Short services of blessing of a Christmas Manger or Nativity Scene that are actually part of the official liturgy of the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church. But they can be conducted by lay men or women in their own homes. Both full...
On October 1, 1999, Pope John Paul II declared Edith Stein, whose religious name was Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, as one of the co-patrons of Europe. In the following excerpt from his decree, he explains the significance of his proclamation. Edith Stein—Saint Teresa Benedicta of...
St. Teresa of Avila on friendship with Jesus as the key to contemplation and the spiritual life and how all blessings, particularly contemplative prayer, come through the humanity of Christ. This selection is read on the Feast or liturgical memorial of Saint Teresa of Avila...
The Book of Blessings contains a short service to bless a Christmas tree which can be led by lay people in their homes. To make your Christmas tree more meaningful, use it this year and every Christmas!...
Saint John of the Cross makes clear that the only path to profound knowledge of God and the joy that this brings is through tribulation and suffering. But this difficult path is worth traveling. For Christ, the destination, is like a mine with many pockets...
The text of Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Day Proclamation which established an annual observance not of "Turkey Day," but of Thanksgiving to God for his blessings upon our land....
Robert Bellarmine, reflecting on Jesus' statement in Matthew 11:30 that "my yoke is easy, my burden light," explains it in terms of love of God and the joy and happiness that it produces, in this life, and eternally. For September 17, his feast day....
In his homily at the canonization of St. Maria Goretti, a paragon of chastity and purity, Pope Pius XII notes how the example of her life and death is a call to all Christians to a persistent, even relentless pursuit of virtue and perfection....
St. Robert Bellarmine here enumerates 15 marks or characteristics of the one, holy Catholic Church of Jesus Christ which expands upon the four notes of the Church as found in the Nicene Creed: unity, catholicity, holiness and its apostolic foundation. [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='100' color='' background_color='' border_color='']D[/dropcaps]...
The order of the blessing of an event as found in the edition of the Roman Ritual known as the book of blessings. [dropcaps type='normal' font_size='100' color='' background_color='' border_color='']T[/dropcaps]hrough this meeting Jesus himself will speak to us. We should now, therefore, give thanks to him who...