Catholic Church

By Francis Phillips, Catholic Herald - Saint Teresa of Avila is said to have commented, “God protect me from sad-faced saints” and Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, one of her spiritual daughters who had been a solemn and serious atheist philosopher before her conversion, admitted that she had never laughed so much as when she had become a Carmelite nun....

By Msgr. Charles Pope - In yesterday’s post we considered the term “closed communion,” the practice of offering Holy Communion only to those who hold to the full doctrine of the Church. This practice emphasizes that communion of mind and heart to all the Holy Catholic Church teaches to be revealed by God is included in the “Amen” that affirms the true presence.

By Theo Howard, Catholic Herald - This brings the total number of priests murdered in Mexico to 23 in the last six years… A second priest has been murdered in Mexico in the space of a week… Fr Juan Miguel Contreras Garcia, 33, died of gunshot wounds on Friday April 20 outside Saint Pio of Pietrelcina church, Guadalajara, Jalisco State, reported authorities.

By Matthew E. Bunson, National Catholic Register - It is vital for the Church — starting with Pope Francis — to teach with coherence and vigor on the Four Last Things: death, judgment, heaven and hell... Consequently, it is also vital to have a manifest and specific denial of Scalfari and a public declaration of what the Holy Father believes about the destiny of our souls... The devil may be in the details, but even more so in their absence.