How does Saint Joseph model mission? Pope Pius IX declared Saint Joseph to be patron of the universal Church in 1870. Pope Francis has commemorated this event by declaring a year dedicated to Saint Joseph and gifting us with his apostolic letter, Patris Corde. Each year through the liturgy of the Church we celebrate two […]
Author: James H. Kroeger, MM
From the Archives · May / June 2021
Pope Francis Exlpores the Priesthood: Ten Foundational Insights
Pope Francis’ thinking on the priesthood offers a clear and challenging vision for priestly life and ministry today. As a “pope of the people,” Pope Francis connects and interacts well with people across a wide spectrum of ages, backgrounds, social strata, and walks of life. He is noted for a large number of “firsts”: first […]
Eucharistic Teachings · September / October 2020
Discovering the Dynamic Spiral of Ministry: Exploring Insights of Recent Popes
Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II, and Pope Francis all express that the Church must be missionary. How do they propose we live out this missionary calling? Energy, dynamism, and growth are common images evoked by the simple word “spiral.” A spiral connotes advancing action, increasing or developing movement. And yet, a spiral, even […]
Eucharist: Living & Evangelizing · November / December 2019
Discovering the Rich Treasures of Popular Piety, Part II
Popular piety, nourished by the word of God and reflecting the encounter of faith and culture, can be for many a powerful complement to the Church’s liturgical worship and prayer and an entry into a deeper lived faith. VII. How can customary popular religiosity be renewed? To respond to this important question, one could draw […]
Eucharist: Living & Evangelizing · September / October 2019
Discovering the Rich Treasures of Popular Piety, Part I
Popular piety, nourished by the word of God and reflecting the encounter of faith and culture, can be for many a powerful complement to the Church’s liturgical worship and prayer and an entry into a deeper lived faith. In the contemporary experience of parish priests, missionaries, catechists, preachers, and liturgists, the task of evangelization is […]
Eucharist: Living & Evangelizing · January / February 2019
The Fifty-first International Eucharistic Congress: Its Missionary Challenges, Part II
We break the bread of the Eucharist in an unjust world. There is an uninterrupted continuity from the Mass to our mission as Christians in the world. II. Pivotal Mission Insights from Presenters at the IEC in Cebu Cardinal Charles Maung Bo Cardinal Bo from Myanmar was the papal legate for the International Eucharistic Congress […]
Eucharist: Living & Evangelizing · November / December 2018
The Fifty-first International Eucharistic Congress: Its Missionary Challenges, Part I
The theological and pastoral vision of the Cebu International Eucharistic Congress defines important priorities for the Church relative to the Eucharist and mission. The Philippines has been privileged to host two International Eucharistic Congresses (IEC): the Twenty-third (Manila: February 3-7, 1937) and the Fifty-first (Cebu: January 24-31, 2016). Many parallels between these two congresses can […]
Eucharist: Living & Evangelizing · September / October 2018
Pope Francis and Vatican II’s Saintly Popes
Among the many accomplishments of Pope Francis’ time as pope is the fact that he has canonized the three popes of Vatican II. Why is this so important and what is he saying to the Church and the world? Pope Francis has begun his sixth year as leader of the universal Church. He was elected […]
Eucharist: Living & Evangelizing · January / February 2018
Muslims, Mary and Fatima
Can Mary, Our Lady of Fatima, be the bridge between Muslims and Christians? Catholics reverence Mary under many titles, one of which is Our Lady of Fatima. In the very name of the place in Portugal where Mary appeared six times to three shepherd children between May 13 and October 13, 1917, one discovers a […]