Focus

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  Death in the modern age – and how to prepare as a Catholic

  Nov 10, 2017

  Death. It’s a subject seen as sad, morbid and fearful, something that people would rather not think about, and certainly not discuss.

  
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  Food for Thought

  Nov 03, 2017

  Along with popular devotions and other forms of piety, sacramentals hold a special place in the church's liturgical life.

  
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  Catholics worldwide find strength in popular devotions

  Nov 03, 2017

  Three times during October, tens of thousands of people pour into the narrow downtown streets of Lima, Peru, accompanying the figure of the Lord of the Miracles in a procession around the city. The devotion, one of the largest in Latin America, is also celebrated in cities such as Los Angeles and Rome.

  
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  A devotional life will not leave us as it found us

  Nov 03, 2017

  An older man, out in the morning for his first mile-and-a-half walk of the day, silently recites the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me” — or, “have mercy on me, a sinner.”

  
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  500 years ago, it wasn’t Catholics but Protestants embracing Luther

  Nov 03, 2017

  Renowned American scholar of religion Martin Marty, a Lutheran himself, has written a book on this year’s 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, and he’s reminding us that five centuries ago, it was Protestants, not Catholics, whose hearts Luther stirred — because, he says, he hit on precisely the issues with which they were struggling at the time.

  
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  Rethinking Europe: Pope Francis calls for unity and dialogue

  Nov 03, 2017

  “Christians are called to promote political dialogue, especially where it is threatened and where conflict seems to prevail,” Pope Francis told 350 participants at an international conference in the Vatican on the Christian contribution to the future of Europe.

  
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  Message of Pope Francis for World Mission Day 2017 — Oct 22, 2017

  Oct 21, 2017

  Once again this year, World Mission Day gathers us around the person of Jesus, “the very first and greatest evangelizer” (PAUL VI, Evangelii Nuntiandi, 7), who continually sends us forth to proclaim the Gospel of the love of God the Father, in the power of the Holy Spirit. This Day invites us to reflect anew on the mission at the heart of the Christian faith.

  
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  Conference on ‘Amoris Laetitia’ was dialogical, grounded in reality

  Oct 21, 2017

  The conference on Amoris Laetitia yielded many fascinating talks and highlighted different but congruent perspectives on the document. My colleague, Joshua McElwee, has already reported on the conference. Today, I would like to look at the conference and specifically what it says about the shape of the debate over Amoris Laetitia.

  
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  I thirst – Eucharistic Adoration

  Oct 20, 2017

  Jesus’ thirst was beyond His physical needs. His brokenness and pierced side ached more from the lack of love from us. He wants our love and the chance for Him to love us. He is not bound by time. Whenever we come close to Him we become partners with Our Lady and St John in hearing the words “I thirst” echo in our ears.

  
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  Church congress calls for action on child protection in digital world

  Oct 12, 2017

  The Declaration of Rome, the final document produced by participants at the World Congress hosted by the Pontifical Gregorian University on Child Dignity in the Digital World, issued an urgent call for action.