saints

Canonization of Saints: Why Miracles Are Necessary

by Stephen Beale November 1, 2012

Most people know that a miracle is needed in order for someone to be decreed, or recognized, as a saint. But why exactly? The miracle actually is needed for two closely related yet distinct reasons. It first confirms that the…

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Holy Handkerchiefs and Saintly Shadows

by Stephen Beale October 18, 2012

In September 2009, thousands flocked to St. John’s Cathedral in Portsmouth to view a casket containing remains of St. Therese of Lisieux—pieces of her thigh and foot bones, according to the British Daily Mail newspaper, which reported that many onlookers…

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Learning How to Pray to the Saints—In Five Easy Steps

by Stephen Beale October 10, 2012

For a cradle Catholic, praying to the saints may be second nature. But for a convert? Or, perhaps a lapsed Catholic returning home after a long hiatus? Many, I would imagine, may be initially uncomfortable with this.
It’s one thing…

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Who Is Your ‘Companion Saint’?

by Stephen Beale October 3, 2012

In a general audience a few years ago, Pope Benedict XIV described our relationship with the saints in some particularly moving terms:
There are very dear people in the life of each one of us to whom we feel particularly…

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I Need Angels in Autumn- Weekly Q&A plus welcome

by Daria Sockey October 3, 2012

September 29th thru October 7th is one of my favorite stretches of the entire year. On the natural level, the fall foliage is approaching its peak. Just walking the dog or driving out to buy milk becomes an exercise in…

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The Best Biblical Arguments for the Saints

by Stephen Beale October 3, 2012

In debates and discussions with evangelical Protestants, the most effective arguments are going to be ones that make use of Scripture. But, when it comes to the saints, the scriptural evidence initially may not seem as prolific as it is…

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Guardian Angels Do More than Just ‘Guard’ Us

by Stephen Beale October 2, 2012

Most of us grow up believing as children that we each have a guardian angel. But what exactly is the angel guarding us from—Demons? Our own sinful inclinations?
Yes, yes—and so much more. It turns out that guardian angels not…

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Desperate Times Call for the Saint of Desperate Cases

by Judy Keane September 18, 2012

There is perhaps no one among us, particularly at this point in our nation’s history, who is not facing a crisis on some level.  Maybe yours is of a financial nature.  Maybe your home is in foreclosure or you are…

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Augustine: A Secret Weapon for Catholic Apologists

by Stephen Beale August 29, 2012

Here’s a golden rule to ecumenical dialogue with evangelical Protestants: If you want to prove a certain point of Catholic teaching, go directly to Scripture.
That isn’t to say that we should give up on discussions about the value of…

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How Many Parent-Child Saint Pairs Are There?

by Stephen Beale August 27, 2012

Sainthood, it sometimes seems, runs in the family. In today and tomorrow’s feasts of St. Monica and St. Augustine, we have one of the most famous parent-child saint pairs. But theirs is not the only one.
Here are some others…

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