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The word advent derives from a Latin word, adventus, that means “arrival” or “appearance.” The Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy, a document of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Saints, says of Advent, Advent is a time of waiting, conversion and of hope: waiting-memory of the first, humble coming of the Lord in our mortal flesh; waiting-supplication for his final, glorious coming as Lord of history and universal judge; conversion, to which the liturgy at this …

Asking questions is an important part of the apologetic process, and it is important for every apologist to devote conscious thought to the art of asking questions—what they are used for, how they should be phrased, etc. The Socratic Method: Often apologists think of questions in connection with the Socratic method. In Plato’s dialogues, the figure of Socrates uses questions to challenge the beliefs of those around him. He asks questions designed to strip away false elements of these beliefs. Th …

One mode is by way of intercessory prayer. Just as I can request that God help you grow in holiness in this life, by giving you graces to repent of your venial sins, to reorder your will toward him, and to inspire you to perform penitential actions to discharge your debt of temporal punishment, I can request that God help you in the next by bringing your final purification in purgatory to completion. The basis for this intercessory prayer, whether you’re here on earth or in purgatory, is the bon …

As Bishops go, few have been as visible over the last few weeks as Bishop Joseph Strickland of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas. On the national stage he has been vocal in battles over rights for the unborn, the release of the McCarrick report, the behavior of the USCCB before and after the election, and so much more.On Monday, November 16th he released a letter to all the residents of his Diocese, both Catholic and non-Catholic. With the permission of the Diocese we are sharing that letter here …

The word venial comes from the Latin word venia, which means “pardon” or “forgiveness.” According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a venial sin is a sin that “allows charity to subsist, even though it offends and wounds it” (1855). The rationale behind this teaching is that charity orders us to God as our life’s goal, or final end. That order can be either completely destroyed or merely disturbed by sin. This order is completely destroyed when we sin in such a way as to turn …