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November 29, 2017 Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Dn 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords,with whom he drank.Under the influence of the wine,he ordered the gold and silver vesselswhich Nebuchadnezzar, his father,had taken from the temple in Jerusalem,to be brought in so that the king, his lords,his wives and his entertainers might drink from them.When the gold and silver vesselstaken from the house of God in Jerusalem had been brought in,and while the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainerswere drinking wine from...

Bishop Anders Arborelius of Stockholm (Roman Catholic Diocese of Stockholm) G.K. Chesterton believed that the medieval era (800-1400 AD) was the height of human civilization. The implication, of course, is that society has so degraded over the intervening centuries by abandoning the lofty goals and aspirational values taught when Christianity was an integrated part of Western society.However, it should be remembered that, during the Medieval Ages, according to Justo González’s 1984 book The Story of Christianity, only 50% of Europeans were Christians. Great swathes of Scandinavia and Eastern Europe hadn’t yet experienced the light of Christ and, of course,...

A promotional image from BBC drama 'Gunpowder' which focuses on the persecution of English Catholics during the Reformation (Image: Robert Viglaski/BBC/Kudos) Amid celebrations of the Reformation's 500th anniversary, we should remember the mass persecutions of 16thC EnglandMartin Luther was a theologian. If you read the Ninety-Five Theses he reputedly tacked up on the door of Wittenberg’s Schlosskirche in October 1517, it is clear his interest lay in the nature of sin, repentance, absolution, penance and salvation. Whatever else his wider agenda was – or became – his initial arguments were presented as scriptural debate on the revealed path to...

A Biblical Portrait of Christ Our Risen and Glorified King Msgr. Charles Pope • November 27, 2017 • Given that Sunday was the Feast of Christ the King and that we have begun to read the Book of Revelation in the Office of Readings, this is an opportune time to examine the glorious portrait of Jesus Christ presented in Revelation 1:8-20. It is a portrait of the risen Christ in all His glory. The vision is of a high Christology. The Christ that is encountered here is the Lord of glory, who has attained to His glorious kingdom and...

November 28, 2017 Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Dn 2:31-45 Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar:"In your vision, O king, you saw a statue,very large and exceedingly bright,terrifying in appearance as it stood before you.The head of the statue was pure gold,its chest and arms were silver,its belly and thighs bronze, the legs iron,its feet partly iron and partly tile.While you looked at the statue,a stone which was hewn from a mountainwithout a hand being put to it,struck its iron and tile feet, breaking them in pieces.The iron, tile, bronze, silver, and gold all crumbled at...

Westminster Abbey was stolen! As is the case with all ancient English churches, monasteries, or convents presently in the hands of the Anglicans, the famed Abbey where English monarchs are crowned and buried, was once the property of a Catholic institution. Westminister Abbey was a Benedictine monastery. While the Catholic origin of the Abbey may be well-known, especially in England, many people are unaware of who the Abbey’s heavenly patron.The Abbey dates back at least to the eighth century, but possibly before. During the time of King Saint Edward the Confessor (1003-1066), it had already been in existence as a...

These saints were killed for their faith during a dark time in England's history. After King Henry VIII proclaimed himself supreme head of the Church in England and Wales, a violent wave of anti-Catholic persecution began — and lasted over a century. It started with the executions of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher, but didn’t end there. Hundreds were killed between 1535 and 1679; the Church recognized the heroism of 40 martyrs from England and Wales in a canonization ceremony on October 25, 1970. (Later, a separate feast on May 4 was created to recognize the 284 canonized or beatified...

Catholic Traditions for Advent and Christmas MICHAELANN MARTIN Issue: How can families better live the spirit of Advent and Christmas in their homes? Response The Catholic Church has designated the four weeks preceding Christmas as Advent, a time to prepare the way of the Lord for His coming as our King and Savior. In addition, the Church teaches that: [w]hen the Church celebrates the liturgy of Advent each year, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the long preparation for the Saviors first coming, the faithful renew their ardent desire for his second...

The Biblical Roots of the Liturgy Msgr. Charles Pope • November 26, 2017 • 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 all depicted in the Scriptures. Some of these details were features of the ancient Jewish Temple, but most are reiterated in the Book of Revelation, which describes the liturgy of Heaven.The liturgy here on earth is modeled after the liturgy in...

November 27, 2017 Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Dn 1:1-6, 8-20 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon cameand laid siege to Jerusalem.The Lord handed over to him Jehoiakim, king of Judah,and some of the vessels of the temple of God;he carried them off to the land of Shinar,and placed the vessels in the temple treasury of his god. The king told Ashpenaz, his chief chamberlain,to bring in some of the children of Israel of royal bloodand of the nobility, young men without any defect,handsome, intelligent...

