Romano Guardini wrote in his book on the Rosary, “To linger in the domain of Mary is a divinely great thing. One does not ask about the utility of truly noble things, because they have their meaning within themselves. So it is of infinite meaning to draw a deep breath of this purity, to be secure in the peace of this union with God.”

Guardini was speaking of spending time with Mary in praying the Rosary, but David Mills, in his latest book, Discovering Mary, helps us linger in the domain of Mary by opening up to us the riches of divine revelation, both from tradition and Scripture.... READ MORE

Editor’s note: Catholic men’s conferences began in 1995 in Cincinnati, organized by the Greater Cincinnati Men’s Fellowship. These encounters with Christ, some drawing upwards of 4,000 men, have since spread to 65 venues across the country. The oldest conference associated with a diocese is in Worcester, Mass., and Bishop Robert McManus reflects his diocese’s 10th-anniversary event.

With great enthusiasm, I am looking forward to the 10th anniversary Worcester Diocesan Catholic Men’s Conference. We will convene at the DCU Center March 20.

I am very proud of the fact that we are the first... READ MORE

Sunday, March 14 (Year C, Cycle II), is the Fourth Sunday of Lent: Laetare Sunday.


Papal
Laetare (Rejoice) Sunday is the day that — since we have passed the halfway point of Lent — the Church looks forward to the joy of Easter. It’s called “Rose Sunday” for two reasons. First, priests may wear rose-colored (practically pink) vestments today. Second, it’s the day of the “blessing of the golden rose” in St. Peter’s, a ceremony that was already called an “ancient ceremony” in 1051. The intricately fashioned solid gold roses were once sent to Catholic monarchs. Now they are... READ MORE

The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women wraps up its annual meeting tomorrow, and a focus of the gathering this year is the 15th anniversary of the fourth international conference on women that was held in Beijing in 1995.

One woman on hand is Jeanne Monahan, director of the Center for Human Dignity at the Family Research Council. The Washington-based organization is a faith-based think tank and political watchdog on topics that touch on the questions of human dignity, sexuality, marriage and family, and how these affect culture.

Monahan holds a master’s degree in theology of marriage and family from the Pope John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in...READ MORE