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Our Mother of Perpetual HelpPainted in tempera on hard nutwood, 21 inches by 17, the original picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is one of many copies of the famed Hodeguitria of St. Luke. (The Hodeguitria, reputedly painted by St. Luke, was venerated for centuries at Constantinople as a miraculous icon. It was destroyed by the Turks in the year 1453.) This particular image, however, is THE ONE COPY singled out – by Our Lady herself – for special heavenly favors. You may see it today enshrined above the high altar at the Redemptorist Church of San Alfonso,...

Bishop says establishment has become an oppressor of basic freedoms in the name of being pro-choice.Britain’s Supreme Court has rejected the case of two Scottish midwives who refused to be involved with abortion procedures, following an appeal from National Health Service Greater Glasgow and Clyde against last year’s Court of Session ruling that the “right of conscientious objection extends not only to the actual medical or surgical termination but to the whole process of treatment given for that purpose.” Concepta Wood and Mary Doogan were experienced midwives working as labor ward coordinators at Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital, which since 2010...

Dr. John McAdams, a professor of political science at Marquette University whose blog posts have brought to light many of the Jesuit University’s actions undermining its Catholic identity, has reportedly been suspended, banned from campus and is now under formal investigation by the administration. The Cardinal Newman Society spoke to the University in order to determine the grounds for the disciplinary action. McAdams released the news on his blog, Marquette Warrior, which included an email sent to him from the dean of Marquette, Richard Holz. The email stated that McAdams was to remain off campus while his conduct was reviewed...

I have no memory of becoming a Christian. I didn’t pray a prayer or walk an aisle or have a eureka moment. In fact, I don’t remember a time when I didn’t love the Lord Jesus. My Christian testimony—the story of how I came to faith—is downright boring. In fifth grade, I began to attend a school where dramatic testimonies were a regular part of morning chapel. Week after week, speakers—a drug addict, a party girl, an atheist—told of God’s rescue. I loved these stories, and today I am thankful for revivals of such “testifying” in places like this regular...

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.(Galatians 4:4-5)When God became a man, He put himself under the law. In every sense possible Jesus was yoked underneath the heavy load of the Law of God. The entire moral, sacrificial and ritual law were placed upon the MEssiah from birth. At the very beginning we are told of Jesus’ circumcision. He too was circumcised the eighth day according to the Law...

Prospering in Everything Today's Scripture “They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not wither. In all that they do, they prosper.” (Psalm 1:3, NRSV) Today's Word from Joel and Victoria Large trees represent power, majesty and stability. Have you ever noticed the difference between a tree planted by the water and a tree far away from water? The tree next to the water is much more healthy and vibrant. Its fruit and blossoms are more beautiful. In the Bible, the Word of God is compared to...

The Focus Of Our Message " I did not come to bring peace but a sword. —Matthew 10:34 " Never be sympathetic with a person whose situation causes you to conclude that God is dealing harshly with him. God can be more tender than we can conceive, and every once in a while He gives us the opportunity to deal firmly with someone so that He may be viewed as the tender One. If a person cannot go to God, it is because he has something secret which he does not intend to give up— he may admit his...

Gearing up for 2016, left-leaning Catholic political organizations prepare to make the case for the Democratic platform. Promising yet again to “move beyond partisan and ideological divisions,” the George Soros-supported Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good (CACG) has refined its successful strategies of the past in its attempts to convince Catholic voters that the pro-choice Democratic nominees for public office in 2016 will do more to reduce the number of abortions than pro-life Republicans will. The group’s main argument supporting this claim is that Democrats will reduce poverty—a major factor in the choice to abort an unborn child.  It...

In the modern struggles and disagreements over the Liturgy, there tends to be a list of friends and opponents depending on one’s stance. For those of us with a more traditional leaning, Pope St. Pius X looms large as a friend and an image of tradition. He is usually seen as a defender of the tradition and a great proponent of what is called today the Extraordinary Form or Traditional Latin Mass (TLM)—so much so that the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) takes its name from him.And yet things, people, and movements are seldom as simple as we would...

(CNSNews.com) -- When the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) went after a city council in Jay, Fla., for displaying a nativity set on public property, the atheist group might have won a battle, but seems to have lost the war. The FFRF, known for protesting any and all religious displays in public places, sent a complaint letter recently to local officials in the 526-person city of Jay, arguing against the life-sized nativity that had been set up on the site every Christmas for nearly 40 years, the group said in a press release. In a letter sent to the city’s...

