Blog
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Pope Pius XII and His Confidant; Father Giovanni Ferrofino; Together, they Quietly Managed the Rescue of Thousands of Jews during World War II
By Larry Peterson There is still controversy surrounding Pope Pius XII and his perceived indifference to the crimes the Nazis were committing during World War II. The Pope was constantly bombarded with pleas for help on behalf of the Jews but, as head of the Vatican state, had to feign neutrality. However, his apparent lack… Read more
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Brother Fix-It gave his life in Guatemala: Another American Martyr to be Beatified
By Larry Peterson They called him Brother “Fix-it” and his religious name was Brother Leo. He loved the poor and joined the order of the De La Salle Christian Brothers so that he could mentor, help, comfort, teach, and protect the poorest of God’s children. In 1982, while serving the downtrodden in Guatemala, he was… Read more
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Incense—What is the reason for using it in Worship
By Larry Peterson For me, there is something about the smell of freshly burned incense filling the church that is spiritually uplifting. But where did it come from and why do we use it? The use of incense in religious worship started more than two thousand years before Christianity even began. Recordings of the use… Read more
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All Saint’s Day: Never Forget that Our Christian Roots are Embedded in Judaism
by Larry Peterson My father has been dead for many years but he is still teaching me how to be Catholic. He is doing this by living in my mind via memories of his personal Christianity in action. The Feast of All Saint’s Day flips a switch that turns on one of these memories. That… Read more
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Our Lady of Confidence—“Mater Mea, Fiducia Mea” (My Mother, My Confidence)
By Larry Peterson The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore is the largest Catholic Marian church in Rome. It is better known as the Basilica of St. Mary Major. St. Mary Major is part of the Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran which is the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Rome. That simply means that… Read more
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Meet Saint Emil and Saint Lillian—-Strangers No More
By Larry Peterson My parents would have celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary on September 19, 2018. They had made it to their 17th anniversary when Mom died. Dad lasted four years and then he was gone. For some unknown reason, their anniversary played inside my head…over and over. I have Masses offered for both of… Read more
Cradling Catholic 