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May 15

Why something

Nothing and Everything

Br Joseph A’Hearn, LC

Richard Dawkins and I have something in common: we have both read A Universe from Nothing, by physicist Lawrence Krauss. Krauss invited Dawkins, a renowned atheist, to write the afterword to his book, released in 2012. Although Krauss did not invite me to share my thoughts as well, I do want to point out some fundamental philosophical misunderstandings in his book in order to help those who are not as well versed in physics and cosmology to understand this threat (or lack thereof) to theism. Read more

May 8

Oremus

Oremus

Br Christopher Daniels, LC

With many people I talk to I find that, other than Mass and prayers before meals, there is not much time devoted specifically to prayer. We all need to be closer to God and ultimately we want to go to heaven; but to do this, we need a lot of help, and a great means highly advised by the Church is daily meditation, or mental prayer.  But why meditate every day? Isn’t Sunday Mass enough? Read more

May 2

Onthewaters

On the Waters

Br Eric Gilhooly, LC

Back when thy voice first sounded strong,

Came piercing through my plight,

Darkness! All was darkness!

And thou, mine only light.

Read more

Apr 25

Les Misers
2 Comments

A Heart Well Broken

Br Thomas White, LC

Les Miserables is one of the greatest literary masterpieces of all time (and also one of the biggest, a real brick). It also holds first place among my favorite books. As I finished it up for a second time a few weeks ago, I put it down with a deep sense of satisfaction for two reasons. First of all, I had finished a 1200 page book, which is an accomplishment in itself. Second of all and more importantly, it had changed me. But why? Was it just a nice story, or was there something deeper? I felt like there was something deep inside me that the book touched. As a humanist who is studying the heart of man, I started to do some thinking. Read more

Apr 18

thin ice
2 Comments

On Thin Ice

Br John Kenny, LC

                Here in Cheshire we have a little pond, probably twice the size of a normal backyard pool. When winter rolls around, it usually freezes over if the temperature gets low enough. But the pond does not always completely freeze. There are often little patches of unfrozen water here and there.

Once on a cold January day I was taking a pleasant stroll outside. It was during our month of exams, and as it was strangely warm, I was enjoying the fresh air. I noticed a group of novices gathered around the edge of the pond and one novice going to and fro on the well-frozen section (a novice is one who is discerning the vocation and preparing to take religious vows). Read more

Apr 12

Santiago
1 Comment

Ain’t no Saint

Br Michael Sternhagen, LC

Santiago de Chile, 6:30 pm. Sitting and reading on the green grass atop a hill, as the last rays of the setting sun bathed the wide sweep of Santiago far below in gold… Little was I prepared for scene two: the curtain was coming down on my evening of tranquility and quiet reading – perhaps forever. Although I didn´t hear the muffled footsteps behind me, I was not alone. Read more

Apr 1

Vatican Risen Christ

Death Conquered

Br Joseph A’Hearn, LC

The old clutches of death never failed to grab hold

Of the strongest of fighters, no matter how bold.

It’s no wonder the news caught the world by surprise

At the hint that from death any man could arise.

 

Crucifixion and scourging, a crown full of thorns—

Not to mention fatigue and the insults and scorns.

How few men can stand up when they’re beaten with rods!

Only those who are granted the strength that is God’s. Read more

Mar 25

DavidAsch
1 Comment

Choose Today Whom You Will Serve

Br Erik Burckel, LC

There is a profound difference between those who live life intentionally, with purpose, and those who let life come at them, content to simply accept circumstances and pass the time.

In the iconic motion picture The Matrix, a compelling scene takes place towards the beginning of the film. A man named Neo is brought into a dark living room with two chairs, as rain falls outside. The stillness is broken by Morpheus speaking to Neo. As they sit down, he offers Neo the chance to seize reality, to be literally “unplugged” from the computer program he has unwittingly been living in all his life. This matrix program allows people to live an ordinary life in the computer, while their real bodies sit in liquid-filled coffins hooked up to energy-sucking tubes that power the artificial-intelligences who are their overlords! Pretty scary concept. Read more

Mar 21

benedict XVI

Benedict and the Agnostic II

Br László Erffa, LC

The following dialogue follows the structure of Joseph Ratzinger’s expositions in The Yes of Jesus Christ: Exercises in Faith, Hope and Love (Crossroad Publishers, New York 2005), which are also published as the last part of Christianity and the Crisis of Cultures (LEV / San Francisco: Ignatius 2006). Of course, this conversation between Benedict XVI and a young agnostic never actually took place, but if it did, here’s what it might have looked like.

John: Holy Father, thank you for the conversation we had last time.  It really helped me to get some ideas straight.  But there are many questions remaining…

Benedict: There will always be questions.

John: What do you mean? Read more

Mar 15

240716807_2703e21fe1_b
1 Comment

March 13th, Rome

Br Jaime Lorenzo, LC

I would like to share a little bit of my “live” experience here in Rome after the white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel.

The Smoke

At around 5:30 I went down to our computer room (where there are about 50 computers or so) to study for an upcoming midterm exam. About three computers were set up to show live feeds of the chimney, just in case the white smoke signal came. As we studied and occasionally glanced up, the only thing that the cameras showed were seagulls perched on top of the chimney, but no smoke. Read more

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