Is it possible that Seneca, the great Stoic philosopher, played a pivotal role in Paul’s appeal to Caesar? Two important Saints who helped shape church history thought so, and the evidence is both more complicated and controversial than one might assume. During the time of Jesus’ Passion, it was Pontius Pilate who was the governor of Judea. He served in that position from 26-36 AD. A couple decades later that position was held by Porcius Festus. He was the procurator from 5

Is America a Christian nation? This is a loaded question of course, but all one needs to do is look at what Patrick Henry – the founding father who coined the phrase “give me liberty or give me death” – said on the matter. Henry said, “It cannot be emphasized too strongly that this great nation was founded – not by religionists – but by Christians.” This is where, for Catholics, this term “Christian” must be properly defined. All Catholics are Christian, but not all Christian

Today we’re going to be discussing a major controversy in the church – a controversy that I’ve only recently been made aware of. Nonetheless, I was captivated right away. The debate goes back over 70 years. It is the lingering questions about The Divine Mercy Devotion – the chaplet Catholics pray, and the image Catholics venerate. Is this really an image from God, seen in a vision by a saint and mystic? Or is it really sacrilege? - Just the machinations of a mad woman? For mo

Today we will be discussing the most important question in the world. Yes, you heard me correctly: The most important question in the...

There are two points about which the majority of people, including scholars, seem to agree. That when it comes to who was the first...

Jesus warned the apostles, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). The profundity of this statement should not be overlooked. Jesus is not only prophesying his own death here — referencing the cross prior to his crucifixion. He is also saying is that if one is really going to follow him, then they better be prepared to deny themselves completely — even to the point of death. Or to put it another way, Jesus

Time is an interesting concept. How we understand time, shapes our existence in more ways than we often care to acknowledge. If I were to ask you what year it is, you would say "2021" (the time of this writing). If I were to ask you why it is 2021, you may look at me with a confused expression on your face, as if to say, “what do you mean?” I do not think that we think about why it is the year it is as often as we should. Prior to modern scholars bastardizing our universal ti

Hatred is not something that you can see -- sure, the effects of hatred can be seen: vitriol, vandalism, violence – but hatred itself is something that is only actually ever felt by the one who is filled with it, and never by the so-called “recipient” of it. That is to say, hatred exists solely on an internal basis, and thus its full essence is practically invisible. And because of hatred’s concealed nature, we don’t rightfully blame it for all of the trouble it actually caus