A Lenten Tradition: Veiling the Cross for Passiontide
Towards the end of Lent you may notice purple cloths draped over the crucifixes, statues, and saint images at your parish. In some churches, these items may be removed from the sanctuary altogether...
99 Questions to Complete Your Examination of Conscience
O God, be merciful to me, a sinner. —Luke 18:13 Many of us may be tempted to begin our examination of conscience when we get in line at the confessional. There is nothing wrong with this prac...
The Last 7 Words of Jesus: A Lenten Meditation
Lent is a time that the Universal Church reflects on Christ's Passion and Death in an intensely focused way. After Jesus was nailed to the cross, He spoke 7 short expressions. These statements are ...
How to Explain Your Ashes: 3 Methods
Have you ever been asked about your Ash Wednesday ashes? During the Ash Wednesday service our foreheads are adorned with ashes followed by the words: "For you are dust, And to dust you shall ...
Anticipating Lent: Your Pre-Lent Pep Talk
Lent is fast approaching and Catholics across the world will soon gather in solidarity on Ash Wednesday to embark on the forty day journey into the proverbial wilderness of self-denial.Denying ours...
Recently a coworker and I were chatting about her daughter who was soon to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. She had just completed the faith formation classes at her parish, and from the ver...
What Happens at the Rite of Confirmation: The 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit Explained
The Sacrament of Confirmation is a sacrament of anointing by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is one of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity; he is the comforter and helper that Jesus promised to ...
How to Plan a First Communion Party
First Holy Communion is an important rite of passage in a young Catholic's life that usually happens around the age of seven or eight. It is one of the three of the Sacraments of Initiation into t...
Your Best Answers to "Who Is Your Favorite Saint, and Why?"
Since the death of the Church's first martyrs, Catholic Christians have been praying for the guidance and assistance of the saints in heaven.Our relationship with the blessed in heaven who are pres...
Understanding the Mary Untier of Knots Painting Symbolism
The Devotion to Mary Untier of Knots has become one of the fastest growing Marian devotions. Devotion to Our Lady under this title is not new but through the promotion of Pope Francis, it has recen...