Archaeology confirms the Bible (and has done so over and over again through the years)—including with a new set of excavations under the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
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Already considered a saint by the people of El Salvador and elsewhere, Oscar Romero was recognized as a martyr for the faith in 2015. The time when he was Archbishop of San Salvador was a period of civil unrest and great government-sponsored violence.
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Saint Joseph of Leonissa was known for his austerity of life and single-minded commitment to preaching. Arrested and warned to change his ways, Joseph returned to his former behavior and was re-arrested and condemned to die. He escaped, however, and continued a life of preaching.
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Saint Thomas Aquinas is well known for his writings, especially the “Summa Theologica.” But he was far more than a philosopher/theologian. He was a devout man who wrote beautiful prayers and hymns. Perhaps the best known is the “Pange Lingua.”
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Saints Timothy and Titus were trusted friends and co-workers with Saint Paul through many of his trials. He eventually set both up as heads of local Churches and encouraged them as would a father. Saint Paul seems to have truly relished their support and friendship.
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Saint Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus was to be the turning point in his spiritual life. There he met Jesus and nothing was the same after that. Thereafter, all his zeal and energy were focused on the spread of the gospel message.
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Saint Anthony was a solitary ascetic who practiced great mortification yet drew many people to himself. He responded by founding an early form of monastic life. He lived until age 105.
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Saint Francis considered Saints Berard and his companions as true Friars Minor because they were willing to lay their lives on the line for the faith. Such heroic virtue inspired Saint Anthony to join the Franciscans.
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Born into an affluent Hindu family in 1712, Devasahayam Pillai converted to Christianity and was martyred for his chosen faith in 1752. At his 2012 beatification Pillai became the first Indian layman not connected to any religious institute to be beatified. Ten years later he was canonized by Pope Francis.
Read MoreAccording to the account in Saint Matthew’s Gospel, King Herod slaughtered a number of male babies in an attempt to rid himself of the perceived threat of a usurper to his throne. What he didn’t realize is that Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world─a fact that emerges later in Saint Matthew’s Gospel.
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Saint John, traditionally thought to be the “Beloved Disciple,” was the writer of the fourth Gospel, and presumably, the only apostle who was not martyred. He is also the disciple to whom Jesus entrusted his mother from the cross. Symbolized as an eagle, Saint John’s Gospel “soars” in its theological treatment of the Good News.
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An important Catholic reformer in Germany, Saint Peter Canisius earned a master’s degree at age 19, and then joined the Jesuits. He was a great writer and patron of the sick and imprisoned.
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It was a new way of seeing for me. Always before, I’d looked for God in happy endings. If the ending wasn’t happy, then God must not be in it. At last, I came to understand a deeper truth. Happy endings come and go. That doesn’t mean God is absent. It just means you need […]
The post This Day’s Thought-Tuesday appeared first on This Day's Thought.
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Partner with us in our end-of-year campaign to continue to defend the truth of God’s Word and the gospel.
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The Blessed Virgin’s appearance at Tepeyac to Saint Juan Diego in 1531, was the beginning of a beautiful story of God’s and Mary’s love and care for the peoples of Mexico. As Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Blessed Virgin was named patroness of all of the Americas in 2003.
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Orphaned at the age of six, Charles was raised by his devout grandfather. He rejected the Catholic faith as a teenager, but resumed its practice around age 30. He then became a Trappist monk. After leaving the monastery, Charles traveled extensively, living a peaceful and somewhat hidden life.
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Saint Nicholas Tavelic and his companions were martyred in the Holy Land in 1391. While their method of evangelization is different from what we would use today, their zeal and courage are evident in their actions. They stand alone as canonized Franciscan martyrs of the Holy Land.
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Saint Luke is known to us primarily as the author of the Gospel that bears his name, and Acts of the Apostles. Actually two volumes of one work, Saint Luke instructs and inspires us with his beautiful treatment of the words and deeds of Jesus and of the early Church. We are blessed by his writings.
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Compromising on the Bible’s history affects our interpretation of God’s Word and God’s world
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This millennial was a self-taught computer whiz, defender of bullied students, soccer enthusiast, and deeply devoted to the Eucharist—all this in a life cut short by leukemia at the age of 15.
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The rosary is a truly Catholic devotion. It is a form of prayer and meditation in honor of Mary and celebrates the mysteries of Jesus’ and Mary’s lives. It has been called a miniature catechism highlighting the key events of our faith. Our Lady of the Rosary remembers Mary’s intercession and celebrates this popular devotion.
