Jeanie Hannaman

By Elizabeth Weiss, Zeale News - Celebrated 50 days after Easter, Pentecost  commemorates the Holy Spirit’s descent upon the apostles, marking the birth of the Church and empowering once fearful followers to boldly proclaim the Gospel... According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Pentecost reveals the fullness of the Holy Trinity and the Church’s mission of evangelization... As the culmination of the Easter season, Pentecost marks the fulfillment of Christ’s promise to send the Holy Spirit. Before his Ascension, Jesus told His disciples: “It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:7). ...

By Dr. Matt Mehan, Catholic Exchange - Patriotism can be a difficult virtue to practice, but the first step is to realize that it is a virtue and an important one at that. Without getting too technical, we can describe patriotism as the love of one’s civic fathers and mothers. It is a reverential love borne of gratitude for the many goods received from the hands of those fathers and mothers ... With America’s 250th birthday or Semiquincentennial coming this July 4th and with Memorial Day coming up in this special year in our country’s history, we might do well to think more deeply about overcoming the obstacles to a deeper patriotism this summer and beyond. ...

By Gayle Somers, Catholic Exchange - This Sunday’s Gospel tells us that Jesus surprised the disciples “on the evening of that first day of the week” by appearing in their midst without using a door (locked “for fear of the Jews”).  We wonder if He had to calm them down a bit, because He said, twice, “Peace be with you.”  We can imagine how startled they were.  He showed them His wounds, in case they thought He was a ghost.  Then, Jesus gave the apostles an astonishing commission: “As the Father has sent Me, so I send you.”