The three Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are the only angels named in Sacred Scripture and all three have important roles in the history of salvation.

Saint Michael is the “Prince of the Heavenly Host,” the leader of all the angels.  His name is Hebrew for “Who is like God?” and was the battle cry of the good angels against Lucifer and his followers when they rebelled against God.  He is mentioned four times in the Bible, in Daniel 10 and 12, in the letter of Jude, and in Revelation. (Read more…)

For many years now, the Church in the United States has designated the third weekend of September “Catechetical Sunday” to coincide with the beginning of the new School year. 

Here is a timely quote from the national catechetical office of the US Catholic Bishops on religious education:

Catechesis is a distinct and special ministry in the Church.  As the Catechism of the Catholic Church makes clear, “Catechesis is intimately bound up with the whole of the Church’s life . (Read more…)

This Sunday marks the 22nd anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. We as a nation recall the tragic deaths and injuries that occurred at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and on the fields of Somerset, Pennsylvania. We also remember the men and women in uniform who gave their lives or who were injured that day in the line of duty.

On this day, let’s pray that religion will be a means of peace and accord and not an excuse for violence and division. (Read more…)

This Monday we celebrate Labor Day and we honor all those who labor for a living. We thank them for their service to their families, and for their service to all those who benefit from their efforts. As we know, prayer and work go hand in hand. Therefore we are invited to pray in a special way for all laborers. We also pray for the unemployed and underemployed, and pray that more opportunities for gainful employment will materialize for those in need. (Read more…)

This Tuesday, August 29th, we celebrate the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist. The drunken oath of a king with a shallow sense of honor, a seductive dance and the hateful heart of a queen combined to bring about the martyrdom of John the Baptist. The greatest of prophets suffered the fate of so many Old Testament prophets before him: rejection and martyrdom. The “voice crying in the desert” did not hesitate to accuse the guilty, did not hesitate to speak the truth. (Read more…)