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Saint Thérèse of Lisieux is perhaps one of the most known and best loved saints in the Catholic calendar. A young Carmelite nun who wanted to go to the missions, she remained within the cloister yet became the patron of the missions.
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More than just a name in a Christmas carol, Wenceslaus managed to rule with a clear vision of what a Christian leader should be. Many opposed him during his reign, and his brother eventually betrayed and killed him, but he continued to hold the faith and is hailed today as an outstanding king in Eastern Europe.
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Matthew was a Jew who worked for the Romans as a tax collector. His fellow Jews considered him a traitor and resented him. The Pharisees viewed him, and all tax collectors, as sinners. So it was a real shock to hear that Jesus called such a man to be one of his followers. But that’s the kind of thing that Jesus did.
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The Korean martyrs, including Saints Andrew Kim Taegon and Paul Chong Hasang, spread the gospel in their native land under extremely difficult circumstances. The holy companion martyrs include bishops, priests, and laity, some of whom where French missionaries.
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A reading from the Letter to the Ephesians Eph 4:1-7, 11-13
Brothers and sisters: I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner…
Saint John Chrysostom, the great preacher of Antioch, was the victim of his own success. Called to be a bishop, this simple monk found himself embroiled in the workings of the empire. He, however, managed to stay focused on the needs of the Church.
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First reading from the Book of Numbers NM 21:4B-9
With their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses, “Why have you…
A reading from the first Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 1 COR 4:6b-15
Brothers and sisters: Learn from myself and Apollos not to go beyond…
Gregory, called “the Great,” became pope at the age of 50. In his new role, he had much to do both within and outside the Church. Known for his reform of the liturgy, he is credited as the author of the Gregorian chant used for centuries in the Latin church.
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We know little about Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus except what we find in scripture. We do know that they were Jewish men of some standing who were not afraid to express their respect for Jesus.
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A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 1 Cor 1:26-31
Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many of you were…
First reading from the Book of Joshua Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b
Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, summoning their elders, their leaders, their…
First reading from the Book of Proverbs Prv 9:1-6
Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven columns; she has dressed her meat, mixed…
First reading from the First Book of Kings 1 Kgs 19:4-8
Elijah went a day’s journey into the desert, until he came to a broom tree and…
Saint Dominic became aware that the preacher had to practice what he preached and connect with the people of God. He and a few Cistercians formed what was the beginning of the Order of Preachers, better known as the Dominicans.
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Whatever happened on Mount Tabor within the hearts of Peter, James and John, we will never know. The experience was more than words can describe. But certainly, the three Apostles had an experience of the glory of Jesus, the Son of God.
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First reading from the Book of Exodus Ex 16:2-4, 12-15
The whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “Would that we…
Founder of the Society of Jesus Ignatius of Loyola, like Francis of Assisi, had a conversion experience while recuperating from a serious illness. Being a military man, the Rule of Life that Saint Ignatius wrote for his followers shows the discipline and rigor of a soldier, but a soldier of faith with the mercy and compassion of the Gospel.
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A readsing from the Book of Jeremiah JER 13:1-11
The LORD said to me: Go buy yourself a linen loincloth; wear it on your loins, but do…
A reading from th the Song of Songs SGS 3:1-4B
The Bride says: On my bed at night I sought him whom my heart loves– I sought…
Saint Francis Solano asked to be sent to Africa as a missionary. Instead he was sent to South America, where he spent the rest of his life. After years of ministry in Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay, he died in the city of Lima, Peru.
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A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah IS 1:10-17
Hear the word of the LORD, princes of Sodom! Listen to the instruction of our God,…
Mary Magdalene is one of the most enigmatic and revered figures in Christian tradition, often portrayed as a devoted follower of Jesus Christ. Her name, derived from the town of Magdala on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, indicates her origins. She is prominently mentioned in the Gospels as a key supporter of Jesus, one who provided for him out of her own resources. According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus cleansed her of seven demons, a testament to the transformative power of his ministry in her life. This act of deliverance marked the beginning of her unwavering devotion. She is frequently listed among the women who accompanied Jesus and the twelve disciples, highlighting her significant role in his ministry.
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The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
– Galatians 5:19-21
A reading from the Book of Hosea Hos 2:16, 17c-18, 21-22
Thus says the LORD: I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and…
We don’t know a lot about Saint Thomas the Apostle, but tradition has it that he traveled to and preached the gospel in India, where he was eventually martyred. His name means “twin,” and due to his skepticism, he is also known as “Doubting Thomas.”
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A reading from the Book of Amos AM 3:1-8; 4:11-12
Hear this word, O children of Israel, that the Lord pronounces over you, over the whole family…