It’s no secret that those of us who claim to follow Jesus Christ consistently fall short of living up to the way of life of our Rabbi. Being a disciple of Jesus is a lifelong journey towards conforming ourselves to the image and way of life that Jesus taught. However, so often, followers of Jesus chose to blatantly ignore some of the clearest instruction of our Rabbi and obscure it with vague theology so that we can get off the hook. Other times, followers of Jesus are taught something explicitly contradictory to the plain words of Jesus and then spend...

" It was his efforts at peace that brought him the Nobel Peace Prize. Despite the huge popularity and respect he enjoys, he is not unaware of his increasing isolation by global leaders since being in Beijing's good books appears to be the global fascination. It remains to be seen how India reacts. It would be a sad day, indeed, if New Delhi also lacks the moral fibre and toes Beijing's line." Nobel laureates gathered in Rome last week were dismayed that Pope Francis had surprisingly refused to grant an audience to the Dalai Lama so as to not incur...

1 Timothy 4:1-2 New Living Translation (NLT)Warnings against False Teachers4 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. 2 These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.In looking around at what is happening in the world today I am convinced that now, more than ever before, the evidence is clear we are living in the times God as chosen as the final period before He, the Father, will send Jesus back to claim His...

When known unbeliever Ridley Scott was announced as the director, faithful film buffs feared the worst. Not only were many unsure whether he would treat the Biblical story with respect, but his film record since the smash hit Gladiator has been rather uneven (Robin Hood, Kingdom of Heaven, and Prometheus all failed to connect with wide audiences). As it turns out, Exodus is thankfully respectful of believers, if not a little ambiguous about the goodness of God. But sadly, a number of Scott’s artistic decisions effectively rob the story of its potential to entertain and to uplift. Here are five...

Featured Term selected at random:MASSA CANDIDA A group of about three hundred Christians at Carthage who hurled themselves into a vat of burning lime rather than offer homage to Jupiter (c. 253). St. Augustine wrote and spoke of them, and Prudentius wrote of their courage in poetry. All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

Pope Gregory the Great: Advice to the Married By: Msgr. Charles PopeEvery now and again when I write on Holy Matrimony, especially the Church’s more staunch biblical teachings (indissolubility, no contraception, etc.), someone will inevitably write in with a kind of sneer and wonder at or even laugh at a celibate man advising married people about marriage. To be sure, inner experience of something has its place, but so does external observance. I remember as a youth that my swimming coach, who was out of the water, would often correct us if our form was wrong, and advise us...

Welcome to the last Catholic Playlist show of 2014! We’ve reached the 4th Sunday of Advent which means that Christmas and the birth of Christ is very near. This week’s show is going to be focused on just the music, with no commentary or song titles from me as we go down the playlist. In addition to some familiar favorites, we’ll be playing some music from the new O Come Let Us Adore: A Christmas Collective album. Songs by Matt Maher, Alanna Boudreau, PJ Anderson, Ike Ndolo, Marian Grace and many more. Enjoy the music...

Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that, armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies and establish Thy justice among men and nations.” The famous “weather prayer” of General Patton was written by a Catholic Chaplain, Colonel James H. O’Neill, Chief Chaplain of the Third Army. Here is his article on the incident...

“Mom!”“What!” I called back.“Could you please get me a drink?” my son responded.I breathed out a heavy sigh. “I just sat down,” I grumbled in response.The Power of a SighYet even as I spoke those words, the Spirit gently prodded my heart, convicting me of my sigh and tone of voice. You see, a sigh speaks volumes. It can roar just as loud in the heart of a child as yelling. It says “You are a burden.” “You aren’t worthy of my time.” My tone of voice also said more than words could. It said, “Leave me alone. You irritate...

Average Catholics asked today how often they read the Bible likely would say that they do not read the Bible regularly. However, if asked how often they read Scripture, the answer would be different. Practicing Catholics know they read and hear Scripture at every Mass. Many also recognize that basic prayers Catholics say, such as the Our Father and the Hail Mary, are scriptural. But for most Catholics, the Scripture they hear and read is not from the Bible. It is from a worship aid in the pew. Scripture always has played an important role in the prayer life of...