Category: Advancing the Kingdom

Television ads can be thought provoking. I saw one recently where, when asked “what’s on your life’s to-do list?,” a half dozen bright faced adolescents responded with such admirable aspirations as curing cancer, cleaning the environment, eradicating illiteracy, fostering world peace, and so on. I…

Increasingly dining room tables are a rarity. Perhaps it is because in newer homes dining rooms are rare. (Indeed some would suggest that dining itself has disappeared.) I was thinking about this recently while six of our grandkids – all under eight years of age…

As inconceivable as it is for those of us raised in a tradition of beautiful liturgical music there are religions where music – even exquisite music of the caliber of Gregorian chant or Bach’s Mass in B minor – is considered an enemy of piety.…

A Godless world is an impossibility. But, the perception of one – willful or otherwise – is not. How easily this misperception can lead to the dehumanization of our society. This thought resurfaced as I attended a recent seminar on the utility of “webcasting.” The…

Recently, our chimney was swept. This is a task that is done periodically. In our case, though, because of neglect on my part too much time had passed since the previous cleaning and we experienced a chimney fire. It was an unnerving experience. Large pieces…

I am pleased to report that recently a fund has been established at NCCF in support of the Church’s efforts to address the aftermath of the Ebola crisis in West Africa. Please see the summary below on the West African Catholic Solidarity Fund. In August…

Everybody, it seems, is reading the Post Synodal Exhortation Amoris Laetitia of Pope Francis. Although its author recommends against a “rushed reading” many have already made it through the 260 pages of this very inspiring text. To describe this exhortation as inspiring is not inaccurate.…

By Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia on the Apostolic Exhortation “The Joy of Love” For our Church, the Apostolic Exhortation “Amoris Laetitia” is one milestone on a long and winding journey. The Holy Father’s enthusiastic invitation to deal broadly, freely and openly with questions that are real…

Anyone looking for suggestions for inspiring reading during the Easter Triduum will not be disappointed by Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia’s article on the cause for beatification of Father Felix Varela titled “A Wind of Holiness from Cuba and the United States: The Faith of Father Varela…

  By Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia President of the Pontifical Council for the Family Postulator of the Cause for Beatification of Father Varela “Gusting winds of holiness throughout the Americas” On May 2, 2015, Pope Francis celebrated a Mass at the North American College in Rome…