Christian writers of the 2nd century came to view Sunday, “the Lord’s day,” as a symbol of Christianity in distinction from Judaism. Most of the churches decided to observe the Lord’s Passover (Easter) always on a Sunday, after the Jewish feast was over. In addition, local... Read More >>

The remarkable aspect of the Jewish religious year was its transformation, in successive codifications of the Torah, into a series of historical commemorations associated with God’s deed in creation and in the redemption of God’s people. At first the Sabbath was related to the Exodus,... Read More >>

Church year, also called liturgical year, annual cycle of seasons and days observed in the Christian churches in commemoration of the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and of his virtues as exhibited in the lives of the saints. Origins of the church year Religious times and... Read More >>

The 15 Promises of the Holy Rosary The 15 promises fall under the category of "private revelation", and as such are a pious tradition, which a person is free to believe or not believe. Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal... Read More >>

In 1922, Dom Louis Cougaud stated, "The various elements which enter into the composition of that Catholic devotion commonly called the rosary are the product of a long and gradual development which began before St. Dominic's time, which continued without his having any share in it, and... Read More >>

The rosary is one of the most cherished prayers of our Catholic Church. Introduced by the Creed, the Our Father, three Hail Marys and the Doxology ("Glory Be"), and concluded with the Salve Regina, the rosary involves the recitation of five decades consisting of the Our Father, 10 Hail... Read More >>

THE PAPACY The papal office The word pope (Latin papa, “father”) was used as early as the 3rd century to refer to any bishop, and the word papacy (Latin papatia, derived from papa) is of medieval origin. In its primary usage, papacy denotes the office of the bishop of Rome, for... Read More >>

Structure and Nature of the Church The theme of the body of Christ appears in the letters of Paul (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4–5; Colossians 1). In modern Roman Catholic theology, the term mystical has been added to body, doubtless with the intention of distinguishing the... Read More >>

Structure and Nature of the Church  In 1965 the Roman Catholic theologian Marie-Joseph Le Guillou defined the church in these terms: The Church is recognized as a society of fellowship with God, the sacrament of salvation, the people of God established as the body of Christ and the... Read More >>

We human beings are not only the beneficiaries but also the stewards of other creatures. Thanks to our bodies, God has joined us so closely to the world around us that we can feel the desertification of the soil almost as a physical ailment, and the extinction of a species as a painful... Read More >>

We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This... Read More >>

[Solidarity] is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people, both near and far. On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say, to the good of all and of each... Read More >>

In the present condition of global society, where injustices abound and growing numbers of people are deprived of basic human rights and considered expendable, the principle of the common good immediately becomes, logically and inevitably, a summons to solidarity and a preferential option for the... Read More >>

We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be.  Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of... Read More >>

All people have the right to economic initiative, to productive work, to just wages and benefits, to decent working conditions, as well as to organize and join unions or other associations. (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, a Catholic Framework for Economic Life, no.... Read More >>

Growth in justice requires more than economic growth, while presupposing such growth: it requires decisions, programs, mechanisms and processes specifically geared to a better distribution of income, the creation of sources of employment and an integral promotion of the poor which goes beyond a... Read More >>

The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected--the right to productive... Read More >>

"He who has the goods of this world and sees his brother in need and closes his heart to him, how does the love of God abide in him?”  Everyone knows that the Fathers of the Church laid down the duty of the rich toward the poor in no uncertain terms. As St. Ambrose put it:... Read More >>

"The Church's love for the poor . . . is a part of her constant tradition." This love is inspired by the Gospel of the Beatitudes, of the poverty of Jesus, and of his concern for the poor. . . . "Those who are oppressed by poverty are the object of a preferential love on the part... Read More >>

A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable... Read More >>