In the Ash Wednesday gospel reading Jesus directs us to clean up: “Put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may not be seen by others”...
Liturgy
Read U.S. Catholic articles on liturgy, sacraments, and worship. Explore expert commentary, reflections, and resources for parish and personal prayer.
It’s late morning on the Tuesday of Holy Week. I’m fumbling around my desk when an email flashes across the computer screen. “homily partner?” reads the...
My husband, John, and I are newly married and also new residents of a smallish town in central Connecticut, where we work in adjoining dioceses. During this...
It is not easy to summarize Leonard Bernstein’s Mass. Commissioned by Jacqueline Kennedy and premiered as part of The Kennedy Center’s opening in 1971, it...
Parents who want their children to grow in appreciation for and commitment to Mass are much like parents who are determined to make sure their kids go off to...
As a child I attended a K–8 Catholic school and went to church with my family every Sunday. For me, Mass was a thing to get through so that we could go home...
During his weekly general audience last December, Pope Francis addressed the issue of punctuality at Mass. He said: “It is not a good habit to be looking at...
The official tagline of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps is “Dare to Change.” The unofficial motto, used by those who have completed a year or two of service with...
It has been nearly 40 years since the Nicaraguan Revolution began and the brutal Somoza family dictatorship was overthrown by the Sandinista National...
Growing up, Pentecost was a big deal in my parish, with a large outdoor youth Mass and barbecue. One by one we would put our prayer intentions for the year...
