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''From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon" (Mt 27:45). "When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon" (Mk 15:33). "It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun's light failed" (Lk 23:44). All three synoptic Gospel writers mention it in their accounts of Jesus' crucifixion. And while I suppose it could be that Matthew, Mark, and Luke took a bit of dramatic license or used the device to make a theological point, medieval Christians counted this detail of the Passi...

There are all kinds of Catholics: cradle Catholics, Catholic converts, cultural Catholics, ex-Catholics, devout Catholics, uncatechized Catholics, cafeteria Catholics, Catholics in good standing, Novus Ordo, Tridentine, and C and E (Christmas and Easter) Catholics -- you get the picture. But I'd venture to guess that there are people in every one of those categories who are struggling -- or have struggled -- with some aspect of Catholic dogma, doctrine, or practice. Why? Because we each have our own way of seeing things, and those aren't always perfectly aligned with the authentic magisterial...

As we delicately transfer power from one presidential administration to another, a few things about the state of our nation become clear. The rancor and derision we've seen over the past year isn't the product of the coronavirus, and it didn't engulf our country overnight. While the unique challenges brought to us by the global pandemic may have intensified the tides, divisive and even violent currents have been eroding the shores of our civil society for decades. People on all sides of every issue offer an impressive range of explanations for why we are where we are and how we got here. But ...

I love midnight Mass. When the kids were young, we used to lay out our Christmas clothes and go to bed around 9 p.m., then set an alarm for 11 p.m. It wasn't always easy to rub the drowsiness from little eyes -- or from our own -- but eventually, excitement would take over. We'd pile into the full-sized van and drive to midnight Mass, determined not to miss a minute of the day it seemed the whole world had been waiting for. Now, there are no little ones at home, and Santa's flying reindeer don't seem quite as magical as they used to. But there's still something wonderful about taking a spirit...

I'm a real fan girl when it comes to Church holy years. I loved Pope John Paul II's three trinitarian years leading up to the new millennium, Pope Benedict XVI's Year of Faith, and Pope Francis' Year of Mercy. Years like these provide an opportunity to focus our attention on one aspect of our faith in a way that generally doesn't just happen. It's almost like being on a year-long retreat with a billion other believers. Usually, a holy year is announced well in advance and with a good deal of fanfare and preparation. Materials are made available: a motto is chosen, a logo is designed, a variet...