Catholic Café

Theologians and regular folks alike have oft times struggled with the problem of evil. We wonder why a good and benevolent God would allow bad things to happen. The Catholic understanding of the Permissive Will of God versus his Divine or Intended Will helps us cope with and even embrace this seeming conundrum.

Everyone knows that it is our Christian duty to evangelize, but not everyone recognizes that evangelization must always be done in connection with and in the context of the Church, the boat of Peter.

Most of us are very familiar with popular Catholic devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, but not as many realize there is a third devotion to the pure heart of St. Joseph that is growing in popularity.

These have been some very tumultuous and divisive days leading up to and even after the last presidential election cycle. In fact, you could argue that the last few decades have been difficult for our country. Perhaps as Catholics we can see a new way going forward, a way of unity. The love of God compels us to seek and live out this unity in His most holy Name.

The short period of liturgical Ordinary Time that falls between the seasons of Christmas and Lent may sometimes seem like a waiting time, or a season without a purpose. However, when you consider the 3 epiphanies that are revealed to us at Christmastime, then the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, or the Mysteries of Light, can be a wonderful bridge between seasons that will help enliven our Lent.

In our broken and fallen world, we know that the traditional structure of the family struggles for existence. All we have to do is turn to a family God gave us 2000 years ago, the Holy Family, to be our model and inspiration for today.

You might wonder why God chose to come to us as a little, innocent baby when he could have just as easily come to us fully grown. We can perceive some significance to the fact that Jesus was revealed to us first as a baby as we continue to ponder the great mysteries of Christmas and the Incarnation.

Although the Catholic teaching on the Transcendentals, Truth, Beauty, Goodness, and Unity, does not officially include Simplicity, finding God in this ever increasingly secular world can be aided if we simplify our lives and humble ourselves.

In a world that has become more and more atheistic, agnostic, and secular, the awareness of God should be at the forefront of all evangelistic and missionary efforts. In this fourth episode of a 4 part series on the Catholic teaching of the Transcendentals, we discuss finding God through unity.

In a world that has become more and more atheistic, agnostic, and secular, the awareness of God should be at the forefront of all evangelistic and missionary efforts. In this third episode of a 4 part series on the Catholic teaching of the Transcendentals, we discuss finding God through truth.

In a world that has become more and more atheistic, agnostic, and secular, the awareness of God should be at the forefront of all evangelistic and missionary efforts. In this second episode of a 4 part series on the Catholic teaching of the Transcendentals, we discuss finding God through goodness.

In a world that has become more and more atheistic, agnostic, and secular, the awareness of God should be at the forefront of all evangelistic and missionary efforts. In this first episode of a 4 part series on the Catholic teaching of the Transcendentals, we discuss finding God through beauty.

As the Liturgical Year of the Church comes to a close on the Solemnity of Christ the King, we must prepare ourselves for the Coming of our Lord at Christmas by celebrating the preparatory season of Advent. We do this best if see in Christ the King as the reason for the season of Advent. In other words, we need to celebrate the advent of Advent.

After a contentious election cycle and along with the ongoing division found in our country, and considering the holidays are right around the corner, let us not run away from our families, but seek shelter and healing within them...even when we do not agree politically, morally, and spiritually.

Too many Catholics avoid utilizing the spiritual benefits of indulgences because they do not fully understand them, think they are no longer a teaching of the Church, or that they overcomplicate our faith lives. Let us endeavor to change this and gain access to a veritable well of grace.