June

Catholic News & Perspective

June 2023

Give up control, and give it to Christ

By Father Joshua J. Whitfield “But I heard the voice of Jesus saying still to fight on.” That’s what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. heard, as he tells the story, at one of his lowest moments, frightened early on in his battle for civil rights and worried for his family’s safety. He was scared and...

The church hall wedding reception is the best choice you’ll ever make

by Father Patrick Briscoe One joy of priesthood is accompanying young couples as they prepare for marriage. Two summers ago, I served as a chaplain during a program for Catholic undergraduates. The students worked demanding jobs in hospitality at a National Park and dedicated their off hours to prayer, study and living in intentional...

Meet the musician with hit Christian songs now becoming a priest

by Katie Yoder Ahead of his ordination to the priesthood, Deacon Andrew Crabtree remembers clearly the moment he offered his life to God. “I remember one day I was at Mass and I was frustrated with work, frustrated with everything,” he told Our Sunday Visitor. “I just remember kneeling down right before Mass and...

Fear of the Lord

by Catherine Cavadini Fear of the Lord. This is a phrase particular to Scripture. It does not mean to literally be afraid of the Lord, but to have awe or reverence for God. Part of having proper reverence for God is the ability to recognize God as God. Once we know God, we come to know ourselves more truly. St....

Now is the time to find new ways to promote a culture of life

by Kathryn Jean Lopez We’ve entered the earlier stages of the Republican primary season. I already can’t keep track of the candidates and the town halls. When I was much younger, I confess, I loved such things. I would watch C-SPAN until I couldn’t anymore. But things are different. Roe v. Wade has ended. And...

Still pondering ‘Ted Lasso’ and the redemption of ‘Nate the Great’

by Elizabeth Scalia (OSV News) Parting truly is “such sweet sorrow,” and in this era of anti-heroes, deep irony and unsympathetic characters, I miss “Ted Lasso.” Having found a well-written, brilliantly acted story about people I could actually care about — even if I needed closed captioning to understand most...

We need to hear the harsh truths of God

By: Father Joshua J. Whitfield I once climbed Mount Sinai — Jabal Musa it’s called today. It was very difficult. Getting there was hard enough. By the time we arrived at St. Catherine’s, the ancient monastery nestled at the foot of the mountain, we were already worn out. Excited to be there, though, it...

How to bring the 40 Hours devotion to your parish

by Rebecca W. Martin Imagine that Jesus Christ knocked on your door and asked to stay with you for the better part of two days. How would you welcome him? What conversations would you have around the kitchen table? What transformations might occur, as you drew close to him in friendship and rested together in the living room? What...

For a better future, children need their fathers

by Our Sunday Visitor Editorial Board While a mother’s importance to her family cannot be overstated, too often our culture overlooks the significance of a father’s presence in the life of his children. The influence of a loving and involved father plays a crucial, irreplaceable role in shaping a child’s character and...

All praise and all thanksgiving

by: Catherine Cavadini “O Sacrament most Holy, / O Sacrament Divine, / All praise and all thanksgiving, / Be every moment thine!” Many parishes recite this prayer together after receiving Communion. It is a beautiful prayer, and most fitting to Sunday’s solemnity of Christ’s Body and Blood. Perhaps what is most...

A warning about ‘synodality’ in the Church from half a century ago

by Russell Shaw People fretting over the pros and cons of synodality should seek enlightenment in the story of “shared responsibility” half a century ago. History doesn’t literally repeat itself, but what happened then suggests why we need to move ahead carefully now while avoiding new mistakes. Shared...

Undeterred by fear, China’s ‘Little Li’ offers an important lesson in religious liberty

by Sofia Cornicelli The following essay was selected as the winner of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ religious liberty essay contest on the theme “Witnesses to Freedom.” Tongue pressed stealthily to the floor, the Littlest Witness consumed her Lord. In that brief moment, the darkness of Communist...

Meditating upon what God is

By: Father Joshua J. Whitfield Trinity Sunday is different. From Advent to Pentecost, the Church invites us to celebrate what God has done for us — his incarnation and manifestation, his death, resurrection and ascension. Last Sunday, we celebrated the descent of God the Holy Spirit upon the apostles at Pentecost. These are...