CATHOLICS COME HOME DISARMED BY LOVE, LED TO TRUTH Tyler Lynch, a young millennial convert, grew up as an intellectual Evangelical but found his way home to the Catholic faith through his studies. Hosted by Tom Peterson. CC TV-G Date Time Monday, Nov 27 11:00 PM Saturday, Dec 02 5:30 AM https://www.catholicscomehome.org/

The Catholics Come Home "Epic" TV commercial emphasizes the history, beauty, spirituality and accomplishments of the Catholic Church over her 2,000-year history. It illustrates how the universal Church is comprised of all races, ages, cultures and socioeconomic levels. It combines important factual information with breathtaking imagery and is an invitation for fallen away Catholics to consider coming back to the Church. Please share with all your friends and help us spread the message.

Not Your Average King – A Homily for the Feast of Christ the King Msgr. Charles Pope • November 25, 2017 • The readings for this Feast of Christ the King evoke three images of Christ as King. All of them are to some extent paradoxical because they emphasize things we don’t usually associate with kings. They also tell us that we have already met King Jesus even if we don’t realize it. Let’s look at these three images of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of all Creation: I. Caring King – The first reading, from Ezekiel 34, speaks...

November 26, 2017 The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe Reading 1 Ez 34:11-12, 15-17 Thus says the Lord GOD:I myself will look after and tend my sheep. As a shepherd tends his flockwhen he finds himself among his scattered sheep,so will I tend my sheep.I will rescue them from every place where they were scatteredwhen it was cloudy and dark. I myself will pasture my sheep;I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD. The lost I will seek out,the strayed I will bring back,the injured I will bind up,the sick I will...

The Star A-I (PG) John Mulderig Thursday, November 23, 2017 4:50 AM NEW YORK (CNS) — A holiday treat suitable for all but the tiniest, "The Star" (Sony) is a delightful animated version of the Christmas story told from the perspective of some of the animals present in the manger. Director Timothy Reckart and screenwriter Carlos Kotkin skillfully balance religious themes such as the importance of prayer and the value of forgiveness with a more secular message about pursuing your dreams. They also throw in a healthy dose of straightforward entertainment. They work their way into the biblical narrative of...

All or nothing at all -- three-quarters of a country never appealed to him, nor did the idea of a political entity called Northern Ireland that was created in 1920, comprising the six northeastern counties of Ireland in the province of Ulster. Gerry Adams is still adamant about the need for a united Ireland. As a political entity, the Republic of Ireland, first called the Irish Free State, was created in 1922. On November 18, 2017 the 69-year-old Adams, president since 1983 of Sinn Fein, the left-wing political party, announced that it was time for a change and that he...

Will to listen Only open and tender hearts will be blessed with the knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom Msgr. Charles Pope Question: As I understand it, Jesus came as the Savior for all. Yet Jesus spoke in parables, and when asked why, he says that knowledge of the mysteries of heaven has not been granted to everyone (Mt 13:10-17). I am puzzled, as it seems as if Jesus is speaking in code and purposely excluding many, especially those in most need of his mercy. Would you please help me understand? — Robert McBride, Cheswick, Pennsylvania Answer: It may...

November 25, 2017 Saturday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Mc 6:1-13 As King Antiochus was traversing the inland provinces,he heard that in Persia there was a city called Elymais,famous for its wealth in silver and gold,and that its temple was very rich,containing gold helmets, breastplates, and weaponsleft there by Alexander, son of Philip,king of Macedon, the first king of the Greeks.He went therefore and tried to capture and pillage the city.But he could not do so,because his plan became known to the people of the citywho rose up in battle against him.So he retreated...

November 24, 2017 Memorial of Saint Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs Reading 1 1 Mc 4:36-37, 52-59 Judas and his brothers said,"Now that our enemies have been crushed,let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it."So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion. Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month,that is, the month of Chislev,in the year one hundred and forty-eight,they arose and offered sacrifice according to the lawon the new altar of burnt offerings that they had made. On the anniversary of the day on which the...

St. Augustine, Florida, is a small city with a lot of “firsts” to its credit. It was the first permanent European settlement in what is now the United States. It was the site of the first Mass in the U.S. It is the place where the first shrine to Our Lady was erected (it stands on the grounds of the Mission Nombre de Dios). It was from here that the first Catholic mission to American Indians was launched. And, now, here comes the surprise — St. Augustine was the site of the first Thanksgiving celebration in America. As you’d...