, this strong man may have thought he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Simon accepted a role he did not ask for. He shouldered a painful obligation that he was not responsible for. Maybe he was bitter, or maybe he complained to his family about it. But we choose to believe that Simon was forever changed by the experience and became a better man. He is venerated forever for taking on the burden of the Man-God in a moment of need.

St. Simon can teach us to see our burdens as transformative opportunities to walk in the footsteps of Christ.

The Cross as Necessary Step Before the Empty Tomb

ST. MARY MAGDALENE

There is a consistent duality about Mary of Magdala. She is both a woman healed of demons and a woman of means who supports Jesus’ ministry. She is portrayed as both a pious penitent and an energetic evangelizer. She is the only person present at the two most significant locations of the entire gospel narrative: at the cross on Good Friday and then at the empty tomb on Easter, where she is the first of our Lord’s followers to arrive.

The Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona, Arizona, displays one of the largest and most stunning sculptured crosses in the country.

(PHOTO THIS PAGE COURTESY OF TIM AND JULIE SMITH)

However, she does not stay put either time. She does not get stuck in the paralyzing desolation of the cross or the incredible amazement of the risen Christ. She moves out of both realities with purpose. From the cross, she hurries to gather oils for burial preparation; from the empty grave, she hurries to tell the apostles, “He is risen!” If we get stuck in the debilitating sorrow of the cross or the intoxicating joy of the Easter tomb, we can look to Mary Magdalene.

St. Mary Magdalene teaches us that the cross is not the end of the story. We have to move, because we have God’s work to do.

The Cross as Healing Treasure ST. HELENA

We can thank Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, for all the Christian sites in the Holy Land, as she was responsible for much of the quest for the authentic pilgrimage locations. Her motivations may have been mixed (perhaps pure devotion, perhaps guilt over some of her son’s aggressive tactics, perhaps something else), but in Jesus’ cross, she saw both a treasure and a healing relic (hence, the massive archeological excavations). Her focus on seeing the cross as a unique, precious prize that symbolizes the depth of Christ’s love for us cannot be understated.

St. Helena reminds us that the cross is both a source of healing and a buried treasure trove, and we should keep working to discover its value and apply that value to our lives.

The Cross as the Voice of Christ ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

Long before his conversion, before his preaching to the birds, and years before his celebrated encounters with his father, the sultan, and the pope,

Francis of Assisi had an encounter with the cross at San Damiano. The cross spoke the words that would dictate the rest of his life: “Francis, go rebuild my house, for it has fallen into ruin.”

After years of pious contemplation and listening, the cross gave Francis his mission statement. And, for the rest of his life, Francis tried to interpret and live out that call. It’s safe to say he did not always completely understand the message of the cross. With rocks and mortar, he literally rebuilt several church buildings in the area. However, in time, his mission would be to spiritually rebuild the universal Church with his charisms and followers.

St. Francis teaches us to just “be” before the cross and to listen, because the answers are there.

The

Cross as Divine Mystical Spouse

ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS

Juan de Yepes, the Spanish poet and mystic, originally took the religious name John of St. Matthias when he joined the Carmelite Order. But after his encounter and friendship with reformer Teresa of Ávila , he took the name John of the Cross.

As a result of his choices, he would suffer much at the hands of his own brothers: brutal imprisonment, physical abuse, painful illness, rejection by his own community, and more. John, who experienced an excruciating version of the cross, allowed his anguish to become redemptive and creative. His Dark Night of the Soul and other lyrical theological works caused the Church to elevate him as a doctor of the Church.

St. John of the Cross leads us to see our “crosses” as creative outlets and use our suffering for redemption, as Christ did.

The Cross as Foundation of a Religious Community

BLESSED THEODORE OF CELLES (CROZIERS), BELGIUM;

ST. PAUL OF THE CROSS (PASSIONISTS), ITALY; BLESSED BASILE MOREAU (CONGREGATION OF THE HOLY CROSS), FRANCE;

ST. ANGELA OF THE CROSS (SISTERS OF THE CROSS), SPAIN

These four holy founders have one thing in common: they based the institution, friendships, vows, charisms, and inspiration of their religious orders on one thing—the cross. Different centuries, different cultures, different countries—and all have had a lasting impact on the Church today, continuing our Church’s mission in countless ways. What connects us and binds us together is not our gifts and virtues. These forerunners knew that the painful reality of the cross is what truly unites us as Christians. Surrender, humility, enduring strength, detachment, patience, and a lot more attributes “come with” the cross.

