In a gathering, once upon a time, a Catholic priest was getting a good-natured ribbing from a friend: “You Catholics,” the friend quipped, “divide the world to conquer it.”
“It’s true,” the priest answered back, “we feel like we own…

Fr. Kyle Schnippel - who has written 16 posts on Catholic Exchange.
Posted on 16 March 2010
In a gathering, once upon a time, a Catholic priest was getting a good-natured ribbing from a friend: “You Catholics,” the friend quipped, “divide the world to conquer it.”
“It’s true,” the priest answered back, “we feel like we own…
Posted on 08 February 2010
Jesus’ very last words in the Gospel of Matthew form a basis for the foundation and structure of the Church: “Behold, I am with you always, even until the end of the age.” As He says these words to the…
Posted on 08 January 2010
Every year, following the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the Church in the United States celebrates National Vocation Awareness Week , this year from January 10-16. This week is set aside to call to mind that we…
Posted on 22 December 2009
As we once again journey through the Advent season, at least part of me always wonders what was going through Mary’s mind during that journey. The somewhat haunting refrain of a popular carol asks: ‘Mary did you know that your…
Posted on 17 November 2009
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a conference sponsored by the Coming Home Network focused on the issue of papal authority in the Church: how it developed and what it means for the Church today. The main focus of…
Posted on 26 October 2009
Known for the way he developed the interplay between light and darkness in his paintings, the Italian master Caravaggio has had a lasting impact in the world of art since his troubled life ended nearly 400 years ago. His…
Posted on 11 September 2009
We have been examining the development of priestly identity in the Jewish Scriptures over these last few months, culminating my last column with Jesus fulfilling the Passover rituals during His entrance into glory through His Paschal mystery.
Even…
Posted on 25 August 2009
In my last column, the element of sacrifice in Jewish worship was discussed. As Catholics, we see the Old Testament illuminating and clarifying the New, but with the passage of time, we have lost some important details that…
Posted on 29 July 2009
As the Israelites moved from a nation on the move to settling in cities in the newly conquered Promised Land, one of the first desires was to build a suitable house for the Lord, as David desires in Second…
Posted on 08 July 2009
In my last column, Melchizedek was upheld as the first model of priesthood in the Scriptures. This initial model was rather short lived, unfortunately. During the Exodus, the Tribe of Levi claimed the priestly responsibilities of the…