St. Louis Grignion de Montfort was known for his deep devotion and sensitivity towards Christ and the Church from even the days of his childhood. As he matured, he directed this passion towards the study of theology, which he undertook in Paris. It was here, at the seminary of Saint-Sulpice, that Montfort uncovered a particular interest in the Virgin Mary – which would prove to be one of the most defining facets of his life and ministry.
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … A little moppet scampers around the tee / Waving her plastic bat as a warrior’s sword / Or as a fairy-wand to magic the day / Her first-ever tee-ball lesson with Dad…
By Amanda Pizzolatto … Elizabeth filled her basket with whatever bread she could find. She just hoped she wouldn’t be seen by members of the court. While her husband shared her desire and passion for helping the poor, she knew his family complained constantly about her works of mercy.
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … Lawn chairs are for lawn-sitting quite at our ease / Soft summer evenings with a book and a glass / With birds and squirrels chittering away / Merrily over their supper of chicken scratch
By Ruth Anne Amsden
… But I will argue that Malory drew upon a third source of inspiration for his Arthurian legend, and that is the book of the Acts of the Apostles, attributed to Luke, the beloved physician. By drawing upon Biblical writings for inspiration as well as legend, Malory created a work of Biblical fan fiction.
Pope Martin the First was born in Tuscany, in the late sixth or early seventh century AD. Known for his devotion and piety, he was made an official assistant to Pope Theodore the First. Though Martin was a good and faithful man, it was in this position that his troubles began.
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … We repudiate Putin and all his works / And all his pomps and all his engines of death / And all his malignant servile orcs / Who crucify humanity with lies
By Amanda Pizzolatto … Oh mother of the Holy Offering / How patiently you wait for the light of day / In silence you bear your suffering / For you know death will not keep Him away
Cyrene is a region in the Roman province of Libya in North Africa, which has led to some speculation that Simon of Cyrene was black. The fact is, we do not know the color of his skin. We do know that Cyrene had a large population of the Jewish diaspora. Simon, like many Jews, had likely come to Jerusalem to celebrate the passover.
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … Yes, they are awkward, those poems written in shapes / But if God writes our lives as poetry / Limned and formed for our continuation / We ask that He shape us with clarity and charity
We are holding a contest for the best picture that encapsulates Spring! The winning entry will be put on the Table of Contents page of our Spring issue.
Not much is known about the early life of Aedh Mac Cairthinn of Clogher. It is supposed by some that he was a prince of one of the kingdoms of Connaught or may have been the uncle of St. Bridget.
Everybody writes about the moon / Often trying to force a balky rhyme / Along the continuum of spoon and croon / Which just won’t fill the bill, the quill, or the time
Latin, we hear, is dead—and a fitting statement it is, too, as applied to the tongue that should be the main language of the Church. For the Founder of this Church was also dead, but He “gloriously did rise on the third day,” and is, in fact, still living.
Toribio Alfonso de Mogrovejo was born in Spain in 1538 to a family of high standing. As such, he was able to receive an exceptional education, which proved to scintillate his preexistent intellect and ambition. After working his way up to become a professor of law, he was ordained and eventually decided to carry out his ministry overseas in Peru.
Brave seedlings from last year’s sunflowers arise / Among the tiny wings of zinnia buds / And the pushy skunk cabbages who hang around / Like playground bullies who ought to go find jobs
The notion has taken root that since man comes “first” (in Eden and in the family), he is therefore “better.” This conflation of primacy with superiority has been present for quite some time, and it has resulted in many of the abuses of the father’s role. But wait, the reader might say, isn’t first better?
St. Patrick is one of the most recognized names in Christianity, yet few know his full story. He was born sometime in the fifth century to a wealthy British deacon named Calpurnius, but he did not follow his father’s faith. After a rebellious youth, Patrick was captured by Irish slavers and taken back to Ireland.
“Follow the science” is itself an unscientific expression, personifying science as a sort of cosmic Boy Scout troop leader or perhaps a soldier taking the point. It suggests that we should not follow our hearts (which is just as illogical), our music, our dreams, or anything else except science personified almost as a deity.
LogoSophia Magazine 