Category: Catechetical Corner

On June 30, the Church celebrates the First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church. As Fr.Nathan explains: “Few churches in Rome will leave as profound an impression upon you as the Basilica of San Stefano Rotondo near the Cathedral of St. John Lateran. Dedicated to St. Stephen the Protomartyr, this church commemorates the martyrs of…

The Eucharistic Prayer is the centre and summit of our entire celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is to this very moment that the Holy Mass is ordered towards and from which all graces and blessings flow. A PDF Version may be downloaded HERE: Part one of the video series may be…

We need to see contained within the bread and wine being brought up the entirety of our world – that is nature and humanity – in our brokenness and poverty. And we’re bringing it all up here for one purpose! That purpose being: TRANSFORMATION…   A PDF version is available HERE: Part one of the…

The Creed is none other than the marvelous history of God’s love for us. If ever we are asked what do you believe as a Catholic, the Creed is your sure answer! A PDF version is available HERE: Part one of the video series may be viewed HERE: Part two of the video series may…

In an article, Bishop Robert Barron writes: “Last week the world marked the 400th anniversary of the death of the greatest writer in the English language and one of the three or four most significant artists the human race has produced. William Shakespeare simply contains so much. In the manner of Dante, Homer, Michelangelo, James…

In this talk given to the Diocesan Retreat Team of the Diocese of Calgary, Fr. Nathan spoke on vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Fr. Nathan begins this talk with an explanation of the biblical development of the idea of vocation among God’s people. He then shares his own vocation story and offers some insights…

The Gospel is the “Good News” – and once it has been proclaimed, we are then assisted in our digestion of all the words we have consumed through the preaching of the homily. “The homily is ‘part of the liturgical action,’ and is meant to foster a deeper understanding of the word of God, so…

The readings proclaimed during the Mass are not just stories meant to keep us entertained. Rather they are the recalling of events that have occurred throughout history. Events that transmit Salvation! A PDF version is available HERE: Part one of the video series may be viewed HERE:  Part two of the video series may be…

The Gloria is like an angelic song being echoed out from the earth into Heaven’s court – it’s all about praise, thanksgiving and begging for God’s Mercy! This is the second video in a series on the Mass, presented by Frs. Siray, Christino and Lavigne. The rest of the series will be published as they…

The Collect prayer has its origins in the Church of Rome where all the Christians of the eternal city would gather at a particular church. It is known as the “plebs collecta”, the prayer of the assembled people being addressed to God the Father by the priest highlighting a number of intentions. A PDF version…

“In many sacristies throughout the world, it is not uncommon to find inscribed on a placard, “Priest of God, celebrate this Holy Mass as though it were your first Mass, your last Mass and your only Mass.” This admonition could apply to each of the faithful… This is the first video in a series on…

From Swords of Truth: “In John’s first letter we are told: “The reason why the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s works.” (1 John 3:8) It intrigues sceptics and fascinates the faithful – so what is it about ‘exorcism and demonic possession’ that touches something deep within and leaves one disconcerted. Discover…

Passiontide begins on the fifth Sunday of Lent. During Passiontide, statues and crosses are covered with purple or red cloths. This practice has its roots in 9th century Germany. At the beginning of Lent, a cloth called a Hungertuch, or Hunger Cloth, covered the altar. On the Wednesday before Easter, the cloth was removed when…

This week, Fr. Nathan sheds some light on the Corporal Works of Mercy and how we can’t simply rely on ourselves to be merciful for we are selfish sinners who so often fail to love as we should. But with the grace of God and the willingness to grow in the virtue of being merciful,…

Courtesy of “Word on Fire”: HAC- Image – Raphael -1510 Just a few weeks before the most significant Christian holy day of the year, British Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking on an evangelical radio program, articulated what, for him, is the meaning of Easter. He explained that the central message of Easter is “kindness, compassion,…

As Bishop Barron explains in this excerpt from his book, “And Now I See: A Theology of Transformation”, we humans cannot speak of God, and yet we must speak of God. We can’t help naming and describing God, and it’s through that exercise that we move into right relation with him, transcending our ego and…

Fr. James Kurzynski is a priest of the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin and a hobby astronomer. Originally from the small town of Amherst in rural central Wisconsin.Fr. James is a member of both the Chippewa Valley Astronomical Society and the La Crosse Area Astronomical Society. His first involvement with the Vatican Observatory came when…

LENT: The word “Lent” comes from the old English, “lencten,” which means “spring.” In Middle English is derived the words, lenten, lente, lent; related to the Dutch, lente, the German, Lenz, also rendered “spring.” In Old German are found the related words: lenzin, lengizin, and lenzo, which probably comes from the same root as “long”…

From Bishop Robert Barron at “Word on Fire” This year marks the 750th anniversary of the birth of the great Catholic poet Dante Alighieri. Michelangelo reverenced Dante, as did Longfellow, Dorothy Sayers, and T.S. Eliot. In fact, it was Eliot who commented, “Dante and Shakespeare divide the world between them. There is no third. One…

It seems that everyone loves “Downton Abbey”. We all have our favourite characters, and who does not love the beautiful costumes and sets? This year will mark the final season, and hopefully will wrap up the various plot lines to viewers satisfaction. But is there a spirituality to Downton Abbey? With “Downton Abbey” kicking off…

“Living according to the tradition of the Catholic way of life requires much from those who decide to adhere. Consistence, constancy, recognition of the Divine will, and a thrust toward a life of heroic virtue, necessitates near godly willpower and reliance on grace. Fickle desires such as languor and mediocrity most surely fall remote to…

Is reading more sacred scripture one of your New Year’s resolutions? While the daily Mass readings help keep us in step with the Church’s liturgical year, have you ever thought about reading the entire Bible in one year? One of the easiest methods in which to proceed is to follow a program of reading. Brandon…

Fr.Nathan was given a picture taken inside St.Bernard’s Church Christmas, 1960. He thought that it would be nice to share this with our parishioners.  This was the second Christmas Season at St.Bernard’s as the first Mass celebrated upon opening was Christmas 1959. As you can see, there were altar rails but no pews and a…

While a day like Christmas is fixed in our minds and on the calendars on December 25th, many of the important feasts of the Church year move, based upon the date that Easter is set. Easter changes each year moving to the Sunday after the “Paschal Full Moon,” and can fall between March 22 and…

This talk was given during a CCO Summit at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Calgary. My hope is that this short talk shows us how Mary’s fiat teaches us how to bear Christ in our lives and be confident in sharing that joy with others. Click on the link to visit the Swords of Truth…