Understanding Our Church
A Treasury of Arkansas Writers Discussing the Catholic Faith
Official Website of the
Catholic Diocese of Little Rock
Understanding Our Church
Explore this treasury of Arkansas writers discussing the Catholic faith on a wide variety of topics. Find what you're looking for by browsing the whole list or search by keyword or author. All articles have been reviewed for theological accuracy. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
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Our view on end times focuses on Christ bringing about God’s plan Charles T. Sullivan In Catholic theology, any speculation concerning the end of time is called eschatology, a word from the Greek meaning “study of the last or final things.” Theologians make the distinction between individual eschatology (the study of the final condition of individual human beings) and universal es |
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Ordinary Time in the Church’s liturgical year is anything but ordinary Father Erik Pohlmeier The word “ordinary” usually brings to mind ideas such as “common,” “plain” or “mundane.” When the Church speaks of “Ordinary Time” a very different meaning is intended. |
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Gospel message delivered from different perspectives to reach all Dr. Linda Webster St. Paul would make an excellent instructor of public speaking in any of our contemporary universities. In the reading from 1 Corinthians, which we’ll hear this week, St. Paul explains how he analyzes his audiences in order to share the Gospel most effectively. (9, 19-22) |
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‘Didache’ shows today’s Christians how little has changed in Tradition Abbot Jerome Kodell, OSB While he was on a trip to Constantinople in 1873, Orthodox Archbishop Philotheos Byrennios, who had been a professor of Church history, took the opportunity to browse in the ancient manuscript collection of the library of Holy Sepulchre Monastery. |
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Don’t despair: God’s love is greater than natural disasters, war, disease Msgr. Richard Oswald “Paul is saying that wars, disease and natural disasters are real but the love and fidelity of God are more real than anything that can harm us or cause us anxiety. God is more dependable and trustworthy than anything that can cause us to suffer.” |
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Christmas hope, joy to be experienced throughout year Sister Susan McCarthy, RDC As a young child I remember a wonderful tradition our local paper had at Christmas. Each year they would publish a Christmas story that was introduced on the first day of December and finished the day before Christmas. |
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Happiness, wholeness, holiness comes from losing oneself in Christ Charles T. Sullivan For me personally, one of the most difficult topics to write about is holiness. It is hard for two reasons. First, I realize only too well that I am not holy and therefore have no right to offer myself as an authority on the subject. |
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Mass is ‘bridge’ that allows participants to enter God’s timelessness Father Erik Pohlmeier In preparation for the Eucharistic Congress last month a number of questions and answers about the Mass were printed in Arkansas Catholic. |
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All Saints Day is chance for Church to reflect on those already home Father Raphael Kitz, OCD In the Steven Spielberg movie, “E.T.,” there is a touching scene in which the extra terrestrial, with a sad face and a tear in the eye, points upward and murmurs home, home. His anxious longing was to return home with his loved ones to find rest and happiness. |
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Faith rituals not ‘mindless chores’ but means to encounter mystery Father Andrew Smith Catholics are a ritually oriented people. This may be seen as a mixed blessing, depending on how you understand repetition. For some people certain rituals — doing the same thing over and over again — may help to make our lives boring and uninteresting. |
