Faith Alive

A quick history of Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday") is the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. In times of greater Lenten austerity in Catholic countries, Mardi Gras offered an opportunity for households to consume some foods they would not enjoy until Easter.

What is the feast of the Presentation?

According to the Church's liturgical calendar, the feast held on Feb. 2 each year is in honor of the Presentation of the Lord. Some Catholics recall this day as the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary because such was the feast day named until the 1969 changes in the Church's calendar.

Celebrate Christmas like a Hobbit

J.R.R. Tolkien is best known for his stories of Hobbits, elves and magic rings set within his invented world of Middle-earth. At first glance, a new reader will encounter this world as one filled with inspiring themes of heroism, fellowship and light against darkness. But as one begins to dig deeper, readers will discover a mythology -- a Legendarium, as he called it -- woven together by the deeply Catholic philosophy of a devout man of faith.

Advent reflections from the women doctors of the church

We radiate the life of Jesus to the world to the extent that we live with the conviction that we are divinely loved. Advent calls us beyond the false security of the merely virtuous person and into the daring surrender to God's love of the saint.

Four steps for Christian discipleship in Advent

During Advent, traditional reflections remind us that our call to evangelize involves waiting and anticipation. As we move toward Christmas, we relive the long-expected coming of the Messiah by the Jewish people. The Mass readings and Liturgy of the Hours recall this Jewish expectation that was vaguely promised in Genesis 3:15: "I will put enmity between you (the serpent) and the woman." This yearning intensified with the prophets, especially Isaiah. The preaching of John the Baptist and Jesus' baptism brought it to a climax.

‘One mightier than I is coming’: Advent with St. John the Baptist

Search the Scriptures, and except for the Holy Family, no person is more favored by God than St. John the Baptist. All four Gospels acclaim this holy man and set him apart from others. From before his birth, he was chosen by God to announce, baptize and identify Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.

In Advent, gaining a healthy sense of sin — 7 pitfalls of sin

Remember the song lyrics: "What the world needs now is love, sweet love!" It's hard to disagree with such a sentiment, especially at the present time when nations and people are at war with each other. Love is a beautiful thing, and we could use more of it. However, the world is in need of something else too: a healthy sense of sin.

What does World War I have to do with the solemnity of Christ the King, which marks a century this year?

On the last Sunday of the liturgical year, Catholics celebrate the solemnity of Christ the King. A relative newcomer to the church calendar -- established in the 20th century -- this feast is designed to give special recognition to the dominion Christ our Lord has over all aspects of our lives. But why and how did it come about? And why is it so important today?

The meaning of Thanksgiving

For Americans, the term "Thanksgiving" conjures up images of turkey and cranberry sauce, parades and football games. These are "traditions" that have come to mark an event made a perpetual institution of American life by President Abraham Lincoln.

The life of Archbishop Fulton Sheen, 130 years after his birth

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen is remembered as one of the most influential and innovative evangelists in American history. Once dubbed "God's microphone," Sheen announced God's truth in a nonconfrontational, yet no less life-giving, manner to untold millions through radio, print and television.

Do you know how to avoid the demonic?

We are living in a challenging generation in terms of our belief in and understanding of the spiritual. Many Christian ideas that used to inform our families, communities and laws have faded. What used to be seen as dangerous or even evil is now normalized and often celebrated.

8 ways to live a merciful life

We need mercy because we live in an imperfect world. We all know people who have suffered a death in the family, a serious illness, divorce, a job loss or some other personal tragedy. We have heard shocking stories of violence, oppression, poverty, prejudice and abuse. And while we can't stop every bad thing from happening, we can become more merciful in our response to people in need.
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