Jeanie Hannaman

By Fr. Jerry Pokorsky, Catholic Culture - Mary was born a Jew. Her parents—Joachim and Ann—were devout and holy Jews. Mary studied the Old Testament, recited the Psalms, heard the Word of God in the synagogues, and made offerings according to the prescriptions of the Law (cf. Lk. 2:23-24). Mary—“our tainted nature’s solitary boast” (William Wordsworth, 1822)—was conceived without Original Sin and, being filled with grace, committed no personal sins. The former was by God’s unique favor, and the latter was by Mary’s cooperation with God’s grace she received through her Jewish upbringing.

By Msgr. Charles Pope - By Msgr. Charles Pope - The three parables in this Sunday’s lengthy Gospel challenge conventional thinking. They describe people doing things that we most likely would not do. All three of them – especially the first two – seem crazy. Who would ever do what the shepherd of the lost sheep does or what the woman with the lost coin does? Probably no one. Likewise, the father in the Prodigal Son parable breaks all the rules of “tough love.” ...