A Poor Imitation
I celebrated my fifth Christmas in Italy this past December. It was certainly the most normal one after COVID. Still, I was struck by several
I celebrated my fifth Christmas in Italy this past December. It was certainly the most normal one after COVID. Still, I was struck by several
Many people celebrate Christmas in honour of the birth of the Lord Jesus; some contemplate His childhood, and few envision God’s plan of salvation in
Our country is not very old. My maternal grandfather fought in World War I. His grandfather fought in the Civil War for the Michigan Infantry,
The start of Advent and the Mass readings during Advent grabbed my attention this year. They are on the virtue of “readiness.” As I age,
As we are literally wrapped up in the Christmas Season and at the beginning of the New Year, it is easy to become overwhelmed with
This year, I celebrate Christmas for the first time in my life without my mother. Mom passed away in November. While many Christmas gifts come
I want to do something that will recall the memory of that Child who was born in Bethlehem, to see with bodily eyes the inconveniences
It is easy for Christmas to be commercialized and to forget its true meaning. What many people may not realize is just as easy as
It’s that ‘full of wonder’ time again. Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to
My first memory that distinctly involves Advent is of an Advent calendar – a somewhat esoteric object in 1950s Kansas, if I recall correctly. I
In my deepest wound, I saw your glory and it dazzled me (Saint Augustine). Most people assume they will automatically feel cheerful during Christmas. Not
Many families have been executing traditional practices during this Advent season to create memories and help form the faith of parents and kids alike. These
Another Christmas is soon to happen in our lives. For some, it will be the final Christmas of our earthly sojourn. For others, it will
This year, the Ember Days fall later in Advent than usual. They always follow the feast of St. Lucy on December 13th, and so are
I can imagine what any medic reading this article might think about the above title. The Cambridge Dictionary defines watchful waiting as a way of
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest and on
Are you a Happy Holidays kind of person or a Merry Christmas person? If you are former, phooey on you. If you are the later,
The speech of God is silence. His word is solitude (Thomas Merton). Most of the Gospel readings during Advent are from the accounts of Mathew
What a difference 32 years can make. This is about two men – a 28-year-old man living during the Christmas season of 1942, and a
During Advent last year (2022) Catholic Nuns surprised holiday shoppers in Downtown Boston on Thursday December 8. They stood outside in the cold singing Christmas
The eve of Advent may seem to be one of the least propitious junctures at which to raise the likely all-time least-favorite theological issue of
Many Catholics love the Advent season for its twofold purpose. One purpose of the season is to prepare for celebrating the anniversary of when Christ