Jeanie Hannaman

By Phil Lawler, Catholic Culture - In this first month of his pontificate, Leo XIV has already provided us with many indications of what we can expect from his leadership. Those Catholics (and non-Catholics) who hoped for dramatic change will probably be disappointed. On balance, that’s a good thing... When the conclave began, some Catholics were hoping for one sort of dramatic change: a quick reversal of the radical policies wrought by Pope Francis. Others wanted the opposite: an acceleration down that same path of radical change.

By Joannie Watson, Integrated Catholic Life - In a Church known for its “smells and bells,” one of the best smells is sacred chrism. From the heads of little babies to the palms of new priests, this rich-smelling sacramental reminds us that a transformation has taken place... Throughout the Old Testament, there are three different groups that are anointed: priests, prophets, and kings. In addition to being a sign of abundance and joy (see Psalm 23:5), anointing was a sign of consecration. In Leviticus, Moses anoints the tabernacle, the altar, and the instruments in the tent of meeting, and also anoints his brother Aaron ....

By Regis Martin, Crisis Magazine - As necessary as the evangelical imperative is to the life of the Church, since without it the Gospel withers and dies, it is not enough simply to proclaim the Good News. For all that the world needs to hear the message of Jesus Christ, merely doing so does not exhaust the possibilities of bringing Christ to the world. There is another way, which is not at variance with planting the Gospel seed one row at a time but entirely complementary to sharing Christ with others. And that is to engage the larger dimension of human culture, which is the effort to give public expression to the things we believe.