catholicism

Who Was the Most Influential Saint of His Time?

by Stephen Beale July 23, 2012

Reread that headline carefully. The question is not who is the most influential saint of all time, but rather of his or her time. The answer to the former is probably easy. I imagine many of us would tick of…

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The Saint Who Saved Europe

by Stephen Beale July 20, 2012

It’s difficult to overstate how crucial Western monasticism was to preserving European civilization. As the last vestiges of the Roman Empire withered away in the fifth century, monastic communities emerged as islands of enlightenment among a dark sea of barbarism…

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The Mystical Side of St. Thomas

by Stephen Beale July 19, 2012

Was he the great doubter or just a trust-but-verify believer? In two recent posts, here and here, I have presented both views of St. Thomas: one is from the traditional Western perspective and the other view is also a traditional…

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Was St. Thomas Really a ‘Doubter’?

by Stephen Beale July 11, 2012

It’s almost impossible to speak of St. Thomas in the Western Christian tradition without attaching to him the somewhat ignominious epithet of “Doubting,” one which earns him both our sympathies but also costs him perhaps some of the respect that…

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Who Was the First Great Theologian?

by Stephen Beale July 6, 2012

The early years of the Church are crowded with giants—St. Ambrose, St. John Chrysostom, St. Augustine, Tertullian, St. Jerome, St. Basil, St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Gregory of Nazianzus—the list just keeps going on and on.
But who was…

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St. Thomas, the Forgotten Apostle?

by Stephen Beale July 3, 2012

Everyone knows the story about Doubting Thomas. But, after that, probably most Western Christians know little of the life and work of St. Thomas.
We know much more about the others—St. Peter as the leader of the nascent Christian community,…

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So I’m Supposed to be…Nice?

by Dwija Borobia July 1, 2012

Our fifth child was born 9 days ago.  Just 9 little days.  If anyone were to tell you that they have or haven’t done something (besides your basic life stuff…eat, drink, breathe.  Sleep.  Ahem.) for NINE WHOLE DAYS, you’d probably…

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BREAKING NEWS: Fulton Sheen Closer to Sainthood

by Stephen Beale June 28, 2012

Archbishop Fulton Sheen, one of the most beloved and recognizable radio and TV Catholic evangelists of the twentieth century and the author of some 80 books, edged closer to sainthood today, with the declaration that he is ‘venerable,’ the Washington…

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St. Basil: Don’t Just Read the Bible

by Stephen Beale June 27, 2012

The Church fathers wrote with a clarity and richness that seems wholly unique to their age. I recently came across this quote from St. Basil about reading Scripture—specifically the gospels—which is a perfect example:
Every deed and every word of…

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New York’s Lonely Priest

by Stephen Beale June 26, 2012

Father Patric F. D’Arcy seems to personify the future of the Church in the United States. This summer, he became the only new priest to be ordained in the Archdiocese of New York. He’s taking over at a Spanish-speaking parish…

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