The Catholic Cafe

The Pope is not only the Pope for all Catholics, but he is also the Pope for the Universal Church. That means he is Pope for all peoples. There is an inherent unity to be found in the Papacy. When Jesus proclaimed that he would build His Church on the rock of St. Peter, He was setting in motion a model for unity rather than division.

We sometimes see the the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary as something that really is just about celebrating Mary, something that she deserved because of her sinless life and her fiat, or yes, to God. While ultimately that is true, there is also a beneficial takeaway for each one of us as well. The Assumption gives us hope.

Recently, Dr. Peter Kreeft made a spoke about falling in love with his all over again after she had died and compared her broken, emaciated body to the beauty of the Crucifix. This remark went viral and caused a wonderful and renewed focus on relationships, marriage, and the Catholic view and understanding of love.

Not many folks these days can say about a meal that they were truly and fully satisfied. We often say that a meal was good or filling or tasty, but rarely do we say that we experienced total satisfaction. That is why when the Gospel of Matthew tells us about the miracle of the loaves and fishes, we should pay special attention to the fact that it is reported that the many who were present ate and wewre satisfied.

When God asked Solomon what he wanted to ask for, Solomon replied that he desired wisdom. In our world today, it seems hardly unlikely that if we were offered the same opportunity by God that we would ask for such a gift instead of worldly acclaim and riches. That is why we, too, should pray for wisdom in order that we might seek and find the pearl of great price in our lives.

The parable of the weeds and the wheat is familiar to most. We have all heard it before. But some may wonder, since we typically do not live an agrarian life in the modern world, if the teaching of this parable is still relevant. As we look closer at the core truth Jesus conveys with this parable, we discover it is extremely relevant.

Some folks, including some Catholics, wonder why lay persons who are gifted and prepared speakers are still not allowed to give the homily in the context of Holy Mass. In fact, even the Bishops of Germany recently asked for special permission from the Vatican to do this. However, the Vatican said it was not possible. In this episode, we discuss why.

As the United States of America celebrates the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, it is a suitable and good idea to spend time reflecting on the many blessings bestowed upon our country. But, we must also ask if, in this day and age, we are BEHAVING like one nation under God.

As much as we love and respect our separated brothers and sisters in Christ, the Protestants, we must realize as Catholics that their understanding of the relationship between faith, works, judgment, and salvation is ultimately unbiblical. The Bible tells us we will be judged by our works, and Jesus reminds us that if we receive a prophet in His name, we will receive the reward of a prophet.

Our Father Who art in heaven is actually a wonderful model for all earthly fathers to follow. If we look at the attributes revealed by our heavenly Father, we can see a great pattern that, if followed, we lead to better success in paternal parenting and will ultimately lead to heaven for our children.

Pope Leo just recently released the first encyclical of his pontificate, having signed it on the anniversary of the release of the the encyclical Rerum Novarum, which was focused on the dignity of human labor. This new encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, focuses on maintaining human dignity in the age of Artificial Intelligence.

Whenever we receive the Eucharist, properly disposed, we receive the Real Presence of Jesus, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. This is the best way, indeed the intended way, that we can best live as an image of Christ. This is true because we become what we eat and take on Eucharistic virtues.

As we leave the very busy and spiritually powerful Easter Season and enter into Ordinary Time, it is vital that we remember that the Easter Mysteries are supposed to empower us for the days ahead, not tired us and convince us we need a rest. We must avoid the temptation to hibernate in our faith and wait until the next big season of the Church.

Catholic author and speaker John Edwards speaks about his new book, Power Made Perfect, a powerful, revealing look into his amazing conversion of faith. As only he can do, John tells us how to find true strength in Christ by describing in detail, and vulnerability, his fall from grace and how the Lord used the powerful love of his wife Angela to bring him home to right relationship with God.

When Jesus gives us the Great Commission to go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, he dramatically ascends into heaven. The disciples hardly know what to do. They are stunned. Two angels give them very practical advice. Stop looking up in the sky and get busy doing what Jesus just commanded.

It seems that the world is stressed out. So many people suffer from anxiety and worry. Perhaps a reminder, subtle though it is, can help. God is in charge. When we try to do everything ourselves, we quickly discover that we cannot. That is why we need to just let go and let God do the heavy lifting in our lives.

In chapter 6 of the Acts of the Apostles, we hear of Saint Stephen and six of his companions being called to a special vocation of service to the Church. These seven men would be the first Deacons of the Catholic Church, called to service to the Word, Altar, and Charity. 2000 years later, God still calls men to the vocation of the Diaconate.

Good Shepherd Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Easter, is when the Universal Church celebrates our shepherds, the priests, bishops, and pope who all act in the person of the One Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. God the Father knew we would need Shepherds like Jesus and His priests in order to help us get to heaven.

In the well known biblical account that takes place on the Road to Emmaus, sometimes people overlook the detail when Jesus shares the meal with Cleopus and his traveling companion. The story tells us that Jesus takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them. Perhaps there is more to the story.

When we are attached to certain kinds of sins, it is hard for us to love like God loves. He loves us unconditionally and wants us to be free to love Him in that way as well.

It is certainly not uncommon that kids tend to go astray at some point in their young lives. And it is also not uncommon for parents to pray that they return. This Easter, perhaps we should think about what exactly we are asking for in our prayers.

The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death. And if we are all sinners, then we are are doomed to die a spiritual death. That is why the Church wants us to take note of the story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead. His real life resurrection teaches us of us that even if we are four days dead and things seem hopeless, we can still be saved.

Having a home that is a Domestic Church essentially means making your home into a Church, a mirror of the Church proper. Here are ten very easy and practical ways in which any family can make their home into a Domestic Church.

Many Catholics see the Church primarily in a real, physical, and hierarchical sense. They see it as a place they go on Sundays to worship. If you ask about the Domestic Church, they look a little confused and ask what that is. The Domestic Church is an important teaching of our Catholic Faith that points us to the family as the first place for faith formation.

Every year, the Holy Father offers a message to his flock to assist them in enhancing the spiritual benefits they receive during the Lenten season. In 2026, Pope Leo offered his message for Lent and focused on the concepts of listening and fasting.

When it comes to practicing our Catholic faith, none of us should be aiming for the bottom. And yet, so many of us are most concerned with what the bare minimum the Church asks us to do. Perhaps the season of Lent is a good time to go all in on our faith, and to aim to be an all in Catholic.

There are only a few days until the season of Lent begins. Maybe this year, we should start sooner and actually think a bit more about what we will do for Lent this year - what we will give up, sacrifice, act upon - to help us grow closer to Christ and get more out of our Easter experiaence.

For some it may be confusing when Jesus tells us that he is the light of the world, but then also says that we are the light of the world. It makes us wonder how both can be true. Both theologically, and practically, it is actually quite easy to explain when you look at it through a Catholic lens.

Whenever we read the Gospel account of the gathering of the Apostles, we should be challenged. When Jesus asks these men to follow him, he does not tell them to carefully consider his request. Jesus just asks. And the future Apostles just drop everything and immediately follow him. We should ask ourselves if we would be so willing and trusting.

BEHOLD is a word we do not use a lot in our modern use of the English language. However, if we look closely at that word, we realize it has a specific and profound meaning for us. Every Mass we attend we hear it in reference to the Eucharist just confected by the priest. Maybe we should examine how we respond to that word, and ultimately, that reality.