Essays

Peter Fournier and Catherine Fournier

Opinion and meditation. Essays are written by priests, religious, lay people, anyone with some insight and inspiration to offer. Please use the table of contents below or browse through the list farther down to find something interesting.

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Pope John Paul II and The Church

• † Message To Children For Christmas and Epiphany
• † Homily of the Holy Father Saint John Paul II, On The Occasion of the 17th World Youth Day, Solemn Mass, Toronto, Downsview Park, Sunday July 28, 2002

Archbishop Marcel Gervais

• † The Pope and the Church

Fr. Arthur Joseph

• † The Neo-Nazism of the Left

Father Thomas Wells

• † The Pope's Recent Apologies
• † Baptism and Community
• † The Only Gospel Some May See

Father Bob Papi

• A Father's Letters Of Love To His Priest Sons
• †Do Not Be Afraid; A Priestly Response to Tues, 11 Sept, 2001
• † The Icon of the Person
• † What God Wants
• † Spiritual Warfare in the Third Millenium
• † Sacred Splendor: the Prophetic Vocation of the Christian Family
• † Listen!
• † Parents; Anointed as Teachers
• † Some Reflections for Parents

Catherine Fournier

• † Community
• † Conscience
• † Culture
• † Decorum
• † Family
• † Fatherhood
• † Justice and Revenge
• † The Mother Tongue of Love
• † Patriarchy
• † Parental Authority
• † Perfect?
• † Respect
• † Suffering
• † Tolerance
• † Treasure
• † Trust

Others

• † Babies, Blessings and Chocolates
• † From Where I Stand by Sarah Rooney.
• † A Mother's Mirror by the Archconfraternity of Christian Mothers
• † The Adoration of the Kings by Francis Fernandez.
• † How to Become a Lapsed Catholic Quickly and Easily by Father Hal Stocker
• † If I Could Change The World by Megan Polak.
• † RTFM, a response to the Pro-Choice World

Doug McManaman

• † A Response to John Irving on Abortion
• † Love Can Only be Channeled Through Virtue
• † The Mystery of Divine Anger
• † Angels and Whales

Poetry

• † The Night Before Christmas by Sister St. Thomas, B.N.D. de N
• † If Jesus Came to Your House by Lois Blanchard Eades.
• † Adams by John Light
• † Ave Maria by Rhynnah S. Bayne

Catherine Doherty

• † Hospitality of the Heart
• † Prayer: The Cry of a Child
• † Donkey Bells
• † Spirituality of Pilgrimage
• † Lenten Fasting
• † Tips For Parents
• † The Duty of the Moment
• † Mary: An Ordinary Woman
• † Christ in Our Midst

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Advent and Christmas

• † Hospitality of the Heart by Catherine Doherty On the eve of the holiday season, it's good to remember what hospitality really is and reflects...
• † Prayer: The Cry of a Child by Catherine Doherty. A meditation on the mystery of Advent and the Incarnation.
• † The Icon of the Person by Father Bob Papi. The naming of a child involves more than choosing something that 'sounds nice.'
• † Donkey Bells by Catherine Doherty. A meditation on Christmas.
• † Babies, Blessings and Chocolates by Shelley Lembke. Shelley writes about the great gift of children to marriage, and the many inconsistencies in our society's attitudes towards pregnancy, pre-born children and children in the family.

Advent and Christmas Inspired Poetry

• † The Night Before Christmas by Sister St. Thomas, B.N.D. de N A more spiritual version of the famous Christmas story.

Epiphany

• † What God Wants by Father Bob Papi A meditation for Lent, Ash Wednesday, 2001.
• † Spiritual Warfare in the Third Millenium by Father Bob Papi Rather than a cause for fear and worry, spiritual warfare is both a challenge and an expected part of a fatihful Christian life.
• † Spirituality of Pilgrimage from Madonna House Publications Catherine Doherty and Father Robert Wild share some thoughts on the importance of pilgrimage in our lives.
• † The Adoration of the Kings by Francis Fernandez. A meditation excerpted from "In Conversation with God"
• † Message To Children For Christmas and Epiphany by Pope John Paul II. The Vatican text of Pope John Paul II's address to children
• † Sacred Splendor: the Prophetic Vocation of the Christian Family by Father Bob Papi. In this powerful and thought-provoking essay Father Papi meditates on the role of the Christian Family as prophet and witness to the message of the Gospel.

Lent and Easter

• † A Father's Letters Of Love To His Priest Sons by Father Bob Papi. From his first Holy Thursday as pope, Pope John Paul has written a letter to his brother priests who are first of all his priest sons. In each letter he has encouraged, instructed, challenged, comforted,always revealing his own profound love of the priesthood, his priestly joy, speaking from the very depths of a heart completely at the service of all.
• † The Pope's Recent Apologies by Monsignor Thomas Wells. The Holy Father shows us the way to forgiveness.
• † Baptism and Community by Monsignor Thomas Wells Why 'community' is important to Catholic worship. How our parish fulfills that role and need.
• † Lenten Fasting by Catherine Doherty.
• † If Jesus Came to Your House by Lois Blanchard Eades. What would you do?

Saint Joseph the Worker

• † If I Could Change The World by Megan Polak. A twelve year old's sontributions to the abortion debate.
• † RTFM, a response to the Pro-Choice World by Andrew Fournier (aged 18).
• † A Response to John Irving on Abortion by Doug McManaman. Opinion and meditation on the specious arguments, illogic, misuse of logic and fruad used by pro-abortion, pro-choice defenders.
• vListen! by Father Bob Papi. An essay pointing out the inevitable connection between abortion and high school shootings, and the way to save ALL our children.
• † From Where I Stand by Sarah Rooney. A young girl's commentary of the causes of the Littleton shootings. An excellent, well-written, well-conceived essay.
• † Tips For Parents by Catherine Doherty.
• † Parents; Anointed as Teachers by Father Bob Papi.
• † Adams by John Light. A meditation on fathers and history.
• † Some Reflections for Parents by Father Bob Papi. The 'Vaccine Discussion.'
• † The Duty of the Moment by Catherine Doherty. How do we serve Christ in our lives? What is the duty of the moment?

Assumption and Queenship of Mary

• † The Only Gospel Some May See by Monsignor Thomas Wells The Gospel written and lived in our hearts is the clearest message of hope for the world.
• † Ave Maria by Rhynnah S. Bayne A poem recording a convert's meditation on the role of Mary
• † Mary: An Ordinary Woman by Catherine Doherty A meditation about what kind of woman Mary was.
• † A Woman Wrapped in Silence by Catherine Doherty. A meditation on Our Blessed Mother.
• † A Mother's Mirror by the Archconfraternity of Christian Mothers A self-examination for mothers. A little self- critical thinking is good for the soul.

Angels and Archangels

• † Do Not Be Afraid; A Priestly Response to the Events of Tuesday, 11 September, 2001 by Father Bob Papi
• † The Pope and the Church by Archbishop Marcel Gervais. An essay about the necessary authority of the Pope and Church in modern times.
• † Christ in Our Midst by Catherine Doherty. Preparing for the Millenium.
• † How to Become a Lapsed Catholic Quickly and Easily by Father Hal Stocker. So this is why they're so common, there's an instruction manual! (Humour)