Michael Spencer has a post up that encapsulates most of why I like using the liturgical calendar as a basis for worship and Christian living. I would argue (in addition to Michael's points) that how we celebrate time deeply shapes us as people, and increasingly, American holidays are shaping us as s...

I have followed Bob Hyatt's blog for awhile now, and greatly admire the work he's done in planting a church in Portland. I think we'll probably use the Lent prayer guide he put together as an aid to a fruitful Lenten season at Christ Community. Bob has an interesting post up (Franchise Ahoy!) about ...

It's a bad world, Donatus, in which we live.But right in the middle of it I have discovered a quiet and holy group of people.They are people who have found a happiness that is a thousand times more joyful than all the pleasures of our sinful lives.These people are despised and persecuted, but it doe...

Today is the Octave Day of Christmas -- the Eighth Day of Christmas -- which now marks the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. It used to commemorate the Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord and bore the title In Circumcisione Domini et Octav Nativitatis. It represented Jesus, ...

Found this linked through an atheist blog. It's an oldie but a goodie (and of course, it plays into my perpetual whinging about why did they screw up the liturgical calendar, and pretend Christmastide does NOT last until February 2nd, WHICH IT DOES, thereby encouraging Catholics to follow the Mall's...

Yes, of course, I totally stole my title from a John Denver song. (Though I also think of "Seasons of Love" from  Rent .)  But Fran's entry on Advent, and Boston Pobble's comment on my link to that entry made me think more in depth of...

This past week the lectionary readings directed us to focus on John the Baptist, and his "voice in the wilderness" calling the people of Israel to repent, confess their sins, and be baptized for forgiveness in preparation for the one who was coming, who was greater than John, who would baptize with ...

Basilica of St. Paul, February, 2006 (Photo taken at night) Interior of St. Peter's Basilica Source Today's feast is a spiritual journey to two holy tombs, that of St. Peter and that of St. Paul in Rome. These two basilicas, marking the place of each apostle's martyrdom, are the common heritage and ...

November 1st is All Saints' Day, which is the "Memorial Day" for the church. It's when the church remembers the saints and martyrs that have gone before us in the faith. It's also a wonderful day to remember the persecuted church around the world, those for whom confessing faith in Christ is dangero...

Sts. Peter and Paul are the co-founders of the Church - the solid rock on which it was founded. St. Peter Peter's original name was Simon. He was a fisherman and the brother of Saint Andrew, the apostle who led him to Christ. As an apostle of Christ, Simon was renamed "Peter" (in Hebrew Kephas) or "...