Dreams are not always strange, disconnected experiences. Sometimes they are unified to the point of producing extraordinary blessings. In fact, one of the wonders of modern science came through a dream. It’s called the Periodic Table of Elements, the fascinating chart that explains the way the microscopic building blocks of our physical world all [...]
The world contains layers upon layers of beauty. But do we have eyes to see all there is to see? Sight is the physical sense. Seeing is the spiritual sense. The difference became evident to me recently when I looked up from my reading at a pen on my desk and noticed that it [...]
By Maurice Williams and Peter Darcy It is good to be reminded now and then of what an amazing and beautiful world we live in. For example, if you’ve ever seen the Grand Canyon and thought it was impressive, you would be even more amazed at the monster trench deep in the Pacific Ocean [...]
By Patrick Giroux France’s most celebrated martyr, Joan of Arc, was captured at the gates of the city of Compiègne in northern France in 1431. The stark history of martyrdom would repeat itself more than 350 years later in that same town, except this time it was an entire convent of nuns who would [...]
The Second Book of Maccabees, Chapter 7, recounts the horrific story of the Jewish mother who was forced to watch the killing of her seven sons during the persecution of the Greek king Antiochus Epiphanes (175-164 BC). This evil military general inherited a portion of Alexander the Great's empire and set about forcing everyone [...]
Consider how you would react if a man in a police uniform barged into the room where you were teaching catechism to children and, with a gun in your face, yelled: “I’ve told you many times not to speak about Jesus. You must not mention God here, otherwise I will kill you all.” And [...]
“Mont Saint-Michel has broken the English siege!” cried the messenger as he galloped into the little town of Domrémy at the far eastern edge of France. It was the year 1424 AD, and a twelve-year-old girl of that town named Jehanne received the news with open enthusiasm. “There is hope for the kingdom of [...]
[This article is a sequel to the 9/19/21 email newsletter, "See the Unconquered Fortress of a Mighty Archangel".] Why does the Church venerate an invisible warrior? Because spiritual warfare is the lot of Christians on this earth. Pure and simple. The great Archangel, St. Michael, is known as the Prince of the Heavenly Host [...]
Italian folk songs are often performed using an artistic technique the Italians have perfected. They call it “Bel Canto”, a name that literally means beautiful song or music. The Harvard Dictionary of Music describes the vocal technique as placing “emphasis on beauty of sound and brilliance of performance rather than dramatic expression or romantic [...]
My excellent Latin teacher in college caught me by surprise one day. I thought I’d impress him with my deep culture by telling him how much I liked listening to the Ave Maria in Latin. He responded, “Oh really? Which one?” (There I was – busted – I didn’t know there was more than [...]