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Featured Term (selected at random:PANTHEON All the gods of a polytheistic people. Also a temple dedicated to all gods, or at least the principal deities of a nation. The Roman Pantheon was built by Agrippa in 27 B.C., rebuilt by Hadrian in the second century A.D., and converted in 609 into a Christian church. The Panthéon in Paris, originally the church of St. Geneviéve, was taken over during the French Revolution as a memorial temple of unbelief; after exchanging hands several times, it finally became what it is now, a national monument and mausoleum for illustrious Frenchmen. (Etym. Greek pantheion,...

Scandal has rocked the Vatican for the second time in a week. On Thursday (September 25), officials confirmed Pope Francis had sacked Bishop Livieres, head of the Paraguayan diocese of Ciudad del Este. Livieres is suspected of protecting a priest believed to have sexually abused young people. His dismissal followed the arrest two days earlier of former archbishop Josef Wesolowski, who is accused of paying for sex with children during his time as papal ambassador in the Dominican Republic. Pope Francis, has vowed to take a zero-tolerance policy on clerics who abuse minors. The pontiff approved Wesolowski’s arrest and earlier...

And Death is Gain…A Reflection on the Christian View of Death By: Msgr. Charles PopeIn the month of November, we remember the souls of the faithful departed and our obligation to pray for them. November and into the early part of Advent is also a part of the Church year during which we begin to ponder the last things: death, judgment, Heaven, and Hell. In the northern hemisphere, the days grow shorter. In regions farther north, the once green trees and fields shed their lively green, and after the brief, golden gown of autumn, a kind of death overtakes...

November 13, 2014Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin    Reading 1 Phlm 7-20 Beloved:I have experienced much joy and encouragement from your love,because the hearts of the holy oneshave been refreshed by you, brother.Therefore, although I have the full right in Christto order you to do what is proper,I rather urge you out of love,being as I am, Paul, an old man,and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus.I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus,whose father I have become in my imprisonment,who was once useless to you but is now useful to both you and me.I...

The nation’s Catholic bishops are jumping into the increasingly contentious battle over immigration reform by backing President Barack Obama’s pledge to act on his own to fix what one bishop called "this broken and immoral system" before Republicans assume control of Capitol Hill in January. In an unscheduled address Tuesday at the hierarchy’s annual meeting, Seattle Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, chairman of the migration committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the USCCB would continue to work with both parties to pass comprehensive immigration reform. But, Elizondo said, given the urgency of the immigration crisis and the electoral...

Featured Term (selected at random:BRUGES A place of pilgrimage in West Flanders Province. Not far from the great market square in Bruges in the Place du Buorg is a famous Chapel of the Precious Blood. In 1150, Thierry, Count of Flanders and hero returning from the Second Crusade, brought with him a phial containing a drop of Christ's blood, which he had received from the Patriarch of Jerusalem. This precious relic is now contained in a lavish gold reliquary that is carried in solemn procession through the city with great pomp on the first Monday after May 2 each year....

Are These the “Outer Bands” of a Coming Judgment? By: Msgr. Charles PopeAre we in the “Last Days”? Generally it would seem not, though there are sobering indicators that the outer bands of a coming storm are overhead.The sum total teaching of eschatology would seem to indicate that a number of things must first happen before the end: a comprehensive completion of the going out of the Gospel to all the nations, widespread acceptance by Israel that Christ is in fact the Messiah, the emergence of an antichrist figure who will deceive the nations, a final, intensive and unprecedented unleashing...

Before Thinking of Getting a Divorce, Watch This Video. It Might Save Your Marriage. Always give your marriage another try Garrett Johnson 06/11/2014Video captureThere are two foundations that can never be separated: love and memory. Just as a true disciple never forgets the first hour when the master touched his heart: “It was about four o’clock in the afternoon” (Jn 1:39) – and, as Pope Francis says, a believer is essentially “one who remembers“– so the same could be said for love and marriage.Today’s video, as all the videos that we post on Catholic-link, is beautiful to watch but is even more beautiful...

November 12, 2014Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr    Reading 1 Ti 3:1-7 Beloved:Remind them to be under the control of magistrates and authorities,to be obedient, to be open to every good enterprise.They are to slander no one, to be peaceable, considerate,exercising all graciousness toward everyone.For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, deluded,slaves to various desires and pleasures,living in malice and envy,hateful ourselves and hating one another. But when the kindness and generous loveof God our savior appeared,not because of any righteous deeds we had donebut because of his mercy,he saved us through the bath of rebirthand renewal...

This is a refutation regarding some anti-Catholic statements that were made in a history class that I attend. The history class is based on ancient civilizations to the 16th century. The professor originally stated that the reason that the Catholic Mass used to be completely in Latin was because the Church did not want the people to understand what was going on, since the Church wanted to oppress the people. I refute this argument in my first response. In this response I describe the use of Latin in the Catholic Mass and why it continues to be used.The professor then...