These courageous founders teach us that the cross needs to be more foundational in our families and our relationships.

The Cross as a “Shoah/ Holocaust” for God’s People

ST. TERESA BENEDICTA OF THE CROSS (EDITH STEIN)

Some situations in life make no sense theologically, morally, or logically. When the Nazis came to exterminate the Jewish convert/ professed Carmelite Edith Stein, now called St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, she was reported to have said to her sister, “Come, we are going for our people.”

When we stand before any acts of extensive human evil or genocide— Rwanda, Cambodia, 9/11, others— nothing can make complete sense of it, except the cross. In Edith Stein’s life and death, we witness her belief that

Jesus was willing to go to the depths of our human depravity, swallow up all our sin in his sacrifice, and save us. That is Edith’s lesson for us.

Like St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, we should stand in humble surrender and contemplate the mystery of the cross. A

Tim and Julie Smith (timandjuliesmith.com) have been professional music ministers in the Phoenix area for more than thirty-five years. They have written and recorded dozens of collections of music, including liturgical, theater, children’s, and bilingual music. Their songs have been published in the Spirit & Song hymnals (Oregon Catholic Press) and the Voices as One hymnals (World Library Publications). Several of their song collections are available through Resource Publications, Inc. in San Jose.

Crown of Thorns

Back then I was young

Looking down from a hi-rise

Apartment onto Lincoln Center

The view blurred

By a small potted plant

Reflected in the sunny window

Crown of Thorns I heard someone say

Now twenty years later walking

Unfamiliar streets holding the hand

Of someone I love

Who is deep in dementia I spot thorns

On what looks like a small tree

Red flowers like distorted hearts bloom

Look! but there is no smile no reaction

He wears his crown of thorns

Each day not by what is given

But by what has been taken away

—KATHLEEN GUNTON

Poem

March 1–31

Kindness Calendar

HELPFUL TIPS TO GROW AND LIVE YOUR FAITH DAILY

Women’s History Month

Pray for the women in your life: “Mary, Mother of Perpetual Help, intercede for these women, that they may be protected, respected, and loved. Amen.”

March 2

Read Across America Day

Gift a child or library with a book, read to children, or reward yourself with quiet time to read.

March 17

Saint Patrick’s Day

Remember that many Irish in the United States are descendants of refugees. Pray: “St. Patrick, as you were kidnapped from your home to go to Ireland, intercede for those who desperately seek welcome in a strange land. Amen.”

March 19

Saint Joseph’s Day

Thank a dad—yours or one who inspires you—and pray: “St. Joseph, Mary’s spouse and earthly father of Jesus, intercede for husbands and fathers, that they may embrace their responsibilities with confidence and joy. Amen.”

March 25

March 5

Ash Wednesday

As you are signed with ashes, ask God, “How shall I observe Lent to better serve you and the people you have given me to love?” Then listen for his answer.

March 7

National Day of Unplugging

Turning away from screens is easier if you turn toward something—a phone-free meal with family, a board game, or a walk outside to admire God’s creation.

March 8–9

Jubilee of Volunteering

As Pope Francis celebrates Mass with volunteers from all over the world, examine your own gifts of time and talent. Could you do more?

Annunciation of the Lord Mary said “yes!” And the world changed. How are you doing with your “yes”? Wholehearted? Or grudging?

March 28

24 Hours for the Lord Prayer Initiative

Add your prayers of thanksgiving, praise, and petitions to the voices of believers all over the world.

March 29–30

Jubilee of Missionaries of Mercy

As the Missionaries of Mercy are celebrated in Rome, is there anyone you need to forgive? Or seek forgiveness from? Ask God for the grace and courage to make the first move.

April 5–6

Jubilee of the Sick and the World of Health

As Pope Francis celebrates the sick and those who care for them, is there someone in your life who is suffering and would welcome your visit? Practice offering your own suffering as prayer.

April 10

National Siblings Day

Do you have siblings? Have you been in touch? With Jesus as our brother, we are all brothers and sisters. Treat each person on your path like family.

April 13

Palm Sunday

Holy Week begins today. Make plans to participate in the Holy Week services at your church. Make preparations ahead of time so you can give yourself to these services without distraction.

