On May 11, Pope Francis released an Apostolic Letter motu proprio titled "Antiquum Ministerium." The letter establishes the lay ministry of catechist, through a rite to be determined by the Congregation of Divine Worship. The letter begins by reflecting on a New Testament theology of charism, focused especially on 1 [...]
Dante is not often thought of as a source that can speak to religious life. Yet, Pope Francis has recommended him to become better known in his recent letter Candor Lucis Aeternae, published on the 25th anniversary of Vita Consecrata. In this essay, Fr. Stephen Pepper, CSC draws a number of parallels [...]
In February, Sr. Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ was appointed undersecretary to the Synod of Bishops. The subsequent media attention on Sr. Becquart, as well as her own interest in promoting the concept of synodality, has led to a spate of articles and thinking about the problems and possibilities synodality possesses. But [...]
Vatican News reported that Pope Francis has authorized the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to proceed with the canonization of a new religious saint and decrees about the causes of a number of other religious. The Congregation will soon canonize Margaret of Città del Castello, a third order Dominican [...]
On March 19th, the Feast of St. Joseph, Pope Francis released his message for World Day of Vocations." This year, Francis focused on St. Joseph in his announcement: Saint Joseph is an extraordinary figure, yet at the same time one “so close to our own human experience”. He did not [...]
On April 20th, a Minnesota jury convicted former police officer Derrick Chauvin of the murder of George Floyd. The Hennepin County Courthouse, barricaded in downtown Minneapolis, had gathered a crowd of protestors, who erupted into cheers when the verdict was read. Seven miles away at the University of St. Thomas, [...]
The Vatican Observatory, long run by the Jesuits, has recently complete a redesign of their website. The new site includes features like a podcast, with episodes such as "Death by Meteorite? What are the Chances?" and "The Vatican's Interest in Space Exploration?" There's a list of the scientists working at [...]
In an interview at The Pillar, Sr. Mary Bendyna, OP, the executive director of the Conference of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR), discussed the current state of religious life and where she sees its future. The center of religious life, she notes, is the following of Jesus Christ in a [...]
This engraving by Martin Schongauer depicts a moment from Jesus' appearance to Mary Magdalene in the Gospel of John 20:17-18: Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to [...]
This painting, by Georges de la Tour, depicts St. Peter at some unknown point after the night and morning leading up to Jesus' death, possibly even as early as Holy Saturday, repentant for his repeated denials of knowing Jesus. Although Christ forgave his betrayal, Peter was consumed by guilt. La [...]