WASHINGTON – Hours before his inauguration as president, Joe Biden and incoming Vice President Kamala Harris were joined by the spouses and congressional leaders from both political parties for what was termed a Mass of thanksgiving early January 20 at St. Matthew Cathedral in Washington.
VATICAN CITY – Recognizing “the gifts of each baptized person” — women and men — Pope Francis ordered a change to canon law and liturgical norms so that women could be formally installed as lectors and acolytes.
Dear Kianna,
So many people go to Mass, and it seems like it makes no practical difference in their lives. What’s the point?
– Seeker
SEATTLE – The restrictions of COVID-19 mean lots of changes for Christmas Masses, but one thing that won’t change at St. James Cathedral is its beautiful decorations.
In the son of the Virgin, “wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12), we acknowledge and adore the “bread that came down from heaven” (John 6:41, 51). When the Messiah comes to earth to give life to the world, he is born in Bethlehem, which means “house of bread” in Hebrew. He sleeps in a manger used to feed cattle. His mission is evident: to feed us. He will later say, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35, 48).
Jim Russell recommends a simple prayer to readers as they approach the ambo to proclaim the word of God at Mass: “Please don’t let me screw up.”
“The Church draws her life from the Eucharist. This truth does not simply express a daily experience of faith, but recapitulates the heart of the mystery of the Church, who joyfully experiences the constant fulfilment of the promise: ‘Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age’ (Matthew 28:20).”
There’s a reason so many job interviews include the question “What does success look like?” Whether the interviewer or interviewee asks the question, it clarifies expectations for everyone. It helps in other settings too. A family traveling to Disneyland can use it to determine whether a successful trip means waiting in line to ride the most popular rides, meeting as many of the characters as possible or relaxing by the pool at the hotel.