commentary
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Pope St. Pius X: His motto was “Restore all things in Christ” and he did his best to do just that.
By Larry Peterson The two most beloved Popes of the twentieth century lived during the beginning and at the end of that century. We all know of Pope St. John Paul II who guided the Church from 1978 into the new millennium. However, not as many people know about the man who became pope during…
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Thoughts about the great paradox we call “life support.”
Who should choose Life or Death for a Child? The Government or the Parent? By Larry Peterson Upon order of the courts in Great Britain, eight-month-old Indi Gregory was removed from life support today (November 13, 2023). She passed away in a few hours. I now share the paradox of what is called “life-support.” We…
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Let’s ask St. Benedict—“What is Humility?”
By Larry Peterson What is Humility? The dictionary defines it as; noun“modest opinion or estimate of one’s own importance, rank, etc. The opposite of humility is pride. Pride is defined as; noun a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc. Apparently, in this modern, self-absorbed world the Pride factor has taken over. There used to be a slogan that said, “Sticks and stones can break your bones,…
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The Shadow Saint; March 19 is all about St. Joseph
The Shadow Saint; March 19 is all about St. Joseph By Larry Peterson All humankind contributed to the death of Jesus Christ. That is why God sent Him to us. Without the salvific actions of Jesus we would have been lost forever. He suffered and died for us because the love of God is so…
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Evangelizing—What is it, and how can we, as individuals, Evangelize?
By Larry Peterson What is Evangelization? We Catholic/Christians are asked to ‘evangelize.” But for me, the word, Evangelize, has always been intimidating. And what does that word actually mean? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary says that the word, evangelize, is a verb that means “to preach the gospel to” or “to convert to Christianity.” St. Pope Paul…
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These Three Nurses accepted Martyrdom rather than Deny their Catholic Faith
By Larry Peterson This is about three young women. They were all Red Cross nurses but had been mistaken for Catholic nuns. The year was 1936, and the Civil War in Spain was raging. The Catholic clergy was a prime target for the government militia. The three nurses were taken prisoner by the rebel soldiers.…
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Unable to teach the “Undesirables” in India, this Bishop moved to Africa and died serving the poor during a Yellow-fever epidemic
By Larry Peterson His full name was Melchior de Marion Bresillac. He was born in a town called Castelnaudary, located in southern France, on December 2, 1813, and was the oldest of five children. Melchior’s father wanted his boy to pursue a military career. Melchior felt a special calling to the religious life and when…
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To Her Husband, the Only Thing that mattered was the Arrival of the Priest
By Larry Peterson Lee and Shirley Mae had moved from Pittsburgh, PA., to Pinellas Park, FL, back in 1984. Lee, a World War II veteran who served in the South Pacific during the war, and Shirley Mae had met at the Greater Pittsburgh Airport years before. Lee, a widower, worked for United Airlines. Shirley, who…
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No Quarantining for this Priest. He walked straight into the deadly Pandemic to minister to his people. It cost him his life.
By Larry Peterson Patrick Ryan had been born in 1845, and he was never aware of the hard times his mom and dad endured during his first few years. It was during the time of Ireland’s Great Potato Famine when his family was evicted from their farm. After selling whatever they could, they managed to…
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The French Revolution stifled Elizabeth Bichier; Then she met Father Andrew Fournet and everything changed—She founded the Sisters of the Cross
By Larry Peterson Elizabeth Bichier (full name; Jeanne-Elisabeth-Lucie Bichier des Agnes) was born on July 5, 1773, in the Chateau des Ages, in the village of Le Blanc, which was located in the Central Loire Valley in the center of France. Elizabeth was one of four children, and she was baptized the same day she…
Cradling Catholic 