April 17

Holy Thursday

Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and commanded his followers to do the same. How or who can you serve today?

April 18

Good Friday

What cross are you bearing today? Is there a Simon to help you? A Veronica to comfort you? Can you be Simon or Veronica for someone else?

“When one door…closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one…opened for us.”

Helen Keller

April 20

Easter Sunday

Do you know someone for whom Good Friday is still waiting to become Easter Sunday? Share a word of encouragement. Or, if that person is you, seek comfort and believe that three days make all the difference. No pain lasts forever.

April 22

Earth Day

Reuse. Make do.

Repurpose. Donate. Create time and space for what is most important.

April 25–27

Jubilee of Adolescents

As young people gather in Rome for the canonization of the first millennial saint, Carlo Acutis, make plans to listen to a young person— their dreams, frustrations, fears. What does he or she want you to know?

April 27

Divine Mercy Sunday

Review the seven Corporal Works of Mercy: Feed the hungry. Give drink to the thirsty. Shelter the homeless. Visit the sick. Visit prisoners. Bury the dead. Give alms to the poor. How can you practice these?

April 28–30

Jubilee of Persons with Disabilities

Slow down! Move peacefully through the day, making time for others. Listen gently to the hesitant. Notice the gifts of everyone you meet and give thanks to God for your own gifts.

Scripture Scoop

Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Holy Thursday, April 17

John 13:1–15

Jesus washes his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper, setting an example of humility and helping them understand what they must do for others. Here, Christ issues a new commandment: to love one another. He tells the disciples that he will be leaving them soon to be with the Father.

Just as Peter attempted to reject Jesus’ prediction of his death and resurrection in the synoptic gospels, he tries to thwart Jesus’ attempt to wash his feet in John’s Gospel. Throughout the gospels, Peter seems uncomfortable with the servant image of Jesus. Only later will Peter be able to understand the full meaning of Jesus’ actions. When Peter objects, Jesus tells him that he (Peter) will have no part of him (Jesus) unless he accepts this washing. Peter, true to character, goes to extremes and offers his hands and head also for the washing, illustrating his desire and enthusiasm to share in Christ’s life. Jesus tells Peter there is no need for this as long as he has been made clean in the bathing of the feet. Because Jesus knows his betrayer, he informs his disciples that not all of them are clean.

Bible Quiz answers (puzzle is on page 44)

1. B (Mt 16:13-15)

2. Q (Gen 10:8-9)

3. L (Phil 2:10)

4. Y (Ps 137:1)

5. H (Ezek 24:1-6)

6. C (Ezek 14:20)

7. E ( Jas 2:17)

8. K (Gen 25:19-26)

9. R (Heb 8:13)

10. T (Rev 1:9)

11. X ( Jer 3:17)

12. G (Esth 2:16-18)

13. I (1 Kings 9:11)

14. P ( Jn 1:47)

15. O (2 Cor 7:5)

16. A ( Acts 11:26)

17. F ( Judg 4:4)

18. D (1 Sam 24:17-19)

19. M (1 Sam 20:30)

20. N ( Judt 13:4-10)

21. U (Rom 16:1)

22. W (Dan 13:1-64)

23. S (Philemon 1:7-17)

24. J ( Judg 7:7)

25. V ( Jn 4:6-7)

Having finished the washing of the disciples’ feet, Jesus now draws a lesson from his action. Jesus reminds his disciples that they, too, are aware of his high position, rightly calling him “Teacher” and “Lord.” Just as Jesus is willing to humble himself as a servant in washing their feet, so they, following his example, should offer themselves as servants for the sake of others. They can easily accept the argument that no servant or messenger is greater than his or her master. If Jesus, as master, is willing to act in this fashion, then his disciples should do the same. Once they accept this teaching and act accordingly, they will share in God’s blessings. Jesus’ continual message to his disciples in all the gospels is that they should serve others as he did. A

Source: Liguori Catholic Bible Study—The Gospel of John: The Word Became Flesh, by William A. Anderson, DMin, PhD, 2012 (821233, Liguori Publications).

