Pope John Paul II
« Previous EntriesStronger than a Bullet
Friday, May 13th, 2011As today marks the 30 year anniversary of when Bl. John Paul II was nearly assassinated on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, Michael J. Miller’s 2007 article from Lay Witness is a concise recollection of this historic event that includes the newly-Blessed’s comments on the fateful day: “For in everything that happened to me on that [...]
JPII, We Love You!
Monday, May 2nd, 2011For some of the best and most thorough coverage of the beatification ceremony, check out Rocco Palmo’s updates at Whispers in the Loggia.
Something New Under the Son?
Wednesday, July 16th, 2008John Paul II devoted the last 20 years of his pontificate calling for a “new evangelization,” a call now taken up by his successor, Pope Benedict XVI. Yet I sometimes wonder how many people really understand what this “new evangelization” is all about. The glossary to the Catechism of the Catholic Church defines “evangelization” as [...]
Truth or Consequences
Friday, June 13th, 2008In addition to books by Sr. Joan Chittister and her ilk, I also receive review copies of titles that are most welcome additions to my nightstand. I’m finally getting around to reading Against the Grain, a new collection of essays by George Weigel that I’m enjoying immensely. In the context of identifying various themes from Pope John Paul II’s masterful 1991 [...]
Just Do It!
Thursday, May 22nd, 2008During this month dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, with May crownings and last week’s celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Fatima still fresh on our mind, I thought I would take this occasion to call all of us to renew our desire to pray the Rosary frequently and with much fervor and devotion. I’m not necessarily talking [...]
Christ the Teacher . . . and Subject
Wednesday, April 30th, 2008When it comes to catechesis, Jesus Christ is both the teacher and the subject that is “taught.” We simply cannot understand the Church’s catechetical ministry–that is, her response to the Lord’s call to make disciples of all nations–unless we grasp this fundamental point. But wait a minute! In the definition of catechesis that we gave [...]
Upstaging St. Valentine
Thursday, February 14th, 2008Very few of us will walk up to someone today and greet him or her with the words, “Happy St. Cyril’s Day,” or even “Happy Cyril’s Day.” And surely no one will tell their sweetheart to “Be my Methodius.” And yet, today the universal Church commemorates Sts. Cyril and Methodius, not St. Valentine, notwithstanding the [...]
Humanae Vitae and Three Natures
Monday, January 28th, 2008In last month’s commentary we looked at the teaching of Humanae Vitae from the perspective of the authority of the Church to teach about human love. Specifically, we saw that Jesus at the Last Supper promised that the Holy Spirit would continue to guide the Apostles and their successors in teaching the truth, including the [...]
A Message to College Students
Sunday, January 20th, 2008I originally wrote this for my oldest daughter and one of my nephews a few years ago. I reprint it here as an encouragement to today’s youth as this week we mark yet another anniversary of the tragic Roe v. Wade decision. You are survivors. Millions–and I mean millions–of your peers have been legally slaughtered, [...]
The Day of the Lord
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007I recently had the occasion to reread Pope John Paul II’s magnificent apostolic letter Dies Domini, on keeping the Lord’s Day holy. It’s hard to single out “favorites” from among John Paul’s voluminous writings, but surely this meditation on the Lord’s Day will benefit Christians “with ears to hear” for many generations to come.
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