The 3,000-strong congress attendees were jubilant during Mass as they sang along with the 90-member choir belting out “We’ve come this far by faith!”

Yesterday was my birthday. It wasn’t a special milestone, but every birthday feels significant to me. And every birthday offers a chance to pause and reflect on who I am, why I’m here, and how blessed I am.

While no one homiletic style will please all Catholics, an awful lot of us pew warmers are complaining about the quality, or lack thereof, of the sermons we hear.

“Try that in a Small Town” boasts lyrics about Grandad’s shotgun, handed down and waiting in readiness in case any miscreants currently shoplifting, sucker-punching and otherwise diminishing our cities show up on his turf.

Perusing the offerings at the exhibit hall open throughout each day of the 13th National Black Catholic Congress was a welcome task for attendees.

Heresy consists of an obstinate — that is, persistent and stubborn — rejection of Catholic teaching by a person after they were baptized.

When the children are younger, you struggle with how to display their artwork because it’s all so personal and sweet. Then when they get older, it can be even harder to know what to do because their work is so beautiful.

Hormonal contraceptives do not belong on drug counter shelves.

A great act of charity is to accompany a person or family who is thinking of coming back to church.

As Catholics, we believe that God created us with free will, meaning that we decide for ourselves to love God and seek to follow his commandments; or we can choose to reject or ignore God.