Inspired by Truth, Enlightening Minds for the Church in Canada and Throughout the World
Inspired by Truth, Enlightening Minds for the Church in Canada and Throughout the World
On Saturday 16 December, we started the Christmas novena. As the name itself suggests, the word novena comes from the Latin ‘nouenus’ which means nine each or occurring as a group of nine. In our Catholic faith tradition, ‘novena’ points to a devotion made up of prayer requesting for some particular grace for the individual and/or for somebody else. Several are the novenas which are prayed daily over a nine successive days period. The idea of novena we[…]
On a note of hope as we approach the birth of Christ – in a world that seems so devoid of that powerful virtue – here is a fitting reflection by Peter Leithart, which helps us see providence somehow at work, even in the midst of profound and systemic evil. Christ exhorts us always to[…]
Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophesying, but test everything; hold fast what is good, abstain from every form of evil. May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may[…]
His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation (Lk 1:4). Once again on this third Sunday of Advent we encounter the figure of John the Baptist, “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight His paths.’” In the Liturgy of Advent John bears[…]
(In Advent, our devotion is focused on Saint John the Baptist, as the precursor of the Christ, but then we shift in the latter days to the Holy Family – Our Lady, Saint Joseph, and the soon-to-be born Christ child. Here is a speculative reflection by Joshua Filipetto, on the confirmation of Saint Joseph in[…]
Never give up prayer, and should you find dryness and difficulty, persevere in it for this very reason. God often desires to see what love your soul has, and love is not tried by ease and satisfaction….In the inner stillness where meditation leads, the Spirit secretly anoints the soul and heals our deepest wounds. (Saint[…]
Rev. Marco Testa, As We Worship So We Become: Meditations, Prayers and Devotions to the Most Holy Sacrament of The Altar: 2023. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass strengthens us to live Eucharistic lives of prayer, repentance, conversion, self-sacrifice, charity, adoration, witness. Through Christ’s sacrifice on the altar, as well as frequent Eucharistic Adoration, abundant[…]
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:4-5)
On this Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, as we continue the pilgrimage through the Marian theme of Advent, here are a few musical pieces to lift your souls and spirits: Bruckner’s (+1896) Ave Maria: And, just after Bruckner, there was Biebl (+2001) : And Gustav Holst (+1934), of Planets fame, between them:
Today is the solemnity of Mary Immaculate, a day on which many consecrate themselves to her, and the question we may ask, why do we consecrate ourselves to Mary? First, our consecration to her certainly please Jesus. Let us remind ourselves what Saint Maximilian Kolbe tells us: Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin[…]
