Surprising connection between St. Patrick and Nigeria!

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!   Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!  It’s a special day for us here in the Archdiocese of New York because Saint Patrick is the patron saint of our archdiocese. He’s also the patron saint of Ireland and Nigeria. What a tribute to the fact that he was an evangelist who brought the…

How to obtain a plenary indulgence during Holy Week

CNA, Catholic Catechism—A plenary indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus Christ, Mary and all the saints to remove the temporal punishment due to sin. The indulgence applies to sins already forgiven. A plenary indulgence cleanses the soul as if the person had just been baptized. A plenary…

Portland archbishop thanks pope for Vatican ‘no’ to same-sex blessings

CNA—Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland in Oregon on Tuesday thanked Pope Francis for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s recent affirmation of the Church’s teaching on marriage and the human person. “I would like to express gratitude to the Holy Father for the recent statement from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the…

6th Circuit upholds First Amendment rights of Shawnee State professor

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit ruled Friday in favor of Dr. Nicholas Meriwether, a philosophy professor at Shawnee State University, reversing a district court’s dismissal of his lawsuit against university officials. The university punished Meriwether because he declined a male student’s demand to be referred to as a woman, with feminine…

CATHOLIC BUSINESS PROFILE: Ken Strottman, A Career in Making Toys

California-based Ken Strottman, founder and chairman of Strottman International, is a proud alumnus of the University of Notre Dame and has been a faithful, practicing Catholic all his life. This weekend on THE MENTORS RADIO, another faithful life-long Catholic, Host Ric Brutocao, talks with Ken Strottman about Strottman’s unexpected journey into founding the unique marketing…

Tenebrae – a lesser known, beautiful part of the Easter Triduum for many – What is it?

Celebrated by Catholic monasteries throughout the world and at many parishes, Tenebrae, which means “darkness” in Latin, focuses our attention on the sufferings and death of Our Saviour.  It takes place during the three days preceding Easter Day—Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday—with special psalms and ceremonies during  Matins and Lauds (the first two…