The short answer is that your priest isn’t offering Mass for the people of the parish because he personally wanted to or because he thought it was a good idea (although he probably is happy to do this and praying for the people of the parish is indeed a good idea)! Rather, he was offering this specific Mass intention because the Church’s canon law specifically requires him to do so.

Getting someone’s attention at the balloon counter was tricky, but when I finally found an employee, I asked her to fill up six red balloons.

On July 4, 2026, the United States of America will celebrate its 250th anniversary. This event will resonate in every corner of the land, but it has special significance for us in the Premier See, the Archdiocese of Baltimore. We are linked to this event both by history and by the virtue of patriotism.

The Kiplinger Program based at Ohio University in Athens each year hosts a fellowship with a different theme. This year, that was “Saving Local News,” with an emphasis on concrete solutions for community news outlets. Catholic Review editor Christopher Gunty was selected as a fellow for this year’s program.

The Holy See has declared that, if the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) proceeds with the ordination of bishops in July without a papal mandate, those involved in these illicit ordinations are automatically (latae sententiae) excommunicated – that is, excommunicated by their own acts.

Fifty years ago, a young Dominican friar from Baltimore stepped forward to place his life into the hands of the Church. In doing so, Father D. Reginald Whitt did what every priest does at ordination: he offered not simply his talents or ambitions, but his very self. Half a century later, countless former students, colleagues, parishioners and friends can testify that the gift he offered has multiplied beyond measure.

There is a lot of handwringing going on about the state of manhood these days. Maybe this Father’s Day, we can focus on what’s good about men who are fathers.

“Non-Catholic wedding” is a very broad term that can refer to a number of scenarios. In some of these scenarios, there is no reason why a Catholic, even a Catholic priest or deacon, should feel the need to decline an invitation to attend as a guest. But other “non-Catholic weddings” would be more of a concern.

God often has something else up his sleeve. And he likes to make sure we know that he sees us and that he’s walking right by our side.

The favors of the Lord are not exhausted, his mercies not over and done; every morning they are renewed, so great is his faithfulness (Lam 3:22-23).