News

By Teresa Yanaros, Catholic Exchange - Among many, the ideologies of new age, new thought, and even the occult evoke associations of mental health and body-spirit integration. They’re seen as methods leading to being “in tune” with the earth or the universe. Many recognize the level of spiritualism associated with the ideologies but deem them good or helpful; to others, they’re harmless. This perception is far from the truth. The truth is that each of these spiritual movements serve to idolize the self and mask harmful practices that endanger the health of the soul.

By Mark Henry, Crisis Magazine - For those who occasionally doubt the efficacy of prayer and fasting—myself included, mea culpa—we need only recall how divine intervention has very recently changed the course of history. When millions of the faithful recently lifted their voices in prayer for our country, we saw a remarkable political shift away from the tide of religious persecution, atheism, communism, radical secularism, and the cultural decay that once seemed unstoppable. If such prayers could help turn the course of a nation, can’t prayers do the same for our Church?

By Michael Pakaluk, The Catholic Thing - The earliest day that Ash Wednesday can fall is February 4th.  The Christmas season most liberally construed lasts until Candlemas, the Feast of the Presentation, on February 2nd.  Therefore, it would be possible for the Christmas season to go directly into Lent with just one day in between, Mardi Gras.  This is not common. The last time it happened was 1818, and the next will be 2285. In any case, we see that it is possible for Christmas and Lent to be conjoined but impossible for them to overlap.