The Church Should Not Return to Normal

Thomas Griffin 4/23/21 (For Crisis Magazine) The decline of the Catholic Church in America was happening rapidly before COVID-19. Returning to the methods that produced the radical decline in Sunday Mass attendance along with the low numbers of marriages, baptisms, catechumens, and overall members practicing their faith would be both ignorant and fatal. What weContinue reading “The Church Should Not Return to Normal”

Cardinal Dolan Is Right: It’s Time To Get Yourself Back To Church In Person

Thomas Griffin 4/21/21 (For The Federalist) During the week after Easter this year, the archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, wrote a letter to his flock entitled “It’s Time to Get Back to Mass!” His message served several purposes: an announcement, a teaching, and a reflection on the necessity of worship in the life of theContinue reading “Cardinal Dolan Is Right: It’s Time To Get Yourself Back To Church In Person”

Habits for Holiness: A Mission of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

Thomas Griffin 4/9/21 (For Catholic Exchange) Ascension Press’ latest book by Fr. Mark-Mary Ames entitled Habits for Holiness: Small Steps for Making Big Spiritual Progress is a necessary read for all contemporary Catholics desiring to grow closer to Christ and bring others to his side. The practical nature and simple challenges contained within these pages allow oneContinue reading “Habits for Holiness: A Mission of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal”

Holy Saturday: Between Despair and Hope

Thomas Griffin 4/3/21 (For The Federalist) Holy Saturday is the forgotten day amidst Holy Week. Christians remember the institution of the Eucharist and the priesthood on Holy Thursday, the brutality of Jesus’ sacrificial suffering on Good Friday, and the empty tomb on Easter Sunday. Yet Holy Saturday often remains in the shadows. It’s within suchContinue reading “Holy Saturday: Between Despair and Hope”

A World in Crisis Needs Good Friday

Thomas Griffin 4/2/21 (For Crisis Magazine) The story of Holy Week recounts the historical events surrounding Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection; but it also pinpoints common failures of humanity while providing the antidote that ultimately saves us. A suffering world needs to dive into the causes of darkness that surround it and investigate deep withinContinue reading “A World in Crisis Needs Good Friday”

Religion, Culture and Pandemic Worship

Thomas Griffin 4/1/21 (For Catholic Exchange) Pandemic restrictions impacted Christian worship during their holiest of weeks in March 2020, but those regulations have had continued negative consequences on the faith throughout the course of the last year or so. This is a pivotal issue because humanity truly runs the course established by religion because ourContinue reading “Religion, Culture and Pandemic Worship”

The Annunciation’s Message to Women and Culture

Thomas Griffin 3/25/21 (For Crisis Magazine) In a time when our nation, through the Equality Act, is attempting to redefine sex as a matter of thought, and when our culture states that empowered women are those that choose themselves over family or abortion over sacrifice, Mary stands as a witness to who women are calledContinue reading “The Annunciation’s Message to Women and Culture”

Calling Forth Faith: St. Patrick and St. Joseph

Thomas Griffin 3/18/21 (For Catholic Exchange) The feast of St. Patrick (March 17th) and the feast of St. Joseph (March 19th) are often journeyed through in such quick, celebratory fashion that one can easily miss the divine intelligence which has ordained that these two men of faith be celebrated so close to one another. TheirContinue reading “Calling Forth Faith: St. Patrick and St. Joseph”