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The Servant and the Ladder Consider the old moral case condemned by Blessed Innocent XI (1676–1689). A servant helps his master climb through a window to commit a grave sexual crime, perhaps by holding the ladder, opening the door, or otherwise assisting him. Could the servant excuse himself by sayi...

I sat next to my teenage daughter on a rainy afternoon in the Chick-fil-a drive-through, talking to her about the struggle and need to conform our will to God’s. I started with the theological explanations in a general way and then applied them to our own lives. Words then came out of my mouth that...

Amid a world ripe with uncertainty, fear, and sorrow, the Catholic Church stands as a loving and consoling mother, guiding her children toward the eternal embrace of Jesus Christ in heaven. The Catholic Church describes herself as a she. She is not merely an institution or an assembly of believers—s...

This Sunday’s readings deepen our understanding of the mystery of Easter:  Christ rose from the dead to live His life again in us. Gospel (Read Jn. 14:15-21) Here we continue in Jesus’ Last Supper Discourse with the Twelve.  He is speaking forthrightly to His friends about an imminent change in thei...

After living in sexual sin most of my adolescent and adult life, everything changed with a visit to an Adoration Chapel. My past suddenly felt foreign, my desires shifted, and God gave me new strength. Learning the fruits of the Sorrowful Mysteries became the foundation of my new path. Meditating on...

When I was a teenager, my mom received a thyroid cancer diagnosis. This moment was particularly difficult for her because, when she was 15, cancer had claimed the life of her own mother. She told me later that getting cancer when my sister and I were kids was her worst nightmare. Originally from Cub...

Marie-Françoise-Thérèse Martin was a French Carmelite nun. Her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, introduced her "Little Way" of spiritual childhood. She is a Doctor of the Church. Feast day: October 1.

Francesco Forgione, known as Padre Pio, was an Italian Capuchin friar, priest, and mystic who bore the stigmata for 50 years. He was canonized in 2002. Feast day: September 23.

Catherine Benincasa was a lay member of the Dominican Order who lived during the 14th century. She is a Doctor of the Church and patron of Italy and Europe. Feast day: April 29.

Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, known as Francis of Assisi, was an Italian friar, deacon, mystic, and preacher. He founded the Franciscan Order. His feast day is October 4.

Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, Catholic priest, and Doctor of the Church. His greatest work, the Summa Theologiae, remains a cornerstone of Catholic theology. Feast day: January 28.

Joan of Arc was a French peasant girl who, claiming divine guidance, led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War. She was burned at the stake at age 19. Feast day: May 30.