News - July 2023 RSS Feed

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,  Greetings to you in the healing, hope, and joy of Jesus! 

Father Jacob Toma’s vocation story begins young, when he was four or five years old and was “really into, like, knights in shining armor.” Going to Mass with his grandmother one day, he saw “guys with funny hats and swords” and learned that they were the Knights of Columbus, and he also saw a St. Michael statue, with the great angel battling Satan.

For pregnancy centers helping pregnant women to choose life for their unborn children, an ultrasound is a critical piece of equipment. It’s estimated that 94% of women who have an ultrasound choose life. 

I really appreciate your asking about this. If we go back to the Gospels, we see that Jesus has his harshest words for those whom He calls “hypocrites.” He has incredibly strong words of condemnation for those who claim religious uprightness but who are not living that out.

Several years ago, I participated in the annual meeting of the Academy of Catholic Theology, a group of about 50 theologians dedicated to thinking according to the mind of the church. Our general topic was the Trinity, and I had been invited to give one of the papers. I chose to focus on the work of St. Irenaeus, one of the earliest and most important of the fathers of the church. 

Summer has officially arrived, and with it a long summer vacation for many students and their families. It is an exciting time for families to be together and to participate in many wonderful activities.

Catholic social teaching espouses a preferential option for the poor and vulnerable. In the public policy context, this means that policies should first be evaluated based on how they will affect those most in distress (Matthew 25). It also means that addressing the needs of the poor and vulnerable should be one of the most important priorities in the legislative process, at whatever level of government. 

July 2023

July 2023

When I was a young kid, for several summers I caddied at a local country club. It was a pretty inefficient use of time, because I would have to ride my bike for about five miles each way, and then there were many days I would just hang out in the caddy shack with a bunch of other kids waiting for hours to get my turn so I could make a few bucks. Over the years, I must have caddied hundreds of times, and for all those times only one experience really sticks in my mind.

One of St. Ignatius of Loyola’s greatest contributions to the church is known as his “Rules for Discernment of Spirits.” These 14 rules are necessary, because the soul is moved by diverse spirits, and it is important to discern these spirits so that one may follow the good and repel the bad.

Amid all the splendor of a northern Minnesota summer, don’t miss one of its most beautiful aspects: weddings. It’s the time of year many couples choose to begin their lives together.

As secular holidays go, the Fourth of July is worthy of a grand celebration. As a student of history, I think the birth of this country approaches a miracle, and the brilliance of our founders is nothing short of remarkable. I respect what other women and men sacrificed and continue to offer on our behalf. Those responsible for my freedom have been brave and bold, and I am grateful for their contribution. 

The church fosters inclusion by seeking something still deeper: unity, which can only be found in Jesus Christ, true God and true man, and the truth he has revealed to us about God and about ourselves. Membership in this community derives not from our geographic location or our cultural and family ties but from baptism and from faith in the person of Jesus and in all he has revealed.