Category Archives: Church History

Pilgrimage to Kalaupapa

I made a pilgrimage last week to Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai. This is the place were St. Fr. Damien lived and worked with patients with Hansen’s disease, more popularly known as leprosy. Fr. Damien was canonized in 2009 … Continue reading

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Congratulations, Cardinals O’Brien and Dolan!

Earlier today, Edwin O’Brien and Timothy Dolan were given the red hat and made cardinals of the Church. Their admittance to the Pope’s senate makes the United States the second largest contingent in the college of cardinals, after the Italians. … Continue reading

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The Venerable English College Turns 650 Years Old

The Catholic News Agency (www.catholicnewsagency.com) reported that the Catholic seminary in Rome for English seminarians turned 650 years old yesterday. This compares with the North American College where United States seminarians go to study, which turned 150 years old last … Continue reading

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Not to be Forgotten: Saint Mother Marianne of Molokai

  In the news along with Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha is also Blessed Mother Marianne of Molokai. In the same decree attesting to the miracle that will lead to Tekakwitha’s canonization, Benedict XVI declared that another miracle was attributed to Mother … Continue reading

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Cardinal John P. Foley Dies

Early this morning, Cardinal John P. Foley died in his sleep. He had been battling leukemia and had suffered kidney cancer in 2006. Cardinal Foley was the president of the Pontifical Council of Social Communications for 23 years, and served … Continue reading

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Feast of St. Andrew, the First Apostle

Today, November 30, is the feast day of St. Andrew the Apostle. St. Andrew was the first to accept the Lord’s call to be an apostle, and was one of the first men to follow the Lord’s precursor, St. John … Continue reading

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Pope St. Leo the Great and the Modern World

Today is the memorial of Pope St. Leo the Great. His pontificate was from 440 to 461 AD, a time of upheaval in the Church as well as in the Roman Empire. Prior to being elected pope, Leo was a … Continue reading

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A Re-Wording of the Spirit of Vatican II

I was listening this morning to a Catholic talk radio station. The host was interviewing someone who described the effect of Vatican II with a term I have not heard before used in this context: Protestantism. At first, I thought I … Continue reading

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Cardinal John Chrysostom Korec

I read yesterday with interest an article in  L’Osservatore Romano (www.vatican.va/news_services/or/or_quo/text.html) about Cardinal John Chrysostom Korec from the Czech Republic who celebrated the 6o anniversary of his ordination to the episcopacy. At the time, he was the youngest bishop in … Continue reading

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First African Pope

For over 400 years, until Pope John Paul II, we had only Italian popes. Did you know though, that we have had lots of non-Italian popes throughout the centuries? Of course, St. Peter, the first pope, was Jewish and a … Continue reading

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