Echoes - A forum of Catholic thought. The Opinion section of thebostonpilot.com

December 20, 2024Faith

With highs in the 60s and 70s (and lows staying above 40), it doesn't exactly "feel" like Christmas in southern Louisiana, at least not for anybody who was raised well north of the Mason-Dixon Line. ...

Faith & Family

Be the carolArchbishop Richard G. Henning

More than 20 years ago, I found myself in the pediatric outpatient clinic of a hospital two days before Christmas. The youngest member of my family was there for chemotherapy. At two years of age, he ...

Faith & Family

A mother's greetingScott Hahn

On this last Sunday before Christmas, the Church's Liturgy reveals the true identity of our Redeemer: He is, as today's First Reading says, the "ruler . . . Whose origin is from . . . Ancient ...

Culture & Events

Tolkien's world, still popular on the big screen, began with faith and wordsCecilia Hadley

In the beginning were the words. J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth -- the world of "The Lord of the Rings" and now the new animated film "The War of the Rohirrim" -- was born, first and foremost, from ...

Faith & Family

The Christmas crecheFather Robert M. O'Grady

Christmas traditions abound -- around the globe, in various nations, among various peoples, and even in neighborhoods and families. Here are a few. From Italy, we have La Befana, the Christmas Witch, ...

Faith & Family

Parish priests and their peopleMsgr. Frank Kelley

''Hello, Father, are you a Jesuit?" The parish priest's unspoken response to this question is "No, but I am literate." The parish priest is the ordinary version of a Catholic priest. Very ...

Faith & Family

Give a Christmas Gift to the MissionsMaureen Crowley Heil

As Christmas draws near, we take time to reflect on God's many blessings -- including those of friends like you whose kindness and compassion supports the Church's missionary work in the poorest ...

Faith & Family

Beauty comes to Ordinary TimeLucia A. Silecchia

It happens every year. I am an overly avid collector of Christmas tree ornaments. All year, they stay stashed away on shelves in the closet, crammed in storage boxes in the garage, and tucked away ...

Culture & Events

Getting adult children to Christmas MassGreg Erlandson

There are two kinds of families that I notice at Christmas Mass. The first are those with young children dressed up in their best Christmas finery, excited about the whole day. The kids sing the songs ...