On March 19 each year Catholics celebrate the solemnity of St. Joseph, protector of the family and patron of the universal Church and of workers. The importance of this day in Catholic tradition extends throughout the world, but one related custom in particular originated on the island of Sicily: St. Joseph’s Table.

During Lent, God offers us a special invitation to recognize his presence in our lives. We can add prayer time or take on more works of charity or give in numerous ways. And maybe we can simply prioritize time with God, listening to him and looking for his fingerprints on our lives. 

St. Patrick might advise, such darkness is still and always with us, looking easy and glamorous as it sucks us into the black and whirling vortexes of sin. The battle between light and dark still continues all round us, and invites us in.

I was looking around, wondering whether the Mass would be offered in a different space, when a man passed me pushing a rolling cart.

While that great evangelizer of Ireland gets a great deal of attention, here are 11 Irish-born saints who continued St. Patrick’s efforts to spread the Gospel, and who also deserve a pint raised in their name. Sláinte!

Instead of judging families because they look different, we should be walking with them. We should embrace a world of variety, not a cookie-cutter life.

We are now in the season of Lent, a time that invites us to pause in our routines and focus on three spiritual pillars: prayer, sacrifice and charity.

What does the Catholic Church have to say about war? How does the concept of a “just war” which has roots in St. Augustine’s writings relate to modern warfare? And what does a discussion of the ethics of war look like with modern weaponry, including weapons made with artificial intelligence?

In the Gospel of St. Matthew, Jesus tells us to let our “yes” mean “yes” and our “no” mean “no,” warning that anything more is from the evil one. Scripture scholars explain that he was condemning the misuse of oaths and calling his followers to live in truth. But I couldn’t help thinking that he was also calling us to something deeper: an integrity of heart. 

while a church building that could no longer be used for its original purpose might in some cases lawfully be sold and re-purposed as something like a museum or private residence, this relegation or re-purposing would not affect the status of the altar it once contained.