What is the point of a pilgrimage? March 28, 2026By Deborah Castellano Lubov OSV News Filed Under: Commentary What is the point of a pilgrimage? Where did this idea come from for Catholics? There is considerable evidence throughout Scripture, which supplies theological significance to the concept. Even today we see many embracing this activity with passion and the commitment of time and resources.
A simple guide to Holy Week March 26, 2026By Heidi Busse OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Easter, Lent During this special time, we enter into the passion of Christ — his Crucifixion, death and Resurrection — through liturgical celebration and personal conversion.
The Donatist comeback March 25, 2026By George Weigel Syndicated Columnist Filed Under: Commentary, The Catholic Difference The strange, Donatist parallelism between the SSPX leadership and the German Synodal Path illustrates what’s come to be called the “horseshoe effect:” in a moment of cultural turbulence, social fragmentation, and political dysfunction like our own, the extremes of left and right bend toward each other rather than occupying two ends of a linear spectrum.
Who was Venerable Father Flanagan, Boys Town founder? March 25, 2026By Deacon Omar F.A. Gutierrez OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Saints Father Flanagan is an icon of the power of diaconal identity. It both shows us and makes effective now the power of Christ the Servant. Where Father Flanagan saw pain, he rushed in and embraced the child of God who suffered. When he saw injustice, he spoke out eloquently and forcefully called others to greater charity in Christ.
Question Corner: Does holy water ‘absolve’ us from venial sin? March 25, 2026By Jenna Marie Cooper OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Question Corner With respect to holy water in particular, St. Thomas Aquinas specifically identifies the “sprinkling of holy water” as a means for the remission of venial sin in question 87, article 3 of the “Third Part” of his work the “Summa Theologica.”
Why does the Annunciation loom so large in Catholicism? March 23, 2026By Elizabeth Scalia OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Marian Devotion The Annunciation is the full-on proof of Augustine’s words: “God created us without us, but he will not save us without us.” Just as God’s own Word of assent was necessary for the creation and sustained expansion of the universe, Mary’s “yes” was necessary to its salvation.
What I have done and what I have failed to do March 23, 2026By Rita Buettner Catholic Review Filed Under: Blog, Commentary, Open Window I’m on a quest to attend 226 Masses during 2026. So, back at the end of January, I decided to try to go to Mass every day of February. February is the shortest month, so I thought maybe I would have a chance at hitting that goal. But going every day is a real challenge […]
What are the three holy oils? March 22, 2026By D.D. Emmons OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Easter, Worship & Sacraments The Church makes use of three holy oils: the oil of the sick, the oil of the catechumens and the holy chrism oil. The first two are blessed, and the bishop consecrates the third, ordinarily during the annual chrism Mass. Each has a distinctive purpose in the Church.
Archbishop John Hughes: A new breed of bishop for the 19th century March 21, 2026By Russell Shaw OSV News Filed Under: America's 250th anniversary, Commentary John Hughes reigned — the word fits his style — as Archbishop of New York from December 1842 until his death in January 1864. In that time he established himself in the eyes of his fellow Americans as a Catholic bishop unlike any they’d seen up to then.
When Lent is extra Lenty, you need Holy Week even more March 20, 2026By Laura Kelly Fanucci OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Lent In the years when life becomes extra Lenty, the gift of the Triduum becomes even more clear. As a Church we enter completely into the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Question Corner: How do you proceed if an ex refuses to be a part of the annulment process? March 19, 2026By Jenna Marie Cooper OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Question Corner An important principle in the Church’s law regarding the marriage nullity process is treating both spouses as fairly as possible.
Three great Lenten themes March 18, 2026By George Weigel Syndicated Columnist Filed Under: Commentary, Lent, The Catholic Difference Lent thus reminds us that salvation history does not consist in humanity’s search for God, but in God’s entrance into history so that humanity may learn to take the same path into the future that God is taking.
