*Image: Our Lady of Mount Carmel with St. Simon Stock, St.Teresa of Avila, St. Albert of Vercelli, the Prophet Elijah and the Souls in Purgatory by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, 1745 [Brera Pinacoteca, Milan, Italy]
John Grondelski (Ph.D., Fordham) is a former associate dean of the School of Theology, Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey. All views herein are exclusively his.
A note from Robert Royal: After 15 years of this site, we’re used to receiving donations of various sizes and kinds: one-time gifts, monthlies, stocks, transfers from retirement accounts, even bequests. A few years ago, I encouraged readers to think about how we send you a daily offering, 365 days a year, without fail, every morning. And one donor promptly sent in $365. Yesterday, someone – perhaps the same clever person – donated $365.25. I’m grateful for the recognition that inflation has hit everyone, even The Catholic Thing. But we await enlightenment about the purpose of the 25 cents. All of which is just to say that we welcome any and all help. Readers during funding campaigns often enough apologize that they aren’t in a position to do more. No need to apologize. By each of us doing what we can, we’ve been able to survive the ups and down of the past decade and a half, and – God willing – still have some great days ahead. All the more reason to do whatever you can. But now. Today. Without delay.