Catholic Crossword answers (puzzle is on page 45)

AN NO SA RA I BA LM

SO ON IB OO K RC IA

HO NE SN AK E AT OR

ES CO RT ED EZ IN E

RE EN TE R MA GI

OE R RO YA LI ST

TW IN S MU SE D OL A

EC CE WA FE R AW OL

NT H TI TU S CR AW L

NU RT UR ES WO K

EV ER PI CA SS O

ST RA W CL EA NI NG

ER IC CA ME L SE AR

TO FU TR IA D AN GE

ST EP AK IS S SA SS moc.scilohtacrofsemagdrow.www

CHRIST WASHES THE APOSTLES' FEET BY DUCCIO DI BUONINSEGNA / WIKIPEDIA

Bible Quiz

Rate yourself on your knowledge of Scripture. Match the first column with the second. Answers are on page 43.

1. “But who do you say that I am?” was asked here ______

2. A mighty hunter in the eyes of the Lord ______

3 . At this name, every knee should bend ______

4. B y the rivers of Babylon, they wept for this ______

A. Antioch

B. Caesarea Philippi

C. Daniel

D. David

5. E zekiel compared Jerusalem to this ______ E. Dead

6. E zekiel follower ______ F. Deborah

7. Faith without works ______ G. Esther

8. Grandson of Abraham ______ H. Pot of filth

9. Hebrews calls the first covenant this ______ I. Galilee

10. Island John was on ______ J. Gideon

11 . Jeremiah says Jerusalem will be called this ______ K. Jacob

12 . K ing Ahasuerus’ queen ______ L. Jesus

13 K ing Solomon paid Tyre with 20 cities from here ______ M. Jonathan

14 Not a duplicitous man ______ N. Judith

15 . Paul visited here ______ O. Macedonia

16 . Place where term “Christian” was first used ______ P. Nathanael

17 Prophet and judge ______ Q. Nimrod

18 S aul called him gracious for sparing his life______ R. Obsolete

19. S aul called him the son of a rebellious woman ______ S. Onesimus

20. She beheaded Holofernes ______ T. Patmos

21 . She was a minister of the church at Cenchreae ______ U. Phoebe

22 She was saved by Daniel ______ V. Samaria

23 . Slave of Philemon ______ W. Susanna

24 . T he Lord allowed him only 300 men for battle ______ X. The Lord’s Throne

25 . T he woman at the well was from here ______ Y. Zion

QUIZ RATINGS

11–15 Correct = Novice « 16–20 Correct = Good ««« 21–25 Correct = Outstanding «««««

“Catholic Crossword” and “Bible Quiz” are produced by Gabriel Publications. Liguori Publications is not responsible for its content. Please direct questions or comments to Gabriel Publications at info@wordgamesforcatholics.com.

ACROSS

1 ______ Domini

5 She was taken to pharaoh’s house

10 “There is a ______ in Gilead”

14 Before long

15 Apple variety

16 Religious instruction for converts (abbr.)

17 Sharpen

18 Garden tempter

19 Suffix with decor

20 Accompanied

22 Online mag

23 Come in again

24 Certain visitors

26 Moore’s “Come ______ the Sea”

27 Windsor enthusiasts

31 Perez and Zerah, for example

34 Thought about

35 Pay ending

36 Word from Pontius Pilate

37 Communion host

38 Mil. absence

39 To the ______ degree

40 Paul addressed a letter to him

41 Move slowly

42 Nourishes

44 Chinese pan

45 “…is now, and ______ shall be…”

46 Catholic cubist

50 Scarecrow stuffer

53 Saturday chore?

54 Patron saint of Sweden

55 Biblical animal of transport

57 Scorch

58 Bean curd

59 Three part

60 Celestial being, to Jacques

61 Dance move

62 Pucker up

63 Speak cheekily

1 Brother of Gad

2 Snare

3 Immediate occasion

4 B asketball game

5 Helen Prejean title

6 S on of Ner

7 to Emmaus

8 All right (abbr.)

9 “I like ______”

10 Country with the largest Catholic population

11 Globe opening

12 The righteous are as bold as this animal, according to Prov 28:1

13 Mule’s mom

21 Suggestions from AAA

22 Mild oath

24 He spoke to the pharaoh

Catholic Crossword

25 Yes-man 27 One of the sons of Simon of Cyrene (Mk 15:21) 28 The Diocese of Des Moines is here

“…______ to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” (Ps 103:8) 30 Some tales 31 US state in which the Diocese of Nashville is found

32 Alcohol prohibitors (abbr.)

33 OT historical book

“______ Dolorosa ”

