Most of the readers of Catholic Stand are probably aware of the wicked deception going on today in the world. St. Paul warned us about this in 2 Thessalonians 2: 10. This was addressed in a previous column here. But the purpose of this article is to see exactly how Satan tries to deceive us. […]
I can’t believe how often I hear people who call themselves Catholic make explicit statements of unfaithfulness. It usually goes something like: “I love the Catholic Church and I believe most of what She teaches. I just disagree on a few of Her positions.” Usually the disagreement revolve around sexual morality, sins against the 6th […]
This seems to be impossible. St. Paul tells us: “Rejoice always, pray continually, in all things give thanks.” (1 Thess 5:16-18). No Joy In Pain & Suffering Who rejoices when her child is injured? Who rejoices when he loses his job? Who rejoices when she is lying in pain, dying? Who rejoices at a broken […]
Angels have always played prominent roles in biblical stories. Over the years, they have inspired art, literature, and films. Saints have spoken with them. St. Paul advised, “Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels” (Hebrews 13:2). Many books and articles have been devoted to them and angelic images are common. […]
We go to Mass, we go to confession frequently but we are not quite perfect are we? We are inherently human. We slip, we fall, we make mistakes. We often face trials in our lives. Some shake us to our core. Some, though they may not seem so at the time, effect a course alteration […]
Because I Am Not More Holy than You Many people these days look at women who choose to practice the devotion of veiling as ‘holier than thou’ – most characteristically in Novus Ordo parishes. Nothing could be further from the truth. In my personal experience, the reasons women veil are numerous. Their motivation includes emulating the Blessed […]
Speaking to tens of thousands of teenagers and young pilgrims at a candlelight vigil in the city of Freiburg, at the end of his Sept. 22-25, 2011 state visit to Germany, Pope Benedict XVI challenged those present with these stirring and unforgettable words: “Dare to be glowing saints, in whose eyes and hearts the love […]
How does the Mass compete? The scenes from World Youth Day in Poland give hope that all is not lost. There is still a zeal for the Faith among young Catholics. Yet whenever I gather with other Catholic mothers of grown children there is always a sad story of a child who has left the […]
Although Jesus was full of love and could communicate it to others whilst He was on earth, God’s plan was initially limited. In other words, in entering into a world of space and time, Jesus was necessarily limited by the laws of space and time. To put it simply, he could only be at one […]
When I first heard the song “Girl at Home” by Taylor Swift, I thought it was somewhat inappropriate. However, I liked the melody, and because of that I eventually decided that it was not a bad listening choice for most adults and older teenagers. One day when I was listening to the song, I realized that, […]
918 From the very beginning of the Church there were men and women who set out to follow Christ with greater liberty, and to imitate him more closely, by practicing the evangelical counsels. They led lives dedicated to God, each in his own way. Catechism of the Catholic Church I just returned from a day […]
This past August, Maclean’s published an article called “What would Jesus watch? Behold a new era in Christian film,” by Jaime Weinman, in which he says that in 2014, there were more so-called “Christian” films than there were comic book superhero movies. Some of these films were even relatively profitable, such as War Room, which […]
“Basket of deplorables” is an excellent and very public example of what happens when we see people not as individuals with unique histories, gifts, abilities, and viewpoints, but rather as mere substantive adjectives. We do it all the time, in describing others, and sometimes, in describing ourselves. What are We Saying? The poor, the homeless, […]
We have all read the story of Saul’s conversion from murderous enemy of Christ’s people to legendary evangelist for God. While Paul did not become this legend as soon as he was knocked off his horse, that fall began the process that took him to that wonderful role in the history of our Faith. […]
These words from St. Bonaventure begin one of St. John Paul II’s contributions to the Catholic Church, his encyclical, Fides et Ratio (FR): Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to the truth—in a word, to […]
When God’s creatures are blessed and surrounded by the love of God, they absorb and reflect His love back in seemingly miraculous ways. My husband and I stumbled on this truth during the twenty years we raised nine kids and an odd assortment of farm animals and pets on a small family farm in eastern […]
“African Christianity puts a powerful stress on the miraculous, on eternal life, on the active providence of God, on healing grace, and on the divinity of Jesus… The reason a supernaturally oriented Christianity grows is that it is congruent with the purposes of the Holy Spirit, and also that it presents something that the world […]
The Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy officially ends soon (November 20, 2016). Considering that fact, together with Saint Teresa of Calcutta’s canonization, perhaps it is time for a quick mercy checkup. While we still have some time left, let’s see how we’re doing in our individual application of the works of mercy. Under prayerful consideration, what […]
“The Scarlet Whore, the Dogs of Hell, the Second Beast, the Anti-Christ, ‘these have disgraced humanity and crimsoned a great part of the world with innocent blood. And soon riding triumphant over the heads of true Protestants, making multitudes drunk with the wine of her fornications…The need to swap the best religion in the world […]
As a young adult, there was a time when I was lukewarm in my faith and attended Mass on Sundays but was merely going through the motions. Because I was bored by the Mass, there was a point when, out of curiosity, I attended a few Baptist church services with a friend. The experience was […]
Angels: God’s Servants and Messengers
Angels have always played prominent roles in biblical stories. Over the years, they have inspired art, literature, and films. Saints have spoken with them. St. Paul advised, “Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels” (Hebrews 13:2). Many books and articles have been devoted to them and angelic images are common. […]
The Explosion of Love Unlimited
Although Jesus was full of love and could communicate it to others whilst He was on earth, God’s plan was initially limited. In other words, in entering into a world of space and time, Jesus was necessarily limited by the laws of space and time. To put it simply, he could only be at one […]
Supernaturally Oriented Catholicism Grows
“African Christianity puts a powerful stress on the miraculous, on eternal life, on the active providence of God, on healing grace, and on the divinity of Jesus… The reason a supernaturally oriented Christianity grows is that it is congruent with the purposes of the Holy Spirit, and also that it presents something that the world […]
Finding Reasons to Celebrate the Triumph of the Cross
Every 14th of September, the Catholic Church, celebrates the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. It is also known as the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The history of this celebration centers on the story of how Queen Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, was supposed to have found the […]
Making the most of the gifts God has given to me. Putting them at the service of God, the Church, and society. Many Gifts, No? God has entrusted to each one of us many gifts. I invite you to test this claim against your life to see if it is true. Some of these gifts are […]
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