History of Catholic Ecumenism
from Pope Leo XIII to Pope John XXIII

Since the Fall of Man, human sin has consistently been in conflict with the Will of God. Jesus’ prayer for the unity of Christians has not been exempt from this unending struggle. The consequence of this strife is that Christianity is separated into three major sections: Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant. Schism, heresy, and as always, sinful pride are the reasons for these divisions. Yet in every age there are Christians sincerely seeking to follow their Lord’s commands; thus, each fissure of the Body leads...More...

Abolished or Fulfilled?
The Mosaic Law in Relation to the New Covenant of Christ According to the Fathers of the Church

The entire scope of salvation history consists of God’s covenants with man. From the covenant of creation to the covenants of Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Christ, the development of the plan of salvation can be traced since the Fall of Man. The relationship between these covenants is at once both clear and obscure. Each covenant serves the same basic purpose: to bring man into a deeper relationship with God. However, on a human level, these covenants sometimes seem to be in conflict and even contradictory....More...

Obtaining The Divine Life
From Death to Life: the Process of Salvation

What is something we all want, but never finish receiving?

More.

or a more expensive house. But even if we get these things, we still feel like we need more of something: we are never fulfilled. There is still a basic emptiness that exists in us. Why is it that we never feel satisfied with what we have? The answer lies in our very nature...More...

From Ignorance to Bliss
My Journey to the Catholic Church

Manicured lawns, kids playing in the streets, and dads barbequing in the summer: I grew up in the quintessential suburban American neighborhood. Each family was similar to the next, having the same values and outlook and each relatively the same size. One family on my street, however, broke the mold. Instead of the standard two or three children, this family had seven. I remember asking my mother why that family was so large, and her simple answer was, “Oh, they’re Catholic.” Knowing little of Catholicism and even less of how children were conceived, I figured that these “Catholics” must have a better relationship with the stork than the rest of us....More...

Interpreting the Holy Bible
How the "Senses" of Scripture Provide the Foundation for a Proper Interpretive Stance

In His goodness and wisdom God chose to reveal Himself and to make known to us the hidden purpose of His will by which through Christ, the Word made flesh, man might in the Holy Spirit have access to the Father and come to share in the divine nature." This is revelation: the self-revealing of God....More...

Removing Our Sinful Natures
The Catholic Doctrine of Purgatory

Purgatory is one of those subjects, like economics, about which nearly everyone has an opinion but few have in-depth knowledge. Protestants point to it as an example of a pernicious “tradition of men” which Christ wisely condemned. Orthodox Christians, who accept the possibility of an interim state between this life and heaven, are uncomfortable with many traditional depictions of purgatory as well as associated doctrines such as indulgences. And many Catholics today treat purgatory like a persistent rash they cannot get rid of...More...