Friday, November 12, 2021064One of the hot topics in political discourse today is globalization – that is, the tendency for the world population to become more integrated, or at least more technologically connected. Some people see this tendency as a threat to local communities, while others rejoice in it for its economic and social effects.
Thursday, October 14, 20210162Lots of us say we’re stressed. What is stress? According to the American Psychological Association, we can distinguish two kinds, one positive (eustress) and the other negative (distress). Positive stress is what we feel when we stand before a challenge that we believe is proportionate to our abilities — we feel excited and ready to...
Friday, September 17, 2021081Lately, I’ve been thinking about the upcoming diocesan synod announced by Bishop Edward J. Burns, which will integrate the synod announced by Pope Francis. What will this local synod, and then also the universal synod, mean for the Church in Dallas? After reading both Bishop Burns’ letter announcing the diocesan synod and “Radical...
Friday, August 20, 20210144 Photo by Cameron Kologinczak, seminarian of the Diocese of Austin, studying at Holy Trinity Seminary.
By Father John Bayer
Special to The Texas Catholic
This summer I had the joy of serving as chaplain for 12 seminarians from Holy Trinity Seminary as they participated in a formation exercise with COR Expeditions. COR...
Saturday, June 19, 2021062On Dec. 8, 2020, Pope Francis dedicated the coming year to St. Joseph. Now, in June, we are at the halfway point. To participate in his intention for the year, I read “Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father” by Father Donald Calloway. It was recommended to me by a friend, a layman, who started a prayer group...
Saturday, May 8, 20210232I’ve come to realize that the phrase “social justice” provokes very different reactions in Catholics, often according to their knowledge of the Catholic tradition and to their political sympathies. My sense is that some Catholics are very frightened by it. So, what should we think when our schools and parishes use this phrase? What...
Saturday, April 3, 20210362A healthy spiritual life is like a docile and trusting child happy to grow under a mother and father. In this image, we all need “spiritual direction” like we all need mothers and fathers, men and women ready to affirm, teach, console and challenge us. Like all good parents, our spiritual directors will aim above all to emancipate...
Friday, March 19, 20210170Children are increasingly growing up among adults in politics, entertainment and academia who encourage them, even well before puberty, to adopt sexual profiles that conflict with Church teaching, such as transgenderism. This is confusing for those who trust the Biblical understanding of God’s design for human sexuality, according to...
Friday, January 22, 20210223In the July/August 2020 issue of Christianity Today, there is an article by Mark Regnerus, a sociologist at UT Austin, entitled “Vanishing Vows: Can the Church Save Marriage?” It previews his book, The Future of Christian Marriage, and reports interviews of young Christians in Mexico, Spain, Poland, Russia, Lebanon, Nigeria and the...
Wednesday, December 16, 20200141In Advent we meditate on the coming of Christ. Traditionally, we contemplate not only his coming at Christmas, but also his second coming at the end of time – his coming “in glory to judge the living and the dead” (as we say in the Nicene Creed).
