Mass ends with the Concluding Rites, which consists of announcements, the priest’s greeting and blessing, the dismissal, and the kissing of the altar by the priest. These are not merely incidentals that can be ignored. They are an important part of the transition from the Mass back into our lives.Read More

St. Agatha lived in Sicily around the year 250. She was a devout young Christian who consecrated her life to God. A magistrate tried to start a relationship with St. Agatha, but she refused. The man threw St. Agatha in prison and tortured her, but she never yielded because of her deep faith. St. Agatha,...Read More

St. Casimir was a Polish prince born in October 1458. He became the grand duke of Lithuania in 1471. He dedicated his life to celibacy, despite pressure to marry the emperor’s daughter. St. Casimir spent much of his time in prayer and supported the poor. He also had a devotion to Mary. During his father’s...Read More

ARLINGTON, Va. – Two members of the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia remained in critical condition Aug. 4 following an accident that killed another member of their religious community.Read More

LONDON – A group of traditionalist Anglican bishops has admitted that Anglo-Catholic clergy are sharply divided over how to respond to the ordination of women as bishops.Read More

St. Domitian of Huy, born in the sixth century, was a priest and bishop of Tongres. A steadfast opponent of heretics, he spoke out against them at the Synod of Orleans in 549 and encouraged sermons against heresy. In addition to working to convert those who did not believe, he built churches and hospices. His...Read More

St. Justin the Philosopher was born around 100 in Palestine. He was a non-believer and philosopher who converted to Christianity when he was 30 years old after reading Scripture and seeing the great faith of the martyrs. He disputed non-believers and became a Christian apologist. St. Justin was beheaded for his faith in Rome around...Read More

NOGALES, Mexico – Victor Hernandez Martinez, a blacksmith with his own business near Seattle, was on his third day at the “Centro para Atenci›n a los Migrantes Deportados,” the Center to Help Deported Migrants, a few hundred yards inside the Mexican border from Arizona.Read More