In the American hymn, Bring flowers of the rarest, the refrain to Our Lady has always puzzled me. Why does ‘May’ have the definite article, ‘the’? It goes like this: O Mary! We crown thee with…

It is better for you that I go away. How many times has someone said that to you, I wonder? Perhaps not so often. How many times have you thought it of someone else? Perhaps very often. But when…

The Madonna in the Church by Netherlandish painter Jan van Eyck, c.1438, is a little gem.  Measuring only 12.2 by 5.5 inches it is rich with details and theological meaning.  If you…

Monarchy can be a sensitive issue here in the United States. It evokes unimaginably strong reactions from some quarters, and, to a degree, this is historical: after all, our country exists in…

You will have heard the sporting adage, ‘no pain, no gain’ more times than you care to remember. It is a very helpful reminder to assist us in training for athletic pursuits. Whether for strength…

Our beautiful and historic church has, in fact, never stood still. When it was built in 1881 it was about half the size it is today. There was no tower, no spire, no bell, no narthex, and no…

Latin has a unique way advantage in communicating thoughts, emotions and ideas from one person to another: it can do so across time and across space. As with any language, one needs to be very…

The essence about rebellion from God is disobedience, and that is being disordered, taking things out of the order in which God has made them. Only God gets to set the order. The remedy for…

Our Sacred Liturgy is both very Roman and very Catholic.  It is Roman, because it pertains to the city of Rome, and many details of the liturgical calendar connect themselves very deeply to that…