By David G. Bonagura, Jr.
Showing most recent 4 items by this author.
Pope Francis’s Funeral and Tomb Showcase His Legacy
Tombs of popes and other heads of state do not merely hold the rulers’ earthly remains. They convey how the rulers wish to be remembered. They can also express other messages to posterity, typically ones that the rulers held most dear.
Jubilation in Rome’s Eternity
To celebrate Rome today is to toast its secular and sacred histories for all their respective glories, respective failures, and the many conflicts between them. To do so in this Jubilee Year is to rejoice in the enduring power of the divine over finite secular might.
Fasting, Abstinence, and the Measure of Faith
Individual Catholics, then, must choose their own acts of self-denial according to their personal discernment. How should they choose? Following our Lord’s challenges to His disciples, whatever they do must show that they love Him more than the things of this world. Our willingness to keep these resolutions during the inevitable temptations to acquiesce is the real measure of our faith.
The Conundrum of Parish Involvement
Pastors rightfully seek ways to involve the lay faithful in as many aspects of parish life as possible. It’s a simple calculus: the more the faithful engage in various parish events, the more they come to love their parish. They will then support more events, make the parish seem alive and attractive to others, and, most importantly, their efforts will push them to grow deeper in their own faith.
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