Cable

Home of the Diocese of Little Rock

Alphabet string

41 Catholic comedienne of Your Show of Shows

43 Item on a cart?

44 Uses effectively

46 Entreaties

47 St. Catherine’s town

48 Hose issues

49 Shrek and Fiona

50 Hardens

51 Move along briskly

52 Widespread

53 902, to Nero

55 Windy city transport initials

56 Noah built one

The Lighter Side J

Chicken Little

One day, the first-grade teacher was reading the story of Chicken Little to her class. She came to the part of the story where Chicken Little tried to warn the farmer. She read, “So Chicken Little went up to the farmer and said, ‘The sky is falling! The sky is falling!’”

The teacher paused and then asked the class, “And what do you think that farmer said?”

One little girl raised her hand and said, “I think he said, ‘Holy mackerel! A talking chicken!’”

The

Bishop’s Pectoral

Cross

Monsignor O’Malley, the bishop’s secretary, was scheduled to visit Sister Bridget’s first-grade class on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Sister Bridget rehearsed with the children how to answer the monsignor’s three questions, which he had sent ahead in preparation for his visit.

First question: What is a bishop’s mitre?

Answer: His ceremonial headdress.

Second question: What is a bishop’s crozier?

Answer: His ceremonial staff.

Third question: What is a bishop’s pectoral cross?

Answer: A heavy cross worn around the bishop’s neck.

On Wednesday, Monsignor O’Malley asked the first two questions in the order the children had rehearsed them, but then he began to ad lib and changed the third question to “What is a monsignor?”

The children responded enthusiastically with their rehearsed answer to the third question: “A heavy cross worn around the bishop’s neck!”

If you have jokes or amusing stories you’d like to share, please email them for consideration to Liguorianeditor@Liguori.org.

Nancy, I think you have a spelling error in your drawing where you wrote, “The Spirit led Jesus into the DESSERT to be tempted.”

Holy Humor

In Medieval Europe, pastors often began their Easter homily with jokes. This “holy hilarity” has been revived in many parishes. In the Greek Orthodox Church, the faithful gather on Easter Monday to tell jokes, and some Christian congregations celebrate Holy Humor Sunday on the second Sunday of Easter. The devil doesn’t like a good laugh. In his new autobiography, Hope, Pope Francis writes about the importance of humor in the Christian life and shares this joke:

“I remember the one about the rather vain Jesuit who had a heart problem and had to be treated in a hospital. Before going into the operating room, he asks God, ‘Lord, has my hour come?’

“‘No, you will live at least another forty years,’ God says.

“After the operation, the Jesuit decides to make the most of it and has a hair transplant, a face-lift, liposuction, eyebrows, teeth—in short, he comes out a changed man. Right outside the hospital, he is knocked down by a car and dies. As soon as he appears in the presence of God, he protests, ‘Lord, you told me I would live for another forty years!’

“‘Oops, sorry!’ God replies. ‘I didn’t recognize you.’”

Br. Raymond Pierce, CSsR, supplies the text for “The Lighter Side.” To receive his complimentary weekly emails, “Morning Smiles,” email him at raymondcssr@gmail.com.

© JOHN SANKO

Share the Light of Faith with Liguorian Magazine!

It’s the trusted, go-to resource for many Catholics looking for encouragement while striving to live a life of faith in a world with less and less time for Christianity. Liguorian continues to shine with hope—inspiring stories, thoughtful reflections on current events, spiritual guidance, and helpful insight into perplexing issues. And by subscribing to Liguorian, you’re also helping fulfill the Redemptorists’ mission—to preach the gospel throughout the world!

Perspectives and Context

Rev. Thomas M. Santa, CSsR

Experience a Grace-Filled Spiritual Journey

In Spiritual and Religious: Perspectives and Context, Rev. Thomas M. Santa, CSsR, examines the essential connecting points that people typically encounter as they progress on their own particular spiritual journey.

For some, that may include regular participation in a practiced religious tradition. For others, their experience may not include a strong religious identity. Regardless of perspective, the connecting points provide a way to experience contemplative living— an awareness of life that’s fully awake, fully alive.

This gift of grace can lead to a new way of engaging in life and growth in spiritual maturity.

PAPERBACK • 5 X 7 • 250 PAGES • 828713 • $24.99