(Rome) The Pontifical Council for Culture is preparing an "opening" towards women priests? Pablo d'Ors, appointed papal Consultor of the Council for Culture since July, 1st, is convinced of a realignment. "While orthodox Church representatives are being kicked out from the Vatican, heretics are being brought in," said Messa in Latino about the Spanish priest, novelist and "Zen Buddhist" and his interview in the daily newspaper La Repubblica . The Pontifical Council for Cultural, headed by Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, seems to deal not only with culture and sports, but also with the Doctrine of the Faith, and ground filled with...

Featured Term (selected at random:KERYGMA Preaching or proclaiming, as distinct from teaching or instruction (didache) in the Gospel of Christ. Before the Gospel was written, it was first preached (Romans 16:25), but beyond preaching it was also to be taught (Matthew 28:19) in order that, as far as possible, it might be understood (Matthew 13:19). (Etym. Greek K_rygma, proclamation; from keryks, herald.) All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission

Does “Gospel” Simply Mean “Good News”? Or Have We Unintentionally Defined Ourselves into a Corner?By: Msgr. Charles PopeThere are times in the Church when we want to define something rather easily and simply so as to make it memorable and easy to grasp. But in so doing, we run the risk of doing harm to its deeper, richer, and more accurate meaning.I wonder if we have not done this with the word “gospel.” Most of us have been trained to define the word “gospel” as “good news.” Clearly there is good news in the Gospels and, by extension, the whole of...

November 11, 2014Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop    Reading 1 Ti 2:1-8, 11-14 Beloved:You must say what is consistent with sound doctrine,namely, that older men should be temperate, dignified,self-controlled, sound in faith, love, and endurance.Similarly, older women should be reverent in their behavior,not slanderers, not addicted to drink, teaching what is good, so that they may train younger womento love their husbands and children,to be self-controlled, chaste, good homemakers,under the control of their husbands,so that the word of God may not be discredited. Urge the younger men, similarly, to control themselves,showing yourself as a model of good...

Featured Term (selected at random:MYSTERY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT The sacrament of confirmation, especially in Eastern Christianity. It is called a mystery because it confers invisible grace through visible anointing. And it is the distinctive sacrament of the Holy Spirit as power according to the promise of Christ to his followers before Pentecost, that they would receive power to be his witnesses, i.e., martyrs, even to the ends of the earth. All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

The Heavenly Elements of the LiturgyBy: Msgr. Charles PopeIn November, Catholics are encouraged to meditate on the “Last Things.” As you know, I write quite often on Hell. But I have written on Heaven, too. In this post I propose simply to set forth how much of our liturgy is a kind of dress rehearsal for Heaven.Indeed, Catholics are often unaware just how biblical the Sacred Liturgy is. The design of our traditional churches; the use of candles, incense, and golden vessels; the postures of standing and kneeling; the altar; the singing of hymns; priests wearing albs and so forth are...

 After-Birth “Abortion”    We Are In The Middle Of A Tsunami Of Physician-Hastened Termination—Goodness Has Nothing To Do With It, Don’t Call It “Euthanasia”  I watch the people’s faces coming out of Mass, the time when their lives are most affected by our Blessed Lord’s earthly mission. Sometimes my notice is caught by a heavenly glow on the faces of mothers with many children. Little children are innocently preoccupied by more immediate emotions. But most arresting are the looks of young people, often ranging between wistfulness and angst.Youth are faced with some of the most serious business of life,...

A current LDS apostle and a former Utah governor were honored by Utah Catholics Thursday. Elder L. Tom Perry and his wife, Barbara Perry along with Jon Huntsman and his wife, Mary Kaye Huntsman, were honored at Catholic Community Services’ annual Humanitarian Awards Dinner at Little America Hotel in downtown Salk Lake City. Mary Kaye Huntsman has launched two youth programs called Bag of Hope and Power in You. The Catholic Community Service said that Jon and Mary Kaye have worked tirelessly in pubic service and to help those in need...

November 10, 2014Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church    Reading 1 Ti 1:1-9 Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christfor the sake of the faith of God’s chosen onesand the recognition of religious truth,in the hope of eternal life that God, who does not lie, promised before time began,who indeed at the proper time revealed his wordin the proclamation with which I was entrustedby the command of God our savior,to Titus, my true child in our common faith:grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior. For...

Pope Francis on the family: an inestimable and irreplaceable good 2013-10-27 Vatican Radio(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St Peter's Square on Sunday, October 27th, 2013, to mark the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time and the World Family Day at the close of the 21st Plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for the Family, which met in Rome this past week to reflect on the theme of living the joy of the Faith. In his homily, the Holy Father spoke of the Christian family as an institution that prays, keeps faith, and experiences joy. Listen: Over 100 thousand people...