On the last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King. Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast in 1925 with the Encyclical Quas Primas so that the Church may honour Christ’s kingship and meditate on what it means to be subject to His ‘sweet’ rule. Indeed, the feast is […]
Since the 4th Century the Church has honored St Cecilia, a Virgin, spouse and martyr who is often remembered as the Patron Saint of musicians. Surprisingly to some, Cecilia was no musician! Her “song” was that of love, love of Christ and Christian witness and this music can still strike a chord that resonates with […]
The 21st November is the World Day of Cloistered Life —Pro Orantibus Day (“For Those Who Pray”). It was instituted by Pope Pius XII in 1953 on the day in which we celebrate the liturgical feast of the presentation of Mary in the Temple. To honour this special day, we visit the Chapel of the […]
St John Lateran’s Basilica in Rome is the “Mater et Caput”, ‘Mother and head’, of all churches in Rome and the world. This fact is solemnised by the relief that adorns the entrance to the Basilica. The name “Lateran” is derived from the fact that this Basilica was constructed on the territory that belonged to […]
November is the month when we remember the Holy Souls in purgatory. The Church calls on us to pray and offer ‘suffrages’ or prayers for the Holy Souls who have died in God’s grace but require final purification before entering Heaven. Over the centuries, countless Saints have called on the faithful to pray for these […]
A Special Indulgence for the Holy Souls. November is the time in the Liturgical year when the Church calls us to pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. With the feasts of All Saints and Holy Souls on the 1st and 2nd of November respectively we are drawn to think about that eternal link that […]
On the Solemnity of All Saints the Church presents all those men and women who have lived their Christian lives to an heroic level and now are enjoying the eternal beatitude in heaven. It is, one might say, a roll call of the Church’s heroes! In this Solemnity, the Church places before us all those […]
Today’s society makes the 31 October a big feast. However, there are two types of feast on this day which emphasises the clash of the two primordial “principalities” – between good and evil. On the one hand, the Church celebrates the Vigil of the Feast of All Saints where we rejoice with those who imitated […]
Once more this year the problem arises whether to celebrate Halloween on the 31st October or the Solemnity of All Saints on the 1st November. Is there something intrinsically wrong with Halloween? Is it incompatible with the Solemnity of All Saints? Many celebrate both anniversaries without even thinking twice about it. However, a serious problem […]
“Never Stop Saying the Holy Rosary. I am always with you to help you” Virgin of Revelation, 1947, Rome. With these words, in 1947 at Tre Fontane Rome, Our Lady, under the title of Virgin of Revelation, taught the then anti-clerical Protestant, Bruno Cornacchiola, the importance of praying the Holy Rosary assuring us of […]